Manual Ref* NFnrNOR177 Show 4 images 316
Title*

Ships unloaded
County Norfolk   District Council Norwich City Council 
Civil Parish or equivalent Norwich  Town/Village* Norwich 
Road Ber Street 
Precise Location Nos. 16-20 opposite John Lewis 
OS Grid Ref TG233082  Postcode NR15 
Previous location(s)  
Setting On Building  Access Public 
Artist/Maker Role Qualifier
Joseph Lloyd Royal  Carver(s)   

Commissioned by

 Not known 

Design & Constrn period

 ca. 1950 

Date of installing

  

Exact date of unveiling

  

Category
Abstract Animal Architectural
Commercial Commemorative Composite
Free Functional Funerary
Heraldic Military Natural
Non-Commemorative Performance Portable
Religious Roadside, Wayside Sculptural
Temporary, Mobile Other  

Object Type
Building Clock Tower Architectural
Coat of Arms Cross Fountain
Landscape Marker Medallion
Mural Panel Readymade
Relief Shaft Sculpture
Statue Street Furniture War Memorial
Other Object Sub Type: Semi-circular pediment

Subject Type
Allegorical Mythological Pictorial
Figurative Non-figurative Portrait
Still-life Symbolic Other

Subject Sub Type
Bust Equestrian Full-length
Group Head Reclining
Seated Standing Torso
Part Material Dimension
Semi-circular pediment  Wood  H. 60 cms. W. 1 metre 60 cms 

Work is
Extant Not Sited Lost

Owner/Custodian

 Norwich City Council 

Listing status
Grade I Grade II* Grade II Don't Know Not Listed

Surface Condition
Corrosion, Deterioration Accretions
Bird Guano Abrasions, cracks, splits
Biological growth Spalling, crumbling
Metallic staining Previous treatments
Other  
Detail: Some minor splits

Structural Condition
Armature exposed Broken or missing parts
Replaced parts Loose elements
Cracks, splits, breaks, holes Spalling, crumbling
Water collection Other
Detail:

Vandalism
Graffiti Structural damage Surface Damage
Detail:

Overall condition
Good Fair Poor

Risk
No Known Risk At Risk Immediate
Signatures/Marks Bottom right: Royal 
Inscriptions  

Description (physical)

 The scene is set in a dock dominated by two ships and a large crane whose hook dangles down in the centre. The men wear traditional dockers’ uniform flat caps and open necked shirts with short sleeves – a figure in a jacket is probably their supervisor. They are unloading barrels from the nearer ship which they carry on their shoulders – in addition there are large open panniers. 

Description (iconographical)

 The shop was rebuilt after the destruction of Ber Street in the raids of June 1942, completed by 1952. This must be the date of wooden pediment. We are grateful to Peter Bardwell for identifying Royal, as Joseph Lloyd Royal (1915-2000) a woodcarver who is documented as having worked on ecclesiastical objects from 1940 onwards. Pevsner notes his restoration (almost a replacement) of the font cover at St George South Acre in 1966. The decoration has a parallel in the wherry on Norfolk House of 1951 NFnrNOR039 Since it seems made for this site the sculpture suggests that no 16 was intended as a warehouse for goods from the Norwich docks, still a vital means of transport and just down the hill from Ber street. Nothing is known of its history in the 1950s. Before the war no. 16 had been a small house and shop occupied by G. J. Woods and Son, Chair Basket and Sieve Works established 1832 as announced by the facia board. In a description of the business published in 1940 it was stated that it was probably the only place in England where sedge horse-collars were still made. Other articles included cycle baskets made with reddish-brown osiers - “buff” to the trade - and “wilshes” - the basketwork nozzles used by those who brew their own beer.  

Photographs

 Date taken:  15/6/2007
Date logged: 

Photographed by:
Sarah Cocke

On Site Inspection

 Date:  15/6/2007

Inspected by:
Richard Cocke

Sources and References

 www.the-plunketts.freeserve.co.uk 16/02/07; BOE 2, 659; information from Peter Bardwell 

Database

 Date entered:  20/3/2007

Data inputter:
Richard Cocke