Life-size statue of Larkin to be put up in Paragon Station – despite divided opinion
LIKE the giant plastic toads he inspired, Philip Larkin still divides opinion 25 years after his death.
And the jury is still out over a proposed new statue commemorating the late poet in Hull's Paragon Station.
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Sculptor Martin Jennings with a scale model of the statue of Hull poet Philip Larkin.
The city council's planning committee gave the idea the go-ahead yesterday.
But there were still dissenting voices over the prospect of seeing a life-sized bronze figure of Larkin on the station concourse rushing to catch a train.
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The design by internationally-acclaimed sculptor Martin Jennings takes it cue from the opening lines of The Whitsun Wedding, one of his most famous poems.
Among those less than impressed was local railway historian John Morfin, who attended the meeting to put his own official letter of objection into words.
"I am not bothered if it is a statue of Philip Larkin or Mickey Mouse.
"Paragon Station was specifically designed with an open concourse. It has never been defiled with a statue and it should not be defiled now," he said.
However, councillors voted 7-1 in favour of the application.
Councillor John Nicholson said the station was the perfect choice for the statue.
"We need things like this in the city to draw visitors in. The problem with having it at the university is that trains don't go there," he added.
Comments
by Nick, Hull
Wednesday, August 11 2010, 4:48PM
“Is there any other city in the country were the inhabitants are so proud of their lack of knowledge? This conversation is littered with people falling over themselves to say they don't read poetry, wouldn't have heard of Larkin if he hadn't lived in Hull etc... Open your minds people or Hull will never improve its image. Unfortunately at the moment a suitable city motto would be "you don't have to be stupid to live in Hull (sorry 'ull), but it helps, it is actively encouraged and is something to be very proud of"”
by corinna, hessle
Sunday, August 08 2010, 6:06PM
“A statue of Maureen Lipman, hilarioous. Why not one of Joe Longthorne?”
by Debra from Hull, Wilmslow
Sunday, August 08 2010, 7:41AM
“Let's face it - if he wasn't based in Hull how many of us would even know who he was?!”
by John, Hull
Friday, August 06 2010, 10:59AM
“Marg. Hull WAS a dump in the 1950's. So were other towns and cities that had just been pummelled by the Hun”
by Marg, Hull
Friday, August 06 2010, 7:53AM
“Philip Larking had this to say about Hull, "Each day I sink a little further." It was, he said, "a frightful dump". So why in the world are we going to spend money continuing to celebrate a man that clearly did not like it here. Other areas of the city need the money, we could use a public transport system which actually works for example.”
by john, hull
Friday, August 06 2010, 1:39AM
“Yeah, he was so racist that he devoted a large part of his life to an appreciation of the strictly african american musical form known as jazz. Sheesh.”
by Richard, Hull
Thursday, August 05 2010, 10:59PM
“As said Larking was a racist and class discriminating man who never came from Hull and was only in writing for the money”
by richard, Hull
Thursday, August 05 2010, 10:58PM
“As said Larking was a racist and class discriminating man who never came from Hull and was only in writing for the money”
by Ranter, Hull.
Thursday, August 05 2010, 7:46PM
“James Joyce,....... Another ruddy nutcase.
This is the bloke who cowered whenever it thundered because one of his equally frutcake aunts had told him it was the sound of Gods wrath. The wandering weirdo was also an artist. A p@ss artist who poured his money down his throat and often got into drunken fights or nasty arguments with his family.Even at his mothers death bed, this" complex" character refused to kneel in respect when she pegged it........nice or what?
When the Germans invaded Paris, our Jimmy was off like a shot seeking a safe haven of "exile".
Load of mental cases the lot of em these poets, and what do we do?.Put up statues of them. Beggers belief,”
by Magoo, East Yorkshire
Thursday, August 05 2010, 5:37PM
“Word pornographer or not, maybe a statue would add to the city. The James Joyce statue in Dublin has no end of people photographing it. Like Larkin, his work is an acquired taste, in fact it's so difficult to acquire, most folk don't bother”