Cast in Stone

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• 1969, Relocation of the statue of Rufus Isaacs from India to the UK
• 1970, The Robert Milligan statue is taken out of storage
  Around 1970, the statue of Milligan was removed from storage and erected, without its plinth, by the former main entrance to the London Docks at East Smithfield.
• 1971, Unveiling of the statue of Rufus Isaacs in Reading, UK
• 1972, Graffiti on the Marchand mission monument
  "Down with imperialism"
• 1974, Attack and removal of the bronze plaque forming the bas-relief of the Olry statue
  in September, Nidoïsh Naisseline, a member of the Foulards rouges Kanak movement, and Jean-Jacques Bourdinat, a member of the Union des Jeunesses Calédoniennes, cover the bronze plaque that forms the bas-relief of the Olry monument, representing the surrender of the Kanak people, with road and green paint. Groupe 1878 tags the monument, with inscriptions such as. "La terre aux Kanak" and "Liberté aux Kanak". Petitions launched by the Red Scarves and the UJC demanded the statue's removal. This was decided by the town council and implemented on September 25.
• 1974, Blackboy Clock removed for restoration
  Stroud News and Journal gave the following summary of events: "Time, it seems, has finally caught up with one of Stroud’s most interesting and familiar features. As reported in last week’s issue, the old Black Boy figure and clock which for the last 130 or so years have adorned the front of the former Black Boy School in Lower Street (now the Teachers’ Centre) are very, very worn; so worn, in fact, that recently they were carefully removed and placed in the hands of craftsmen for treatment. Made in 1774 by one John Miles, a noted Stroud clock maker of his day, the clock itself is now in pieces on a workshop bench in North Woodchester. AROUND TIME Polishing and cleaning its innards, replacing the many worn parts and generally rejuvenating the 200-year-old timepiece is a man whose life, it could reasonably be said, revolves around time. Mr. Michael Maltin of Home Ground, North Woodchester, knows just about all there is to know about clocks. Indeed, the main interest of this retired BOAC senior captain is much broader than merely ‘tweaking’ old clocks back into shape. He is interested in time itself and with every aspect of how it is measured. [...] Stroud’s Black Boy was, in its way, a work of art, he said, but it was in dire need of attention, having been out of order for some time. “It’s in an absolutely filthy condition. There is some ‘dentistry’ to be done on some of the cogs and gears and quite a bit of delicate machining is involved.”
 Of the Black Boy figure itself — a little n**** boy holding a gong in one hand which he strikes with the other — Mr. Maltin said it too was in a rather sorry state. “One arm is missing and quite frankly, the head is rotten — it’s all made of wood, of course. But I’m sure something can be done with it.” The Teachers’ Centre, he said, was already in touch with another local craftsman — this time in wood — who could restore the figure. BI-CENTENARY “We hope that it will all be finished and back in place at least before the end of the year,” said Mr. Maltin. “It has to be really because 1974 is the Black Boy’s bi-centenary.”" 
• 1974, Relocation of the statue of Josephine, Place de la Savane
  In 1974, as part of the renovation of the Savane, the war memorial and the statue of Josephine were moved. Joséphine was moved from the center of the park to its north-western edge, parallel to Rue de la Liberté. The relocation of Joséphine was an integral part of an urban grammar that Aimé Césaire (then mayor of Fort-de-France) and his city council had put in place to cannibalize colonial sites and symbols of power in the capital.
• 1974, Stroud Teachers' Centre given Grade II listing
  Historic England gives the following list entry: "1844. Former Black Boy School. Ashlar. Pitched tile roof with coped gables on kneelers. Ashlar chimneys. 2 storeys. Mullion and transom windows with hoodmoulds and diagonal iron glazing bars. Octagonal clock; C18 figure of Black Boy striking bell on corbel table, pointed hood over. Iron railings with fleur-de-lys finials round school yard."
• 1975, The monument to General Faidherbe was classified as a Historic Monument by decree on October 29
• 1976, Song of Guy Méthalie “Yo déplacé Joséphine”
  During the 1976 Carnival, Martinican chansonnier Guy Méthalie scored a hit with "Yo déplacé Joséphine". In this song, he recounts the history of the population with the Savane, but also the rumors circulating about Joséphine. She is said to have been "a whore", which is why the statue was moved "under the mahoganies for the cab drivers".
• 1977, Blackboy Clock restored
  Stroud News and Journal gave the following summary of the restoration: "Stroud’s famous little black boy is striking the hour again after a silence of over 20 years. It was two years ago that Woodchester man Mr. Michael Maltin (pictured above) re-moved the broken clock and rotting black boy statue from the Teachers’ Centre building in Castle Street. The 200-year-old clock was repaired and restored by Mr. Maltin and the equally aged black boy was repaired by Mr. Pat Conolly, a member of the Guild of Gloucesteshire Craftsmen, and guilded and painted by singwriter Mr. B. M. Durn. The clock and black boy were re-erected at the weekend, and not only does the boy strike the hour, but his head also turns to listen to the ringing bell. The only thing remaining to be solved is what sort of leaves the black boy has round his waist."
