Here stands a 138 foot granite column at Waterloo Place that every British soldier helped build with a single day of their wages. This monument to Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany, rises above the grand steps overlooking The Mall and St James's Park, paid for by an unprecedented act of military respect. Prince Frederick was the second son of King George III and served as Commander in Chief of the British Army from 1795. He inherited a poorly trained, disorganized force and transformed it through sweeping reforms.
He professionalized military training, improved soldier welfare, and created the command structure that would prove crucial in defeating Napoleon. Military historian Sir John Fortescue later wrote that Frederick did more for the army than any single person in its entire history. When the Duke died in 1827, the entire army contributed one day's pay. The £21,000 raised funded this column, designed by Benjamin Dean Wyatt and completed in 1834.
Sir Richard Westmacott crafted the bronze statue that crowns the top. Inside, 168 spiral steps once led visitors to a viewing platform. The column opened as a public observatory in 1834, charging a shilling for the climb. However, after several people jumped to their deaths, including a French horn player in 1850, authorities closed the interior. It has remained sealed for over 130 years.
Sources. Story: Source Story: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duke_of_York_Column https://www.britainexpress.com/London/duke-of-york-column.htm Photos: Source Photo: John Woods, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
