During my last year in Scarborough the area started acquiring a collection of large metal statues by the artist Ray Lonsdale.

He was a former steelworker from the Durham area who later moved into creating his large metal creations.

Freddie Gilroy and the Belsen Stragglers depicted a former miner who was sat on a bench – however he was also one of the first Allied soldiers who had helped to liberate the Belsen concentration camp. You could just imagine him reflecting on the things he had witnessed during his life.

It was touring the UK and visited Scarborough where it was an immediate hit with the public.

Step forward Maureen Robinson who offered to buy the statue for the town. Then she got the bug and started buy more of the artist’s work and even commissioned others.

I quite liked the artist’s work and I realised there were other statues across the north of England including the one known locally as Tommy in Seaham in County Durham.

By 2012 she had commissioned a new statue called the Smuggler’s Apprentice which commemorated Scarborough’s maritime heritage and she also ordered another celebrating the town’s tuna fishing industry.

Latest statue gift from Maureen formally accepted by councillors

Smuggler’s Apprentice could be placed in prime spot in Merchant’s Row by the end of August

Councillors have this week formally accepted a third gift of a statue from generous Scarborough pensioner Maureen Robinson.

The sculpture, named Smuggler’s Apprentice, has been specially commissioned and will be placed off Eastborough.

Members of Scarborough Council’s Cabinet officially received the gift on Tuesday.

Brian Bennett, the council’s head of tourism, said: “It is basically so permission is given to accept this as a gift.”

The move means that the authority will be directly responsible for getting the correct planning permission, insurance and maintenance for its long-term future.

Leader of the council, Cllr Tom Fox, described it as an “absolutely fantastic gift” following the vote.

The statue of two smugglers, will be created by artist Ray Lonsdale, and follows the previous donations of the North Bay’s Freddie Gilroy and Filey fisherman statues to the borough.

The recent gift follows a hugely positive response to Mrs Robinson’s other two gifts of public art.

It will take the form of a life size smuggler and his apprentice with the 6ft adult carrying a barrel of brandy on his shoulder.

The proposed site is at Merchant’s Row and Mrs Robinson, of Malvern Crescent, has previously said that she is an ardent fan of Mr Lonsdale’s work and had always been fascinated by smugglers.

She has also asked the sculptor about the possibility of adding a barrel on the floor, so people can sit and have their photograph taken.

It is hoped that, if an agreement can be reached on the proposed site, the sculpture could be in place as early as the end of August.

The other two statues were bought at a combined cost of around £100,000 but Mrs Robinson has not revealed the cost of the latest one.

The collection that is growing

High Tide In Short Wellies

Ray Lonsdale initially approached the council to display the giant 12ft high metal sculpture of a fisherman on the West Pier in Whitby.

Freddie Gilroy And The Belsen Stragglers

It was decided to display the statue of an old man looking out to sea and it was placed in the North Bay. It is based on a former miner who was one of the first Allied soldiers to enter Belsen concentration camp on its liberation in the Second World War.

Tourist attraction

It proved very popular with visitors and Mr Lonsdale was approached by Mrs Robinson to buy it.

Filey fisherman statue

High Tide In Short Wellies, after its short stay in Whitby, was moved to Filey’s Coble Landing. It was also bought by Mrs Robinson.

From the Scarborough News on Thursday, June 21, 2012.

Work on new smuggler statue is now complete

Maureen’s latest gift to town ready for display

Work on Scarborough’s latest statue has been completed and its installation is expected to take place within the next few weeks.

The sculpture, by north east artist Ray Lonsdale, depicts a smuggler and his apprentice and will be placed in Merchant’s Row.

Brian Bennett, Scarborough Council’s head of tourism, said money to fund the statue’s plinth was available but the installation would have to be outside of the holiday period.

He said: “It’s not going to be practical to carry out the work during one of the busiest weeks of the tourist season.”

It is the third statue to be presented to the borough by generous pensioner Maureen Robinson – the others are the North Bay’s Freddie Gilroy and the Belsen Stragglers and Filey’s High Tide in Short Wellies.

She had hoped it would be in place on Tuesday but said she was pleased that the installation would still go ahead. “I am over the moon. Ray has kept me informed throughout the process,” she added.

Mrs Robinson said she was pleased with the way the new statue looked and that people would be able to sit on the barrels and interact with it.

Ever since the first statue – which was based on war veteran Freddie Gilroy who was one of the first allied soldiers to enter Belsen concentration camp on its liberation during the Second World War – it has proved a popular draw for visitors.

Artist Ray Lonsdale said he was pleased with the way the smuggler statue had turned out and said it had been a challenge.

He said: “It’s a challenge because you are trying to put movement into it the little boy is struggling to lift the barrel but the man is finding it easy.”

Mr Lonsdale said he was pleased with the reaction to his work. He added: “It’s nice to have the work appreciated and accepted. What I try to do is get the work to be interactive as far as it can be, not just there to be looked at, it’s acceptable for people to climb all over them.”

At the time of going to press an exact date for the installation of the new statue was yet to be arranged.

From the Scarborough News on Thursday, August 23, 2012.