ON 19TH JULY 1838. THE COURT OF COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LONDON AGREED TO A CONTRIBUTION OF £500 TOWARD THE COST OF THE ABOVE STATUE OF THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON IN APPRECIATION OF HIS EFFORTS IN ASSISTING THE PASSAGE OF LONDON BRIDGE APPROACHES ACT 1827. THIS ACT LED TO THE CREATION OF KING WILLIAM STREET. THE GOVERNMENT DONATED THE METAL, WHICH IS BRONZE FROM CAPTURED ENEMY CANNON MELTED DOWN AFTER THE BATTLE OF WATERLOO. AND VALUED AT TIME AT £1500. THE TOTAL COST OF THE STATUE WAS £9000. THE REMAINDER BEING RAISED BY PUBLIC SUBSCRIPTION.

THE SCULPTOR. SIR FRANCIS CHANTREY (1781 TO 1841) WAS COMMISSIONED IN 1838 BUT DIED BEFORE THE WORK WAS COMPLETED. IT WAS FINISHED BY HIS ASSISTANT HENRY WEEKS(1807 TO 1877).

THE LORD MAYOR. WILLIAM MAGNAY. UNVEILED THE STATUE ON 18TH JUNE 1844. THE ANNIVERSARY OF WATERLOO. IN THE PRESENCE OF HIS GUEST THE KING OF SAXONY.

ADJOINING THE STATUE. A PIECE OF GRANITE FROM LONDON BRIDGE (1825 TO 1967) HAS BEEN SET INTO THE PAVEMENT BY THE CORPORATION OF LONDON. THE ELEVATIONAL STONEWORK FROM THE SAME BRIDGE WAS RE-ERECTED OVER THE COLORADO RIVER IN LAKE HAVASU CITY. ARIZONA. U.S.A. IN 1971

The monument shows Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, riding his horse. The monument, located near the Royal Exchange, indicates Wellington’s help to the City of London in passing the law allowing the rebuilding of London Bridge.
The statue was placed in 1844, on June 18, the day Arthur Wellesley inflicted defeat on Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo (held in Belgium in 1815).

The statue was made by Francis Leggatt Chantrey, who died before finishing work on the statue, which was completed by his apprentice Henry Weekes.

The statue was photographed on the same day Click for a larger image

On the base of the statue appears the following text:
WELLINGTON
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ERECTED
JUNE 18
1844
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The piece of granite from London Bridge, accompanied by a sign:

GRANITE FROM LONDON BRIDGE. (1825 TO 1967) COMMEMORATING THE ASSISTANCE GIVEN BY THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON TO THE PASSAGE OF THE LONDON BRIDGE APPROACHES ACT 1827
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