Havent they come up beautiful after their jetwash, well worth ?8k of our money

Just had a look at them. Sloppy job if you ask me. You can see where they've missed with the jet wash on the plinth. The bronze bits look good though.

 

As an aside, my lad asked who they were. As we got to them I could read the names: Chadwick on the Left as you look at the Town Hall, Liet. Col. BA Dobson on the Right. I'm sure both deserve ther respective positions in front of the Town Hall but who the hell are they? At least Fred Dibnah's thing, whilst not particularly a good likeness, has a bit of history on the plinth.

Should never have got rid of these

Sir Benjamin Alfred Dobson (1847-1898), textile machinery manufacturer and three times mayor of Bolton. He was born at Douglas on the Isle of Man, the son of a Belfast engineer. He was educated at Carlisle Grammar School and the Collegiate Institute in Belfast, where he studied engineering. He then joined the Belfast and Northern Counties Railway as an engineer before moving in 1871 to Bolton where he joined the family firm, Dobson and Barlow. He more than doubled the size of the firm, and by 1898 employed a workforce of over 5,000. Although the Bolton Review of 1897 declared that Dobson was "beloved" by his workpeople "for his geniality and considerate regard for their welfare," he resisted their attempts to challenge his authority. During a strike in 1887 he brought in new workers to defeat the strikers, and in 1897 strongly resisted the demands of the Amalgamated Society of Engineers.(1) In spite of this attitude, in 1890 his workers nevertheless presented him with illuminated addresses of congratulation, a silver punch bowl and a diamond bracelet for his wife Coralie. By 1897, the Bolton Review judged that Dobson, as a businessman, probably had "no superior in Bolton." In October 1878 he was made awarded the Legion D'honneur by the French government in recognition of his services to French industry. In 1874 he went into politics, being returned as Conservative Councillor, being re-elected in 1877. During this time he was chairman of the parks, and technical instruction committees. In November 1894 he was elected Mayor for the first time. Dobson was one of the moving spirits behind the transformation of the Mechanics' Institution into the Technical School, opened in 1892. Dobson was almost archetypically Victorian in its devotion to public life. He took an active interest in all civic affairs, holding, among other posts, Chairman of the Bolton Ironfounders Association, President of the Bolton Chamber of Commerce, Justice of the Peace for the district and the county, member of the board of Governors of Bolton Grammar School, honorary vice-president of the bolton Church of England Educational Institution, Churchwarden at St. James's, and Honorary Colonel of the 2nd Volunteer Battalion, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment. In addition, he published many technical papers on aspects of cotton spinning and engineering. He was also known in Bolton for throwing lavish mayoral parties at the Town Hall and at his private residence "Doffcockers."(2) He was knighted in 1897 and died on 4 March 1898, leaving a substantial estate.

 

Yes, we can all cut and paste information from t'internet but I said it ought to be on the plinth not on my computer screen. So, unless you are a stone mason with a bit of time on your hands . . .

 

Agreed.

 

Some clue as to who they are on the plinth would be good.