TWO new heritage panels have been unveiled highlighting Leicester’s links with the Attenborough family.
The panels are fixed onto a double-sided sign at Victoria Park, and are located – appropriately enough – close to the University of Leicester’s Attenborough building.
They tell the tale of this famous family’s connections to Leicester and they impact they have had over the years.
Guests including Michael Attenborough CBE (son of Lord Attenborough) and Dr Robert Attenborough (son of Sir David Attenborough) attended an official unveiling event, along with family biographer Richard Graves. The event was also attended by city mayor Peter Soulsby and assistant city mayor for culture, Cllr Vi Dempster, as well as by staff from the university and city council museums service.
One of the panels – entitled The Attenborough Family - considers the work of Frederick Attenborough and his role in the development of University College, now the University of Leicester. The family came to Leicester in 1932 when Frederick was appointed principal. His three sons were brought up on the campus, and attended Wyggeston Boys School.
Actor and director Lord Richard Attenborough starred in films including The Great Escape and Jurassic Park, and won the 1982 Academy Award for Best Director for his historical epic Gandhi.
Naturalist and broadcaster Sir David Attenborough’s work as a writer, presenter and narrator spans eight decades, from Zoo Quest in 1954 through to Life on Earth, Wildlife on One, and the Planet Earth and Blue Planet series.
John Attenborough worked in the motor trade and was managing director of Mann Egerton, heading their Rolls-Royce division, and the head of the British operations of Italian car manufacturer Alfa Romeo.
Another panel is entitled Mary Attenborough, and documents her work giving sanctuary at Evington Hall for 50 unaccompanied child refugees displaced by the Spanish Civil War. She also adopted Jewish refugee girls from Berlin during the Second World War, and continued to champion women’s rights until her death.
The whole family has had a connection with Leicester Museum and Art Gallery for many years. Mary inspired the museum to work with refugees and collect German Expressionist artworks, while David was a frequent visitor to the museum and was inspired by its natural history collections. The Picasso Collection of ceramics was donated to the museum by Lord and Lady Attenborough.
The panels also document the various locations in the city named after the Attenboroughs, and include the portraits of David and Richard Attenborough by Bryan Organ, which were unveiled at Leicester Museum and Art Gallery.
City mayor Peter Soulsby said: “The Attenboroughs are synonymous with Leicester and having met several members of the family I have always been struck by their warmth and their fondness for the people of Leicester.
“We made Lord Attenborough and Sir David freemen of the city in 1990 and it is wonderful to be able to follow this up with this dedication to the whole family, including Mary’s work with refugees, so that more people can learn about their commitment to the city.”
Cllr Vi Dempster said: “Our heritage panels are a great way to learn more about Leicester’s history, from Roman and medieval times through to more recent events. It’s wonderful to be able to tell the stories of people who have helped to shape the city and put us on the map, and the Attenboroughs are a prime example.”
Since 2014, a total of 375 heritage panels have been installed across Leicester. The panels are part of the Story of Leicester project, which celebrates the city’s 2,000-year history by remembering the people, places and events of Leicester’s recent and distant past.
The panels are grouped in themes to tell different chapters in the city’s story, and each theme is colour-coded to make them easy to identify.
To find out more about the Story of Leicester, visit the website at www.storyofleicester.info
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Picture shows left to right Councillor Vi Dempster, Michael Attenborough CBE, Dr Robert Attenborough and city mayor Peter Soulsby with the new heritage panel