In our regular series on monuments around Newham, Julia Omari finds a statue that adds to the case of mistaken identity.

By Julia Omari

Statue of William Shakespeare. — ©Julia Omari

The world famous playwright, actor and poet William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-Upon-Avon in the 16th century. It may now be hundreds of years later, but many people still confuse Stratford-Upon-Avon with Newham’s very own Stratford.

While Newham can’t claim Shakespeare, we do house his likeness in the form of a white stone sculpture that was designed in the 1800s. The statue, which was believed to have originally been made for the Opera House in Haymarket, was gifted to
West Ham County Borough.

A confident looking Shakespeare stands proudly on a tall square based plinth in the garden of the University of East London on Water Lane.

The plaque reads:

“This statue of William Shakespeare was presented to the County Borough of West Ham by Councillor J.C. Carroll, February 1 1925.”

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