Statue of Historic Figure: Patrick Andrew Collins - Boston, MA

Patrick Andrew Collins

by

Theo Alice Ruggles Kitson

 and

 Henry Hudson Kitson

GPS: N 42° 21.127; W 071° 04.610

Short Description:

A monument to former Boston Mayor and Congressman, Patrick Andrew Collins, is located on Commonwealth Avenue Mall between Clarendon and Dartmouth Streets.

Long Description:

America

Ireland

A 3' high bronze bust of Patrick Andrew Collins is placed on top of an 11.5' by 10' by 6.75' granite base. The bust is flanked by two bronze allegorical figures representing Ireland on Collin's right side and America on Collin's left side. The bust depicts the head of Collins but is featureless from the neck down.

America is 7.5' high. She is wearing a crown of laurel leaves and carries a shield on her right arm and a palm branch in her right hand. Ireland 7.5' high. She is wearing a crown of shamrocks holding a harp under her left arm and a bunch of laurel in her left hand.

The monument was created by Theo Alice Ruggles Kitson and Henry Hudson Kitson. It was cast at the Roman Bronze Works and dedicated in 1908. It was moved to its current location in 1966.

Patrick Collins was born on March 12, 1844 in County Cork, Ireland. His family emigrated to the United States and settled in Chelsea, Massachusetts in 1848. He entered politics and held a variety of public offices. He is most noted for being Mayor of Boston from 1902 - 1905.

The front and back of the monument have the same biographical inscription:

PATRICK

ANDREW

COLLINS

1844-1905

BORN IN IRELAND

AND ALWAYS HER

LOVER. AMERICAN 

BY EARLY TRAINING

AND VARIED EMPLOY 

UPHOLSTERER FROM 

15 TO 23. HARVARD 

BACHELOR OF LAWS

AT 27. FROM 1871 

LAWYER. 1868-72 

MEMBER OF THE 

MASS. LEGISLATURE.

1883-1889 MEMBER 

OF CONGRESS. 1893-1897

CONSUL-GENERAL IN 

LONDON 1902-05 

MAYOR OF BOSTON 

A TALENTED 

HONEST, GENEROUS

SERVICEABLE MAN