117 Peace Monuments in & near London (England)

Click here for peace monuments elsewhere in England (UK).
Click here for "London Remembers (Aiming to capture all memorials in London)." So far we have found 10,111 subjects (people, events, etc.) on 2,563 memorials, at 1,986 sites.
Click here for "Memorials for Peace," website of the Peace Pledge Union (PPU). | Click here for article about blue plaques in London.

Right click image to enlarge.

2600-2400 BCE - Peace Panel, Standard of Ur, British Museum, London (England). "Peace" [upper image & detail] portrays a banquet scene. Attendants parade animals, fish, and other goods (possibly war booty) before seated figures, while a lyrist entertains the throng." "The 'standard' is a hollow wooden box and a mosaic inlaid with red limestone, lapis lazuli and shells. Its original function is not understood, but it has been suggested it was born upon a pole as a standard, thus its common name, 'The Standard of Ur.' Another suggestion was its use as a carrying case for a musical instrument. Excavated in what was the old royal cemetery in what had been the ancient city of Ur, which was located in modern-day Iraq, south of Baghdad. There are two larger panels – one side depicting peace and the other side war [lower image]."

1440-1445 - The Battle of San Romano, A set of three paintings by the Florentine painter Paolo Uccello [1397-1475] depicting events that took place at the Battle of San Romano in 1432. Much admired in the 15th century. They are now divided between three collections, the National Gallery, London, the Galleria degli Uffizi and the Musée du Louvre, Paris.

Circa 1483 - Venus and Mars, National Gallery, London (England). A painting by the Italian Renaissance master Sandro Botticelli [c1445-1510].

1629-30 - "Allegory on the blessings of peace" by Peter Paul Rubens [1577-1640], National Gallery, London (England). Oil on canvas, 203.5 x 298 cm (80 1/8 x 117 1/4 in). Also called "Peace & War" and "Minerva protects Pax from Mars."

Circa 1638 - "Allegory of Peace and the Arts under the English Crown," Central Hall, Queen's House (now Malborough House), Greenwich (England). Ceiling painting. "One of the few documented collaborations between Artemisia Gentileschi [1593-1653] and her father Orazio Gentileschi [1563-1639], who who arrived in Britain in 1626 to work at the Court of King Charles I and Queen Henrietta Maria of England."

1648 - Die Gesandten beschwoeren den Frieden zu Muenster / Ratification of the Treaty of Münster (Peace of Westphalia) by Gerard Ter Borch [1617-1681], National Gallery, London (England). Click here for Wikipedia article about the Peace of Westphalia. omwich">Castle Bromwich Hall, Castle Bromwich, West Midlands (England). Bridgeman Family Coat of Arms & Lion.

About 1691 - Grave of George Fox, Quaker Gardens, beteeen Chequer & Banner Streets, London (England). In remaining part of a Quaker burial groaund dating from 1661. George Fox [1624-1691] was an English Dissenter & a founder of the Religious Society of Friends, commonly known as the Quakers. "In keeping with Quaker beliefs in plainness & modesty, his grave has only a simple marker." 1 of 45 monuments in "Peace Trails through London" by Valerie Flessati (2012), page 14.

1872 - George Fox Memorial, George Fox Lane, Fenny Drayton (England). At birthplace of George Fox [1624-1691]. Click here for Quaker peace monuments worldwide.

C E I L I N G

1708-1716 - "Peace and Liberty Triumphing Over Tyranny," "The Painted Hall," Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich (England). Allegorical painting by James Thornhill [1675-1734], in which William & Mary accept an olive branch from Peace. /// "In the central oval, the painting shows Peace & Liberty triumphing over Tyranny. Enthroned in heaven with the Virtues behind them, are William & Mary. Above them is the Sun god Apollo shedding his golden light, while Peace with her doves & lambs surrounding her hands an olive branch to William."

1806 - "Napoleon as Mars the Peacemaker" [sic], Apsley House, Hyde Park Corner, London (England). "A colossal heroic nude statue by Italian artist Antonio Canova [1757-1822], of Napoleon I of France in the guise of the Roman god Mars. He holds a gilded Nike or Victory standing on an orb in his right hand and a staff in his left. It was produced between 1802 & 1806 & stands 3.45 metres to the raised left hand. Once on display in the Louvre in Paris, it was purchased from Louis XVIII in 1816 by the British government, which granted it to the Duke of Wellington [1769-1852]. It is now on display in Robert Adam's stairwell at the Duke's London residence, Apsley House."

1811 - "Napoleon as Mars the Peacemaker" [sic], Milan (Italy). In 1811 a bronze copy of the statue was cast in Rome by Francesco Righetti & his son Luigi using the bronze of the cannons of Castel Sant'Angelo in Rome. A previous attempt to cast the statue had failed. Since 1859 the bronze has stood in the main courtyard of Palazzo Brera, home of the Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera and the Pinacoteca di Brera, in Milan. Its temporary base was replaced in 1864 with the present base designed by Luigi Bisi... The gilded bronze winged victory on the globe in the right hand of the figure was stolen on 25 October 1978 [and] replaced with a replica in the 1980's."

1840 - Statue of William Wilberforce, North & South Choir, Westmnster Abbey, London (England). William Wilberforce [1759-1833] was a leader of the movement to abolish the slave trade.. Image shows Queen Elizabeth at the statue just before a service in March 2007 marking the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the slave trade. One of 309 London monuments in Kershman (2007), page 83.

1850 - "Auto-Icon" of Jeremy Bentham, University College London (UCL), London (England). In glass-fronted cabinet. Jeremy Bentham [1748-1832] was a philosopher who campaigned for social and political reform. His utilitarian principles helped him to create the greatest happiness principle & calculus. He requested in his Will that his body should be preserved & in a wooden cabinet which he called his "Auto-Icon." UCL acquired his body in 1850 and have kept it on public display ever since. The Auto-Icon has a wax head; the real head is in a mummified-state locked away in the university. Click here for video. Information courtesy of Hope May 08Feb13.

1853-1856Crimean War

1856-1859 - Home of William Morris, 17 Red Lion Square, London (England). William Morris [1834-1896] was "textile designer, artist, writer & utopian socialist associated with the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood & the English Arts & Crafts Movement & author of the utopian "News from Nowhere" (1890). Inscription on plaque: "In this house lived in 1851 Dante Gabriel Rossetti (1828-1882), poet and painter, and from 1856-1859 William Morris (1834-1896), poet and artist, and Sir Edward Burne-Jones (1833-1898), painter." /// The same house became headquarters of the Fellowship of Reconciliation (FOR) 1915-1943. Info courtesy of Valerie Flessati (2012). This is 1 of 45 monuments in her "Peace Trails through London," page 4.

1865 - Buxton Memorial Fountain, Victoria Tower Gardens, Millbank, Westminster, London (England). "Commemorates the emancipation of slaves in 1834. Erected by Charles Buxton, MP [1823-1871], & dedicated to his father Sir Thomas Foxwell Buxton [1786-1845]. Also to abolitionists William Wilberforce, Thomas Clarkson, Thomas Babington Macaulay, Henry Brougham & Stephen Lushington. Designed by Gothic architect Samuel Sanders Teulon [1812-1873]... Originally in Parliament Square, removed in 1940 & moved to its present position in 1957." 1 of 45 monuments in "Peace Trails through London" by Valerie Flessati (2012), page 8.

1868 - Statue of Richard Cobden, Camden High Street, London (England). Sculpted by W. & T. Wills. Richard Cobden [1804-1865] was a major peace figure (according to Peter van den Dungen). Upper image is from 1905, lower image is recent. One of 309 London monuments in Kershman (2007), page 350. See other Cobden statue outside St. Ann's Church, Manchester. 1 of 45 monuments in "Peace Trails through London" by Valerie Flessati (2012), page 17.

Date? - Statue of Richard Cobden, outside St. Ann's Church, Manchester (England). Richard Cobden [1804-1865] was a major peace figure. See other Cobden statue in Camden High Street, London.

