Hillsborough Memorial, Old Haymarket, Liverpool

The tragic events on the 15th April 1989 at Hillsborough Football Stadium, Sheffield are permanently etched upon the hearts and lives of Liverpool.

This memorial to the 96 people who lost their lives was commissioned and sited at the Old Haymarket, near to the entrance of the Queensway road tunnel.

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The scene is of an imaginary place populated by figures who are guardians of the memory.

The wreath is made up of spring flowers to signify the time of year the tragedy struck.

Below the wreath is a poem by David Charters.

Hillsborough

And so, as one, the hushed crowd turned the pages of the book that held the names of the dead And the sound that rose from them was like a great flapping of birds’ wings Into the dark sky and beyond, it carried the memories of those who had gone – the teachers whose wisdom was lost, the parents who will never cradle children, the makers whose hands were stilled, the jokers whose laughter vanished, the singers whose songs are silence, the lovers whose love lasts forever.

The row of scarves demonstrates the national solidarity shown by football fans.

On either side is a list of those who lost their lives.

The birds seen flying throughout the piece represent those who passed away.

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The young boy bows his head in sorrow and disbelief at all the names. The male holds aloft a football scarf with the Liverpool crest at one end and Everton at the other, to show unity between the two clubs.

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The girl, full of sorrow, labours to lift the flag which embodies those who died and the impact on family and friends. She is helped by another figure to illustrate that she does not have to manage alone.

The figures to the right stretch up in support of the text “We Will Remember Them.”

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The figure proudly wears a sash with the legend “With Hope In Your Heart.” This is a line from Liverpool Football Club’s anthem “”You’ll Never Walk Alone.”

The book she is carrying has inscribed on it the scales of justice and the Roman numerals IX (9) and VI (6.)

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Eternal Flame supported by two Liver birds.

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The male and female to the right represent those who have lost loved ones.

The little girl is Rosie. It was Rosie’s questioning of why there wasn’t something in the city centre honouring Hillsborough that created the impetus for the memorial. She holds in her hand an angel with a liver bird’s head and her name.

Rosie’s Angel

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