Samuel Johnson Ceremony
On Tuesday 11 June 2024, King Edward VI School, Lichfield held a ceremony to unveil the restored statue of Dr Samuel Johnson.
Dr Samuel Johnson was an essayist, poet and biographer, and the author of a ground breaking English dictionary. He was one of Britain’s leading literary figures in the 18th century. Dr Johnson was born in Lichfield in 1709 and studied at this school, formerly known as Lichfield Grammar School.
King Edward VI School and The Johnson Society jointly funded the restoration of the Samuel Johnson statue, which is positioned outside the Library Resource Centre at the school.
The newly restored statue was unveiled by the Headteacher, Jane Rutherford. She was joined by Cllr Sam Schafer – the Mayor of Lichfield, as well as Phil Jones – Chairman of the Johnson Society. John Winterton, the Johnson Society’s Heritage Liaison Officer, also read a letter – recently acquired by The Samuel Johnson Birthplace Museum in Lichfield – that Dr Johnson had written to a young girl encouraging her to continue with her study of mathematics.
Sam Schafer, an alumnus of King Edward VI School, included a quote from Samuel Johnson:
Curiosity is one of the permanent and certain characteristics of a vigorous intellect
he encouraged everyone to:
always be curious.
Attendees included members of the Johnson Society, colleagues from The Samuel Johnson Birthplace Museum as well as staff, students and Governors from King Edward VI School and the sculptor from Mareva Conservation who had worked on the statue – Veronika Vlkova.
Phil Jones said:
The Johnson Society greatly values its links with Johnson’s old school, and we are very glad to be able to contribute to the restoration of this statue.