1870 - Peace Memorial Fountain, Smithfield, London (England). "This statue was put here in 1870 by The Metropolitan Drinking Fountain Association. The bronze figure of Peace is by John Birnie Philip [1824-1875] - more famous for his work on the Albert Memorial. The matching statues of Temperance, Faith, Hope & Charity have long gone." 1 of 45 monuments in "Peace Trails through London" by Valerie Flessati (2012), page 13.

About 1870 - Statue of Michael Faraday, Savoy Place, Victoria Embankment, London (England). Outside the Institute of Engineering & Technology. By sculptor John Henry Foley [1818-1874]. Micahel Faraday [1791-1867] was the self-taught chemist & physicist who discovered electricity but refused for ethical reasons to help develop chemical weapons for use in the Crimean War. Info courtesy of Valerie Flessati (2012). This is 1 of 45 monuments in her "Peace Trails through London," page 12.

Circa 1900:

2 O B I L I S K S

Oblisk on left: 1879 - Robert Owen Memorial, Kensal Green Cemetery, London (England). Erected by committee under Joseph Corfield [1808-1888]. Robert Owen [1771-1858] developed utopian communities both in New Lanark (Scotland) and New Harmony, Indiana (USA). This is not his grave; he is buried in Newtown, Montgomeryshire (Wales). 1 of 45 monuments in "Peace Trails through London" by Valerie Flessati (2012), page 19.

Oblisk on right: August 1885 - Reformers Memorial, Kensal Green Cemetery, London (England). Column of light stone inscribed "to the memory of the men and women who have generously given their time and means to improve the conditions and enlarge the happiness of all classes of society." Erected by Joseph William Corfield [1809-1888] of Abney Park, a Unitarian and member the South Place Ethical Society. Displays "the names of 50 well-known reformers. Another 25 were added in 1907 on the instructions of Corfield's daughter Emma." The first two names are Robert Owen [1771-1858] and John Bellers [1654-1725]. "The remaining 72 names include many well known social reformers, Christian Socialists, Co-operators and political activists." "Contested Sites: Commemoration, Memorial and Popular Politics in Nineteenth-Century Britain" (by Paul A. Pickering, Alex Tyrrell et al, May 2004) names 46 of the reformers. 1 of 45 monuments in "Peace Trails through London" by Valerie Flessati (2012), page 18.

1881-1899Anglo-Sudan War or Mahdist War

About 1888 - Grave of Henry Richard, Abney Park Cemetery, Stoke Newington, London (England). In a nonconformist cemetery. Henry Richard [1812-1888] was a Congregational minister & Welsh Member of Parliament 1868-1888. He advocated peace & international arbitration, was secretary of the Peace Society for 40 years 1848–1884, and was known as "the Apostle of Peace." Info courtesy of Valerie Flessati (2012). This is 1 of 45 monuments in her "Peace Trails through London," page 17.

August 18, 1893 - Henry Richard Statue, Tregaron, Cardiganshire (Wales). By Albert Toft." Henry Richard [1812-1888] was born in Tregaron. He was a Nonconformist minister in London before being elected the Liberal Member of Parliament for Merthyr Tydfil in 1868. He was known as 'The Apostle of Peace' in recognition of his work as secretary of the Peace Society [1848-1884]." One of 13 sites on the MAW Peace Map of the British Isles as of January 2009. (N.B.: "Apostle of Peace" also used on plaque for W.T. Stead [1849-1912] in Embleton (England)

1893 - Shaftesbury Memorial Fountain, Piccadilly Circus, London (England). Statue on top is commonly called "Eros." Actually "the god pictured is Eros’ younger brother, Anteros, who represents completed or returned love. Because of the fuss that was created because of its nudity & supposed frivolity, it was almost immediately re-named 'The Angel of Christian Charity.' The fountain is dedicated to the noted philanthropist & social reformer Lord Shaftesbury [1621-1683]. He reformed the lunacy, labor & child labor laws & was on the board of governors of the 'ragged schools' which educated the poor. Lord Shaftesbury is honored (under his given name of Anthony Ashley-Cooper) together with William Wilberforce [1759-1833] on the liturgical calendar of the Episcopal Church on 30 July for his witness against slavery." /// This is "Monday's Monument" #119.

1899-1902Second Boer War

1900 - Memorial to Heroic Self-Sacrifice, Postman's Park, King Edward Street, London (England). Contains rows of ceramic tiles commemorating people who died saving others. Created by artist George Frederick Watts [1817-1904]. One tile commemorates John Cranmer, Aged 23, "drowned...saving the life of a stranger & a foreigner." Info courtesy of Valerie Flessati (2012). This is 1 of 45 monuments in her "Peace Trails through London," page 13.

1906-1910, 1985 - "The Brown Dog," Battersea, London (England). "The original statue of the brown dog [left image], by Joseph Whitehead, was erected in Battersea in 1906, presumed destroyed in 1910... Led to a street battle in Trafalgar Square on 10 December 1907 between 1,000 medical students, 400 police officers, and crowds of suffragettes & trade unionists... A new statue, by Nicola Hicks [right image], was erected in Battersea Park in 1985... The Brown Dog affair was a political controversy about vivisection that raged in Edwardian England from 1903 until 1910. It involved the infiltration of University of London medical lectures by Swedish women anti-vivisection activists, pitched battles between medical students and the police, police protection for the statue of a dog, a libel trial at the Royal Courts of Justice, and the establishment of a Royal Commission to investigate the use of animals in experiments. The affair became a cause célèbre that reportedly divided the country."

1908 - Grave of Randal Cremer, Hampstead Cemetery (plot H9/40), London (England). Tombstone has document labeled "Arbitration Treaty," sword & olive branch. Randal Cremer [1828-1908] "received the Nobel Peace Prize (the first to do so solo) in 1903, mainly for his work in international arbitration & particularly the 1897 Anglo-American arbitration treaty. He co-founded the Inter-Parliamentary Union & the International Arbitration League." He died at his home, 11 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London. Click here for an article about this grave. 1 of 45 monuments in "Peace Trails through London" by Valerie Flessati (2012), page 18.

May 7, 1910 - "Bringer of Peace," Friary Park, Friern Barnet, London (England). Statue by Sydney Simmons dedicated to the memory of King Edward VII [1841-1910] & erected on 7 May 1910, the day after his death. /// "Children used to love climbing up the little stone mountain but there is a small circular fence now to prevent people touching & sitting on it." /// Edward VII fostered good relations between Great Britain & other European countries, especially France, for which he was popularly called "Peacemaker." Click here for other Edward VII monuments.

1910 - Figure of Peace, Royal Artillery Boer War Memorial, London, (England). "The main statue, a female winged figure of peace, is calming a horse representing the spirit of war. The relief on the base includes images of the army in action, but nothing about the monument refers to the devastation and horror of the Boer War in South Africa. The narrative is selective and its message is clear: the Royal Artillery brought peace to the region. The nuances of the truth are unimportant."

1910 - Restored 2010 - Garden of Peace / Heiwa-en, Hammersmith Park, South Africa Road, White City, Shepherd's Bush, London (England). "Created in 1910 as a part of the great Japan-British Exhibition in which Meiji Japan fully demonstrated her technology & culture to the West for the first time." Restored for its centennial in 2010. "What remains of a much larger garden... the oldest traditional Japanese garden in a public place in Britain... renovated in accordance with the ancient principles & techniques that dictated its creation 100 years has created two new play spaces with a distinct Japanese inspiration." Chick here for story about "an ecstatic Japanese Matsuri-style garden party in the newly restored Heiwa-en (Japanese Peace Garden)" on May 23, 2010. World's first peace garden?

F L A T

1911-1916 - Flat, No. 3, 34 Russell Chambers, Bury Place, Russell Estate, Bloomsbury, London WC1 (England). Modest flat occupied by Bertrand Russell [1870-1970], a member of the Russell family which owned & developed much of Bloomsbury. Many of his letters to Lady Ottoline Morrell [1873-1938] were written from this fourth floor flat, where TS Eliot once stayed too. Although Russell was an atheist from his teens, his lifelong social values were shaped by his grandmother, whose favourite Bible verse was: "Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil." (Exodus 23: 2). When his books were confiscated to pay his fines after one anti-war protest, his friends bought them back, & for the rest of his days he treasured his King James Version of the Bible that had been stamped: "Confiscated by Cambridge Police." When Russell was the subject of bitter personal attack while lecturing in the USA, Albert Einstein came to his defence, saying: 'Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds.' His former apartment in Russell Chambers is now available to rent." Upper image shows door & Blue Plaque for Russell installed in 2002. Lower image shows Lady Ottoline.

