Who was 'King Billy'?

'King Billy'

Implications and Origins

'King Billy', as he is locally known in Hull, has an interesting history. He is so familiar to us in Hull that we very seldom think about his back ground and reason for the statue in Market Place. To understand this we need to consider what happened in Britain hundreds of years ago, well before this statue appeared in Hull.

Trouble Starts

Henry VIII moved our country away from the Catholic church for reasons of divorce and remarriage and thus constructed the Church of England.

Henry VIII (King 1500-1547) After Hans Holbein the Younger's portraite

His daughter, Elizabeth I consolidated this. Being a Catholic in England became dangerous and James I (of England, was the Son of Mary Queen of Scots) and was Protestant tried to make peace make between the two faiths though he continually fell out with Parliament over money.

James I (King 1603-1625) Wikipeadia Public Domain

Charles I, an autocratic Anglican monarch who believed i the Divine Right of Kings to rule, was famously barred from Hull at the Beverley Gate (now excavated) at the west end of Whitefriargate. Hull supported Parliament at the time.

Charles I (Kig 1625-1649) being refused entry into Hull in 1642 by Lord Hothm. An earlrecipitating the English Civil War. (Painting by George Arnald 1819 With permission of the Ferens Art Gallery. Hull Museums.)

His execution in London lead to the rule of Oliver Cromwell and the formation of the religiously strict Commonwealth or Protectorate in 1649. Following Cromwell's death in 1658 from natural medical conditions

The Act declaring England a 'Commonwealth' under Oliver Cromwell. 19th May 1649. (Wikimedia Commons)

conditions the monarchy was re-established by Charles II ascending to the throne. However, he converted to Catholicism on his death bed. Next came James II (Charle's II brother) who was also Catholic but he only reigned for three years because the Parliamentary Test Act of 1673 prohibited Catholics from holding high office. He left Britain for the continent where he took up residence in Rome and where he had a son called Charles Edward Stuart, better known as Bonny Prince Charles (1720-1788) or 'The Pretender' (to the Throne).

Charles Edward Stewart AKA Bonnie Prince Charles. (Wikipeadia. Scottish National Portrait Gallery, Edinburgh).

Charles Stuart spent very little time in Britain, only 1745-1746, but 1746 was catastrophic for him. Heading the Jacobite rebellion at Culloden in 1746 his army was badly beaten by the English and the Bonny Prince fled the field but made it back to the Continent where he eventually died a broken man. His ardent Jacobite supporters used to drink a toast by passing their glass over water (e.g. finger bowl) indicating their support for 'their King (Charles Edward Stewart) over the water' (in Rome). Incidentally the name Jacobite comes from the Latin for James -- his Catholic father.

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A solutions appears?

So we can see that Catholicism versus Protestantism had developed into a problem with real political ramifications and consequences and Britain was in a religiously based turmoil. The more rigid Catholic doctrine did not suite every one nor indeed did Protestantism and the None Conformist groups, formed earlier in Cromwell's time, gained support not only nationally but particularly in Hull. Among them the early none conformists the Quakers and Presbyterians are still recognisable groups today. Hull became a rather none conformist town. Indeed much later, Hull played an important role in the formation of the Primitive Methodists and their founder's grave, William Clowes, is in Hull General Cemetery in an area at the south east end known locally as 'Prim Corner'.

Quaker Burial Ground (QBG) in Hull GeneralCemetery. 0.23 acres. Opened in 1855 with a 999 year lease costing £100. Closed 1967. A particular QBG has similar graves dictated by the local meeting house. (Photo Chris Coulson. Winter 2009)

The grave of William Clowes (1780-1851) who started the Primitive Methodist movement. Buried in Hull GeneralCemetery, 'Prim Corner'. The top part of the memorial fell when crowds climbed on to it to view another important funeral. (Photo Chris Coulson)

Given the underlying problems that previous Kings had with Parliament concerning 'their divine right to rule' many influential people really wanted to be free of the strictures of this Catholic lead doctrine and invited a royal Protestant to become King. Enter, from the Netherlands, Prince William of Orange, known to us as William III. It is he who is commemorated as 'Our Great Deliverer' by the equestrian statue in Market Place in old Hull. But there is a further tale to this!

