Richard Cobden Statue

In St Ann’s Square stands a bronze statue of Richard Cobden, a man who became a towering figure in Manchester’s political life during the nineteenth century. The figure is larger than life-size and depicts Cobden addressing a meeting, with his right arm outstretched and an index finger raised, while his other hand rests inside his waistcoat. He was a radical statesman and manufacturer who rose to national prominence for his role in co-founding the Anti-Corn Law League. His work to repeal the Corn Laws, which had kept bread prices artificially high to protect the interests of landowners, made him a hero to the mercantile classes of this city.