Main Street Mayo Statue Erected 1875
1850-1900 Main Street Menu
Main Street Mayo statue. The figure is nine feet high, carved from a solid block of Sicilian marble by W & T Wills of London. The pedestal on which it stands is 12 feet high. The unveiling was planned for the first week in June 1875 but there was a long controversy regarding the site. One plan was to place it at the corner of Station Street and Main Street, thus narrowing the footpaths on the corner to allow more room for the statue. There was a suggestion to place it on the old bowling green at the Castle but this was not seriously considered. A position in the widest part of Main Street was finally chosen, £30 being spent on making it wider still by curving the footpath parallel to the houses on the south side. Mayo arrived by rail on 13th August, was hoisted up on the 16th and unveiled by Lord Napier and Ettrick on 19th.
The unveiling made the occasion of a town celebration, beginning with a procession from the Market Place. Lord Napier was supported by other dignitaries who, with subscribers to the fund, occupied stands erected in the street and by several thousand people.
A public lunch in the Agricultural Hall (Mitchells) was presided over by the Earl of Lonsdale. Later in the day there was tea for 1,300 children on the Castle lands at 5pm and dancing on the bowling green from 4pm. To ensure that everything proceeded smoothly, 30 extra police were drafted into the town for the day.
In 1964 a tanker going along Main Street in the fog hit the statue and Mayo fell to the ground, broken into several pieces, and every block of masonry except the lowest was displaced by the force of the impact (see multiple photos). The statue was put together and re-erected. Only a close inspection of the neck will show any damage.
Main Street Mayo Assassination in Andaman Island 1872
In Main Street Cockermouth the statue of Mayo now dominates the central reservation of Main Street and is the fine marble statue of Richard Southwell Bourke, sixth earl of Mayo, M.P. for Cockermouth 1857-68. The statue was erected after Mayo was assassinated in 1872, whilst visiting the Andaman Islands as Viceroy and Governor-General of India.
Source: Wikipedia Assassination of Richard Bourke
Mayo; this commemoration is in India after hia assassination in 1872. In Main Street Cockermouth the statue of Mayo now dominates the central reservation of Main Street and is the fine marble statue of Richard Southwell Bourke, sixth earl of Mayo, M.P. for Cockermouth 1857-68. The statue was erected after Mayo was assassinated in 1872, whilst visiting the Andaman Islands as Viceroy and Governor-General of India.
The commemoration above is in India and is inscribed:
Dedicated to the memory of Richard Southwell Bourke Earl of Mayo Sometime Viceroy and Governor General of British India who after three and a half years of beneficent rule, during which he inaugurated many wise measures and won the regard of all classes, fell beneath the hand of an assassin at Fort Blair Andaman Islands on the 8th February 1872
The popularity of their local MP is indicated when, within three years, public subscription raised money for a statue of commemorating our assassinated MP of Cockermouth, the unveiling event in 1875 at which people risked their lives to stand on shop signs and climb on the roof to see the unveiling commemoration. 1872
Main Street August 1875. Crowds gather for unveiling the statue of Mayo who had been their MP and later assassinated. The popularity of this event in 1875 is indicated by people risking their lives to climb on the roof. Note the ladies who will not risk their fair complexion being tanned by the sun, so they shield their fair skin from the tanning effect of the sun with umbrellas – it is not raining.
The statue of Mayo now dominates the central reservation of Main Street and is the fine marble statue of Richard Southwell Bourke, sixth earl of Mayo, M.P. for Cockermouth 1857-68. The statue was erected after Mayo was assassinated in 1872, whilst visiting the Andaman Islands as Viceroy and Governor-General of India.
The Kings Arms Inn is many years later was Luchini ice cream and they manufactured their ices in the buildings down the lane but Luchini was replaced by Cusack of Cockermouth Travel who renovated Kings Arms Lane to become a wonderful shopping arcade with cafe and the history wall.
Main Street 62 Pawnbroker 70 Cockton August 1875 Mayo erected. Note on the extreme right are the three balls of the pawnbroker at 62 Main Street. The sign on the wall to the right of Mayo states “Cockton” where today’s renovation of Cocktons Yard can be publicly accessed through a doorway from Main Street.
On the extreme left is a shop with an awning, 84 now Elliot & Black and to the left of it is the building that was later demolished for the Carnegie Library. To the right of 84 is a gap that is the entrance to today’s United Reformed Church, in those days Congregational Church, you can see the spires above the roof line.
Crowds gather for unveiling the statue of Mayo who had been their MP then Viceroy of India but when carrying out his duties in the Andaman Islands he was assassinated. The popularity of our local MP is indicated not only in this event in 1875 but by people risking their lives to stand on shop signs and climb on the roof to see the commemoration.
Note the ladies who will not risk their fair complexion being tanned by the sun, so they shield their fair skin from the tanning effect of the sun with umbrellas – it is not raining. But the social status and norms of umbrella etiquette are indicated by some umbrellas being fancy and others seeming to be necessary even though the ladies are indoors, peering out of upstairs windows! The men seem to indicate their social status with hats, some top hats taller than others, and others rounded or even boaters, but no flat caps.
The statue of Mayo now dominates the central reservation of Main Street and is the fine marble statue of Richard Southwell Bourke, sixth earl of Mayo, M.P. for Cockermouth 1857-68. The statue was erected after Mayo was assassinated in 1872, whilst visiting the Andaman Islands as Viceroy and Governor-General of India.
