A Tale of Two Statues: Memorialising Queen Victoria in London and Calcutta

Abstract

The Victoria Memorial in London and the Victoria MemorialHall, Calcutta, are the two most substantial and enduring commemorative schemesbuilt following the death of Queen Victoria on 23 January 1901. Both memorialsremain heritage icons, immediately recognisable parts of the urban fabric ofLondon and Calcutta. The original schemes are nonetheless notable for the imperialmyth-making and the way they place Victoria as the focal point of British rule.Moreover, both schemes foreground the question of the nature of Victoria’sagency and fashioning in relation to commemoration and hero-worship. Thestatues of Victoria by Thomas Brock at the heart of both memorials are part ofmuch grander and elaborate reshaping of the political and urban landscape, butthe commemoration of Victoria in Britain and India reveals some of thefrictions and instability around her legacy.