1912 - "Angel of Peace Descending on the Chariot of War," Quadriga, Wellington Arch, Hyde Park Corder, London (England). "Sculpted by Adrian Jones [1845-1938]. The face of the charioteer leading the quadriga is that of a small boy (actually the son of Lord Michelham, the man who funded the sculpture). The largest bronze sculpture in Europe." Replaced Matthew Cotes Wyatt's gigantic equestrian statue of Wellington that was taken down and not replaced when the arch moved from its first location opposite Apsley House to Hyde Park Corner in 1882-83.

1793 - "Goddess of Peace," Quadriga, Brandenburger Tor / Brandenburg Gate, Berlin (Germany). Interpretation changed after the German victory over France in 1814 when the woman became Victoria, the goddess of Victory, by adding a Prussian eagle on an iron cross to her ensemble. Changed again to a symbol of the Third Reich when the Nazis reached power.

1913 - Les Bourgeois de Calais / The Burghers of Calais, Victoria Gardens, Parliament, London (England). Bronze casting of a sculpture made by Auguste Rodin [1840-1917] in 1884-86 and installed in Calais (France) in 1895. Depicts six leading citizens who offered their lives in 1347 to King Edward III of England as ransom for the protection of other townsfolk. One of 21 peace monuments named by the PPU website. One of 309 London monuments in Kershman (2007), page 87. 1 of 45 monuments in "Peace Trails through London" by Valerie Flessati (2012), page 8.

1895 - Les Bourgeois de Calais / The Burghers of Calais, Calais (France). Bronze casting by Auguste Rodin [1840-1917] in 1884-86. Depicts six leading citizens who offered their lives in 1347 to King Edward III of England as ransom for the protection of other townsfolk. A copy was erected in Victoria Tower Gardens, London (England) in 1913 (qv). Other copies are in Bâle (Switzerland), Basel, Canberra, Copenhagen, Mariemont (Belgium), New York City, Paris, Pasadena, Philadelphia, Seoul, Tokyo, and Washington.

M E M O R I A L

Upper image 1913 - Memorial to W. T. Stead, River Parapet, Victoria Embankment, London (England). Sculpted by Sir George Frampton [1860-1928]. William Thomas Stead [1849-1912] was "the first truly modern journalist." Stead was an important figure at the 1899 & 1907 Hague peace conferences, and he died on the Titanic en route to a peace conference in the USA. One of 309 London monuments in Kershman (2007), page 123. 1 of 45 monuments in "Peace Trails through London" by Valerie Flessati (2012), page 12. An identical plaque with a different inscription is in Central Park, New York City (qv).

Lower image 1915 - Memorial to W. T. Stead, Central Park (one block north of Engineers' Gate), New York City, New York (USA). Sculpted by Sir George Frampton [1860-1928]. William Thomas Stead [1849-1912] was "the first truly modern journalist." According to Peter van den Dungen, Stead was an important figure at the 1899 & 1907 Hague peace conferences, and he died on the Titanic en route to a peace conference in the USA. Click here for a 1907 New York Times article about Stead. An identical plaque with a different inscription is on Victoria Embankment, London (qv).

P L A Q U E

Upper image Date? - Plaque on House of William Thomas Stead, Smith Square, Westminister, London (England).

Lower image Date? - Plaque, Embleton, Northumberland (England). Text of plaque: "William Thomas Stead, 1849-1912, world renowned journalist and apostle of peace, was born here, July 5th 1849." Information & image courtesy of Colin Archer, general secretary, International Peace Bureau (IPB), Geneva (Switzerland).

1914-1918The Great War or World War I

1915 - Statue of Florence Nightengale, Waterloo Place, Lower Regent Street & Pall Mall, London (England). Sculpted by Arthur George Walker [1861-1939]. Florence Nightingale [1820-1910], who came to be known as 'The Lady with the Lamp,' was a pioneering nurse, writer and noted statistician. Note lamp in the statue's right hand. Bronze plaque shows Nightengale in hospital, advising. Next to Statue of Sidney Herbert [1810-1861] and in front of The Guards Monument. All three are part of the Crimean War Memorial. One of 309 London monuments in Kershman (2007), page 104.

September 1916 - "Merry-Go-Round," Tate Gallery, London (England). Anti-war painting by Mark Gertler [1891-1939]. Purchased by the Tate in 1984. "Although it is understood today as an expression of horror at the war, this is surprisingly not made explicit in either private or public comments of the time. D.H. Lawrence was deeply affected by the painting but, although recognising Gertler's anguish, related it to the artist's Jewish roots rather than to World War I."

Date? - Coal hole cover, outside Mark Gertler's home at 32 Elder Street, London (England).

M E M O R I A L

June 23, 1919 - Poplar Recreation Ground Memorial, Poplar Recreation Ground, East India Dock Road,London (England). "A memorial to 18 children killed at Upper North Street School in Poplar on 13 June 1917, by the first daylight bombing attack on London by fixed-wing aircraft... A public fund was set up, raising £1,455 to pay for a memorial. It cost [only] £230, so some of the remaining funds were used to pay for the graves of 16 of the children, & the balance to endow a bed in the children's ward at Poplar Hospital, & another at the Lord Mayor's Home for Crippled Children at Alton, Hampshire. Victorian Gothic design, built from marble & granite. A white steeped stone base leads up to a central column of white Sicilian marble, surrounded by four columns of black Labrador granite. The column is surmounted by an angel with spread wings, and inscribed with the names of the children who died."

After 1919 - Grave of Charles John Cobb, Croydon Cemetery, Mitcham Road, Croydon, London (England). Inscribed: "A Croydon conscientious objector who died from injuries sustained in prison. 'I fear God not man.' These words were spoken at his trial in Croydon in 1915. This stone was paid for by donations." Info courtesy of Valerie Flessati (2012). This is 1 of 45 monuments in her "Peace Trails through London," page 19.

1920 - Imperial War Museum, Lambeth Road, Southwark, London (England). Covers all aspects of war, including the anti-war movement. Affiliated with the International Network of Museums for Peace (INMP). 1 of 45 monuments in "Peace Trails through London" by Valerie Flessati (2012), page 9.

1920 - Edith Cavell Memorial, opposite National Portrait Gallery, Trafalgar Square, St. Martin's Place, London SW1 (England). Sculpted by Geore Frampton. Originally inscribed "Humanity," "Edith Cavell Brussels Dawn October 12 1915" and "For King and Country." Inscription added in 1924: "Patriotism is not enough. I must have no hatred or bitterness for anyone." One of 21 peace monuments named by the PPU website. One of 309 London monuments in Kershman (2007), page 13. 1 of 45 monuments in "Peace Trails through London" by Valerie Flessati (2012), page 5.

1920 - Statue of Abraham Lincoln, Parliament Square, London (England). By Irish-American sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens [1848-1907]. Copy of statue (qv) in Chicago, Illinois (USA). One of 309 London monuments in Kershman (2007), page 65.

1887 - "Standing Lincoln" Statue, Lincoln Park, Chicago, Illinois (USA). By Irish-American sculptor August Saint-Gaudens [1848-1907]. A favorite of Hull House founder [& Nobel Peace Prize laureate] Jane Addams [1860-1935] who once wrote, "I walked the wearisome way from Hull-House to Lincoln Park ... in order to look at and gain magnanimous counsel from the statue."

October 12, 1920 - Anglo-Belgian Memorial, Victoria Embankment, London (England). Opposite Cleopatra’s Needle. Gift from the Belgian nation to thank Great Britain for their assistance to Belgium in the 1914-1918 war, when thousands of Belgian people found refuge here during the German occupation of their country. Leon Delacroix, the Belgian Prime Minister, had offered the memorial to the British nation, and it was formally accepted by Lord Curzon. The unveiling was performed by Princess Clementine of Belgium.

