2010

NS3975 : Statue of Peter Denny

taken 13 years ago, near to Dumbarton, West Dunbartonshire, Scotland

This is 1 of 4 images, with title Statue of Peter Denny in this square
Statue of Peter Denny
Statue of Peter Denny
"Peter Denny, LLD, Shipbuilder and Engineer
Born 1821, Died 1895.
Erected by friends and fellow townsmen, 1902."

This statue of Dr Peter Denny of Helenslee (NS3875 : Helenslee House / Keil School) stands on the southern side of NS3975 : Dumbarton Municipal Buildings (which can be seen on the left). It was sculpted by Sir William "Hamo" Thornycroft. For a view of it from the other side, see NS3975 : Statue of Peter Denny.

The statue was finished in 1898, but there remained the question of where it might best be sited. A little later, when Lord Overtoun purchased the grounds of College Park, and gifted them to the burgh so that the Municipal Buildings might be built there, it was decided that this would provide the best place for the statue.

The statue is ten feet six inches high. The total height, including the pedestal, is twenty-one feet. The figure of Dr Denny is holding the bow portion of a ship in one hand, and a roll of manuscript in the other. The pedestal weighs 40 tons, is made of white Kemnay granite (NJ7316 : Kemnay Quarry), and was the work of Shoremaster Boddie(*), of St Clair Street, Aberdeen. Details of the statue and of its unveiling may be found in the Lennox Herald issue of 21 June 1902, in which the statue is described as having been unveiled "Tuesday last".

The plaque that is set into the near side of the pedestal depicts a scene from the shipbuilding industry: NS3975 : Plaque below statue of Peter Denny. A plaque on the other side represents engineering.

The Denny family were a local shipbuilding dynasty, which might be said to have had its beginnings with William Denny, a carpenter, who, with Archibald McLachlan, launched the steam-boat "Trusty" (1814) from the Woodyard (see NS3974 : Woodyard House), Dumbarton, in the very early days of the town's shipbuilding industry ["Dumbarton through the Centuries", Dr I.M.M.MacPhail, 1972].

For the memorial to Peter Denny in Dumbarton Cemetery, see NS4075 : The Helenslee Family Memorial.

(*) "Shoremaster Boddie": William Boddie, partner with Alexander Wilson in the firm Boddie & Wilson, granite merchants and monumental sculptors.
Statue of Peter Denny

This statue of the shipbuilder and engineer Peter Denny is by William "Hamo" Thornycroft. It was completed in 1898, and was presented to the burgh by Mrs Denny. Later, when the Municipal Buildings – Link – were built on land presented to the burgh by Lord Overtoun, it was decided to locate the statue beside those buildings.

Dumbarton Municipal Buildings

The buildings were erected on College Park (the former grounds of College Park House). The land was bought from the railway company by Lord Overtoun, and gifted by him to the burgh. The buildings, by James Thomson, were officially opened in 1903. The College Bow – Link – now stands in the grounds, as do a Boer War Memorial – Link – and a statue of Peter Denny – Link


Creative Commons Licence [Some Rights Reserved]   © Copyright Lairich Rig and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
Geographical Context: Public buildings and spaces Place: Dumbarton Person: Peter Denny Sculptor: William Thornycroft Category: Statues other tags: Statue Click a tag, to view other nearby images.
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Grid Square
NS3975, 671 images   (more nearby 🔍)
Photographer
Lairich Rig   (more nearby)
Date Taken
Tuesday, 23 November, 2010   (more nearby)
Submitted
Friday, 10 December, 2010
Subject Location
OSGB36: geotagged! NS 3975 7550 [10m precision]
WGS84: 55:56.7443N 4:34.0596W
Camera Location
OSGB36: geotagged! NS 3974 7549
View Direction
East-northeast (about 67 degrees)
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Image classification(about): Geograph
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