Nicholson Memorial

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Free-standing figurative bronze statue on raised granite plinth with bronze relief plaques, erected 1922. Located in the centre of Market Square facing west.

Life-sized cast bronze statue of Brigadeer John Nicholson dressed in military uniform with right arm raised yielding sword and pistol in left hand. Square-plan granite ashlar plinth with cornice and plinth mouldings. Rectangular plaque to west reads..
“To, Brigadier General, John Nicholson, who led the assault at Delhi on, 23 September 1857 and fell in the, hour of victory mortally wounded, at the age of 35”
Rectangular plaque to east reads..
“This monument is the gift of, Henry Musgrave Esq., of this town to the memory of, a great Ulster Soldier who was, born in Lisburn 1822”
Granite frame to north and south elevations contain rectangular cast bronze relief plaques depicting battle scenes.

Historical information

John Nicholson (1821–1857), was born in Dublin on 11 December 1821, the son of a successful physician. On his father’s death in 1830, the family moved to Lisburn and from there to Delgany, Co Wicklow. Nicholson afterwards went to the Royal School, Dungannon and was commissioned in the Bengal infantry in 1839. In October 1840 he accompanied the regiment to Afghanistan. When Ghazni was attacked in December 1841 by the Afghans, young Nicholson took a prominent part in the defence. After a long struggle, he was ultimately imprisoned by the Afghans and then later escaped and was rescued by a British force led by Major-General George Pollock. He subsequently served in the first and second Anglo-Sikh wars with great distinction. (www.oxforddnb.com, Dictionary of Irish Biography)

Following this he worked for some time as an administrative officer in the Punjab and achieved what was thought at the time to be the almost miraculous achievement of bringing law and order to the region. It is said that Punjabi villagers were so impressed with him that they began to worship him as a god, known as Nikkul Seyn. The truth seems to be that a holy man who was impressed by his ruthlessness tried to curry favour with him by erecting a shrine to him. Nicholson was not impressed by this and had his ‘worshippers’ flogged and imprisoned. (www.oxforddnb.com)

When the Indian rebellion broke out in 1857 Nicholson was dispatched to deal with several mutinous regiments of native infantry. In June he was promoted to Brigadier-General and he marched towards Delhi in August, advancing initially with great success. On the morning of 14 September the assault of Delhi took place and Nicholson was in command of the main storming-party. The column of men headed by Nicholson, forced its way over the ramparts and Nicholson, who was conspicuous at the head of his men was shot through the chest. He died a week later, from his wounds, and is buried in front of the Kashmir Gate at Delhi. He became a Victorian hero, as the ‘saviour of Delhi’ and accounts of his deeds influenced generations of boys, but because of his brutal treatment of rebels during the mutiny, he remains a hated figure in India. (www.oxfordddnb.com, Dictionary of Irish Biography)

The statue by F.W. Pomeroy was sculpted in 1920 and erected in 1922, the centenary of Nicholson’s birth. Pomeroy’ s work can also been seen in the grounds of Belfast City Hall and in Coleraine and Dungannon where he sculpted the war memorials. There is a further memorial tablet to Nicholson in Lisburn Cathedral by John Foley. (www.dia.ie)

The sculpture was donated to the city of Lisburn by Henry Musgrave, who, together with his brother, Edgar, had founded the tea and sugar importing firm of H and E Musgrave. They presented Musgrave Park, Musgrave Clinic and Riddel Hall to Belfast and Henry was made a Honorary Burgess of the City of Belfast in 1917. He died on 2nd January 1922, a few weeks before the statue was unveiled .(Mackey, p.96, Bass)

Two winners of the Victoria Cross are also commemorated on the memorial – William James Lendrim who was awarded with the VC in 1855 and Samuel Hill who was awarded it in 1857.

References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/1/68/5 – Fifth Edition OS Map 1939
Secondary Sources

1. Bass, H.G. “Boyd’s of Castle Buildings, Lisburn: A Short History of an Old Family Firm” Lisburn: 1977 (available at www.lisburn.com)
2. “Dictionary of Irish Biography” Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2002
3. Encyclopedia Britannica 1911
4. “Historic Lisburn” leaflet by Lisburn Historical Society in association with the Irish Linen Centre and Lisburn Museum, 2005
5. Mackey, Brian “Lisburn, the Town and its People, 1873-1973” Belfast: Blackstaff Press, 2000
6. www.dia.ie – Dictionary of Irish Architects online
7. www.oxforddnb.com - Oxford Dictionary of National Biography online

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
J. Setting

Criteria for listing: historic interest

V. Authorship
X. Local Interest

Evaluation

An accomplished bronze statue sculpted by F.W. Pomeroy on raised stone plinth framing bronze plaques. Set in the landscaped surroundings of Market Square, this memorial commemorates an heroic event by a citizen of Lisburn.