S C U L P T

1924 - Figure of "Peace," Uxbridge War Memorial, Lynth Green, Uxbridge, London (England). "I thought we had quite enough memorials that seemed to revive the war spirit rather than to consider peace, which is, after all, the aim and end of every great struggle." -- Sculptor Adrian Jones [1845-1938] in his autobiography "Memoirs of a Soldier Artist."

1926. Conway Hall, South Place Ethical Society (SPES), 25 Red Lion Square, Holborn, London (England). "Began as a dissident congregation in rebellion against the doctrine of eternal hell. By 1793 it had its first premises in Bishopsgate. The next step was rejection of the Trinity - which lost the Society many of its members. It survived the loss, however, & has since survived many similar losses of membership following similar progressive steps on the road from universalism & unitarianism to the present humanist position, which it had reached by the end of the 19th century." /// "The oldest freethought community in the world. Began as a group of nonconformists known as Philadelphians or Universalists." Hall named for American Moncure Conway [1832-1907] "who led the society 1864-1885 and 1892-1897, during which time it moved further away from Unitarianism." 1 of 45 monuments in "Peace Trails through London" by Valerie Flessati (2012), page 3.

October 20, 1927 - La Délivrance / Delivrance, Henly's Corner, Finchley, London (England). 16-foot statue in bronze of a naked woman holding a sword aloft. Erected by Harold Sidney Harmsworth, 1st Viscount Rothermere [1868-1940]. Unveiled by Prime Minister Lloyd George. Has a number of local names including 'Dirty Gertie,' 'The Wicked Woman,'& 'The Naked Lady.' Copy of a statue created by Emile Guillaume [1867-1942] to celebrate the First Battle of the Marne when the German army was stopped from capturing Paris in August 1914. Original (qv) was unveiled in Lille (France) in 1919 but moved to Nantes in 1929.

1929 - La Délivrance / Delivrance, Ile de Nantes, Nantes (France). 16-foot statue in bronze of a naked woman holding a sword aloft. Created by Emile Guillaume [1867-1942] to celebrate the First Battle of the Marne when the German army was stopped from capturing Paris in August 1914. Unveiled in Lille, but the statue's nudity caused trouble and led to its withdrawal. In 1929, Lille's copy was given to the city of Nantes, where it still stands today. Copy in London (England).

March 6, 1930 - Statue of Emmeline Pankhurst, Victoria Tower Gardens, London (England). Emmiline Pankhurst [1858-1928] was a political activist & leader of the Women's Social & Political Union (WSPU) which helped women win the right to vote [in 1918 & 1928]. "Shortly after her funeral, one of Pankhurst's bodyguards from her WSPU days, Katherine Marshall, began raising funds for a memorial statue. In spring 1930 her efforts bore fruit, and on 6 March her statue in Victoria Tower Gardens was unveiled. A crowd of radicals, former suffragettes & national dignitaries gathered as former Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin [1867-1947] presented the memorial to the public... As noted by the New York Times: 'While the transition from martyrdom to sculptured memorials is familiar, the process in Mrs Pankhurst's case has been unusually brief.'" 1 of 45 monuments in "Peace Trails through London" by Valerie Flessati (2012), page 8.

1930 - Bust of Abraham Lincoln, Shopping Complex, Royal Exchange, London (England). Sculpted by Irish-American sculptor Andrew O'Connor [1874-1941]. One of 309 London monuments in Kershman (2007), page 210.

1918 - Statue of Abraham Lincoln, State Capitol (2nd Street side), Springfield, Illinois (USA). Sculpted by Irish-American sculptor Andrew O'Connor [1874-1941]. Depicts Lincoln on February 11, 1861, as he boarded a train for Washington, DC. Behind the statue the entire text of Lincoln's Farewell Address is carved on the huge granite slab.

1932 - Trafalgar Square, London (England). Sylvia Pankhurst [1882-1960] protesting against British policy in India.

M E M O R I A L

June 21, 1936 - "Anti-Air War Memorial," NW of Mornington Road & the High Road, Woodford Green, Essex, near London (England). Bottom image. Sculpted by Eric Benfield in the shape of a bomb for suffrigist (and onetime communist) Sylvia Pankhurst [1882-1960]. Rededicated on July 4, 1936, after being vandalized. "In October 1935, Pankhurst was outraged by Mussolini's assault on Ethiopia, the only part of Africa that remained independent and had joined the League of Nations. Unveiled that same month by a group that included Pankhurst and [Tesfaye] Zaphiro, the secretary of the Imperial Ethiopian Legation, the monument stood prominently outside Red Cottage [which Pankhurst shared with Italian anarchist Silvio Corio] along with a plaque dedicating it ironically to politicians who, at the World Disarmament Conference [which] opened in Geneva in February 1932, 'upheld the right to use bombing planes.'" One of 21 peace monuments named by the PPU website. 1 of 9 monuments in "A Peace Trail Through London" by Valerie Flessati (1998). See similar monument at Rollins College, Winter Park, Florida (USA). 1 of 45 monuments in "Peace Trails through London" by Valerie Flessati (2012), page 21.

1939-1945World War II

October 26, 1945 - Housmans Bookshop, Peace House, 5 Caledonian Road, Kings Cross, London (England). "London's premier radical bookshop." "Founded by the Peace Pledge Union (PPU) in the optimistic aftermath of WW-II to promote peace literature along with related issues of human rights, justice & the environment. Named in honour of pacifist writer & dramatist Laurence Housman [1865-1959] who formally opened its first premises in Shaftesbury Avenue." Has published Housmans Peace Diary (& World Peace Directory) since it was started by general manager Harry Mister [1914-2006] in 1953. 1 of 45 monuments in "Peace Trails through London" by Valerie Flessati (2012), page 22.

Date? - Quaker Bookshop, Friends House, 183-193 Euston Road Camden Town, London (England). Info courtesy of Valerie Flessati (2012). This is 1 of 45 monuments in her "Peace Trails through London," page 22.

Date? - Plaque for First Meeting of the UN General Assembly, Methodist Central Hall, Westminster, London (England). The UNGA met here January 10-February 14, 1946. 1 of 9 monuments in "A Peace Trail Through London" by Valerie Flessati (1998). 1 of 45 monuments in "Peace Trails through London" by Valerie Flessati (2012), page 7.

August 14 & 15, 1947Independence of Pakistan & India

1955 - Stone & garden commemorating George Lansbury, 39 Bow Road, Tower Hamlets, London (England). Includes the words "A great servant of the people." Lansbury's house at this site was destroyed by German bombing a few months after his death in 1940. George Lansbury [1859-1940] was "a British politician, socialist, Christian pacifist, newspaper editor, Member of Parliament (MP) 1910-1912 & 1922-1940 & and leader of the Labour Party 1932-1935. He campaigned for social justice & improved living & employment conditions for the working class, especially in London's East End." Info courtesy of Valerie Flessati (2012). This is 1 of 45 monuments in her "Peace Trails through London," page 20.

1950's - Peace Window, Canterbury Cathedral, England (UK). Designed by Hungarian refugee Ervin Bossany.

S I G N

February 21, 1958 - Peace Symbol, Trafalgar Square, London (England). Designed by Gerald Holtom [1914-1985] who combined semaphore signals for "N" and "D" (Nuclear Disarmament). Used by the Direct Action Committee Against Nuclear War (DAC) during its April 4 march to Aldermaston. Adopted as its badge by the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) in Britain. Now used worldwide. Click here for Wikipedia article.

M A R C H

Easter Weekends April 4-7, 1958, to Late 1960's - Aldermaston marches (England). Protest demonstrations organised by the British anti-war Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) between the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment at Aldermaston in Berkshire & London, over a distance of 52 miles. At their height in the early 1960's they attracted tens of thousands of people and were the highlight of the CND calendar. Image shows Michael Foot [1913-2010] leading the first march.

1958 - Statue of Florence Nightingale, Central Hall, St. Thomas's Hospital, Lambeth Place Road, London (England). Sculpted by Frederick Mancini [1905-1990]. Replacement erected on the North Wing Terrace in 1975, moved inside in 2000. One of 309 London monuments in Kershman (2007), page 165. NB: Two images are different. Which is correct? Where is the other?

