Robert Owen, Manchester

This statue of the Welsh social reformer Robert Owen (1771–1858) stands outside the Co-operative building at the corner of Balloon Street and Corporation Street, Manchester. It was sculpted by Gilbert Bayes and is a copy of the one erected in Newtown, Montgomeryshire – where Owen was born - in 1956. It was commissioned by the Co-op plc.

'THIS STATUE WAS UNVEILED ON 28TH MAY 1994 BY HUGHIE TODNER

PRESIDENT OF THE 1994 CO-OP CONGRESS

IN THE PRESENCE OF

THE LORD MAYOR OF MANCHESTER CLLR. SHEILA SMITH

THE LEADER OF THE CITY COUNCIL CLLR. GRAHAM STRINGER

THE MAYOR OF NEWTOWN CLLR. DAVID PUGH

THE CHAIRMAN OF THE CO-OPERATIVE BANK TOM AGAR

THE MANAGING DIRECTOR OF THE CO-OPERATIVE BANK TERRY THOMAS'

This is a link to the Robert Owen Museum in Newtown, and the website also contains a great deal of information about Owen, including his Manchester years, and there are a number of excerpts from his writings.