George Square Statues

Question 1

three statues

Answer 1

• Rabbie Burns, James Watt and Queen Victoria - who you will notice is the only woman. There are more statues of dogs in Glasgow than there are of women.

Question 2

Controversy

Answer 2

Currently, controversy surrounds the James Oswald and Robert Peel monuments, which stand on opposite ends of the square. both men were merchants

Question 3

James Oswald

Answer 3

James Oswald owned a mill and traded in cotton and yarn. He was a whig (a liberal) and was a member of the Radical Whig Association, which was pro-abolition of slavery. It’s ironic that he profited from the slave trade whilst simultaneously advocating for its abolition.

Question 4

Robert Peel

Answer 4

was a conservative who served two terms as a British prime minister. He was one of the founders of the conservative party, the Metropolitan Police and Scotland Yard and was very outwardly anti-abolition of slavery.
- His statue is particularly controversial and in the past year, activists have campaigned to have his statue removed. tensions became so high that a 24 hour police guard to protect protesters vandalising or hauling down the statue.