January 3, 1959 - Conscientious Objectors Memorial Plaque, Peace Pledge Union (PPU), 1 Peace Passage, London (England). Names 70 of the 81 British CO's known to have died during World War I. Depicts a man striking a sword on an anvil. Carved by Canadian artist Dorothy Stevens [1888-1966] in 1923. (Click here to see her "Munitions Fuze Factory, 1919.") First erected in Berlin (Germany) at the headquarters of the Bund der Kriegsdienstgegner, the German section of the War Resisters International (WRI),. Taken to south Denmark in 1933. Hidden in Sweden in 1940. Now on permanent loan to the PPU, principal British section of the WRI. One of 21 peace monuments named by the PPU website.

1965 - Trafalgar Square, London (England). "Nigel Young speaking in one of the first rallies opposing the Vietnam War in the UK." Young is editor-in-chief of the Oxford International Encyclopedia of Peace (2010). See recent photo at right.

August 6, 1967 - Hiroshima Tree, Tavistock Square, London (England). Cherry tree. Plaque: "Planted in memory of the victims of HIROSHIMA by the worshipful major of Camden councillor Mrs. Millie Miller JP." "On each anniversary, meetings are held to remember the victims of both atomic bombs dropped on Japan. In 1986 to mark the UN International Year of Peace, a field maple (qv) was planted by the League of Jewish Women." One of 21 peace monuments named by the PPU website. 1 of 9 monuments in "A Peace Trail Through London" by Valerie Flessati (1998). One of 309 London monuments in Kershman (2007), page 248. 1 of 45 monuments in "Peace Trails through London" by Valerie Flessati (2012), page 3.

1968 - Statue of Mahatma Gandhi, Tavistock Square, London (England). Sculpted by Fredda Brillant. Unveiled by PM Harold Wilson. The square also contains a conscientious objectors monument and a Hiroshima cherry tree (qv). One of 21 peace monuments named by the PPU website. 1 of 9 monuments in "A Peace Trail Through London" by Valerie Flessati (1998). One of 309 London monuments in Kershman (2007), page 247. 1 of 45 monuments in "Peace Trails through London" by Valerie Flessati (2012), page 2. Click here for other Gandhi monuments outside India.

Date? - "The Lion & Lamb" Public House (Pub), Hoxton N1, London (England).

1970 - Suffragette Memorial, Christchurch Gardens, London (England). Opposite New Scotland Yard in Victoria Street, St. James. /// Unveiled by former campaigner & hunger-striker Lillian Lenton [1891-1972]. Inscription: "This tribute is erected by the Suffragette Fellowship to commemorate the courage and perseverance of all those men and woman who in the long struggle for votes for women selflessly braved dersion, opposition and ostracism, many enduring violence and suffering. (Nearby Caxton Hall was historically associated with women’s suffrage meeetings & deputations to Parliament.)" A bronzed glass fibre sculpture designed by Edwin Russell to resemble an uncurling scroll. The Suffragette Fellowship was founded in 1926 to commemorate the suffrage movement of the early 20th century. Caxton Hall is a now-listed building which opened as the Westminster Town Hall in 1883. 1 of 45 monuments in "Peace Trails through London" by Valerie Flessati (2012), page 6.

1971 -- vandalized 2003 - Prisoners of War & Concentration Camp Victims, Gladstone Park, London (England). Five figures sculpted by Fred Kormis [1897-1986] who said, "They are a five-chapter novel, each chapter describing a successive state of mind of internment: stupor after going into captivity; longing for freedom; fighting against gloom; hope lost; and hope again." Vandalized on Christmas Eve 2003. One of 21 peace monuments named by the PPU website

B O A T

1975 - "M.V. Erasmus," Thames River, London (England). "Welcome aboard the newest vessel in our fleet. Built in Germany to a high specification, this modern vessel plied her trade in Holland for four years before entering service on the Thames [in 2002]. A light, airy and spacious boat on three levels, she offers superb views of the attractions and skyline of London. With a total capacity of 340, she is one of the largest boats on the Thames." /// ''Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam [1466?-1536] was a Dutch Renaissance humanist, Catholic priest, social critic, teacher & theologian called 'Inventor of Peace.'"

M U R A L

About 1975 - "Wind of Peace" mural, Creek Road, Greenwich, London (England). "Depicts local people rising up to defend Greenwich in a spiral of all races destroying the missiles that threaten London. By Greenwich Mural Workshop & Chris Cardale." /// "GMW’s first project was designing & painting murals with people of Meridian Estate in Greenwich. Three landmark murals were created: 'Peoples River' & the anti-nuclear 'Wind of Peace' on Creek Road & 'Towards the Good Planet' on Thames Street, opened by Oscar winning actress Glenda Jackson."

M U R A L

Date? - Women's Peace Mural, Pentonville Road, London N1 (England). "The design shows aspects of women, peace and Greenham Common in a format reminiscent of medieval paintings. The backward looking Sankofa Bird reminds people not to be afraid to rectify past mistakes."

T R E E

M O S A I C

November 7, 1977 - Reformers Tree Memorial, North Section, Hyde Park, London (England). "Commemorates the Reformers Tree which was burnt down during the Reform League riots in 1866, after which the remaining stump became a notice board for political demonstration and a gathering point for Reform League meetings. On 7 November 1977 Prime Minister James Callaghan planted a new oak tree on the spot where the Reformers Tree was thought to have stood."

P A G O D A

1980 - Milton Keynes Peace Pagoda, Willen Lake, Milton Keynes (England). Nipponzan Myohoji Buddhist Order. "This is the first Peace Pagoda in the western world." There is a Nipponzan Myohoji monastery nearby. Click here for many other Nipponzan Myohoji peace pagodas in all parts of the world.

B U S T

1980 - Bust of Bertrand Russell, Red Lion Square, London WC1 (England). Sculpted by Marcelle Quinton. Bertrand Russell [1872-1970] received the 1950 Nobel Prize for Literature. One of 21 peace monuments named by the PPU website. 1 of 9 monuments in "A Peace Trail Through London" by Valerie Flessati (1998). One of 309 London monuments in Kershman (2007), page 196. 1 of 45 monuments in "Peace Trails through London" by Valerie Flessati (2012), page 3.

P L A Q U E

2002 - Blue Plaque for Bertrand Russell, 34 Russell Chambers, Bury Place, London WC1 (England). Russell lived here in flat no.34, 1911-1916.

Date? - Dick Sheppard Chapel, St. Martin-in-the Fields Church, Trafalgar Square, London (England). In the crypt below the church. Info courtesy of Valerie Flessati (2012). This is 1 of 45 monuments in her "Peace Trails through London," page 5.

Date? - Portrait of Dick Sheppard, St. Martin-in-the Fields Church, Trafalgar Square, London (England). On staircase inside the left door. Dick Sheppard [1880-1937] was vicar here 1814-1927. Pacificism was central to his faith & led to his creation of Peace Pledge Union (PPU) in 1936. Info courtesy of Valerie Flessati (2012). This is 1 of 45 monuments in her "Peace Trails through London," page 5.

Date? - Plaque in memory of Vera Brittain, Dick Sheppard Chapel, St. Martin-in-the Fields Church, Trafalgar Square, London (England). Below the church. Plaque says, "Writer & reformer. Blessed are the Peacemakers." Vera Brittain [1893-1970] was "a writer, feminist & pacifist, best remembered as author of the best-selling 1933 memoir 'Testament of Youth,' recounting her experiences during World War I & the beginning of her journey towards pacifism." Info courtesy of Valerie Flessati (2012). This is 1 of 45 monuments in her "Peace Trails through London," page 5.

April-June 1982Falklands War

October 28, 1983 - Bust of Nelson Mandela, Riverside Walk, London (England). Sculpted by Ian Walters. "The struggle is my life. Unveiled by Oliver Tambo [1917-1993]. One of 309 London monuments in Kershman (2007), page 158. In fact, this head is on the cover of Kershman's guidebook.

November 2, 1983 - Statue of Earl Mountbatten of Burma, Foreign Office Green, Whitehall, London (England). Overlooks Horse Guards. Unveiled by Queen Elizabeth. Mountbatten [1900-1979] was a statesman & naval officer, the last Viceroy of India (1947) & the first Governor-General of the independent Union of India (1947–48), from which the modern Republic of India would emerge in 1950. He was assassinated by the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA). Info courtesy of Valerie Flessati (2012). This is 1 of 45 monuments in her "Peace Trails through London," page 6.

