23. Newcomers to Leicester might be surprised by a statue in the centre of the Swan Gyratory roundabout, overlooking the River Soar. What recognisable figure can they see?
From Quiz A Slightly Obscure Tour of Leicestershire
Answer:
Statue of Liberty
The Statue Of Liberty. This statue was originally nearby, on the roof of the Lennard's Shoes factory. In 1920 the factory's directors made a trip to New York. They were so impressed by The Statue Of Liberty they commissioned a copy. The company eventually became known as Liberty Shoes. After the building fell out of use it, and the statue, were vandalised. The statue was renovated and resited, being unveiled at its present position on December 17, 2008.
All the other people mentioned have statues in Leicester.
A bronze statue of Mahatma Gandhi was funded by the Indian charity Samanvaya Parivar. This bronze statue was created in Calcutta, India. It was unveiled in June 2009 close to Belgrave Road.
Cardinal Wolsey passed away in 1530 while staying at Leicester Abbey. The ruined abbey and its grounds are now Abbey Park. A staue of the Cardinal was commissioned in the 1920`s by hosiery firm, Wolsey Ltd, and stood on their premises. In 1979 the company donated the statue to Leicester City Council. The council immediately re-erected the statue in the cafe garden of Abbey Park.
A bronze statue of King Richard, commissioned by the Richard The Third Soceity, stands in Castle Gardens, Leicester, following its unveiling in July 1980.
On August 22, 1485 Richard The Third was killed at The Battle Of Bosworth. He had stayed in Leicester on the night prior to the battle. His body was returned to Leicester and eventually buried at, the now long demolished, Greyfriars church. On September 12th, 2012 a skeleton was unearthed beneath a car park at the site of the this church. On February 4th, 2013 it was announced at leicester University that D.N.A tests had proved beyond reasonable doubt that this was the remains of Richard. His remains are now to be re-interred at Leicester Cathedral.