Statue of Oliver and Marjory Wardrop Unveiled

Oliver and Marjory Wardrop are now immortalized by a statue which was unveiled in Wardrop Square on October 18, during Tbilisoba, an annual October festival celebrating the diversity and history of the Georgian capital.

After travelling to Georgia in 1887, Oliver Wardrop wrote his study The Kingdom of Georgia. In 1894 during his second journey to Georgia he mastered the Georgian language and published a series of books on Georgia. In 1919 he became the first foreign ambassador of independent Georgia. Oliver regularly sent reports of request on the recognition of independence of Georgia and was the one who congratulated the Georgian Government for the international recognition.

Marjory Wardrop, Oliver’s sister, also visited Georgia. She translated Shota Rustaveli’s The Knight in the Panther’s Skin, Ilia Chavchavadze’s The Hermit and Georgian Folk Tales into English.

Through the efforts of Wardrops, the richest Kartvelological library in Europe was created.

The statue of the brother and the sister is made of bronze and portrays the pair walking in the square which was opened one year ago.

The Mayor of Tbilisi, Davit Narmania, made a promise last Tbilisoba that he would definitely reveal the statue.

“More than a century later, [Oliver's] contributions to Georgia are still invaluable. Existing cultural, social, and political relations between Great Britain and Georgia are still accompanied by his influence. Georgia is known internationally because of Wardrop,” Mayor Narmania, commented.

Ana Akhalaia

For more information on Oliver Wardrop, click here.