Tennis Courts, Boyle, Co. Roscommon
[graphic]
| Main Creator: | |
|---|---|
| Contributors: | |
| In collection: | The Lawrence Photograph Collection |
| Format: | Photo |
| Published / Created: |
[between ca. 1865-1905].
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| Subjects: | |
| Notes: | Research by our Flickr Commons users established that this statue of King William III had been moved to this location (from a nearby bridge) in the early 19th century. As with other memorials to King William III, it suffered several defacements, before being entirely removed before the 1930s. The general consensus is that this image dates to before 1905, when the statue was seemingly beheaded. The pedestal remains, and is a landmark in the surrounding parkland and "Boyle Pleasure Grounds". Additional information about this photograph is available on the National Library of Ireland's Flickr Commons photostream http://www.flickr.com/photos/nlireland/39918817454/ Robert French was the chief photographer responsible for photographing three quarters of the Lawrence Collection. For more information, see the Dictionary of Irish Biography: http://dib.cambridge.org/viewReadPage.do?articleId=a3369 Physical description: 1 negative : glass ; 22 x 17 cm Geographic Coverage: Boyle, County Roscommon, Province of Connacht, Ireland. Caption on glassplate reads: Tennis Court. Boyle. 7368. W. L. more |
Back to the old reliable Lawrence Collection today and a visit to the beautiful town of Boyle in County Roscommon. Titled "Tennis Court, Boyle" this image appears to be more about the statue than the tennis court in the background but don't let the truth get in the way of a good story :-)
And indeed it was/is a good story. This statue, of King William III, had been moved to this location (from a nearby bridge) in the early 19th century. As with other memorials to King Billy, it suffered several defacements, before being entirely removed entirely before the 1930s. The general consensus is that this image dates to before 1905 - when the statue was seemingly beheaded. The pedestal remains, and is a landmark in the surrounding parkland and "Boyle pleasure grounds"....
Photographer: Robert French
Collection: Lawrence Photograph Collection
Date: Catalogue range c.1865-1914. Before 1905 (statue)
NLI Ref: L_ROY_07368
You can also view this image, and many thousands of others, on the NLI’s catalogue at catalogue.nli.ie
Tags:
Lawrence Royals, Robert French, William Lawrence, Lawrence Collection, Lawrence Photographic Studio, Glass Negative, National Library of Ireland, Statue, Tennis Court, Boyle, County Roscommon, Ireland, Pedestal, William III, Pleasure grounds, King House, King William, Boyle Pleasure Grounds, Lawrence Photograph Collection
Comments
Niall McAuley
From Boyle Town & More page entry on boyle Bridge: A statue of William III on the bridge, erected originally in 1754 by Lord Kingston was removed to the Pleasure Grounds from where it disappeared in the 1930’s.
Posted: 05.03.2018
Oretani Wildlife (Mike Grimes)
King House and Boyle Pleasure Grounds. It would appear that the statue has been removed from the pedestal.
goo.gl/images/j76ysF
www.kinghouse.ie/home#intro
Posted: 05.03.2018
Niall McAuley
King House from 1720 in the background is no help for dating purposes.
Posted: 05.03.2018
Niall McAuley
Another ref: D’Alton Annals of Boyle refer to ‘a statue of King William representing his majesty with a crown of Laurel on his head and the Order of the Garter on his knee’. When the new bridge was built in 1834, Viscount Lorton had the monument moved to the Pleasure Grounds. Later ,during the ‘Troubles’ in the early 1920’s, the statue was beheaded. Subsequently the rest of the statue was removed and now only the pedestal remains.
Posted: 05.03.2018
Niall McAuley
Not a million miles away:
Posted: 05.03.2018
derangedlemur
[https://www.flickr.com/photos/gnmcauley] I found a lot of images of the King William II statue with him on a horse, including one where he's been knocked over. Are you sure this is King William as well?
Posted: 05.03.2018
Niall McAuley
[https://www.flickr.com/photos/8468254@N02] This is King William III. He's marked on the 25" above, and named in the identical catalogue shot linked above.
Posted: 05.03.2018
ɹǝqɯoɔɥɔɐǝq
King Billy's statue did not receive a great deal of lurve. This is from 1905, which might imply the photo is before 1905 ?
An extraordinary affair happened at Boyle, Roscommon, recently. A statue of King William IIL, erected by the first Earl of Kingston, in the private grounds now belonging to the Boyle Lawn Tennis Club, was hacked at by some men with chisels, who, after removing the head, covered the rest of the statue with tar, and finally stuck a green bough in the neck. The Lawn Tennis Club have made a claim for £200 for malicious injury, while the United Irish League has also frowned upon the action and offered a. reward for the discovery of the perpetrators.From trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/100647679?searchTerm=b... And also this from 1929 - trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/201245206?searchTerm=b...
Posted: 05.03.2018
derangedlemur
[https://www.flickr.com/photos/gnmcauley] I see what's happened. A search for "Boyle King William Statue" returns the college green statue, what with Boyle being a person more than a place.
Posted: 05.03.2018
ɹǝqɯoɔɥɔɐǝq
Ha! Streetview has this photo (or maybe the other Lawrence one) on the Park notice sign - excitement! - goo.gl/maps/jLLi9JU2wPH2
Ed. - Boo hoo! They used the other photo without the lady - see the March 2011 view ...
Posted: 05.03.2018
Niall McAuley
[https://www.flickr.com/photos/beachcomberaustralia] Well spotted!
Posted: 05.03.2018
Niall McAuley
[https://www.flickr.com/photos/beachcomberaustralia] The second Trove article you link says: "Twenty years ago the head was cut off the statue, and It has remained headless slnce", so yes, that means these pics are before that 1905 attack.
Posted: 05.03.2018
sam2cents
It almost looks like there's a conversation going on between the woman and the statue. "How's it going down there?"
Posted: 05.03.2018
ɹǝqɯoɔɥɔɐǝq
Mr French / Lawrence took a couple of photos of the "Military Barracks" from near the tennis club shed; the top right dormer window is in the same position as here, implying the same day...
catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000332568 (clearer)
catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000320122
He must have been experimenting with different cameras or glass plate sizes, as one is ROY and the other CAB, as with the two photos of this statue. I don't understand the technicalities, but I think it has been mentioned before somewhere?
Posted: 05.03.2018
ɹǝqɯoɔɥɔɐǝq
Perhaps the fondly gazing lady was reminded of Oscar Wilde's The Happy Prince (1888) ...
High above the city, on a tall column, stood the statue of the Happy Prince. He was gilded all over with thin leaves of fine gold, for eyes he had two bright sapphires, and a large red ruby glowed on his sword-hilt. He was very much admired indeed. 'He is as beautiful as a weathercock,' remarked one of the Town Councillors who wished to gain a reputation for having artistic taste; 'only not quite so useful,' he added, fearing lest people should think him unpractical, which he really was not. ... ...ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/w/wilde/oscar/happy/chapter1.html
Posted: 05.03.2018
DannyM8
it is a big pedestal for a relatively small statue.
Posted: 06.03.2018
Dr. Ilia
brilliant!
Posted: 14.03.2018