August 9, 1984 - Maygrove Peace Park, The Gormley, Kilburn, Camden, London (England). "...a permanent reminder of Camden Council’s commitment to peace. The opening of the park was timed to coincide with the 39th anniversary of the Nagasaki Day by Mayor Barbra Hughes with Bruce Kent (CND). The Mayor of Camden sent a telegram to the Mayor of Nagasaki (Hitoshi Motoshima) who replied 'We hope your Peace Park will be remembered long as a symbol of Peace' which was read out at the opening ceremony while a thousand white balloons were released into the air. (Kilburn Times 17th August 1984). /// The Peace Crane sculptured by Hamish Black is a representation of the Japanese origami peace crane made by thousands of children all over the world. The metal insert on the plinth is the story of the little girl called Sadako & the origin of the crane as the Japanese symbol of peace. [On a boulder is Antony Gormley's statue "Untitled [Listening]."] As you walk along peace walk there are 7 stones inscribed with messages of peace from philosophers none more poignant than from the Mayor of Hiroshima (Takeshi Araki) in 1976: 'We the citizens of Hiroshima ever mindful of the cruel experience clearly foresee the extinction of mankind & an end to civilisation should the world drift into nuclear war. Therefore we have vowed to set aside our griefs & grudges and continuously pleaded before the peoples of the world to abolish weapons & renounce war so that we may never again repeat the tragedy of Hiroshima.'"

March 2, 1985 - Kingsley Hall Community Centre & Peace Garden, Powis Road, Tower Hamlets, London E3 (England). In 1931 Mahatma Gandhi [1869-1948] stayed here during the Round Table Conference in 1931. Named a Grade II listed building in Sept. 1973. 1 of 9 monuments in "A Peace Trail Through London" by Valerie Flessati (1998). Click here for Wikipedia article. 1 of 45 monuments in "Peace Trails through London" by Valerie Flessati (2012), page 20.

1954 - Blue Plaque for Mahatma Gandhi, Kingsley Hall, London (England).

1985 - London Peace Pagoda, Battersea Park, London (England). Gift to London from the Japanese Buddhist order Nipponzan Myohoji. Click here for many other Nipponzan Myohoji peace pagodas in all parts of the world. One of 21 peace monuments named by the PPU website. 1 of 9 monuments in "A Peace Trail Through London" by Valerie Flessati (1998). 1 of 45 monuments in "Peace Trails through London" by Valerie Flessati (2012), page 10.

1985 - Statue of Fenner Brockway, Red Lion Square, London (England). Sculpted by Ian Walters. Baron Brockway [1888-1988] was a British anti-war activist and politician. One of 21 peace monuments named by the PPU website. 1 of 9 monuments in "A Peace Trail Through London" by Valerie Flessati (1998). One of 309 London monuments in Kershman (2007), page 197. 1 of 45 monuments in "Peace Trails through London" by Valerie Flessati (2012), page 4.

M U R A L

October 1985 - Hackney Peace Carnival Mural, Dalston, London (England). "Based on the 1981 Hackney Peace Carnival." "Intended to provide [an uplifting mood] when it was planned in 1983. These were the heady, intensely political days of the early 1980's: Thatcher was stamping her mark as prime minister, the world was often a frightening place due to the 'Cold War,' and there had been riots in Brixton, Toxteth, Handsworth and even Dalston in 1981. But the mural was not just a response to the riots; its references are wider than that. It reflects the numerous interests, political forces and pressure groups of those times... Uncle Sam is also in evidence, walking along on stilts in the background, along with other symbols such as a dove and the figure of hooded death. A coal miner is there as part of the band, a British Rail worker is there, Ghandi is there, and Mandela is there. And the familiar slogans are there too: 'Unite for Peace;' 'Jobs not Bombs;' 'No More Hiroshimas'..."

November 11, 1985 - "Poets of the Great War," Poet's Corner, Westminster Abbey, London (England). Westmoreland slate. Commemorates 16 World War I poets, including Siegfried Sassoon [1886-1967], Wilfred Owen [1893-1918] & Robert Graves [1895-1985]. Inscription from Owen's "Preface": "My subject is War, and the pity of War. The Poetry is in the pity." Poet Laureate Ted Hughes unveiled the slab. /// Sassoon, Owen & Graves are depicted in the novel & film "Regeneragion" (called "Behind the Lines" in USA). There is also a small museum dedicated to Owen & Sassoon at Craiglockhart War Hospital, now a Napier University building.

June 1993 - "Symmetry" (Wilfred Owen Memorial), Shrewsbury Abbey Foregate, Shrewsbury, Shropshire (England). Sculpture by Paul de Monchaux. Inscribed "I am the enemy you killed, my friend" from " Strange Meeting." "Wilfred Owen [1893-1918] [is] best known for his angry poetry on the supposed nobility & glory of war. But while he was compassionate to those around him, he was not self-pitying & earned the Military Cross for his bravery... [He] was killed leading his men across the Sambre-Oise canal in northern France just seven days before the peace was signed." One of 13 sites on the MAW Peace Map of the British Isles as of January 2009. Other memorials to Wilfred Owen are at Gailly, Ors (France), Oswestry & Birkenhead (Central Library).

July 2, 1986 - Field maple tree, Tavistock Square, London (England). Planted by the League of Jewish Women to mark the United Nations International Year of Peace. Info courtesy of Valerie Flessati (2012). This is 1 of 45 monuments in her "Peace Trails through London," page 3.

1986 - Blue Plaque for Mahatma Gandhi, 20 Baron's Court Road, Hammersmith & Fulham, London W14 (England). Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948) lived here as a law student in the 1880's.

Date? - Statue of Florence Nightingale, Derbyshire Royal Infirmary Hospital (DRI), London Road, Derby. Derbyshire (England). "This statue has had its hand with lamp knocked off on a regular occasion, but in 2006 her head was removed."

December 9, 1987 - Florence Nightengale Museum, Florence Nightingale Museum Trust, Gassiot House, 2 Lambeth Palace Road, London (England). One of only 4 "musuems for peace" in the UK (vs. about 70 in the USA).

June 29, 1989 - Bust of Sir William Randal Cremer, Members' Lobby, Parliament, London (England). Unveiled by Mr. Speaker in the centenary year of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), an organisation founded by the UK and French Parliaments. Randal Cremer [1828-1908] co-founded the IPU and received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1903.

November 9, 1989Berlin Wall Falls; End of the Cold War

After 1989 - Section of the Berlin Wall, outside Imperial War Museum, London (England). Graffiti reads "Change your life." "Created by the graffiti artist ''Indiano' and is said to have been inspired by a Rainer Maria Rilke poem. The colourful front of the Wall was on the West side, whereas the reverse side – facing East – is dull, grey & forbidding." Info courtesy of Valerie Flessati (2012). This is 1 of 45 monuments in her "Peace Trails through London," page 9.

1991 - "Dr. Alfred Salter's Daydream," Cherry Garden Pier, Bermondsey, London (England). "Sculptor Diane Gorvin...shows a kindly Dr Salter in old age, sitting on a seat & waving to his daughter Joyce, who is leaning against the Thames wall with her cat nearby. It represents the daydream of an old man remembering happier times when his 'sunshine' was still alive." Alfred Salter [1873-1945] was a medical practitioner, pacifist & Labour Party politician. Info courtesy of Valerie Flessati (2012). This is 1 of 45 monuments in her "Peace Trails through London," page 19.

May 15, 1994 - Peace Stone, Tavistock Square, London (England). Solid rock of grey Cumbrian slate. Next to Gandhi statue (qv). Dedicated on Conscientious Objectors Day. Plaque: "To all those who have established and are maintaining the right to refuse to kill." "Only pacifist memorial in London." One of 21 peace monuments named by the PPU website. 1 of 9 monuments in "A Peace Trail Through London" by Valerie Flessati (1998). One of 309 London monuments in Kershman (2007), page 249. 1 of 45 monuments in "Peace Trails through London" by Valerie Flessati (2012), page 3.

