The removal of a statue that had stood in the same spot for 93-years sparked a 'vendetta' of vandalism.
The statue of British statesman and politician, Oliver Cromwell, had stood in the shadow of Manchester Cathedral for 93-years before its removal in 1968. Cromwell was the former Lord Protector of England, Scotland and Ireland after the British Civil Wars.
He rose to power after leading the Parliamentarian army to victory and dissolved the monarchy in 1649, leading to the execution of Charles I. He is one of British history's most controversial figures due to his brutal military campaigns in Ireland, as well as harsh public reforms back home.
- READ MORE: The last days of the Greater Manchester estate dubbed 'worst slum in Britain'
- READ MORE: 10 lost Manchester buildings and attractions we can now only see in pictures
It's noted that when Queen Victoria visited Manchester she was less than impressed by the sight of the statue of the man behind her predecessor's beheading. Recently, photographs taken by John Griffith document the removal of the statue from its Deansgate home.
The photographs show the Cromwell statue being secured around its neck with ropes and hoisted by a crane onto a flat-bed truck. Interestingly, when the statue was lowered down from its plinth, an unusual detail that hadn't previously been noticed baffled experts.
Try MEN Premium for FREE by clicking here for no ads, fun puzzles and brilliant new features.
Following the removal, a historian was puzzled as to why the statue featured a full moustache on its upper lip. Mr Reginal Patten, representing the Cromwell Association who was present at the removal, believed there was no historical basis for it, with the famous Sir Peter Lely portrait of Cromwell showing only a little tuft of hair under the bottom lip. The expert put this down to the whimsy of the statue's sculptor.
The same day, the statue was transported to its new home at Wythenshawe Park, the scene of one of his famous military triumphs. From the new spot, the Lord Protector's gaze was towards Wythenshawe Hall, which he seized from Robert Tatton and his Royalist staff after 18-months of siege.
Join our WhatsApp Top Stories and, Breaking News group by clicking this link
However, just six-weeks after being rehomed, the figure of Cromwell had been vandalised twice. The 30-foot bronze likeness of the stern Puritan was splashed with paint just after workmen had finished cleaning it from a previous similar attack, prompting suspicion of a "vendetta" against the statue.
Workman Stewart Kidd, of Thirlmere Avenue, Stretford, told the Manchester Evening News: "It was quite a job last time, but this luminous paint might prove more difficult." The Director of Manchester parks also condemned the attack as "senseless hooliganism".
Join our Greater Manchester history, memories and people Facebook group here.
Love Greater Manchester's past? Sign up to our new nostalgia newsletter and never miss a thing.
Following the Cromwell statue's controversial placement in Deansgate in 1875 by local Liberal politicians, it has been a feature of Wythenshawe Park now for 55-years. After photographer John Griffith posted his images on the popular We Grew Up In Manchester Facebook group, people took to the comments to share their memories.
Remembering her childhood playing in Wythenshawe Park, Karen Rowe, said: "I thought it was him when I was young. We used to sit and eat our butties sat near him, as we would go to the park all day with our mum from Withington and paddle in the pool. If lucky, we got something from the café in the house way back in the '60s."
Do these photos awaken any memories for you? Let us know in the comments section below.
