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The Richard Young Memorial is a pink granite column on a cubic base with sandstone dressing standing on the north side of The Park in Wisbech close to Lynn Road. It was originally erected in 1872, the year after Young's death, and was designed by John Wallis Chapman of London costing around £300 to build. On 11 December 1883, the memorial column was blown over during a gale but it was rebuilt in 1885, (with some modifications?) The architect responsible for the rebuild was John Hatchard-Smith (1853-1936) who may have won the commission in a competition.
According to a local press report (no longer available online) it was originally designed as a column with a drinking fountain and a year later railings were built around it. The report goes on to say that 10 years later it was re-built in its present state, without the drinking fountain, after it had been blown over, however an old 1:500 OS map dated 1887 of Wisbech still shows the fountain facing the park and several old postcards from the early 1900s also show the fountain. The drawing by Geoff Hastings shown in the press report was probably done in the 1960s, along with many of his other drawings of Wisbech. It appears to depict the memorial soon after it was built judging by how small the trees are on Lynn Road in the background and also the base in this drawing appears to be deeper than it is in several old postcards from the early 1900s. I do not know if Hastings copied an old photo or just used artistic licence
A photo in the Francis Frith Collection, dated 1901, see Link still shows the small arch and railings and a postcard sent in 1905, see Link also shows the arch and railing. It also confirms the arch was on the south side facing the park. Houses on Lynn Road can be seen through the trees which are considerably taller than in the Hasting’s drawing. The postcard also shows an earth mound around the base which is how the monument is today.
Close examination of the old OS map from 1887, referred to earlier, shows either paving or stairs around the memorial and this old postcard by Tuck Link shows stairs on the west side.
The 4 anchors and railings could perhaps have disappeared as war-effort scrap?
So there are still a few unanswered questions due to conflicting reports and lack of information:-
1 - When was the fountain removed?
2 - What were Hatchard-Smith's modifications, if any?
3 - Was the base ever deeper, as shown in Hastings drawing?
4 - When were the steps removed and the earth mound built?
5 - When were the anchors removed?
6 - When were the railings removed?

(Please contact me if you have any additional information or corrections relating to this description)


Richard Young was Mayor of Wisbech five times, M.P. for Cambridgeshire from 1865 to 1868 and Sheriff of London and Middlesex in 1871. He was also a well-known local ship owner. See Link for further information.

It has been a Grade II listed structure since 1969.

The inscriptions on the monument read as follows:-

Facing the park
Main base
ERECTED BY SUBSCRIPTION 1872
FRED FORD MAYOR
RESTORED 1885
FRED PEATLING MAYOR
On base of column
SHERIFF OF LONDON
AND MIDDLESEX 1871

Facing Townshend Road
Main base
SHERIFF OF LONDON
AND
MIDDLESEX 1871
On base of column
MAYOR OF WISBECH
1858 - 1863

Facing Lynn Road
Main base
MEMORIAL TO
ALD. RICHARD YOUNG J.P. D.L
BORN 1809 DIED 1871
On base of column
A MEMORIAL TRIBUTE
FROM MANY FRIENDS
TO
ALDERMAN RICHARD YOUNG J.P. D.L.
BORN 1809 DIED 1871

Facing Park Avenue
Main base
M.P. FOR CAMBRIDGESHIRE
1865 – 1868
MAYOR OF WISBECH 1858 – 1863
On base of column
M.P. FOR CAMBRIDGESHIRE
1865 – 1868

The Latin inscription around the bottom of the column reads
+ INDIGNANTE INVIDIA FLOREBIT JUSTUS +
(The just will flourish in spite of envy)

Created: Tue, 16 Sep 2014, Updated: Thu, 5 Oct 2023