St John's Gardens

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Justice from the Gladstone Memorial

St John's Gardens is a memorial park in Liverpool, England, it is to the rear of St George's Hall. It takes its name from St John's Church which stood on the site from 1783 until 1887. The terraced gardens were laid out by Thomas Shelmerdine, the City Surveyor, they opened in 1904. It is part of the William Brown Street conservation area.

[edit] Monuments

The garden contains a number of monuments commemorating people associated with reforming some of the most pressing social problems of the nineteenth century.

The Regimental Monument commemorates the South African War and is of white stone with a central bronze wreath, helmet flag and sword and a standing soldier at each side. The central pedestal contains a figure of Britannia. The monument was designed by Sir William Goscombe John and erected in 1905.

The Gladstone Memorial was erected in 1904 and designed by Sir Thomas Brock. William Ewart Gladstone, the Liberal statesman and Prime Minister, was born in Rodney St in 1809 and died in 1898. The tall pedestal between seated female figures of "Truth" and "Justice" carries a relief entitled "Btotherhood". Gladstone stands holding a roll of parchment and books.

The Nugent Monument was erected in 1906 and designed by Frederick William Pomeroy. Monsignor Nugent, 1822-1905, worked on behalf of neglected children and founded ragged schools and orphanages. The monument is composed of a standing bronze figure in a blessing attitude with a ragged boy.

Detail from statue

The Lester Monument was designed by George Frampton and erected in 1907, the monument commemorates Canon T. Major Lester, a worker for neglected children, who died in 1903.

The Forwood Monument was erected in 1903 and designed by George Frampton it commerates Arthur Bower Forwood.

The Rathbone Monument was designed by George Frampton and erected in 1889. William Rathbone VI was a member of the distinguished Liverpool family of social reformers the Rathbones.

The Balfour Monument was designed by Albert Bruce-Joy and erected in 1889. Alexander Balfour was a philanthropist of Scottish origin and championed temperance and neglected children.