Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-12-06

! world They are Wallets TO statues.
Everyone familiar with the suave "GentcmeHs
Gentleman movies stage but has ever
given much thought gentlemen who minister TO
the grooming of those famous personalities immoraIzed
bronze
Nowadays their work just routine round II
the parks and public squares This year them ait
trips to the country to look after their moro famous
silent charges who have been moved out OF me c 10
the wide. green spaces away from enemy bombs
Anyone might have thought that in wartime most
Of the statue cleaners would therefore have nothing 20
spruce up the remaining pieces of statuary but others
follow their pet sculptures 10 the country whenever these
works Of need bath
Statue Wallets aren't made overnight Theirs
specialized job that requires three years training Before
the the office employed Is official statue
washers Their duties were 10 keep in perfect trim IN"
240 famous statues that belong the Crown and disc
pescd in different sites all the British CAPITA Now
their ranks have thuned considerably and the f." that
remain busy other jobs well.
Some of the statues require more grooming than
others Peter Pan for instance the memorial t4~f
James RafF4es Immortal boy hero used DO cleaned
every day with ordinary soap and water once month
he got complicated treatment 10 preserve his perennial
youth This consisted Of thorough ahution in ufHe'
tine to the effects Of tho dampncss and io -
and was followed by polishing makeup with o.4-
fashioned becsNax.
The trying job the statue washers had
years ago when students fer lark tarrcd and painted
Jacob Epstens startling and controversial carved pencil
OF "Rma" the goddess of nature IN Hyde Park
They did this protest against its Crotcsquo lack
Of proportions This sculpture had TO be cleaned up
than because the students not content "th
to remove and the officials got tired after tm' q
having posse Of export statue Wallets 10
care Of scarlet. green and black Ema
Statues have their moods and reactions. their
say They he sweet honey c.eir.Ip
and GUESSED as bear that's sat on an anthl Tie v.st
washers get very attached 20 their charges saI
like anyone else take their place Af.,r
valet 20 sculpture has been washing statue for years no
gets familiar with all us moods kinks and peculiar
He speaks OF it with affection and understanding -o
nurse that cares fors sensitive child that has r. Doe
huruorod and yet handled firmly
one statue washing expert is Mr., Bobbic Co.ahes
who cleans old Horato Nelson hundreds of feet up
air at iho top Of his column overlooking Trafalgar Square
Nelson's a first class job 20 tackle says Mr. Coo.t,.
Tricky, III admit bat he gets his cleanup all Ia, saIae
though not very often. Ills face has not been washed
for pa years He is suoherel inches thick in -r...r
mostly from the dust and smoke OF London and partly
from the activities OF The pigeons
Nelson scrubbed 1908 and again in 1919 IT,
duo FOR annlher ash a-l As--ttf
YEAS postponed and then caue the war which meant that
Nelson had stay dirty.
The last cleanup did what ob-cost about 500
pounds. We took the dirt off him first with hammer
and chiscl then got brush and finally gave bum
brilliant polish with soap and water
when l had properly scrapcd him ! had 70 lower
all the dirt 20 tho ground baskets Two Of these
baskets slipped their moorngs hitting the pavement
with noise Ike bomb and the other landing top "
a delivery truck and smashing H.
AN the statues have thor pocularitics and they IAN
need knowing and studying l have known statue 20
respond much better TO having It's toict attended to ON
a day than dun one
Coombcs sia trat his most exciting job had been NJ
Newcastle north Of England city, TO which ne had been
loaned 90 clean the statue OF Earl Grey.
a t,iilc storm blew up" he said. 81 had just
decided stop and finish the job later when there
terrific clap of thunder then vivid flash of lightning
working the Farls shoulder when his head sud-
denly flashed by me, IS the second lightning bolt he.
headed the poor fellow The head crashed $50 feet onto
the sidewalk below, falling right between three men
who having chat. II did them harm beyond
giving them a ht of "a shock But two of them wanted
for damages. They my carclcssHcss
had knocked The EarIs block off"