Statues - Hither & Thither |
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Wakefield
West Yorkshire Yorkshire & Humberside Pindersfield Road |
The Jolly PinderFigure in a ballad about Robin Hood |
Harry Malkin
date? |
Statue of the pinder of Wakefield, made from metal plates. It stands on a triangular grass lawn with on one side a railing with the name the pindes field and cut out figures of various farm animals, as ducks, sheep, cows, bulls, dogs, chicken and horse.
The ballad, opens with a pinder, a townsman in charge of impounding stray animals, exclaiming that no one will dare trespass on Wakefield under his watchful eye. The pinder's boasts are overheard by Robin and his merry men, who - as they approach the pinder - are promptly turned away and asked to leave. A scuffle between the pinder and Robin and his merry band ensues, with the pinder getting the better of Robin and his company. Robin Hood, impressed by the pinder's physical prowess in battle and his desire to protect those who cannot protect themselves, offers the pinder a place in his group. The ballad concludes with the pinder promising that after Michaelmas he will join Robin and his band.
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'THE JOLLY PINDER OF WAKEFIELD' 'The Jolly Pinder of Wakefield' was an official whose job was to keep cattle and people from trespassing onto the commmunal fields. Stray animals wouid be kept in the Pinder's field and were returned to the owners on receipt, of a fee. In the Robin Hood legend a battle was fought between Robin Hood and the Pinder of Wakefield. The Pinder got the better of Robin so was invited to join his band of merry men. The local name Pinderfields (originally Pinder's field) is the reputed site of the struggle. The statue of the Jolly Pinder is depicted in a welcoming stance with one hand raised as if to say 'Hi' but also to say 'slow down there'. In the other hand he holds a staff with which to enforce his words. About the Artist The artist Harry Malkin has been working as a freelance artist since 1988 and has produced a wide portfolio of work in the area which has focussed on community involvement and the creation of personalised artwork. Before that he was a miner at Fryston Colliery, Castleford until its closure in 1985 after the year long miners' strike. |
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