William III. (of Orange) King 1689-1702. Mary his wife was James II daughter (Wikipeadia Public Domain)

Marcus Aurelius

The 'King Billy' statue in Market Place is portrayed in the likeness of the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius. He was a good emperor renowned for good governance, skill in languages, philosophy and a peace maker. His original equestrian statue stands in Rome on the Capitoline Hill, one of the Seven Hills of Rome. There are several 'copies' of the original one in Rome but there are at least two in the USA and one in Bristol, Glasgow, Petersfield and Hull. It is stated on the Petersfield statue that he held Britain together during religious and parliamentary unrest! The Bristol statue is engraved Gulielmus III loosely translated as 'William III, Protector' But why the statue in Hull

Equestrian statue of Emperor Marcus Aurelius on the Captoline Hill in Rome. (Wikipeadia Public Domain)

Hull's King Billy statue

Certainly Bristol's and Hull's statues arose from a Bristol councils' competition for an equestrian statue. The two main contenders and rivals were John Rijsbrack, a Flemish sculptor and Peter Sheemakers, also a Flemish sculptor but who worked all his life in London. Rijsbrack won the competition and his statue can be found in Queen's Square, Bristol.

Equestrian Statue of William III in Bristol by John Rijsbrack based on the Marcus Aurelius statue in Rome. (Wikipeadia Public Domain)

That left Sheemaker's statue in second place --unsold. Step in Hulls worthies who set up a fund to buy it, always the ones for a bargain! The Lords Micklethwaite and Cholmondeley donated 100 guineas each to the fund which eventually reached £824 5sh. However this was not quite enough so the Council chipped £13-9sh-10d to seal the deal. Thus 'King Billy' came to Hull. During WWII the statue was moved for safe keeping to Houghton Hall, near Sancton, the home of Philip Langdale whose ancestor, Marmaduke Langdale, was the Governor of Hull in 1688 but who was removed by King William III. A curious little historical circle. It's re-erection was paid for by William Broardy a coppersmith in Hull.

Above and below. 'King Billy' (William III) statute in Market Place, Hull. By Peter Sheemaker. Erected 1734. (Photos Chris Coulson)

His statue seems to have been raised in Hull because besides being a 'noble' statue he is associated with good governance, peace but importantly defender or protector. One assumes the defender epithet arises from Catholic Kings which caused so much alarm in the 1600s and 1700s An added, though more tenuous horse connection, was that William IIIs horse caused his death from an injury caused by a fall from it when its hoof got caught in a mole hill. It is said that on the Bristol statue a mole hill is indicated. His death being 'caused by a mole' is also said to be why the Jacobites drank another anti William III toast 'To the Little Gentleman in a black velvet waistcoat' i.e. thanking the mole responsible for Williams death. The words 'Our Great Deliverer' on Hull's statue perhaps hints at the countries avoidance of religious rule and the putting of Parliament back in control.

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Our statue was unveiled on 4/12/1734 amid great festivities. Soldiers fired three volleys into the air and local worthies walked round the statue three times. Houses were lit up and Quaker homes where given a candle lest their windows were broken for not joining in the celebrations.

One of the four lights at the corners of our 'King Billy' statue made by King and Peach of Hull. One of the four lights at the corners of our 'King Billy' statue made by King and Peach of Hull.

(Photo Chris Coulson)

The plinth was lit by four wrought iron lamps made by King and Peach. King and Co made the Avenue's fountains. In 1750 the statue nearly fell over but a gift of £30 restored it. Over the years the railings came and went because of traffic problems. So there you are -- our King Billy 'the Great Deliverer' (from political unrest?)' stands in Hull's Market Place!

The dedication inscription on north face of the 'King Billy' statute in Market Place, Hull.

(Photo Chris Coulson)