Vandals break Skegness Stone Lion Statue
Written by Angela Gooch on November 12th, 2007 in Memorabilia, Social History.
Source: Skegness Standard 2nd April and 14th May 1982
Photos: Lincolnshire Standard Group (Skegness) and Ben Hardaker
Stone Lion Statue Vandalized
This news article tells us that the stone lion statue which stood outside the Lion Hotel, Roman Bank, Skegness had been broken by vandals.
The owner of the hotel, Tom Morley found the statue lying on the pavement in pieces. One paw only remained attached to the plinth. Mr Morley said that the vandals picked it up and dropped it. He said he didn’t think it was repairable and was a ‘write-off’.
About six weeks after this story was printed, a follow-up article revealed that the lion statue had been repaired. This work was undertaken by Cliff Williamson of the Skegness Training Workshop, with the help of seven lads from the workshop.The team had used four steel pins and the latest epoxy resin to rebuild the legs.
The Lion Statue went missing in 1997 and there is currently a campaign running on the internet and in the Skegness Target Newspaper appealing for the return of the statue to its rightful home in Skegness.
Cliff Williamson who restored the lion, as told in the news story above, has contacted the Skegness Target after reading about the campaign. This is what he says:
RETURN OF LION HOPES ‘CRUMBLE’ - November 7
The Skegness Lion was vandalised by out of town yobs in the early 1980s and was so badly damaged it was given up and was about to be scrapped.
We, the building department of the Skegness youth opportunity’s scheme, together with Sid Dennis transported it to our workshop and rebuilt it as a project to give the lads some hands on input into the towns history.
We put it back on it’s legs with steel re-enforcing bars and reshaped it with epoxy mortar and resin, we then transported it back to its position on the pavement outside the Lion Hotel to resume it’s position in Skegness’ history.
Because it was scrapped and myself and the lads of Skegness restored it I believe it belongs to the people of Skegness.
Cliff Williamson
Great Steeping
Return the Skegness Stone Lion Statue
You can sign the online petition here
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