Captain Edward John Smith (1850-1912) began his seafaring career at the age of 13 and commanded many ships, and his last command was as Captain of the ill-fated Titanic. He perished aboard the ship. Smith was born in Hanley, Staffordshire and this statue was commissioned and unveiled by his daughter Helen in 1914. It was sculpted by Lady Kathleen Scott widow of Captain Robert Falcon Scott (Scott of the Antarctic) and a plaque at the base of the statue commemorates this. The bronze statue sits on a plinth of Cornish granite and stands over 8 feet tall.
