Last month, the Hearts Heritage team was delighted to receive a generous donation of £5,000 from the Hearts 1914 Memorial Trust and the Federation of Hearts Supporters Clubs, to fund the careful preservation and cleaning of the 1914 Soldier statue that resides in Tynecastle Park, overlooking the Forever in our Hearts Memorial Garden.
The statue and surrounds will be taken care of by Hearts Heritage, who also look after the Memorial Garden below it.
With advice and support from Powderhall Bronze Ltd, who designed and sculpted the original statue, the team will use the funding to ensure the statue is protected and maintained in the best condition, for years to come, as it continues to stand guard over the hundreds of memorial plaques erected and dedicated to loved ones within the Memorial Garden.
The original statue came about from the seeds of an idea by Gordon Angus, way back in 2010, to create a way to commemorate the whole 1914 team; those who went to war, those who came back but were never the same, and those at the club who stayed behind. The concept grew into a project, as Gordon was joined by Steven Kilgour, Bill Alves, Tom Purdie and others, to help bring the idea into reality. Donations from supporters, were gathered, and after a hiatus during the Club’s financial difficulties, the statue became a reality in June 2016.
The 7-foot bronze statue was cast by Edinburgh’s Powderhall Bronze Ltd, sculpted by Brian Caster, and was placed at the Wheatfield and Gorgie corner, to overlook the Forever in our Hearts Memorial Garden. The statue depicts a young man in a Royal Scots uniform, carrying something close to his heart - his football. The base has an inscription ‘1914 Memorial, The Bravest Team’. The names of Hearts fans who made donations of £19.14 or more, were added to scrolls and sealed into the legs of the statue, to become part of the memorial for ever.
Gordon Angus, Chairman of the Hearts 1914 Supporters Club said “This cheque is presented to the Hearts Heritage Department, to go towards the upkeep of the Memorial statue. The remaining funds of £3452.03 have been topped up to a round figure of £5000.00 by the Federation of Hearts Supporters Clubs. Again, we would like to thank everyone who contributed and made this possible. “From an ordinary fan of an extra-ordinary club, who gave a little to those who gave all”.
More information about the statue and the Memorial Garden can be discovered on our Hearts Heritage Stadium Tours – tickets can be purchased by clicking here.
Replica cast bronze models of the soldier can be purchased from Hearts Direct by clicking here.
