Scarborough's Freddie Gilroy statue could be moved under £50k plan
One of Scarborough’s most recognisable statues could be moved to a new location as part of a £50,000 plan to save the artwork.
The statue of Freddie Gilroy and the Belsen Stragglers in Scarborough has stoically faced the harsh North Sea winds for 15 years but could soon be relocated within the town due to concerns about weathering and deterioration of the much-loved landmark.
Sculptor Ray Lonsdale’s statue depicts a friend of the artist, a former soldier who participated in the liberation of Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in 1945, sitting on a bench in his old age.
Approximately 50,000 people died in the Nazi concentration camp complex, among them Anne Frank, the most well-known child diarist of the Holocaust era.
Made of Corten steel and approximately twice life-size, ‘Freddie’ is in need of restoration and could be moved to a more sheltered area to protect the future of the war and Holocaust memorial.
A £50,000 plan to move the statue 200 metres along the seafront has been proposed by North Yorkshire Council and could see Scarborough Town Council take ownership and management responsibility for the landmark.
If approved, the statue would be relocated to the raised part of Royal Albert Drive that provides significantly more protection from wind and waves, to increase its longevity by a further 15 years.
Originally, the statue was only set to stay in the North Bay for a month in 2011.
However, it was made a permanent feature thanks to a local campaign led by Jakki Wilby, the generous donation of Maureen Robinson, who purchased the sculpture and gifted it to the town, and the work of the Civic Society, which has managed and maintained the work since.
However, its location has seen it increasingly buffeted by ever higher waves and winds from the North Sea, a report states.
Scarborough Town Council is considering making a £10,000 contribution to the scheme and has estimated annual maintenance costs of around £30.
“A working-class Yorkshireman whose experiences connect Scarborough to the Second World War and the liberation of Bergen-Belsen concentration camp.
“As a deeply evocative piece of public art, the sculpture captures both the quiet dignity of an ordinary man and the lasting emotional weight of the horrors he witnessed, inviting visitors to reflect on the human cost of war and the enduring power of remembrance,” a report to town councillors states.
A full meeting of Scarborough Town Council next week is set to consider the proposal, including a £10,000 contribution to project costs and taking responsibility for the artwork.