Simon Milton: A Man With Five London Memorials

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By M@ Last edited 64 months ago
Simon Milton: A Man With Five London Memorials

If we told you that Milton has three statues in London, you might assume we're talking about Paradise Lost author John Milton. But no. The much-memorialised Milton here is Sir Simon Milton.

The Tory politician served as Deputy Mayor for Policy and Planning as well as Chief of Staff to Mayor Boris Johnson. Sadly, Milton died in 2011 aged just 49.

Since his passing, numerous memorials have appeared across town. The most prominent is in Paddington Basin, shown above, where the great man rests on a bench, inviting conversation.

A second — more a bust or relief if we're being honest — can be found on Piccadilly, on the corner with Eagle Place. We might be wrong, but we think this is the only sculpture in London to show a 21st century building (City Hall).

It's accompanied by a green plaque.

The third, and most recent, acts as a gatekeeper to those unlovely new apartments between Tower Bridge and City Hall. UPDATE Nov 2018: This statue has now been moved to a slightly less prominent corner of the development.

Having three statues (or two, plus a sculpted likeness) puts him in some august company. Only deities, royalty and Winston Churchill can compete. He is almost certainly the most memorialised man (officially speaking) of the 21st century in the UK.

It doesn't stop there. According to the SE1 website, there's also a bust of Sir Simon within Westminster City Hall. Further, this lovely fountain outside the Connaught Hotel also bears a memorial to the fellow.

That's five commemorations. Guido Fawkes tiptoes around a possible reason for the Miltonian glut.

Where will Sir Simon's likeness appear next? Possibly at the Sir Simon Milton Westminster University Technical College, recently opened in Victoria. And that old Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square still needs a permanent statue.

Update: We missed one. A sixth commemoration, the Simon Milton Memorial Garden, can be found in Paddington Recreation Ground. Hat-tip Diane Burstein.

Update 2: And here's a seventh, a new plaza in Victoria now bears the Miltonian name, complete with another plaque.

All images by the author.

Last Updated 09 November 2018