Statue

Thomas Guy statue

Erection date: 1734

Inscription

{On the cartouche on the front of the plinth:}
Thomas Guy sole founder of this hospital in his lifetime, AD MDCCXXV (1725}

Site: Thomas Guy statue (1 memorial)

SE1, St Thomas Street, Guy's Hospital

11 June 2020, following Black Lives Matter demonstrations, a joint statement from King's College London, Guy's & St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, and Guy's & St Thomas' Charity announced that this statue, and that of Robert Clayton, will be removed in a few weeks.

September 2021: Another statement reported in the Daily Mail: "Guy's Hospital has confirmed it will move a statue of its founder Thomas Guy (pictured before it was boarded up) to a less prominent position" and "the statue of Sir Robert Clayton will have a plaque added explaining his slave trade links".

October 2022: King's College London issued a statement which includes: "Today, the statue has been de-hoarded while experts carry out essential restoration work that is legally obliged due to the Grade II listed status of the statue. While the work is carried out and permanent interpretation is developed, temporary interpretation will be installed by GSTF which outlines Thomas Guy’s connections to the Trans-Atlantic slave trade." 

2023: LondonNewsOnline reported: "Officials have scrapped plans to remove a statue of the founder of a hospital from its entrance over his slave trade links. ... officials have now backtracked on the plans and will instead put “interpretation boards” around the statue, explaining Guy’s links to the slave trade."

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the subjects commemorated on the memorial on this page:
Thomas Guy statue

Subjects commemorated i

Thomas Guy

Founder of Guy's Hospital. Born 7 Pritchard's Alley, Fair Street, Horsleydown...

Read More

Guy's Hospital

Founded by Thomas Guy in concept in 1721 but it was not until 6 January 1725 ...

Read More

This section lists the subjects who helped to create/erect the memorial on this page:
Thomas Guy statue

Created by i

Peter Scheemakers

Born in Antwerp.

Read More

Nearby Memorials

Sir Francis Drake - Deptford Town Hall

Sir Francis Drake - Deptford Town Hall

SE14, New Cross Road, Goldsmith's University of London

The 1905 building is by Lanchester, Stewart and Rickards. All the extensive decorative sculpture work is by Henry Poole and has a nautica...

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Johnny Haynes

Johnny Haynes

SW6, Stevenage Road, Craven Cottage

The plaque is between the windows on the ground and first floor.

2 subjects commemorated, 1 creator
6 Burlington Gardens - Bacon

6 Burlington Gardens - Bacon

W1, Burlington Gardens, 6

There are 22 statues on the façade of this building. Each is labelled with his (always 'his') surname. There are 12 at the top up against...

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
George Orwell statue

George Orwell statue

W1, Hallam Street, o/s BBC

At 6' 2" Orwell was a tall man, but this statue is 2.5 metres (over 8'). He struggled with ill-health most of his life and died of tuberc...

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
6th Inniskilling Dragoons

6th Inniskilling Dragoons

W1, Hyde Park Corner

The large terrace area around the statue is worth commenting on. It's clearly original and has somehow survived. There are 4 concentric...

1 subject commemorated, 2 creators