It’s Arnold Bennett’s birthday today – he was born May 27, 1867. He’s a local hero of course, having not only been born in the Potteries, but having written the definitive novels about life in the Potteries too. He was a writer of popular classics, but, in his own way, a very wise man too.
Yet, for all that, I cannot think of any major memorial to him in his native north Staffordshire – apart from the one you see in this photo.
A Bennett museum in Cobridge failed some years ago for lack of interest; and a statue of Bennett, which was half-finished a couple of years ago, seems to have, umm, not been finished.
This ‘Arnold Bennett mannequin’ is a popular sight at the historic Leopard Inn in Burslem. The owners seem to move it around a lot, but it’s usually lounging somewhere.
Bennett mentioned The Leopard Inn (renaming it The Tiger) in his Potteries novels.
Links: Arnold Bennett Society
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