The esoteric language of London Road Fire Station’s statues and sculptures J.J. Millson (1851-1919) was a Manchester based artist and sculptor. Not only are the public sculptures of London Road Fire Station extraordinary, they have a subtle language of symbolism and meaning. Arguably the most enchanting sculptures of Manchester, these soon to be restored and celebrated sculptures will represent the revival of an iconic building. The language is one of beauty, meaning and mystery. We hope you adore them as much as we do in this building of heart and soul.
The missing statue of London Road Almost superstitiously, would it be a good omen to complete the building after its recent long and desolate history? The winged seraphim symbolises divine powers and powerful flight. The chariot is a symbol of time and often is associated with battles of the sky gods. It carries the hero, who holds the crowning laurel wreath, depicting the nobility of the gods. Three horses pull the chariot, which represents the swiftness of dynamic power. The winged champion steering the chariot represents the mind. In numerology, three represents the past, present and future and is a number of optimism.
Details –the hose tower Four Eagles watch the city of Manchester, to keep its people safe from harm. The eagles symbolise ascension, victory, pride, authority and strength in the element of air. The eagles sit on spheres. These could represent the certainty of power that Manchester had in that time in the world. Egg-like, they symbolise life and its potential. The great round contains the cosmos and time and is a symbol of fertility. Dolphins swim at the top of the columns. The dolphin’s traditional meaning is for safety and swiftness. The dolphin is also a messenger of the divine within the power of the ocean. The faces in the sun symbolise the supreme cosmic powers and the allseeing divinities. It is also a Masonic symbol of power, rule and leadership. The four columns symbolise strength and stability. The overall dome is also a metaphor for the sky over earth, or the celestial. Throughout London Road Fire Station there are domes and columns. Physically, Greek columns were designed for temples and embodied the symbolism of the tree of life. There are three towers – a number repeated throughout the building that symbolises past, present and future and everything under the skies of Manchester.
Who are Milson's fire and water maidens? (London Road)
Detail – Coroner’s Court symbols of truth and justice (London Road) Justice: a lady in armour and chainmail. She holds a sword, which symbolises power, protection, authority. Her armour represents chivalry and protection. Truth: a lady in a hooded cloak holds a mirror. The mirror symbolises true reflections, wisdom and divine intelligence. The hooded cloak symbolises concealment, shelter and protection - under truth.
These six maidens symbolise the elements and the completion of a circle. Three represent the passage of the lunar cycle and time: past, present and future. Fire maidens: the central figure holds a serpent symbolising poison, preservation and a destroyer (like fire). One holds a torch, symbolising the flame of life, truth and immortality. One holds a trident, which symbolises the element of thunder and power, and a broken vessel lies on the floor for destructive power. Fire becomes a symbol of good and evil, transformation and destruction, with stern features. Water maidens: in stark contrast to their sisters, water symbolises nourishment of life, sources of all potential and life. They are surrounded by vessels as they pour water, the feminine principle of protection and preservation. Plants show the cycle of life, rebirth via the elements. Fish swim at their feet, symbolising the renewal and sustenance of life.
Details - fire and water angels (London Road) Angels or cherubs in secretive, concealing drapes adorn the gate. They symbolise messengers of the divine, purity and renewal of energy. The fire angel holds a torch for life to illuminate power (phallic principle) where the dry wood becomes receptive to the flames. The water angel holds a large pot that contains water and is receptive and abundant. Lush plant life and flowers flourish around him. They complement the fire and water maidens in their metaphor of primordial powers.
Details - two facing towers (London Road) On each corner of both towers there are identical statues – sadly some are hard to see until the public is given access to go up the hose tower or be in the courtyard. The sculptures repeated twice are strength, nurturing, justice and abundance. Strength: a young girl sits beside a regal lion, which symbolises fortitude, justice, law and ferocity. He has his foot on a globe, showing the importance of Manchester in the world at that time and its confidence. In her youth, innocence and adventurousness tames the beast’s instincts through gentleness.
Hard to see, above the front gate, are single sculptures of fire and water beneath their sisters. Encased in dirt, they hold respective fire torches or pots of water.
Nurturing: a mother cradles her baby as she covers her eyes from the sun. The pose depicts thought, caring and surveying her city. The infant in her arms conveys possibilities, nurturing the future, innocence and protection.
Justice: harder to see, a stern woman with a long neck and a sword for power, authority and justice, and a scroll for learning, knowledge and destiny. Abundance: a crowned queen with a cornucopia. Very hard to see until the day the public can go on the hose tower for better views. Her royal position emanates as she holds the symbol for “the horn of plenty”, of fruitfulness and abundance.
Details – statues of science/education and industry (London Road) Education/science: a cloaked lady (secrecy and nobility) holds an open book, which symbolises the Book of Life, universal possibilities and revelations of knowledge and wisdom. Industry: another cloaked lady holds a cog, which symbolises cooperation. Every gear must work together to make something great! She also holds a hammer, which suggests harnessing the forces of nature.
The union sculptures (Whitworth Street) A noble man and woman are shown with horses, which symbolise dynamic power, swiftness of thought and of mortal life, ridden by heroes. He holds reins to show industry and man’s intellect in harnessing the power of life. She has a Roman column, which gives a nod to the ancient goddesses of horses, Epona.
Both complementary sets have laurel wreaths, symbols of martial victory, crowning a successful commander during his triumph. The cloaks show nobility, secrecy and sacred protection for the journey.
Detail: the Medusa heads (Whitworth Street) Details - spirit of the noble adventurers (Whitworth Street) Goddesses of the sea and fire. One goddess has sails to represent the wind’s breath and air moving across the oceans, as water pours from fountains. It symbolises the strength of the British Empire. The other goddess is of fire and air, where the torch and a lighthouse of antiquity give light. It shows the ship where to sail and stay safe from danger.
Why are there Medusa heads on the Police Station side? Medusa symbolises the battle to overcome destructiveness, holding a mirror and shield for justice. The myth of Perseus, Medusa, Athena and Pegasus.
Details – lions The many wide variations of lions on London Road have several symbolic meanings - majesty, justice, courage, fortitude, law and power.
Detail - Milson's ocean men (Whitworth Sreet) These half sculptures almost look like mermen and are clearly a tribute to the old British Empire, which “ruled the waves”. The shield symbolises military prowess, preservation and protection. The ship and ocean - primordial waters and all unfathomable potential under the sun and moon. Adventure and exploration. Nudity symbolises freedom from all earthly taint – it is often how heroes are portrayed in mythology. The nod towards the merman has a divine sense of power in the ocean * The detail of leaves suggests new growth and confidence in the city and the empire.
Details – cherubs The cherubim are winged creatures that symbolise the presence of divinity - they are guardians of the sacred.
Details – Fruit, leaves and plantlife This is just one example of the many flourishing, rich, swirling decorative motifs that feature plants, fruits and leaves. The plants and leaves symbolise fertility, growth and renewal. Fruits symbolise the essence of the the tree of life and often in mythology are symbols of immortality.
References and credits Cooper, J.C. 1978. An Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Traditional Symbols. Thames and Hudson Photos from Shooting Parrot, Greater Manchester Fire Service Museum, Barry Leach and personal photos.