HRH The Earl of Wessex KG GCVO visited Gordon’s School on Friday 10th October. The purpose of the visit was to unveil a plaque which marked the recent restoration of the statue of Victorian Hero, General Charles Gordon astride a camel.
The statue was given to the school by the Government in 1959 when it was shipped from Khartoum. Since then weather had eroded the Portland stone plinth and the bronze statue, causing degradation of the bronze, discolouring and subsidence; tassels were missing from the Camel’s saddle as well as the reins.
In 2013, the Camel Campaign Restoration Appeal was launched by The Gordon Foundation, a separate charity that specifically supports Gordon’s School. Within 9 months the target sum of £27,000 was raised through donations from organisations and individuals.
During HRH The Earl of Wessex’s visit he unveiled a plaque to commemorate the restoration of the statue, and then inspected the Parade and the school’s well-known Pipes & Drums.
Michael said:
“Gordon’s is a wonderful school, and it was delightful to see all the proud students on Parade, celebrating the restoration of the statue of General Charles Gordon.”