Statue of Robert Raikes, London Statue of Robert Raikes, London A statue of Robert Raikes, often regarded as being the founder of Sunday schools, executed by the sculptor Thomas Brock, stands in Victoria Embankment Gardens, London, United Kingdom. It was unveiled by the Earl of Shaftesbury on 3 July 1880 and marked the centenary of the opening of the first Sunday school. The critic Edmund Gosse considered the statue to be "as good as anything of the kind we possess in England". In 1958 it was designated a Grade II-listed building. The front of the plinth reads: . An inscription below the figure's right foot
Raikes Hall match at the ground was a 5–0 win against Burton Wanderers on 19 September 1896, with 3,000 spectators present. The record League crowd of 5,000 was set for a game against Newton Heath on 17 October 1896, and equalled for games against Grimsby Town on 1 January 1897 and Darwen on 16 April in the same year. During Blackpool's first season in the Football League, it became clear that Raikes Hall needed to be upgraded. The club moved to the Athletic Grounds for the start of the 1897–88 season to allow works to be undertaken at Raikes Hall. However, with