• 1978, Song of Djo Dézormo, "Joséphine"
  In 1978, pro-independence activist and chansonnier Djo Dézormo wrote the song "Joséphine". In the chorus, he sings: "Esklavagis', bétjé rasis, nou pa bizwen non'w an lè la Savann' an. Mé nou sav byen an jou kay rivé nou kay jété-w dan loséan! (...) É nou ka di pou nonm ou pasé ou pa an bon fanm touboneman!" ("Slave driver, racist békée, your name doesn't belong on the Savannah. We know that one day we'll throw you into the ocean! (...) And we can say that for all the men you've had in your bed, you're not a good woman at all."). When it was released in 1978, it was censored like other of the artist's songs.
• 1978, Graffiti on the Marchand monument
  A Star of David is painted in black paint on the Marchand statue.
• 1978, Graffitis on Marchand Monument
  Red and green markings
• 1978, Inauguration of the de Gaulle bust, Le Robert
• 1979, Unveiling of The Trooper statue in Rhodesia (Zimbabwe)
• 1980 St Pauls Riot, Bristol
• 1980, The Trooper statue is smuggled from Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) to South Africa
• 1980s, Transfer of the Robert Milligan statue into storage
  At some stage in the mid-1980s, the Robert Milligan statue was returned to storage with the move of the Port of London Authority.
• 1981, Creation of the London Docklands Development Corporation
• 1981, Pro-independence tag on the pedestal of the Olry statue
  The tag "Long live socialist Canaque independence; the struggle continues!" inscribed on the pedestal of the Olry statue in Nouméa is mentioned in an article about the presidential campaign in this territory.
• 1982, Anti-racist activists topple the statue of William Huskisson
• 1982, Establishment of Kobi Nazrul Centre
  In 1982, the Kobi Nazrul Centre, named after the national poet of Bangladesh, is established as an arts venue by Tower Hamlets Council
• 1983, Explosive attack on the Marchand mission monument
  Une charge explosive destinée à endommager le Musée des arts d'Afrique et d'Océanie « symbole cynique du pillage et de l’exploitation auxquels s’est livrée la France dans son empire colonial dont la Guadeloupe, la Guyane et la Martinique sont les derniers bastions », est placée au pied du monument.
• 1983, National Heritage Act
• 1983, Repair of the Marchand mission monument
  The bronze shield and chipped stone step are repaired. Although the bust is almost intact, the statue of Marchand is removed. The conservation services and the town hall consider that "the absence of the statue does not unbalance the reading of the monument, which is now completed, in a way that seems sufficient to me, by the single large bronze medallion where the account of the expedition is read". Marchand's bust is sent to storage.
• 1984, Deux ancres anciennes sont ajoutées au monument Colomb
• 1984, Third project for a statue of Marshal Lyautey in Paris
• 1985, Inauguration de la statue du Maréchal Lyautey
• 1986, Commémoration du 100e anniversaire de la mort de Paul Bert
  En présence de François Mitterrand, Président de la République
• 1986, Disparition du buste de Germain
  Le buste est volé en 1986. Il est retrouvé fortuitement en 1994 et réinstallé sur son socle le 26 juin.
• 1987, Graffiti on monument to Gallieni in Paris
  The exact date and what was written on the monument was not recorded, we know of these graffiti thanks to a letter by Edouard Frédéric-Dupont, mayor of the 7th arrondissement in Paris (where the monument is located), to the head of Cultural Affairs in the city of Paris, chief of the monuments office. His letter mentions that the graffiti and inscriptions were quite shocking, but did not elaborate in his letter. He asked the city to clean the monument as soon as possible. Extract in French: « Plusieurs personnes m’ont signalé que le socle du monument du Maréchal Gallieni installé place Vauban était recouvert de graffiti dont des inscriptions assez choquantes » (source DACVP-COARC, Archives, Gallieni 2)
• 1987, Paint thrown on Gallieni monument in Paris
  We know of this contestation thanks to a letter Edouard Frédéric-Dupont, mayor of the 7th arrondissement in Paris (where the monument is located), wrote to the head of Cultural Affairs in the city of Paris, chief of the monuments office. His letter mentioned that the monuments to Gallieni and Fayolle (situated on the same place Vauban) had been smeared with paint and with inscriptions which he did not record. Once again, similarly to earlier that year, he asked the city to clean the monuments as soon as possible. Extract in French: the statues « ont été badigeonnées de peinture. Au moment où tant de touristes vont venir à Paris, il serait indispensable que vous puissiez faire gratter ces inscriptions d’urgence. » (source DACVP-COARC, Archives, Gallieni 2)
• 1987, Removal of graffiti on monument to Gallieni in Paris
  The City of Paris commissions the company Harmonie-Décoration to clean the graffiti off the monument to Gallieni. The cleaning took plance on April 24 and May 5 1987. (source DACVP-COARC, Archives, Gallieni 2)
• 1987, Restoration of the Mangin monument and plaque commemorating the destroyed monument on the Lyautey monument installed in its place.
