Bell Telephone Memorial
Encyclopedia
The Bell Telephone Memorial is a monument commemorating the invention of the telephone
by Alexander Graham Bell
in 1874 at his parent's home in Brantford, Ontario
.
and the Canadian federal government
. In 1908, the association's designs committee asked sculptors to submit plans and proposal for the memorial. The submission of Walter Seymour Allward
of Toronto
won the competition. The memorial was originally to be completed by 1912 but Allard did not finish it until five years later, aided by his studio assistant Emanuel Hahn
. Governor General of Canada
Victor Cavendish, 9th Duke of Devonshire
unveiled the memorial on 24 October 1917.
, at the coordinates of 43°8' 28" North, 80°16' 5" West, not far from the Colborne Street Bridge crossing the Grand River
. The section of King Street adjacent to the memorial bears the postal code of N3T 3C8.
Invention of the telephone
The invention of the telephone is the culmination of work done by many individuals, the history of which involves a collection of claims and counterclaims. The development of the modern telephone involved an array of lawsuits founded upon the patent claims of several individuals...
by Alexander Graham Bell
Alexander Graham Bell
Alexander Graham Bell was an eminent scientist, inventor, engineer and innovator who is credited with inventing the first practical telephone....
in 1874 at his parent's home in Brantford, Ontario
Brantford, Ontario
Brantford is a city located on the Grand River in Southern Ontario, Canada. While geographically surrounded by the County of Brant, the city is politically independent...
.
History
The Bell Telephone Memorial Association was established in 1906 with the purpose of raising a memorial to commemorate the invention of the telephone by Alexander Graham Bell. The association raised over $65,000 through donations from citizens, the Government of OntarioGovernment of Ontario
The Government of Ontario refers to the provincial government of the province of Ontario, Canada. Its powers and structure are set out in the Constitution Act, 1867....
and the Canadian federal government
Government of Canada
The Government of Canada, formally Her Majesty's Government, is the system whereby the federation of Canada is administered by a common authority; in Canadian English, the term can mean either the collective set of institutions or specifically the Queen-in-Council...
. In 1908, the association's designs committee asked sculptors to submit plans and proposal for the memorial. The submission of Walter Seymour Allward
Walter Seymour Allward
Walter Seymour Allward was a Canadian monumental sculptor.- Early life :Allward was born in Toronto, the son of John A. Allward of Newfoundland. Educated in Toronto public schools, his first job was at the age of 14 as an assistant to his carpenter father...
of Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
won the competition. The memorial was originally to be completed by 1912 but Allard did not finish it until five years later, aided by his studio assistant Emanuel Hahn
Emanuel Hahn
Emanuel Otto Hahn was a German-born Canadian sculptor and coin designer. He taught and later married Elizabeth Wyn Wood. He co-founded and was the first president of the Sculptors' Society of Canada....
. Governor General of Canada
Governor General of Canada
The Governor General of Canada is the federal viceregal representative of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II...
Victor Cavendish, 9th Duke of Devonshire
Victor Cavendish, 9th Duke of Devonshire
Victor Christian William Cavendish, 9th Duke of Devonshire , known as Victor Cavendish until 1908, was a British politician who served as Governor General of Canada, the 11th since Canadian Confederation....
unveiled the memorial on 24 October 1917.
Memorial
The monument is located within the Bell Memorial Gardens, a small park in downtown Brantford, in an area originally slated to be the city's municipal centre. The memorial was designed by Allward to symbolize the telephone's ability to overcome distances. A series of steps lead to the main section where the figure Inspiration appears over a reclining male figure while the floating figures of Knowledge, Joy, and Sorrow are positioned at the other side, with a winged messenger above them. At each end of the memorial there are two female figures on pedestals representing humanity, one sending and the other receiving a message.Location
The Bell Memorial Gardens is a near-triangularly shaped public park bounded by the roadways of Wellington, West and King Streets at its south end, where the memorial is located. The park itself is in the East Ward area near the middle of Brantford, OntarioBrantford, Ontario
Brantford is a city located on the Grand River in Southern Ontario, Canada. While geographically surrounded by the County of Brant, the city is politically independent...
, at the coordinates of 43°8' 28" North, 80°16' 5" West, not far from the Colborne Street Bridge crossing the Grand River
Grand River (Ontario)
The Grand River is a large river in southwestern Ontario, Canada. From its source, it flows south through Grand Valley, Fergus, Elora, Waterloo, Kitchener, Cambridge, Paris, Brantford, Caledonia, and Cayuga before emptying into the north shore of Lake Erie south of Dunnville at Port Maitland...
. The section of King Street adjacent to the memorial bears the postal code of N3T 3C8.