1995 - "The Allies", Bond Street, London (England). Statues of Franklin Delano Roosevelt & Winston Churchill. Sculpted by Lawrence Holofcener. Commorates 50 years of peace in Europe. Omits Joseph Stalin. One of 309 London monuments in Kershman (2007), page 258.

October 11, 1996 - Memorial to Innocent Victims of Oppression, Violence and War, Courtyard, Westminster Abbey, London (England). Said to embody suffering on a scale before which ‘language stumbles and falls silent in the face of the horror and pity’, according to the Dean of Westminster, Michael Mayne, in his speech of dedication. One of 21 peace monuments named by the PPU website. 1 of 9 monuments in "A Peace Trail Through London" by Valerie Flessati (1998). 1 of 45 monuments in "Peace Trails through London" by Valerie Flessati (2012), page 7.

June 12, 1998 - Anne Frank Tree, corner of Garrick Street & New Row, London (England). In front of the British Library. Planted by Anne Frank Trust. Has plaque on pub wall. Info courtesy of Valerie Flessati (2012). This is 1 of 45 monuments in her "Peace Trails through London," page 4.

1945-2010 - Anne Frankboom / Anne Frank Tree, Amsterdam (Netehrlands). Unintentional monument. Horse chestnut tree 150-170 years old. Blown down by high winds on August 23, 2010. Mentioned 3 times in "Diary of Anne Frank."

1998 - Statue of Raoul Wallenberg, Great Cumberland Place, London (England). Sculpted by Philip Jackson. Raoul Wallenberg [1912-1947?] was a Swedish humanitarian who worked in Budapest (Hungary) during World War II to rescue Jews from the Holocaust. One of 309 London monuments in Kershman (2007), page 254.

1998 - "A Peace Trail Through London," London (England). "Discover some of the people and visit [nine] places associated with national and international peacemaking." Leaflet 40p + SAE from 11 Venetia Road, London N4 1EJ. Compiled by Valerie Flessati. Revised in 2012 (qv). NB: All monuments shown in this leaflet are cross-referenced in blue on this webpage.

July 9, 1998 - Ten Martyrs of the 20th Century, Great West Door, Westminister Abbey, London (England). The 10 martyrs are Maximilian Kolbe, Manche Masemola, Janani Luwum, Grand Duchess Elizabeth of Russia, Martin Luther King Jr, Oscar Romero, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Esther John, Lucian Tapiedi & Wang Zhiming. Right image shows Mother Elizabeth, MLK, Romero & Bonhoeffer. 1 of 9 monuments in "A Peace Trail Through London" by Valerie Flessati (1998). 1 of 45 monuments in "Peace Trails through London" by Valerie Flessati (2012), page 7.

May 13, 1999 - Samten Kyil / Tibetan Peace Garden, Tibet Foundation, Geraldine Mary Harmsworth Park, London (England). Next to the Imperial War Museum. Opened & consecrated by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Contains a "Language Pillar" ("replica of a 9th century treaty stone in Lhasa acknowledging the rights of Tibetans and Chinese to co-exist in peace") and sculptures by Hamish Horsley of New Zealand. 1 of 45 monuments in "Peace Trails through London" by Valerie Flessati (2012), page 9.

823 - Tang-Tubo Alliance Monument, Jokhang Temple, Barkhor Square, Lhasa (Tibet). "Was erected in 823 to mark the meeting between the two sides." /// "Monument inscription reads in part, 'The two sovereigns, uncle and nephew, having come to agreement that their territories be united as one, have signed this alliance of great peace to last for eternity! May God and humanity bear witness thereto so that it may be praised from generation to generation.'" /// "i kinda get the feeling that the translation u quoted is kinda biased, do any tibetan websites or sources actually translate it like that?"

1999 - Bust of Anne Frank, Courtyard, British Library, London (England). Sculpted by Doreen Kern. Marks 70th anniversary of Frank's birth. One of 309 London monuments in Kershman (2007), page 349.

2002 - Gardens of Peace Muslim Cemetery, Elmbridge Road, Hainault (England). "Truly! To Allah we belong and truly, to Him we shall return.” (Sura 2: 156).

September 11, 2002 - "Bell of Hope," Trinity Church, 79 Broadway (at Wall Street), New York City, New York (USA). Inscribed, "To the greater glory of God and in recognition of the enduring links between the City of London and the City of New York." Cast July 26, 2002, by Whitechapel Bell Foundry in London which cast the Liberty Bell in 1752. Weighs 294.84 kilograms.

2003 - St. Ethelburga's Centre for Reconciliation & Peace, 78 Bishopsgate, London (England). "Christian-led, independent charity. Aims to encourage and enable people to practise reconciliation and peace-making in their communities and lives." Former Church of England "built around 1180. The present building was probably founded around 1400. Was the biggest building in Bishopsgate - now it's the smallest... Devastated by a massive IRA bomb on April 24, 1993. Rebuilt in a new form, reinstating its medieval exterior." 1 of 45 monuments in "Peace Trails through London" by Valerie Flessati (2012), page 14.

Summer 2004 - "Peace Machine" Mural, Peace Pledge Union (PPU), 1 Peace Passage, London (England). Drawn by children from two primary schools. Depicts a "peace machine" which transforms weapons and soldiers into tools and people for peace. One of 21 peace monuments named by the PPU website.

October 30, 2004 - Mordechai Vanunu House, headquarters of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND), 162 Holloway Road, Islington, London (England). Named for Mordechai Vanunu, the Israeli nuclear technician who revealed the Israel's nuclear weapons program to the British press in 1986.

2006 - Peace Garden, Charlton House, Charlton Road, London (England). "Just south of Greenwich. A walled garden opened as a 'Peace Garden' in support of two major programs supported by Amnesty International – the campaign to stop violence against women & to control arms. Has a central sculpture & offers a quiet place for contemplation. Designed by Andrew Fisher-Tomlin. Contains a sculpture by Margaret Higginson, titled 'Portage' & a Japanese Peace pole donated from an artist in Tokyo. Portage statue [depicts] a woman carrying a boat above her head, and is designed to portray the strength & spirit of women worldwide as it portrays how indigenous women travelled between the lakes of Canada. The peace pole has the quote 'May Peace Prevail on Earth' in both English & Japanese." /// FYI: This "house was built between 1607 & 1612 for Sir Adam Newton, Dean of Durham & tutor to Prince Henry Frederick Stuart, heir to the throne, and son of King James I (VI in Scotland)." /// Info courtesy of Peter van den Dungen.

2006 -- Vandalized January 2007 - Peace & Memorial Garden, Central Park, London Borough of Barking & Dagenham, Essex (England). "The designs are based on the themes of Persecution, Despair & Hope. The Garden, Gates and Seats have been designed by artist/designer Anuradha Patel in collaboration with London Borough of Barking & Dagenham design team. Colour, as a universal visual language, is a very important aspect of the designs, ranging from purple to yellow. This colour scheme conveys a passionate range of emotions from that of despair and pain to that of optimism & hope." /// "A memorial garden to remember victims of oppression, torture & brutality was defaced as the country marked Holocaust Memorial Day. Borough dignitaries expressed dismay & disgust after learning the peace & memorial garden near Dagenham Civic Centre had been sprayed with graffiti. Deputy Mayor Cllr Marie West, who opened the garden last year when she was Mayor, said: 'I’m so distressed that anyone could even contemplate doing such a thing. I can’t understand the mentality. I’m very upset.'"

October 12, 2006 - Bali Memorial, Clive Steps (opposite St. James's Park), London (England). A 5-foot marble globe with 202 doves csrved onto its surface (one dove for each victim). Sculpted by Gerry Breeze & Martin Cook. Dedicated by Prince of Wales & the Duchess of Cornwall on the 4th anniversary of the nightclub bombings in Bali (Indonesia). One of 309 London monuments in Kershman (2007), page 53.

