Where can you find Hebe?

The Hebe statue is on James Watt Queensway, Birmingham, B4 7NE

 

In brief

Hebe is a goddess of youth from Greek myth, and was the daughter of Zeus and Hera. The bronze statue by Robert Thomas with fountain dates back to 1966. It was originally located at Holloway Circus (Thomas Garden) and was relocated in the late 1990s to a site on James Watt Queensway. There are also railings by the sculptor Anuradha Patel. It can be found just south of the Birmingham Children's Hospital helipad and north of Ryder Street. 

Hebe at James Watt Queensway (August 2009). Photography by Elliott Brown

 

Hebe - details

Hebe is part of a fountain to be found close to Birmingham Children's Hospital.

The hospital relocated from Ladywood Middleway in the late 1990s, around the same time that the Chinese Pagoda was being installed at Holloway Circus.

The hospital is now on a site next to James Watt Queensway, Ryder Street and Corporation Street. There is a helipad close by which is mostly used by the Midlands Air Ambulance.

The bronze statue is of a reclining nude woman, with one arm on a scale in the water.

It was designed by the sculptor Robert Thomas (1926-99) in 1966.

On the relocation to James Watt Queensway, the sculptor Anuradha Patel was commissioned to make railings which are silohettes of trees and animals.

You will most likely see Hebe if walking down Corporation Street towards Aston University or if you were visiting the Birmingham Children's Hospital.

Hebe at James Watt Queensway (August 2009). Photography by Elliott Brown

 

Hebe with snow

If you happen to be walking around the Steelhouse Conservation Area in winter, if there is snow on the ground, Hebe will look like this.

Hebe at James Watt Queensway (January 2010). Photography by Elliott Brown

 

2022 update

The basin that the goddess used to touch, has been missing since 2014 or 2015.

A cycleway was built behind it during 2018-19 which leads to the A34 via Newtown towards Perry Barr.

The West Midlands Cycle Hire docking point was installed behind the railing in 2021.

Hebe at James Watt Queensway (April 2022). Photography by Elliott Brown