The statue of James Fraser looks out from Albert Square to Princess Street.  The statue was erected in 1887 and paid for by public subscription in honour of a man who was the Bishop of Manchester for 15 years.  He was born in Gloucestershire and educated at Oxford University.  In 1860 he was appointed as rector in a small rural parish in Berkshire.  In 1870 he took over as Bishop of Manchester after the death of James Prince Lee.  The panels around the plinth of the statue depict a man who was close to the people and it seems that he was both highly respected and warmly regarded.  The announcement of his death brought a halt to trading at the Cotton Exchange and large numbers of people attended his funeral.

Visit the "Manchester View" Homepage