Monument to General Sir Thomas Saumarez

Monument to General Sir Thomas Saumarez by Edward Hodges Baily (1788-1867). White marble Town Church, St. Peter Port, Guernsey

General Sir Thomas Saumarez (1760-1845) came from a long-established and eminent Guernsey family: his father was one of the island's best-known heroes, Admiral Saumarez, who served as Nelson's second-in-command at the Battle of the Nile. According to Craig Thornber, Sir Thomas himself "served in North America during the American Revolutionary War," became "President and Commander in Chief of New Brunswick in 1813 and was promoted to the rank of General in 1838." This memorial is in the ancient parish church which is at the very heart of St Peter Port, and is one of many lining the walls here. It shows a mourning widow or daughter in conventional pose; but it is distinguished from more pedestrian plaques of this kind” by the elegantly stepped pedestal on which the urn rests, and the beautifully sculpted drapery — both on the figure itself, and flowing down the sides of the pedestal from the urn. ]

Parish Church in St, Peter Port [Click on thumbnail for larger image.]

Main Photograph and caption by Robert Freidus. Photograph of church and text by Jacqueline Banerjee. [You may use this image without prior permission for any scholarly or educational purpose as long as you (1) credit the photographer and (2) link your document to this URL in a web document or cite it in a print one.]

Bibliography

Thornber, Craig. Admiral Saumarez (1757 -1836). Thornber.net. Web. 9 May 2011.


Last modified 9 May 2011