Saturday, August 13, 2011

How Nelson's column was cut down to size: Not by those dastardly French but by Victorian budget cuts that left him 30ft shorter




2 comments:

Hels said...

As ever, decisions were made on public art and architecture on artistic taste, political values, timing, location and materials etc etc. But then, as now, the reality of budget cuts cut across the other aspects that we might of thought of as more important, and took priority.

Clearly, as it says, NOT honouring Nelson was unthinkable. So I wonder who was responsible for dicking around for 30+ years after Nelson’s death before plans to erect a monument in the grand new square near Charing Cross were announced. The older generation, who so admired Nelson's heroism, would have been dying off by then.

Hermes said...

As I keep saying - nothing changes much - especially with Govts. Such fun this week with everyone blaming everyone else for the riots. Funny how Wellington got so much more gratitude than Nelson.