Town honours a comic legend

Sep 1 2008 by Neil Mckay, The Journal

A LITTLE man with a bowler hat is spearheading the rebirth of a town he left 110 years ago. On Saturday around 100 aficionados gathered for the unveiling of a £37,000 statue of comedy legend Stan Laurel.

The statue, created by South Shields artist Bob Olley, stands at Theatre Corner on the site of the old Eden Theatre in the centre of Bishop Auckland, County Durham.

Laurel was born Stan Jefferson in Ulverston, then in Lancashire, in 1890, but was baptised and lived in Bishop Auckland during the early part of his life.

His parents ran the Theatre Royal, which later became the Eden Theatre.

On Saturday at the statue’s unveiling Wear Valley District Council leader Betty Todd said it was just the start of the renaissance of the town centre.

Civic bosses will now turn their attention to the Market Place, once an imposing square dominated by the 19th century Town Hall but now due a much-needed facelift.

The tribute to Laurel was unveiled on Saturday by his niece, Nancy Wardell, 93, who had been driven from her home in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, to perform the honours.

The statue, funded by an Arts Council grant and Wear Valley District Council, was a result of work by the council and the Bishop Auckland Town Centre Forum.

Barbara Laurie, chairwoman of the Bishop Auckland Town Centre Forum, said: “The culmination of the hard work of all those involved has resulted in this impressive statue which is a fitting tribute to one of Bishop Auckland’s most famous residents.

“I’m sure the statue will not only delight our regular town centre users, but will also be an attraction to Laurel and Hardy fans throughout the country and perhaps even further afield.”

Fans of Laurel and Hardy, known as Sons of the Desert, had travelled from as far afield as Southend in Essex and Glasgow for the ceremony.

Afterwards Laurel and Hardy films were shown at the Town Hall.

Tony Hillman, 62, Grand Sheik of the Bishop Auckland Branch, or Tent, of the Sons of the Desert, said: “The enduring and endearing thing about Laurel and Hardy were that they were good fun and appealled to both young and old. Their comedy still survives today.”