One year since taking up residence – Blind Jack has built up a fan base
ONE year ago, the official unveiling of the Blind Jack statue took place in Knaresborough Market Place.
Hundreds attended the ceremony in the town centre as the bronze statue, created by sculptress Barbara Asquith from Knaresborough, was finally revealed to all.
The date was February 22, 2009, and now 12 months later, the statue has been admired, photographed and talked about by visitors from across the globe.
Earlier this month, Knaresborough Civic Society honoured the statue with a Civic Achievement Award.
Given for projects that are often more environmental and have community involvement, the Society felt the Working Group that was set up to deliver the statue deserved praise.
“The Blind Jack statue was a team effort,” said Althea Farmer, Chair of the Civic Society. “It involved a number of agencies and their efforts helped raise the money needed and see installed in the market place an excellent statue to one of the great characters of Knaresborough.”
The town’s famed son, real name John Metcalf, is seated close to the market cross and barely a
stone’s throw from the popular Blind Jack pub.
Seated on a bench, the life-sized statue has his viameter in place, and local people have quickly developed a fond affection for the favourite historical character.
The idea for a statue was first mooted by Jim Rogers from Starbeck in 2005, and from there the Blind Jack Statue Working Group was set up to see the project through to its finish.
An accompanying booklet giving the history of Blind Jack gave information about the roads Jack built, the setting up of the Working Group and how the campaign to raise the required 30,000 began, as well as listing the generous sponsors and donations given.
It also included an insight into the process of making the statue from creating the clay original model through to the final wax coating being applied to the bronzed surface.
Also now available is a tribute to Blind Jack written by the late Dr Arnold Kellett.
Local historian, Dr Kellett wrote a 21-verse poem entitled Ode to Blind Jack, which is available to buy on printed card. Proceeds go to Henshaw’s Society for Blind People.
The card has a black and white photo of the Blind Jack sculpture on the front and is priced 2.99
available from Knaresborough Bookshop on the High Street or from Pat Kellett.
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Friday 10 February 2012
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