Page 57 - The Tale of Two Fountains

THE TALE OF TWO FOUNTAINS
CHAPTER 7
REVIVAL IN THE 21st CENTURY
Old buildings and monuments are a very important part of the heritage of a town or city and represent different layers of history. They bring back memories and help us to learn about the people who were associated with them and their contribution to the community. For fu-
ture generations, it is immensely important to understand how people used their artistic skills and craftsmanship to reflect the history and culture of that period.
We have tried to explore the historic and cultural connectivity, between Northampton and Mumbai and their association with well-known people and events. Our research showed how important Northampton’s iron industry was during the 19th century and the significant role it played in the development of the town in meeting the needs of the town’s shoe industry by manufacturing equip- ment for its use. Northampton has a long history of leather, boot and shoe making dating back well before this period. Cities like Calcutta had showrooms displaying shoes made by Manfield & Sons, Northampton in the early 19th century. However, our focus has been on the history of the iron indus- try in Northampton which we found extremely interesting, more so because of the foundry owners’ involvement in the town’s civic, social and philanthropic work.
The two fountains, one installed in Northampton and the other miles away in Mumbai, had one thing in common – both were associated with commemorative events. As mentioned earlier the Isaac Fountain in Northampton was given as a gift to the town in 1863 by Captain Samuel Isaac to commemorate the marriage of Prince Albert (later to become Edward VII) to Princess Alexandra of Denmark. The Fitzgerald fountain in Mumbai was a gift from the Esplanade Committee of Bombay in honour of the arrival of Governor of Bombay in 1867, Sir William Robert Seymour Vesey-Fitzger- ald.
Both the fountains were removed in the early 1960s, which is an unfortunate coincidence! The re- moval of Northampton’s fountain against the will of many people was an ill-considered act and sadly it was lost forever. The Mumbai fountain, however, was removed and placed at a different location, offering an opportunity for future restoration.
It would have been a saving grace if the almost 100 year old Northampton Fountain had been iden- tified in the statutory list for protection, because of its age, rarity, design merits and its unique con- struction in cast iron. Had it been listed, it would still have graced the Market Square in Northamp- ton for future generations to see. Next year, it will be sixty years since Northampton lost this iconic landmark!
It is our strong desire to see the fountain back in Northampton’s Market Square where it had once occupied a pride of place. One can only dream on! But looking at what has been achieved in Mumbai
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