Bust

Wall of the Ancestors - middling

According to the plaque these are, clockwise from top left: Dave O'Hara, Tommy Martin, Sir Francis Drake, Metrina.

Wall of the Ancestors gives the last name as "Metrine".

Site: Wall of the Ancestors (3 memorials)

SE8, George Beard Road, Aragon Tower, north-east (riverside) wall of

This tower was erected in the 1960s/70s as part of the Pepys Estate.

From the platform one could get some good pictures of these 16 heads, but the platform is inaccessible; you can go up the steps at the left but no further, hence our rather unsatisfactory photographs.

A small plaque at the left reads:
"Wall of the Ancestors" Pete Pope, Tony O'Leary, Dave O'Hara, Tommy Marin; Shirley Stewart, Grinling Gibbons, Metrina, Sir Francis Drake. www.Martin-Bond.Supanet.com

A small plaque at the right reads:
"Wall of the Ancestors" Debra Lee, Phineas Pett, Tsar Peter the Great, Dr Burnhart Gloss; Queen Elizabeth 1st, Olaudah Equiano, Michael Hamilton, Catherine of Aragon. Thanks to Berkeley Homes, Deptford Discovery Team, Sustrans.

We believe each plaque is attempting to identify the 8 characters nearest to it, left to right, top row first, then bottom row, but that there has been some confusion. Taking the plaques at face value (ha, ha): Phineas Pett, a 17th century shipwright is wearing a crown; the Tsar is looking rather humdrum and 20th century; Metrine (a girl's name currently popular in the black community) seems to be wearing a  medieval headdress, as does Debra Lee.

The faces were probably correctly identified when first erected but the building and this artwork have been "renewed" and in the process we think the heads suffered a random shuffle.

The block was erected in 1964 as social housing. The Wall of the Ancestors was added in 1997. In 2002-6 the Tower was renovated, reclad, extended upwards and sold as private flats. As part of this work the heads were reconfigured and new plaques provided. We've also read that the heads were recast at this time. See the original arrangement here. The heads are made of cream cast stone and each is about a metre high.

More information at Walking the Wall of Ancestors and Wall of the Ancestors, Deptford Strand.

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This section lists the subjects commemorated on the memorial on this page:
Wall of the Ancestors - middling

Subjects commemorated i

Sir Francis Drake

Sea captain, explorer and pirate. Born in Crowndale, near Tavistock, Devon. H...

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David Ivan O'Hara

In his last years dedicated himself to the projects of the community of the P...

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This section lists the subjects who helped to create/erect the memorial on this page:
Wall of the Ancestors - middling

Created by i

Michael Bond (sculptor)

We can't identify this sculptor.  

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This section lists the other memorials at the same location as the memorial on this page:
Wall of the Ancestors - middling

Also at this site i

Wall of the Ancestors - leftmost

Wall of the Ancestors - leftmost

According to the plaque these are, clockwise from top left: Pete Pope, Tony O...

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Wall of the Ancestors - rightmost

Wall of the Ancestors - rightmost

According to the plaque these are, clockwise from top left: Debra Lee, Phinea...

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Nearby Memorials

Sir Walter Besant - Victoria Embankment

Sir Walter Besant - Victoria Embankment

WC2, Victoria Embankment

Bronze. Replica of the bust in St Paul's. Albeit this is a relief rather than a statue in the round it is rare for the subject to be wear...

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Old Westminster Library - head 4 - Dryden

Old Westminster Library - head 4 - Dryden

SW1, Great Smith Street

The foundation stone is immediately to the right of the central entrance. Above the entrance: "Westminster Public Library, The united pa...

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193 Fleet Street - 7 - Bologna

193 Fleet Street - 7 - Bologna

EC4, Fleet Street, 193

Building erected in 1883 by George Attenborough for his jewellery and pawn-broking business, Attenborough and Sons. Architects: Archer an...

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Morley mosaics - KEW - Natalie Bell

Morley mosaics - KEW - Natalie Bell

SE1, King Edward Walk, Morley College

These 10 portrait mosaics are the result of a project by Morley College to celebrate the achievements of significant women who have lived...

1 subject commemorated, 3 creators
Caxton Hall - head 1 - Milton

Caxton Hall - head 1 - Milton

SW1, Caxton Street, 10, Caxton Hall

But look at head 8 too, that's also a candidate for Milton.

1 subject commemorated