By Head of legendary statue goes on display
The head of the Grim and Havelock statue has been placed on display in a local gallery decades after the iconic figure was removed from public view.
Until December 17, locals can visit the Turntable Gallery in Grimsby Town Centre to view the statue that once stood proudly outside the Grimsby Institute for many years.
Gallery Owners Dale Wells and Darren Neave placed the head on display alongside the Albert Garden Fountain which was also missing for many years.
In 2006, the Grim and Havelock statue was taken out of public view and placed into storage after 33 years of vandalism and anti-social behaviour.
The statue itself depicts the local legend of Grimby’s founder Grim saving Prince Havelock of Denmark from the cruel sea.
Legend has it that Prince Havelock, the son of a Danish King, was rescued by the Danish settler and fisherman Grim from the merciless sea off the Lincolnshire coast.
The work of art depicts the man carrying the boy to the shore, whereupon he brought him up as his own son.
After rediscovering the statue earlier this year, the gallery owners plan to restore the piece to its former glory and place it on display.
However, the statue was sadly damages in storage, with one key component missing – his penis.
Dale and Darren have considered an ‘amnesty’ that would see the owner of the penis drop it off at the gallery anonymously so that Grim can be made whole again.
Next the iconic head is the Albert Garden Fountain, which was donated by the then Mayor Edward Bannister in 1869 to the people of Grimsby before being removed in November 1999.
The Grimsby, Cleethorpes and District Civic Society launched a petition to bring the fountain back into public view to honour all of Mr Bannisters hard work for the borough.
Although it appears to be worse for wear, parts of the fountain are now on display in the gallery, surrounded by Grimsby’s history.
Havelock’s head can be seen at The Fountain, Found! exhibition until Thursday, December 17 at The Turntable Gallery. The full Grim and Havelock statue is set to go on display inside the gallery in 2023.
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