Date? - Peace Monument, Cabinet War Rooms & Churchill Museum, London (England). "In front of Winston Churchill musuem & war bunker." Wall says "In memory of the 202 innocent people killed by an act of terrorism in Kuita on the Island of Bali, Indonesia, on ___ October 2002." /// "Intended to provide a focus for relatives of the dead & survivors from across Europe. [sic]" Inscribed "You were robbed of life..." Information courtesy of Mandy and Andy blog. SPHERES DOVES

2007 - "Gift of Cain," Fen Court, off Fenchurch Street, London (England). " Incorporates 17 cylindrical granite columns erected before a granite platform." Marks the bicentenary of the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade. Sculpted by Michael Visocchi who worked with Lemin Sissay, whose poem combines stock exchange jargon with the Biblical story of Cain & Abel and referecnes to William Wilberforce [1759-1833]. Unveiled by Desmond Tutu. John Newton [1725-1807] preached in the nearby church of St. Mary Woolnoth. Info courtesy of Valerie Flessati (2012). This is 1 of 45 monuments in her "Peace Trails through London," page 15.

2007 - "Memorial To The Civilians of East London [in the] 2nd World War 1939-1945," Hermitage Memorial Garden, Wapping, London (England). Dove of peace sculpted by Wendy Taylor. 20,000 ordinary Londoners lost their lives during the Blitz, with a further 10,000 being killed by the infamous V1 and V2 rockets later in the war. "Sadly, the memorial has fallen victim to vandalisation by local youths." Image looks east from the Thames Riverside Path with the shape of the Dove's wings mirrored in the building to the left.

August 29, 2007 - Bust of Nelson Mandela, Parliament Square, London (England). Stands alongside images of Winston Churchill, Benjamin Disraeli & Abraham Lincoln. At unveiling, Mayor of London Ken Livingstone said, "Long after we are forgotten, you will be remembered for having taught the world one amazing truth: That you can achieve justice without vengeance." 1 of 45 monuments in "Peace Trails through London" by Valerie Flessati (2012), page 7.

June 16, 2008 - "Breathing," on roof of Peel Wing, BBC Broadcasting House, London (England). "...commemorates journalists & associated staff who have been killed while carrying out their work. A 10-metre high glass & steel column, with a torch-like, inverted spire shape; also features a poem by James Fenton. At night the sculpture gently glows, then at 10 pm every evening (coinciding with the broadcast of the BBC ten o’clock news) the memorial shines a beam of light into the sky for 30 minutes, which reaches up to 900m. Unveiled by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon. By Spanish artist Jaume Plensa [whose work includes "Tolerance" in Houston, Texas]" /// This is "Monday's Monument" #109.

July 7, 2009 - 7/7 Memorial, Hyde Park, London (England). A £1m memorial to the 52 people killed in the bombings in London on July 7, 2005. Consists of 52 stainless steel 3-meter pillars, one for each victim. These are grouped in four clusters, to mark the four locations of the attacks: Tavistock Square, Edgware Road, King's Cross and Aldgate. There is also a 1.4 tonne stainless steel plaque with the names of all those who were killed. At the dedication the Prince of Wales said: "The creation of a monument or memorial fulfils … a deeper need, for each one offers a path to peace and healing, each one honours the dead and each reminds us to live our lives in a way that would make them proud."

August 22, 2011 - "Votes for Women!," Mile End Park, close to Meath Bridge, near Bow Borough of Tower Hamlets, London (England). One of three steel statues depicting Tottenham Hotspur & England footballer Ledley King, suffragette Sylvia Pankhurst [1882-1960] & a towpath horse. "Suffagettes fought for voting rights for British Women, and were very active in nearby Bow. The vote was extended to British Women over the age of 30 in 1918 & to all women of voting age (then 21, now 18) in 1928."

2012 - "Peace Trails through London," London (England). "Discover some of the people and visit [45] places associated with national and international peacemaking." Contains 3 sections: Peace Trail through Central London (pp. 2-10), Peace Trail through the City of London (pp. 11-15) & Peace sites beyond Central London (pp.16-21). 24-page brochure L2 plus 60p postage from "Peace Trail," 11 Venetia Road, London N4 1EJ. Cover illustration is 1870 Peace Memorial Fountain, West Smithfield (qv). Compiled by Valerie Flessati. Updates & expands 1998 leaflet (qv). NB: All monuments shown in this brochure are cross-referenced in green on this webpage.

May 2012 - "Slave Labour," Poundland Shop, Wood Green, North London (England). By anonymous graffiti artist Bansky. "As reported in the UK Guardian, 'Banksy mural torn off London Poundland store for Miami auction Locals angry after lauded artwork disappeared from public view and re-emerged on US website with £450,000 guide price,' by Haroon Siddique, on 18 February 2013 -- A Banksy mural has been put up for auction on a US website with a guide price of up to £450,000 after being removed from a building in north London. The artwork of a barefoot boy using a sewing machine to stitch union flag bunting, apparently in a sweatshop, appeared on the outside wall of a Poundland shop in Wood Green in May. It was widely interpreted as condemning child labour & mocking the impending Queen's diamond jubilee celebrations. Haringey councillor Alan Strickland said locals were angry at the removal of the mural and urged people to email the auctioneers to demand that it be removed from sale. The hole left behind after the artwork was stolen. It was protected by a perspex screen It was discovered to have been removed over the weekend and later emerged for sale with Fine Art Auctions Miami [FAAM] with a guide price of $500,000 to $700,000 (£323,000 to £452,000). Bidding for the picture, titled "Banksy Slave Labor (Bunting Boy). London 2012", closes on Saturday. A Poundland spokeswoman said the company was not the owner of the building and had not removed the artwork. The store tweeted: 'We would like to confirm that we are not responsible for either selling or removing the Banksy mural. We are currently investigating.' The owner of Fine Art Auctions Miami, Frederic Thut, told the Sun it was being offered for sale by a well-known collector who he refused to name. He added: "The collector signed a contract saying everything was above board." The picture is popular with locals and had attracted tourists to the area, with signs put up at the local tube station directing visitors to the mural. It had also been covered with acrylic to protect it. A local resident told Haringay Online the artwork had been surrounded by scaffolding and tarpaulin since last Wednesday. She said she discovered it had been removed on Sunday when she checked under the tarpaulin. In the past, Banksy has declined to authenticate works attributed to him that were up for auction because of a belief that street work should remain in its original location.

March 14, 2015 - Statue of Mahatma Gandhi, Parliament Square, London (England). "Prime Minister & Indian finance minister Arun Jaitley were joined by Gandhi's grandson, the former governor of West Bengal, Shri Gopalkrishna Gandhi, & actor Amitabh Bachchan in a ceremony to unveil the sculpture. The Prime Minister said that many of Gandhi's teachings 'remain as potent today as when he first made them...' The sculpture was created by Philip Jackson, inspired by a 1931 photo of Gandhi at No. 10 Downing Street, where he met the then prime minister Ramsay MacDonald... Mr Jackson is known for statues of the Queen Mother & the Bomber Command memorial."

January 25, 2016 - Mural opposite French Embassy, Knightsbridge, London (England). By famous grafitti artist Banksy. "The girl who famously appears in promos for Les Miserables & added tears streaming down her cheeks, ostensibly due to the tear gas canister at her feet. It's Banksy's statement against the so-called 'Jungle' camp in Calais (France), where authorities have reportedly used tear gas to try to evict hundreds of refugees so they can raze part of the camp." Covered by two sheets of plywood.

June 30, 2016 - Memorial to Mary Seacole, Garden of St Thomas’ Hospital, London (England). On banks of the River Thames. Mary Seacole [1805-1881] was "the Jamaican-born nurse [who] set up the British Hotel near Balaclava to provide soldiers with food and care during the Crimean War. More than £500,000 was raised for the bronze statue, created by sculptor Martin Jennings, which is the first statue to a named black woman in the UK." Information courtesy of Peter van den Dungen.

P L A Q U E

November 5, 2017 - Joseph Rotblat Plaque, Great Russell Street at Bury Place, London (England). Near plaque for Bertrand Russell (qv). Very high on wall & difficult to read. Inscription: "Embassy of the Republic of Poland in conjunction with Polish Heritage Society UK. Sir Joseph Rotblat KCMG CBE FRS (1908-2005). One of Poland's finest sons worked here. Co-Founder of the Pugwash Conferences. Nobel Peace Prize 1995." /// Information & image courtesy of Peter van den Dungan & Valerie Flesseti.