The Digital Ark: Early Modern Collections of Curiosities in England and Scotland, 1580-1700
Statue of Browne
Statue of Sir Thomas Browne [Photograph].Click image for full-size. Subject of/in a work of artThomas Browne (19 Nov 1605-19 Oct 1682) In Print: Souvenir of Sir Thomas Browne, With Twelve Illustrations, and Notes, n.p. Description:"Foremost amongst the names of those of literary ability and eminence associated with Norwich, stands prominently that of Sir Thomas Browne, whose works have placed him in a distinguished position as a great thinker.
It had been considered by many of his admirers that we had too long neglected to do honour to so learned a scholar of the seventeenth century, and that a special memorial ought to be placed in the city in which he passed two-thirds of his life, and in which most of his works were written.
In 1897 this idea took a practical shape. A few citizens met and appointed a large and influential committeee; from this a few gentlemen were selected to whom the subject was ultimately referred, and they formed the Executive Committee.
After several meetings the Committee finally decided that the most suitable form of memorial, and one which would be most acceptable not only to the citizens of Norwich, but to all admirers of Sir Thomas Browne, should be in the form of a bronze statue. This proposal met with the most hearty approbation of all persons interested in the matter, and at once received very influential support, medical and general.
At the end of seven years a sufficiently large sum of money had been raised to justify the Committee in selecting a sculptor. Mr. Henry Pegram, A.R.A., was the artist whose design of a statue commended itself to the majority of the Committee as being the most appropriate for the purpose, and to him the commission was entrusted.
A site in the Haymarket, which had lately been restored to its former state of an open space, was granted by the Town Council. On that site the Memorial Statue was placed, and unveiled by Lord Avebury, October 19th, 1905.
This view of the statue is taken from the original clay mould" (Williams, n.p.).