North East Statues

A warning for those who don’t know much about Andy Capp – this article mentions domestic violence.

Created by Jane Robbins, a statue of Hartlepool’s most famous son stands (appropriately enough) behind the Pot House pub on the Headland.

Andy Capp was a comic character created by cartoonist Reg Smythe for the Daily Mirror newspaper in 1957. With his drinking, cadging, smoking and frequent marital scraps with his long-suffering wife Flo, Andy came to exemplify a particular stereotype of a northern man – something his creator railed against, calling Andy an “everyman” character who could be found across the globe, and not just in Hartlepool.

Certainly the appeal was global; Hartlepool Mail estimated that the comic strip had over 250 million readers in 52 different countries at its peak, and it has continued even after the death of Smythe in 1998.

The comic’s legacy is complicated. Many feel it’s an unfair stereotype which makes light of violence and infidelity. The casual nature of the domestic violence (which was one-sided for much of the early run until Flo started to get the better of her husband in the 1970s) is shocking to modern audiences, but reflected (and reinforced) grim cultural realities of the 50s. Having only remembered the “rolling-around-in-a-dustball” fights from the comics of my youth, it was an eye-opener to find the stark, and normalised, violence Andy inflicted on Flo in early outings.

Wife beating was prevalent and normalised in early Andy Capp comic strips.

Smythe himself expressed regret about aspects of the earlier comics and morphed his creation into a more low-key scoundrel rather than the wife-beater he began life as. This led to Andy mellowing over the years, becoming more of a bowdlerized figure. The violence in general was toned down – or at least evened up – and Andy eventually even lost his trademark cig. Still, it’s hard to imagine the comic beginning its run in recent decades.

Despite all this, many northerners have a soft spot for Andy. He played darts, kept pigeons, enjoyed a pint or two in the local; all activities that have been derided and looked down upon over the years. Too northern. Too working class. Smythe preserved them and shared them with the world.

Still, not everyone has softened on the workshy skiver. Original plans for a statue of Andy were stymied when local businesses refused to support the idea in 2002. Eventually though, the £20,000 bronze was unveiled by Reg Smythe’s widow Jean on the 28th June, 2007.

I emailed sculptor Jane Robbins about how she got involved in the work and if she had any misgivings about the commission:

“My opinion is we female sculptors have to just say yes to the commissions then make sure what we sculpt appeals to everyone. I actually just believe every artist creating art is equal male or female – and OK – Andy Capp was a cartoon, but he was a much loved, famous chap even if he wasn’t “real”… if I sculpted him as people remembered him, and people like the statue -then my job is (was ) done.”

On how she got involved in making the statue: 

“I think I was asked because I’m that rare thing – a female sculptor. And it maybe appealed to Reg Smythe’s widow to have a woman sculpting a famous misogynist!

I was told couldn’t add his famous cigarette (or “tab” as it is in the North East) as it was felt it encouraged smoking. I like to think visitors add their own when they’re visiting? Just to be politically incorrect.”