Celebrating The Diamond Jubilee
27 October 2013
On Sunday 27th October 2013 at 12 noon a stunning metal sculpture commemorating the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee was unveiled in Queen’s Park by Her Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant of Derbyshire, Mr William Tucker.
The sculpture, beautifully crafted in the shape of a diamond with sixty facets signifying each year of Her Majesty’s reign, is a gift to the community of Chesterfield from Sterling Machining Limited.
For Sterling Machining Director Andy White, Sunday 27th not only represented a proud day for his company but also the culmination of a boyhood dream.
As a fourteen year-old Andy was profoundly impressed by a sculpture in the form of a crown that he saw in Crown Square, Matlock which had been made to mark the Queen’s Silver Jubilee in 1977 by Chesterfield Tube Works.
“I’ve always liked things made from metal” comments Andy “and I remember being so impressed at the crown and the way in which those industrial tubes made something really beautiful. I thought to myself ‘one day I’d like to do something like that’”.
Fate then took a hand and Andy went on to become an apprentice at the Tube Works where he met Tony Evans, now his co-director and business partner at Sterling Machining. Tony had actually been involved in making the crown and now, some 35 years later, he and and his son Anthony Evans - who also works at Sterling Machining – have also had a hand in the ‘Chesterfield Diamond’.
The inspiration for the Diamond came to Andy White on Christmas Day 2011, shortly after watching the Queen’s speech and perhaps a glass of wine!
“I had a bit of a brainstorming session with my family” says Andy “and came up with the idea of a diamond with each of the sixty facets engraved with a significant event for each year of the Queen’s reign”.
Andy’s sister, Janet Stout, undertook to research the events over the last sixty years which have shaped our nation and her work was augmented by that of Chesterfield poet Helen Mort (now Derbyshire poet laureate) who worked with community groups to identify important local events.
So, inscribed on the diamond’s facets are not only national and global events but also things which mean something to the community; the town will never forget, for example the sadness of the Markham Pit disaster in 1973, nor the jubilation of Chesterfield FC reaching the semi-final of the FA Cup in 1997.
There is much more to read on the sculpture itself and it is certain to be a source of great interest and nostalgia.
The sculpture also incorporates a time capsule, which has been collated by Chesterfield Action for Arts Forum to represent life in Chesterfield during 2012.
This will be placed into the heart of the sculpture during the ceremony and locked away for future generations.
Chesterfield’s Mayor, Councillor Paul Christopher Stone received the sculpture on behalf of the Borough’s residents during the short ceremony.
Councillor Amanda Serjeant, Chesterfield Borough Council’s executive member for leisure, culture and tourism said: “The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee last year was a great occasion which saw communities in Chesterfield and throughout the country come together.
“Our thanks go to Sterling Machining for their work in producing this wonderful artwork and donating it to the people of the borough. It will be on permanent display in Queen’s Park and gives an opportunity for us to remember some of the momentous events that have happened during the last 60 years.”