A bronze sculpture of Queen Elizabeth II, commissioned to mark the Diamond Jubilee, was unveiled by Lord Shuttleworth KCVO, Lord-Lieutenant of Lancashire, in a ceremony at the County Hall offices today (26 November 2012).
Lancashire sculptor and proud Prestonian Peter Hodgkinson was commissioned to create the image of the Queen that took its place alongside a newly-restored bust of Queen Victoria, created in 1897 to commemorate Victoria’s own diamond jubilee.
Peter may be already known to you as his work is on display outside the Preston North End Football Staduim at Deepdale. Sir Tom Finney’s The Splash bronze staute is noted as one of the best sporting sculptures in the country.
Lancashire County Council agreed to create the bust, along with 12 identical busts for each of Lancashire’s districts, at a meeting back in February.
At the event was Lancashire County Council leader Geoff Driver as well as Lord Shuttleworth, The Lord Lieutenant of Lancashire and Her Majesty The Queen’s representative in the county.
The event also featured an exhibition documenting the process of creating the sculpture, along with items from Lancashire’s celebrations of Queen Victoria’s diamond jubilee in 1897.
Here are some pictures of the event from today: