Portrait of Terence Hildebert (Bertie) Piper – Image courtesy of Picture Ipswich
On Saturday 15th May, the new statue of Bertie Piper will be unveiled in the Ipswich Cemetery.
Bertie, as he was known, died from suspected gastroenteritis on January 10, 1904, at the tender age of 12. His grieving parents enlisted the help of a South Brisbane stone mason to build a life-size statue, which stood proudly atop the gravestone and monument at Ipswich Cemetery. At the back of the monument is an inscription of the bible passage, Vengeance is mine, I will repay Saith the Lord. The original memorial was desecrated by vandals in 2001. It is said that Bertie’s statue used to glow green and that he was also supposed to come to life and his eyes would open.
The unveiling will also coincide with the release and launch of the latest Jack Sim book, Haunted Ipswich: Ghosts of the Heritage City. The afternoon will be packed full of activities including guest speakers from around the area.
For more details on the unveiling, click on Bertie’s full name at top of the post.
Information taken from The Queensland Times article “Resurrection plan for Statue” by Andrew Korner.