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| The Flag on St Georges Hall flying at half-mast |
I don't normally post modern day photographs on 'Liverpool
Picturebook' or write current events articles, but this is an exception. The
unveiling of the new Hillsborough Memorial in Liverpool yesterday will be a
part of the history of the City of Liverpool forever.
On 14th April
2013, I stood among a crowd of people and members of the press from the UK and
abroad all assembled at the Old Haymarket to watch the unveiling ceremony for
the new Hillsborough monument. The new
memorial stands at the foot of St Johns Gardens. Families of the 96 were there
to see its dedication. Ccreated by sculptor Tom Murphy the bronze which stands
7’ high bears the words ‘Hillsborough
Disaster – we will remember them’. The Hillsborough Justice Campaign
commissioned the memorial and has now formally donated it to the city as a
lasting tribute to the 96.
The Mayor of
Liverpool, Joe Anderson opened the proceedings and said: “We will never forget
those who lost their lives at Hillsborough, or the impact the disaster has had
on their bereaved families. The anger, pain and sorrow they have felt for the
past 24 years is shared by everyone in Liverpool, and by thousands of others
across Merseyside, across the country and around the world.
“That’s why it’s
important the city has these permanent memorials, as a symbol of our solidarity
and support for the families of the 96 and as a permanent reminder of the long
and difficult fight for truth and justice. They will also serve as a powerful symbol
of what has been a momentous year for the city, with the publication of the
Hillsborough Independent Panel’s report.
“It is to the
credit of families that they have never given up on their quest to find out
what happened on that dreadful day, and have continued to act with dignity and
bravery. Following the publication of the report, which revealed the disastrous
failings of the public authorities on the day, and the conspiracy to shift the
blame onto fans, it is more important than ever that we continue to support
them to ensure they get the justice they deserve.”
Lord Mayor of
Liverpool at the time, Councillor Sharon Sullivan, said: “This will be an
emotional day for Liverpool which will see our city establishing a lasting
tribute to those who died at Hillsborough. These memorials will serve as a
reminder of the events of that terrible day, and ensure no one ever forgets the
sadness and suffering it has caused in the years since.
“I speak on
behalf of the city in saying to the families of the 96 that we stand united
behind them, that we commend their bravery and that we will continue to support
them in their fight for justice.”
Tom Murphy then
addressed the families and others present telling us that he wanted the theme
of the memorial to be “tranquil”. The
memorial is drum-shaped - the idea behind it to create a kind of memory box and
something that visitors can walk
around. Tom introduced David Charters who wrote a poem for the
dedication, David said he was “deeply moved and honoured” to be part of the
occasion.
He then read his
poem.
So, as one,
the hushed crowd turned the pages of the book that held the names of the dead
And the sound
that rose from them was like a great flapping of birds' wings
Into the dark
sky and beyond, it carried the memories of those who had gone,
the teachers
whose wisdom was lost, the parents who will never cradle children,
the makers
whose hands were stilled,
the jokers
whose laughter vanished,
the singers
whose songs are silence,
the lovers
whose love lasts forever.
The idea for
a memorial in the city centre was first raised by Rosie Fitzpatrick when she was seven
years old. She is now 15.
In conclusion
Mayor Anderson thanked everyone for coming and said “the fight for justice will
go on”.
The sculptor of the memorial Tom Murphy posed for photographs next to
his work.
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| Tom Murphy (far right) pictured standing next to his work. |
.jpg)
In another private ceremony yesterday an ornate mahogany clock with the
hands stopped at 3:06pm was unveiled at the town hall in Liverpool.
Below are a selection of photographs that I took to mark the event.
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| Sculptor Tom Murphy (right) with his memorial work |
Link
You can view more of the photographs on
By Robert F Edwards
