General Wolfe at Greenwich Park

On 5 June 1930, a large crowd gathered at the top of the Grand Ascent in Greenwich Park. Among them were leading diplomats, politicians, naval officers and members of the nobility from Britain and Canada. They had come to the park to celebrate the unveiling of a new statue – a gift from the Canadian people.  

This gift, described by King George V (1865-1936) as an ‘act of generosity’, was a new sculpture of General James Wolfe (1727-1759). Wolfe had led the British to victory at the Battle of Quebec in 1759, paving the way for British conquest in Canada.

But why was General Wolfe commemorated in Greenwich Park? And what made the unveiling of his statue such an important diplomatic occasion? 

What happened at the Battle of Quebec?

Though it followed a three-month siege by the British, the Battle of Quebec lasted only around an hour. On 13 September 1759, Wolfe’s troops surprised the French by landing close to the city at night and scaling steep cliffs to reach the Plains of Abraham – an open field outside their fortifications.  

Wolfe had ordered his men to double-load their muskets – their fire drove the French back. Wolfe died from wounds received in the battle, as did the leader of the French forces – Louis-Joseph, the Marquis de Montcalm (1712-1759).

The British and their Prussian allies were ultimately victorious in the Seven Years War, while France and Spain lost many of their territories.  

What happened in June 1930?

In the early decades of the twentieth century, there was a campaign to raise funds for a new statue of General Wolfe. The project was delayed due to the war, but a new statue was eventually commissioned.  

This took on an extra layer of significance after the First World War, due to the fraternal suffering of British and French troops in the trenches – high-ranking French officials were involved in the campaign to erect the statue, as well as British and Canadian figures.  

The work of Canadian sculptor Robert Tait McKenzie (1867-1938), the statue was presented to Britain as a gift from the Canadian people. It was finally installed in Greenwich Park in the summer of 1930. 

Movingly, the statue was unveiled on 5 June by the Marquis de Montcalm – a descendent of Wolfe’s battlefield opponent. In his speech, the Marquis said:

At the time when you were erecting a monument, to the imperishable glory of Wolfe, you in your great courtesy associated with his name that of his glorious adversary.

It is the fate of these two heroes, who have both shed their blood in the service of their country to be for ever united in the memory of men… 

Both leaders were mourned and respected, and at their tombs the citizens of two great peoples, adversaries yesterday, friends to-day, pay homage.

Many eminent figures from Britain and Canada attended the unveiling ceremony, which was broadcast across both countries on the radio. King George V (1865-1936) even sent a message, expressing his thanks to the people of Canda for their generous gift.

The statue, which still stands proudly in Greenwich Park, is an enduring mark of the friendship between the British and Canadian people.  

Wolfe at Greenwich Park

Wolfe has an important connection to Greenwich. His family owned a house on the western edge of Greenwich Park, where he enjoyed spending time. He once said that the air ‘blows nowhere clearer’ than in the park.  

In 1752, Wolfe wrote a letter to his father from France. He described visiting the famous Tuileries Gardens in Paris, which he found ‘disagreeable’, saying that Greenwich Park was ‘infinitely superior’!

After the Battle of Quebec, Wolfe’s body was returned to Britain and laid to rest at St. Alfege Church in Greenwich town centre.  

How is Wolfe seen today? 

Though Wolfe was traditionally seen as a great military hero in Britain, he is not a universally celebrated figure. To the French, Wolfe was the leader of enemy forces and his troops were responsible for acts of violence – civilians in Canada were killed and injured as a consequence of his campaigns.  

In Canada, both on the French and English side, Wolfe’s symbolic heritage is of great importance: he represents the transfer of the territory of New France into British hands.  

In more recent years, historians and academics have looked at the role that First Nations in Canada played in the Battle of Quebec. Members of Canada’s indigenous people fought with the French, believing that the latter would be more generous towards their people than the British.  

While more First Nation groups fought alongside the French, some did side with the British. In Benjamin West’s famous painting of 1770, The Death of General Wolfe, a First Nation warrior can be seen on the left-hand side of the canvas.

It is important to remember that the land being fought over by the French and the British was the ancestral land of the First Nation people, and their main objective was to preserve it rather than serve a foreign power.  

Discover more…

If you’d like to find out more about general Wolfe, why not visit…

St. Alfege Church, Greenwich

Wolfe is buried in the crypt beneath this historic church in Greenwich Town Centre. It was designed by celebrated architect Nicholas Hawksmoor and completed in 1714, replacing a much older church with medieval origins. Visitors can view the crypt on special tours led by volunteers. 

Quebec House, Kent

Located in the Kent village of Westerham, Wolfe’s childhood home is now managed by the National Trust. It is filled with paintings and artefacts telling the story of Wolfe’s life and career.  

With thanks to the staff of The National Battlefields Commission, Canada.