St Anthony's statue blessing

On 8 May, we held a blessing with Father Paschal, and the Somers Town History club, for the newly restored St Anthony’s statue. St. Anthony of Padua was a 13th-century Franciscan friar, widely revered as a saint known for his powerful preaching and miraculous abilities. He is particularly associated with finding lost items, and is considered the patron saint of sailors, travellers, and priests, among others.  

The statue was designed by Gilbert Bayes, a famous sculptor in his day, and the saint once gazed over a circle of washing posts topped by finials with a fish motif. Bayes believed that art was crucial to elevating the human experience, for building better societies and creating civic pride. He was approached in the early 1930s by Ian Hamilton, the architect for St Pancras House Improvement Society, to beautify the new estates that the Society was building in Somers Town. Bayes also bought shares in the association to help pay for the new housing he was commissioned to decorate.

In time the statue became damaged, and through the prompting and lobbying of the Somers Town History Club in recent years, we agreed to fund the restoration by a specialist restorer found by the Club. The saint once gazed over a circle of washing posts topped by finials with a fish motif.

The blessing was attended by some of our Places for People Colleagues, Origin Colleagues, Somers Town History Club and local residents. Steven from the Somers Town History Club gave an overview of the statue and the building’s history, before Father Paschal blessed the statue.

     

Father Paschal  and Steve McCarthy from Somers Town History club.

Before and after photo of the statue