Lieut. General Sir J.J. Talbot Hobbs Memorial (Sir Talbot Hobbs Statue)

The memorial is seven metres high, and represents a twice life-size cast bronze bust of Lieutenant-General Sir J. J. Talbot Hobbs, in military uniform. It is mounted on a deeply fluted column of Donnybrook stone, on a base of polished Mahogany Creek granite, and was designed by architect Alex Winning with sculptor Edward Kohler in 1940.

In 1938, Perth City Council suggested the erection of a memorial to Talbot Hobbs following his death on 21 April, while on his way to France for the unveiling of the Australian war memorial he had designed at Villers-Bretonneux. He was one of Australia’s most distinguished soldiers and a renowned architect in Western Australia.

John Joseph Talbot Hobbs migrated to Western Australia in 1887. After working as a carpenter, Hobbs set up practice as an architect. In 1891, he won the design competition for the Weld Club, and after this he became acknowledged as one of Perth’s leading architects. From 1905, he was senior partner in the firm Hobbs, Smith & Forbes.

Hobbs’ military service here began with the Volunteer Field Artillery in 1887. In 1903, he commanded the 1st (Western Australian) Field Battery. By 1908, he was Lieutenant-Colonel and rose to Colonel. In 1914, on the outbreak of World War I, Hobbs was appointed to command the artillery of 1st Division, A.I.F. (Australian Imperial Force). He served at Gallipoli in 1915, and eventually succeeded John Monash in command as acting Lieutenant-General.

Fund raising for the memorial started, and after some different options were considered, a site on the Esplanade recreation ground was selected and approved by the Council. The original proposal was for a standing figure in military uniform, but this had to be scaled back due to lack of money.

A design competition was held, and Alex Winning, of architects Hobbs and Winning, in association with sculptor Edward Kohler was awarded first place in 1940. Previously, bronze castings of such size had been cast in overseas foundries, but it was decided to award a local firm, Premier Engineering, the contract, making it the first such statue made in Western Australia,

It was announced that the memorial would be unveiled by the Lieutenant-Governor on Armistice Day, 11 November 1940. The ceremony was attended by many ex-servicemen, detachments of the A.I.F., R.A.A.F., reinforcements militia units, cadet corps, and boy scouts The Premier said, ‘Sir Talbot would always be remembered as a splendid citizen’ who, as an architect, was responsible for the erection of buildings in the State valued at £8 million. Since the unveiling of the statue in 1940, the Memorial was long the focal point for Perth’s Anzac Day parade, and is the point from which the salute is taken prior to the minute of silence and the playing of the Last Post.

In 1971, as part of a proposed redevelopment of the Esplanade, the City of Perth suggested relocating the statue to the northern side of the Esplanade, but this was strongly opposed by the RSL. A rally to save the reserve from the redevelopment was held, and subsequently a revised plan left the memorial in its original location. However, as a consequence of the Elizabeth Quay project, the memorial was relocated in the 21st century to its new home in the Supreme Court Gardens, where it continues to celebrate the life of Western Australia’s most famous soldier and a significant architect.