Statue of John Fane Charles Hamilton

{{Short description|Statue formerly installed in Hamilton, New Zealand}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2023}}

{{Use New Zealand English|date=June 2020}}

{{Infobox artwork

| title = Statue of John Fane Charles Hamilton

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| image = Statue of Captain Hamilton, NZ (cropped).png

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| caption = The statue in 2017

| artist = Margriet Windhausen

| year = {{start date|2013}}

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| medium = Bronze sculpture

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| subject = John Fane Charles Hamilton

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| city = Hamilton, New Zealand

| coordinates = {{coord|-37.78773|175.281219|type:landmark|display=inline,title}}

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|mapframe-caption = Former location of the statue in Hamilton, New Zealand

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A bronze statue of Captain John Fane Charles Hamilton was installed for seven years, in Hamilton, New Zealand, from in 2013{{Cite web|date=12 June 2020|title=City of Hamilton in New Zealand removes statue of British naval captain|url=http://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jun/12/city-of-hamilton-in-new-zealand-to-remove-statue-of-british-naval-captain|access-date=2 September 2021|website=The Guardian |language=en}} until removal in June 2020.{{Cite news|title=Bye Hamilton, hello Kirikiriroa? City mulls name change after statue's removal|language=en|work=Newshub|url=https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2020/06/bye-hamilton-hello-kirikiriroa-city-mulls-name-change-after-statue-s-removal.html|access-date=29 October 2020|archive-date=1 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201101131209/https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2020/06/bye-hamilton-hello-kirikiriroa-city-mulls-name-change-after-statue-s-removal.html|url-status=dead}} The settlement of Hamilton (now a city) was named after Captain Hamilton,{{Cite web|date=20 February 2012|title=City Info, Hamilton City Council & Hamilton, New Zealand – Living Hamilton|url=http://hamilton.co.nz/page/pageid/2145832768|access-date=13 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120220144127/http://hamilton.co.nz/page/pageid/2145832768|archive-date=20 February 2012}} a Royal Navy officer who was killed in action during the Battle of Gate Pā.

History

The life-size statue by Margriet Windhausen was gifted to Hamilton City by the Gallagher Group in 2013 "to celebrate 75 years in business".{{Cite web|date=17 October 2014|title=Catalogue showcases city's public art collection|url=https://waikatomuseum.co.nz/about-us/news/archives/article/60/|access-date=17 June 2020|website=Waikato Museum|archive-date=17 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200617105750/https://waikatomuseum.co.nz/about-us/news/archives/article/60/|url-status=live}}{{cite web | work= Tauranga Memories Kete: Battles of Gate Pa & Te Ranga (1864) | author= McCauley, Debbie | title= John Fane Charles Hamilton (1820–1864) | date= 2012 | url= https://debbiemccauleyauthor.wordpress.com/biographies/john-fane-charles-hamilton-1820-1864 | access-date= 13 June 2020 | archive-date= 2 October 2019 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20191002071543/http://tauranga.kete.net.nz/battles_of_gate_pa_and_te_ranga_1864/topics/show/930 | url-status= live }}

=Removal=

File:Garden Place former site of Hamilton statue.jpg

In 2017, the donor's CEO, Sir William Gallagher,{{Cite web|title=Sir William Gallagher – Gallagher|url=https://www.gallagher.com/about-us/our-people/board-of-directors/sir-william-gallagher/|access-date=26 July 2020|website=Gallagher Group Limited|language=en|archive-date=5 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201205181715/https://www.gallagher.com/about-us/our-people/board-of-directors/sir-william-gallagher|url-status=live}} gave an Institute of Directors speech describing the Treaty of Waitangi as a fraud and denied it involved a partnership between Māori and the Crown.{{Cite web|last=Hamilton|first=Scott|date=28 November 2017|title=Treaty of Waitangi denialism: a long, dark and absurd history|url=https://thespinoff.co.nz/society/28-11-2017/treaty-of-waitangi-denialism-a-long-dark-and-absurd-history/|access-date=26 July 2020|website=The Spinoff|archive-date=26 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200726113915/https://thespinoff.co.nz/society/28-11-2017/treaty-of-waitangi-denialism-a-long-dark-and-absurd-history/|url-status=live}} About a dozen directors walked out of the speech in protest.{{Cite web|date=26 November 2017|title=Sir William Gallagher claims Treaty of Waitangi cover-up|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/99247542/sir-william-gallagher-claims-treaty-of-waitangi-coverup|access-date=26 July 2020|website=Stuff|language=en|archive-date=26 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200726191953/https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/99247542/sir-william-gallagher-claims-treaty-of-waitangi-coverup|url-status=live}}

The statue was defaced with red paint{{Cite web|date=30 August 2018|title=Captain Hamilton statue vandalised in Hamilton's main square|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/106691019/captain-hamilton-statue-vandalised-in-hamiltons-main-square|access-date=2 September 2021|website=Stuff|language=en|archive-date=2 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210902223947/https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/106691019/captain-hamilton-statue-vandalised-in-hamiltons-main-square|url-status=live}} in August 2018 by the activist Taitumu Maipi.{{cite news |last1=Rolleston |first1=Te Aorewa |title=Granddaughter of Hamilton statue activist to contest Hauraki-Waikato seat |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/waikato/300917482/granddaughter-of-hamilton-statue-activist-to-contest-haurakiwaikato-seat |access-date=23 September 2023 |work=Stuff |date=29 June 2023 |archive-date=23 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230923180900/https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/waikato/300917482/granddaughter-of-hamilton-statue-activist-to-contest-haurakiwaikato-seat |url-status=live }}

In June 2020, ahead of a George Floyd protest in the US, the Hamilton City Council discussed the statue{{Cite web|date=12 June 2020|title=Controversial statue of Captain John Hamilton has been removed|url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/te-manu-korihi/418833/controversial-statue-of-captain-john-hamilton-has-been-removed|access-date=26 July 2020|website=RNZ|language=en-nz|archive-date=12 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200612081217/https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/te-manu-korihi/418833/controversial-statue-of-captain-john-hamilton-has-been-removed|url-status=live}} with Sir William's brother and fellow director, John Gallagher,{{Cite web|title=Businessmen Brothers Honoured|url=https://www.gallagher.com/news-media/news/businessmen-brothers-honoured/|access-date=26 July 2020|website=Gallagher Group Limited|language=en}} then slated it for removal, after a request by Māori tribal confederation Waikato Tainui.{{cite web|last1=Neilson|first1=Michael|date=11 June 2020|title=George Floyd protests: Hamilton City Council to remove controversial statue|url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12339287|access-date=11 June 2020|website=The New Zealand Herald|language=en-NZ|archive-date=12 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200612021403/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12339287|url-status=live}}{{cite web|date=12 June 2020|title=Controversial statue of Captain John Hamilton has been removed|website=Radio New Zealand|url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/te-manu-korihi/418833/controversial-statue-of-captain-john-hamilton-has-been-removed|access-date=12 June 2020|archive-date=12 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200612081217/https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/te-manu-korihi/418833/controversial-statue-of-captain-john-hamilton-has-been-removed|url-status=live}}

On 12 June 2020, the Hamilton City Council removed the statue of Captain Hamilton.{{cite news |title=Winston Peters unimpressed with outcry over colonial statues |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/418894/winston-peters-unimpressed-with-outcry-over-colonial-statues |work=Radio New Zealand |date=12 June 2020 |archive-date=10 November 2021 |access-date=14 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211110021214/https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/418894/winston-peters-unimpressed-with-outcry-over-colonial-statues |url-status=live }}

See also

References