Richard John Seddon (1845-1906)

Sir Thomas Brock, K.C.B., R.A. 1847-1922

Bronze, on a stone plinth

Unveiled 1915

Wellington, New Zealand

Richard Seddon was Prime Minister of New Zealand for thirteen years. He died while still in office, on board ship, after an official visit to Australia. His farewell (and unwittingly prophetic) telegram to the Premier of Victoria read, "Just returning to God's own country." In 1911 Sir Thomas Brock was commissioned by the New Zealand Government to execute a bronze statue for £2,500. It was unveiled in Wellington” by the Governor General (the Earl of Liverpool) on 26 June 1915. Seddon's pose with upraised hand, which might seem a typical, even hackneyed, stance for a political figure, was not one often used” by Brock (see Sankey 205-06).

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Photograph and text kindly provided by John Sankey, whose copyright they remain.