Today I heard some rather bizarre news regarding the sculpture "Elephant Circle" by Nicholas Dimbleby. Apparently despite the many direct connections Leamington has with Sam Lockhart (featured in my book "The Legend of Salt and Sauce"), Dimbleby's sculpture was not influenced by Sam or his "Three Graces" elephants. The sculpture apparently told the main organizer for the event I will be attending to sign copies of my new book, "The Legend of Salt and Sauce", and answer questions on Sam Lockhart's elephants, that the sculpture was inspired by the idea of the British Empire, heavily connected to Royal Leamington Spa. Other parts of Leamington Spa clearly wear their association with the elephants with pride and on purpose: The Three Graces Luxury Appartment Development, which was built on the demolished former house of Sam Lockhart and the grave of one of his elephants, Wilhelmina Close, named after one of Sam's Three Graces elephants, the elephant logo that is used to promote Leamington's historical past and, of course, Elephant Walk, the slipway, where Sam Lockhart famously lead his elephants down to bathe in the river near the old suspension bridge.
What is remarkable about the sculpture's coincidental features is not only that it features elephants, but that it feature THREE elephants, which is what Sam Lockhart was famous for, as seen in the title "The Three Graces".
What is remarkable about the sculpture's coincidental features is not only that it features elephants, but that it feature THREE elephants, which is what Sam Lockhart was famous for, as seen in the title "The Three Graces".
