User:John E Ryelea
The Workers Memorial a statue depicting a man holding a child aloft, created by the Dorset based Slovakian blacksmith sculptor Martin Galbavey, fashioned from old spanners and scrap iron, gathered from the St Helens area Dedicated to the Men Women and Children who have lost their lives as a result of their jobs, dating back to the industrial revolution of the 19th century Located in Vera Page Park St Helens Merseyside UK, the site of the worlds first international freight hub, where in the 19th century the Sankey Canal met the newly built railway. Used for transporting coal, copper ore and finished goods to and from the port of Liverpool. The copper ore coming as far away as Columbia and Venezuela The monument was unveiled at a ceremony on the 28th April 2019 by the then Lord Mayor of St Helens Councillor Pat Ireland The monument the idea of Martin Bond, Richard McCauley, Paul Prichard and John Riley, John lost his father in a work related accident which inspired him to set up the Workers Memorial Foundation. The Workers Memorial Foundation came into being on the 20th June 2016, raising funds by donations from the public and local firms Sponsored by St Helens Council and the trade union Unite St Helens Central Some of the tools used in the sculpture are well over 70 years old passed down the line from father to son, tradesman to apprentice giving the statue an industrial pedigree The sculpture is sat on a plinth of cobbles, surrounded by a low fence formed by sleepers and rail tracks bearing testament to the original sidings that once stood there The cobbles, more than 100 years old, come from the dock road in Liverpool and together with the rails, bearing the date and place of manufacture, 'Whitehaven 1966', gives the monument heritage An outdoor space for contemplation and reflection surrounded by nature. A tribute to those individuals who have had their lives cut short The memorial, a cenotaph to the workers, will make the future generations aware of our proud industrial heritage and the dangers in the workplace and the paramount need for safety