Walter Allward Vimy Memorial France

On my walk at St. John’s, York Mills Churchyard in midtown Toronto, I discovered the grave of Walter Seymour Allward, Canada’s greatest monumental sculptor.

Born in Toronto in 1875 to a carpenter, Walter honed his craft at the Don Valley Brick Works, chiseling architectural ornaments that would prepare him for an extraordinary career in sculpture.

At just 19 years old and with no formal training, he created the Northwest Rebellion Monument (1894-1896) in bronze and granite at Toronto’s Queen’s Park—a true masterpiece that announced his arrival.

His impressive portfolio grew to include the Boer War Memorial Fountain in Windsor (1906), the South African Memorial on University Avenue, Toronto (1910) — a striking work standing as a testament to Canada’s role in the British Empire (see photo) — the Bell Monument in Brantford (1917), and the figures of Truth and Justice at the Supreme Court in Ottawa.

The South African Memorial on University Avenue, Toronto.

Yet, his crowning achievement was the monumental Vimy Memorial in France. Beginning in 1921, Walter set up a studio in London, England, and made countless journeys to Vimy to oversee the creation of this iconic tribute. The $1.5 million memorial took eleven years to complete.

On July 26, 1936, King Edward VIII unveiled the Vimy Memorial in front of over 50,000 spectators, including 6,000 Canadians. It stands as a solemn national monument to the 11,285 Canadians who lost their lives in action at Vimy Ridge and elsewhere during the First World War, with each name engraved on the monument’s walls.

A pilgrimage to this site of immense national pride and reflection is on my list for the future.

Walter Seymour Allward died in Toronto on April 25, 1955, aged 78.

1875-1955