There are cast iron posts with cross piece that looks as if they could be lamp posts, but there seems no glass protection if there is a flame to come from it.
On the right edge is the shop with three ball sign for a pawnbroker. To the right of the statue of Mayo is a sign on the wall that when magnified is Cockton behind which is an important place to visit in Cockermouth, Cocktons Yard, accessed from the public doorway between Bryson and PFK, a masterpiece of urban sensitive preservation and regeneration. Note the spire and tower of the Congregational Church, now the United Reformed Church URC. Photo taken 1875
Main Street August 1875. Crowds gather for unveiling the statue of Mayo who had been their MP and later assassinated. The popularity of this event in 1875 is indicated by people risking their lives to stand on shop signs and climb on the roof.
The sign in the foreground states “For Subscribers and Ladies” by the tiered seated area. The sashes and uniforms indicate something, and the various hats seem to indicate status.
Note the ladies who will not risk their fair complexion being tanned by the sun, so they sheild their fair skin from the tanning effect of the sun with umbrellas – it is not raining.
The statue of Mayo now dominates the central reservation of Main Street and is the fine marble statue of Richard Southwell Bourke, sixth earl of Mayo, M.P. for Cockermouth 1857-68. The statue was erected after Mayo was assassinated in 1872, whilst visiting the Andaman Islands as Viceroy and Governor-General of India.
The Kings Arms Inn is many years later was Luchini ice cream and they manufactured their ices in the buildings down the lane but Luchini was replaced by Cusack of Cockermouth Travel who renovated Kings Arms Lane to become a wonderful shopping arcade with cafe and the history wall.
An unknown is the apparent cast iron post with cross piece that looks as if it should be a lamp post, but there seems no glass protection if there is a flame to come from it.
Note to the left of Kings Arms (lane) is Fattorini shop with precarious items balancing above the shop sign with apparently various wicker work chairs. Above the shop is the three ball sign for a pawnbroker, so Fattorini may be a pawnbroker. Can you spot the spire and tower of the Congregational Church, now the United Reformed Church URC?
On the right of Kings Arms archway to the lane is the building that was rebuilt as Boots. Straughton & Brown Chemist & Druggist is now Greggs the Baker and the door to the right is still there, but no longer leading to Robinson Joiner. 1875
Main Street 60 Cockton. Mayo photo is after 1875 when Mayo was unveiled but before 1887 when trees were planted to commemorate Queen Victoria’s Jubilee. The archway would lead to stables and a place for carriages. There are no gas lamps from the town gas yet. Nor are there any of the street’s trees yet, they were planted later, in 1887 for Queen Victoria’s Jubilee which was celebrated by 100 Lime Trees planted in Main Street, Station Street and Market Place, paid for by public subscription. c 1880
Main Street 62 Pawnbroker 70 Cockton August 1875 Mayo erected. Note on the extreme right are the three balls of the pawnbroker at 62 Main Street. The sign on the wall to the right of Mayo states “Cockton” where today’s renovation of Cocktons Yard can be publicly accessed through a doorway from Main Street.
On the extreme left is a shop with an awning, 84 now Elliot & Black and to the left of it is the building that was later demolished for the Carnegie Library. To the right of 84 is a gap that is the entrance to today’s United Reformed Church, in those days Congregational Church, you can see the spires above the roof line.
Crowds gather for unveiling the statue of Mayo who had been their MP then Viceroy of India but when carrying out his duties in the Andaman Islands he was assassinated. The popularity of our local MP is indicated not only in this event in 1875 but by people risking their lives to stand on shop signs and climb on the roof to see the commemoration.
Note the ladies who will not risk their fair complexion being tanned by the sun, so they shield their fair skin from the tanning effect of the sun with umbrellas – it is not raining. But the social status and norms of umbrella etiquette are indicated by some umbrellas being fancy and others seeming to be necessary even though the ladies are indoors, peering out of upstairs windows! The men seem to indicate their social status with hats, some top hats taller than others, and others rounded or even boaters, but no flat caps.
The statue of Mayo now dominates the central reservation of Main Street and is the fine marble statue of Richard Southwell Bourke, sixth earl of Mayo, M.P. for Cockermouth 1857-68. The statue was erected after Mayo was assassinated in 1872, whilst visiting the Andaman Islands as Viceroy and Governor-General of India.
There are cast iron posts with cross piece that looks as if they could be lamp posts, but there seems no glass protection if there is a flame to come from it.
On the right edge is the shop with three ball sign for a pawnbroker. To the right of the statue of Mayo is a sign on the wall that when magnified is Cockton behind which is an important place to visit in Cockermouth, Cocktons Yard, accessed from the public doorway between Bryson and PFK, a masterpiece of urban sensitive preservation and regeneration. Note the spire and tower of the Congregational Church, now the United Reformed Church URC. Photo taken 1875
Main Street unveiling of Mayo statue August 1875 note the large crowd on the street and many on the top of roof – how did they get there? To the left of the Straughton Brown shop name was ladies outfitter but the building was later demolished by Twiname’s to make way for Boots the Chemist. Note Kings Arms pub with the archway that leads to today’s Kings Arms Lane with its shops.
