This sculpture was commissioned by St George’s Co-operative Societyfor their flagship store in Gladstone St. and adorned the wall head of the building for nearly a century.
The sculptor, Charles Grassby, had worked on a number of buildings in the city, including the Henderson Street school (1874). He also designed the statue of James Watt in Glasgow Green, and was one of a number of sculptors who worked on the City Chambers.
Removed when the building was about to be demolished in the 1980′s, the sculpture was carefully dismantled and placed in storage on the Clydeside Quay. Gifted to the people of Glasgow by the Co-op, it was erected as a free-standing monument in 1988 after the Cross had been redeveloped. The railings surrounding the statue were previously around the toilets that were located near the centre of the Cross.