Andrew Handyside who made Friar Gate bridge also made lots of decorative fountains. These fountains were made right here in Derby at the Duke Street Foundry "Britannia Iron Works".
Andrew Handyside exported many decorative fountains around the world during the Victorian era.
The Britannia Foundry's work was well known for its fine quality so these fountains can be found all over the globe but where exactly they are located is difficult to find out.
Thankfully because of my research here people are beginning to contact me with details of Handyside work, I am then able to add it to my world map and this blog. It really helps my research being able to use Flickr to see these items for myself and share these finds with the world!
Here is one such find, this particular one is quite unique as its been restored to its former glory only last year.
This particular design of fountain is listed as Design Number 15 on Page 30 of the 1879 publication "An Illustrated book of Designs for Fountains and Vases, costing from £1 to £1200 manufactured by Andrew Handyside".
The following information and photographs were given to me by Peter Jenkinson in Australia.
In the mid 1860s Miss Mary Field built a verandahed colonial house on the hill above the house known as Finnisbrook, on the south side of Burnside Village. Finnisbrook was named after Boyle Travers Finnis, the first Premier of South Australia. He built the house in the 1840s, where First Creek left Waterfall Gully. Miss Field supervised the planting of extensive orchards, vineyards and gardens. She sold the property in 1878 to William John Coote, a retired draper, who put a great deal of work into developing a picturesque garden, watered from First Creek by the first oil powered pump in Adelaide.
It is likely that William Coote would have ordered the fountain from the 1874 Handyside catalogue.
In 1969, Mr & Mrs Edward T. Easling bought the land on which the fountain sat, in 2009 the fountain was offered to the college by Mr John Easling and was lovingly restored to its former glory as you can see in the photographs here.
Pupils at Prince Alfred College watch the restored fountain come to life in May 2010 :
A view of the restored fountain in the grounds of Prince Alfred College.
Commemorative plaque of this fountain clearly showing Derby !!!:
The three Baroque style dolphins undergoing Restoration:
The two cherubs (putti) embrace the torch which delivers water from the fountain head.
The fountain measures 180 cm in height, being 90 cm high to the dolphin tails. The maximum diameter of the bowl is 101 cm.
This Handyside fountain is Design No 15 in their 1874 catalogue.
Map Location:
View my Andrew Handyside World Map to see the exact location of this fountain on the world map.
My world map is the result of hundreds of hours of research into the company, plotting out each item as I find it.
Can you help find more Andrew Handyside stuff ?
If anyone out there knows of any other Fountains around the world bearing the Handyside badge that I have not mentioned yet then please get in touch with details, location, photographs etc.
Hope you enjoyed learning about this restoration project on the other side of the planet.
Thanks
Andy
