This sculpture is located in the North Bay at Scarborough, and the information board beside it tells the story of Freddie Gilroy.
Freddie Gilroy was born and grew up in County Durham, in poor circumstances. He joined the army at the beginning of the Second World War. In April 1945 he was part of the army unit that took the surrender of the Bergen Belsen concentration camp, and he spent some time there dealing with the horrors discovered. While there his 24th birthday took place. It was a day he would remember and grieve over for the rest of his life. When interviewed by a newspaper journalist in the 1980s he confessed he had sat and cried on every birthday since that fateful day, remembering the horrors of the camp.
This piece of art is not just about Freddie Gilroy but represents all the normal people that were pulled out of an ordinary life and forced into a very extraordinary and dangerous one during the World Wars.
The artist Ray Lonsdale created this sculpture of an older Freddie Gilroy, with his memories. It was loaned to Scarborough for a 4 week display. It was so popular that locals campaigned to keep it. A local woman, Maureen Robinson, bought it and gifted it to the people of Scarborough, and it has remained here on a bench on the seafront since then.
I returned to the 365,mostly to see the photos of everyone I follow. You have always made the visits her come alive with both your photos and the history behind them. Thank you for taking us places most of us will never see. Fav
Thank you all for your lovely comments and favs, which put this shot on the Popular Page.
I was very moved by this sculpture and by the information board beside it. This line really made me stop and think: 'This piece of art is not just about Freddie Gilroy but represents all the normal people that were pulled out of an ordinary life and forced into a very extraordinary and dangerous one during the World Wars.'
@lizzybean Thank you for your lovely comment Lizzy, I do find 365 an interesting window to look at the many parts of the world that I will probably never visit. I love being able to share my small corner of the world as well. There is so much out there to see and enjoy!
It had to be a very talented artist who created this sculpture. It looks so life like and capture the sadness of the subject. I'm amazed that he even has a cigarette in his hand. Thanks for sharing this amazing art and telling the story behind it.
fav
Thank you all for your lovely comments and favs, which put this shot on the Popular Page.
I was very moved by this sculpture and by the information board beside it. This line really made me stop and think: 'This piece of art is not just about Freddie Gilroy but represents all the normal people that were pulled out of an ordinary life and forced into a very extraordinary and dangerous one during the World Wars.'
Ian
Ian
Ian