Is Gloucester's industrial heritage wasting away?
IS GLOUCESTER'S aviation heritage wasting away?
One resident has raised concerns the city's past is being dishonoured after he discovered memorial plaques in the Jubilee Garden between Greyfriars and Eastgate Street had been damaged.
Former local government worker David Hunt, from Upton St Leonards, said: "I recently came across the badly damaged aircraft wall plaques erected to commemorate the work of the Gloster Aircraft Company.
"These wall-mounted models were put there to honour the life and work of GAC, from the earliest bi-planes through to the mighty Javelin, but now they have become broken, defaced and generally neglected.
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"I don't know how much people even know they exist as they are hidden away and it is not the kind of place where most like to walk."
He said he first discovered the plaques when he moved to Gloucestershire almost 30 years ago.
"Someone obviously cared enough to put them up in the first place," he said.
"So this is no way to celebrate our proud aviation heritage and if they cannot be repaired and the graffiti cleaned off, then why not move the lot to somewhere where they will be appreciated.
"I am a member of the Jet Age Museum which is currently being constructed. I am sure the plaques would find a welcome home there.
"Whatever the solution, leaving this site in its present vandalised condition is surely not an option.
"We can do better than this."
The aviation murals were designed and executed by Darsie Rawlins and placed in the Jubilee Garden behind the City Museum in Brunswick Road in 1976.
They were commissioned by the Civic Trust to commemorate famous planes built by the Gloster Aircraft Company, which closed in 1960.
The murals were restored once before by the trust in 1998 after damage was caused by vandalism and the elements.
A Gloucester City Council spokesman said: "We are aware of the situation with these models and it is the subject of ongoing discussions with the Civic Trust.
"We are looking at whether the models are capable of being moved and if so, finding an appropriate location for them."
Comments
by Bonkim2003
Wednesday, October 31 2012, 9:51AM
“Is it because our schools are failing to raise awareness of Britain's past achievements and contribution to science, and technology? Also to motivate the youngsters to achieve excellence in the sciences, literature, and the creative arts.
The vandals in the report just don't have any idea of what the plaque stood for.”