  Texte de la plaque installée sur le monument Lyautey : « Ce monument remplace celui qui honorait, Place Denys Cochin, la mémoire du Général MANGIN et qui a été détruit sur ordre d’HITLER le 26 Juin 1940 »
• 1988, Cleaning of monument to Gallieni in Paris
  The city of Paris commissions the company Harmonie-Décoration to clean up the monuments to Gallieni and Fayolle. It had received a second letter from mayor of 7th arrondissement Eugène Frédéric-Dupont on 1 October 1987. (source DACVP-COARC, Archives, Gallieni 2)
• 1988, Tags on the Mangin monument
• 1988, Inauguration de la statue de Charles de Gaulle, Les Pavillons-sous-Bois
• 1988, Inscriptions sur le monument Lyautey
  Inscriptions signalées par le maire d'arrondissement sans indiquer leur contenu.
• 1989, Conservation and replacement of monument to Colbert in Paris
  In 1989, for the bicentennial of the French Revolution, the four statues at the front of the palais Bourbon underwent conservation treatment. The originals were replaced with resin casts. The original Dumont statue of Colbert was placed in front of the rectorat in Reims, France.
• 1990, Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act
  The key legislation that currently (in 2024) applies to the management of listed statues in the UK
• 1991, Tags on Mangin Monument
• 1991, Inauguration of the bust of Charles de Gaulle, Le Morne Rouge
• 1991, The statue of Josephine is decapitated
  On the night of September 21-22, the statue was decapitated and sprayed with red paint
• 1991, The statue of Victor Schœlcher is damaged
  During the night of September 21-22, the figure and hand of the statue of Victor Schœlcher were ripped off.
• 1991, The bust of Charles de Gaulle is burned
  Dans la nuit du 29 au 30 septembre, le buste est entouré de pneus incendiés, ce qui provoque la fonte de la résine
• 1991, Olympia and York Group produce a marketing brochure with an illustration of the Milligan statue
  In 1991, Olympia and York Group, the developers of Canary Wharf, produced a marketing brochure with an architectural illustration of the proposed redevelopment works. The illustration, titled 'Canary Wharf Aerial Looking East', included an depiction of the Robert Milligan statue and the Hibbert Gate returned to the Docks. Both the statue and gate can be seen on the left hand side of the image close to the present site of the Museum of London Docklands. According to online sources, the original illustration is now in the collections of the UCSB Art Design & Architecture Museum.
• 1992, "Commemoration Day" installation at the Trophies of Empire art exhibition
  Bristol-born artist Carole Drake (a former pupil of Colston's Girl's School) created the installation "Commemoration Day" at the Arnolfini as part of the Trophies of Empire art exhibition, with the aim of drawing attention to Colston's involvement in the slave-trade. "Featuring a projected image of students from the artist’s old school, Colston Girls’, climbing on the statue of Colston, a replica of which hung from the ceiling, casting a haunting shadow on the projection. Drake wrote that ‘into this dark hole had been sucked the histories of thousands of black children, men and women, sacrificed a second time in order to present an uncomplicated, unsullied image of Colston as a benign patriarch’. The installation included a sound tape of the school hymn Rejoice ye pure in heart. Underneath the statue lay a bed of chrysanthemums, supposedly Colston’s favourite flower, which were left to slowly wither and decay during the exhibition." (Bluecoat Library)
• 1992, La statue de Joséphine classée est sur la liste des immeubles protégés au titre de la législation sur les monuments historiques par arrêté du 31 décembre
  1992, The statue of Josephine is listed as a historic Monument
• 1993, Commémoration du cinquième centenaire de l'arrivée de Colomb en Guadeloupe
  Incendie au pied du monument Colomb, couverte de suie, mais aussitôt nettoyé. 3 novembre 1993 : pose de la première pierre de la « Maison Musée de la Découverte » à Sainte-Marie de la Capesterre. 4 - 6 novembre 1993 : « Choc des Deux Mondes, hier et aujourd’hui » colloque à Pointe-à-Pitre organisé par les professeurs Alain Yacou et Jacques-Adélaïde Merlande. Inauguration d'une statue représentant "l'Indien Caraïbe" à côté du monument Colomb. Statue rapidement volée. 6 novembre 1993 : une conférence intitulée : « de l’ethnocide à la renaissance : être indien en 1993 dans la Caraïbe et les Amériques » par sept représentants des peuples autochtones.