Sir Robert McMordie Memorial

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Formal statue in Carrara marble, sculpted c1919 by F W Pomeroy on a tall grey granite plinth, depicting the former Lord Mayor Robert James McMordie wearing mayoral robes and chain, standing in front of the City Hall. There is egg and dart moulding under the cornice of the plinth and inscription in gold leaf on the front face.

Setting

Set among a number of other memorials (HB26/50/001B-001F and HB26/50/001H-001J) in the grounds surrounding Belfast City Hall (HB26/50/001A) set on the grass lawns. Many of the buildings around Donegall Square are also similar in date, contributing to the context of this structure.

Pedestal: Grey granite
Statue: Marble

Historical information

Unveiled on 31st May 1919 by the Dowager Marchioness of Dufferin and Ava, this memorial to Sir Robert James McMordie was the final statue erected in the City Hall (HB26/50/001A) grounds, honouring an individual person.

Sir Robert McMordie was a solicitor, member of the Belfast Corporation, the Conservative MP for East Belfast and Lord Mayor of the City from 1910-14, when political troubles were particularly rife. With his death in March 1914, his wife Julia McMordie arranged the commemoration of her late husband through this memorial. She also had many achievements to her name, some of which included; being made an Honorary Burgess of the City in 1914, MP for South Belfast 1921-25 and was awarded an OBE in 1919 (McIntosh).

The statue of McMordie, executed in Carrara marble, was designed by the prominent English sculptor, Frederick Pomeroy in 1917. The figure of McMordie is depicted in the Lord Mayor’s robes and chain, surmounting a pedestal of grey granite. Within the grounds of the City Hall, Pomeroy had previously designed the bronze statue of the First Marquis of Dufferin and Ava (HB26/50/001B) in 1902-06, and the marble statue of Sir James Haslett in 1907-09 (DIA; Larmour). Pomeroy was an adherent of the Arts and Crafts Movement and first trained in architectural carving before moving to portraiture work (ODNB). This memorial to Sir Robert McMordie is an example of his later work, which Larmour (2010) comments is “…unfortunately rather lacking in spark…”.

The statue originally faced westward and was positioned on the western side of the City Hall, between the Dixon Memorial on the north-west corner and the First Marquis of Dufferin Memorial. However, the grounds were altered during the 1920s and the Cenotaph and Garden of Remembrance (HB/26/50/001D) added to the south-western edge in 1925-7. Subsequently, the memorial is now sited in line with the western end of the main façade, next to the bronze statue of Sir Daniel Dixon (HB26/50/009) (Larmour). Cleaning and repair work was carried out to the memorial between 1992-93 (HB File).

References:

1. HB File (HB/26/50/001G)

Secondary Sources

1. Larmour, P “Belfast City Hall- An Architectural History” UAHS (2010)
2. McIntosh, Gillian “Belfast City Hall One Hundred Years” Belfast City Council (2006)
3. Patton, Marcus “Central Belfast- An Historical Gazetteer” UAHS, Belfast (1993)
4. www.dia.ie - Dictionary of Irish Architects online
5. (ODNB) Stocker, Mark “Oxford Dictionary of National Biography” (2004-12) http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/36513?docPos=1

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

V. Authorship
X. Local Interest
Y. Social, Cultural or Economic Importance

Evaluation

A formal marble statue of the former Lord Mayor Robert James McMordie, erected 1917 in Belfast City Hall (HB26/50/001A) grounds shortly after it was built. Sculpted by FW Pomeroy, it forms one of a group of high quality memorials (HB26/50/001B-J) in the grounds of the City Hall, complementing one another as well as the main building. Pomeroy also designed the bronze statue of the First Marquis of Dufferin and Ava (HB26/50/001B) in 1902-06, and the marble statue of Sir James Haslett(HB26/50/001I) in 1907-09. There are four similar standing statues of Lord Mayors facing Donegall Place, contributing to the historical significance of the group. This is a fine example of the work of a sculptor of note representing Belfast's civic history.

General comments

Formerly HB26/50/008