A Conversation with Spike — John Somerville
Bronze by John Somerville, 2014 · Stephens House & Gardens, Finchley, London, UK
Photo: Loz Pycock / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0 (camera date 5 May 2019), the same photo as in the Street Art Utopia post. Full photograph shown.
John Somerville’s life-size bronze shows Spike Milligan sitting on a bench and turning as if to speak to someone sitting next to him, so visitors can take the free seat. Chortle, 2 Sep 2014 · The Finchley Society Checked The Finchley Society, of which Milligan was president and patron, organised and raised the money for it, and it was unveiled in the gardens of Stephens House on 4 September 2014. The Irish Times, 4 Sep 2014 · Art UK Checked
5 things to know
- A seat for the visitorArt UK describes a sitting statue of Milligan on a bench “leaving room for a passing guest to sit down and engage in ‘conversation’”; the venue calls it an invitation to a ‘Conversation with Spike’. Art UK · Stephens House & Gardens Checked
- A bench full of his lifeThe bench itself carries elephants, fairies, soldiers, Q and the Goons, with a plaque reading “Spike Milligan 1918–2002” on its back. Art UK · London Remembers Checked
- Ten years of fundraisingFundraising began in 2004; Chortle reported £60,000 raised two days before the unveiling, with about £5,000 still needed for insurance, installation and endowment. The Irish Times, 4 Sep 2014 · Chortle, 2 Sep 2014 · The Finchley Society Checked
- His own local societyMilligan lived in Finchley from 1955 to 1974, joined the Finchley Society when it was founded in 1971, and became its president and later its patron. The Finchley Society · The Irish Times, 4 Sep 2014 Checked
- Signed on the thighLondon Remembers records the inscription “John Somerville 2014” on Spike’s left thigh, and reads Goon characters such as Bloodnock, Bluebottle and Neddie Seagoon among the faces on the bench. London Remembers Reported
Where it is
- 📍
- In the gardens of Stephens House & Gardens, the former Avenue House, 17 East End Road, Finchley, London N3 3QE. Stephens House & Gardens · Art UK Checked
- 🏠
- Near the park café, by the old stables block. Art UK · London Remembers · Wikipedia: Avenue House Grounds Checked
- 👀
- Art UK notes that time restrictions apply to visiting it. Art UK Checked
Sightings
- 20142 Sep
Unveiling announced · Chortle
- 20144 Sep
Unveiled · The Irish Times
- 201410 Sep
Unveiling photos · Irish Post
- 20161 Nov
Photographed (date on Commons), Gareth E. Kegg
- 20195 May
Photographed (camera date), Loz Pycock
Every stamp links to its source. Green stamps are dated pictures of the statue in place on Wikimedia Commons: a photo dated 1 November 2016 on Commons and a photo with the camera date 5 May 2019. Amber stamps are other evidence: the 2014 news reports announcing and covering the unveiling.
On the record
Spike’s statue to be unveiled
“There are old soldiers on plinths all over London. But a soldier who created the Goon Shows, now that is something worth commemorating.”
Michael Palin, quoted by Chortle from the launch of the statue appeal. Original in English.
Spike’s statue to be unveiled
“The reason for our going ahead with the project was that our sculptor, John Somerville, has had three medical crises in the past three years and we didn’t want all his work to go unfinished.”
Fundraiser David Smith of the Finchley Society, two days before the unveiling. Original in English.
Spike Milligan
“Many people, young and old, will come to have their photo taken in this unique setting.”
The society that raised the money for the statue. Original in English.
The facts
- Title
- A Conversation with Spike; Art UK lists it as “A Conversation with Spike (Milligan)”. Art UK · Stephens House & Gardens · Loz Pycock / Wikimedia Commons, 5 May 2019 Checked
- Artist
- John Somerville, a sculptor from Barnet with a bronze studio in Wood Street, Barnet. The Irish Times, 4 Sep 2014 · Chortle, 2 Sep 2014 · The Finchley Society · Barnet Society, 14 Feb 2019 Checked
- Unveiled
- 4 September 2014; Art UK says the bench was commissioned in 2013. The Irish Times, 4 Sep 2014 · Irish Post, 10 Sep 2014 · Art UK Checked
- Place
- Gardens of Stephens House & Gardens (formerly Avenue House), 17 East End Road, Finchley, London N3 3QE, near the park café. Stephens House & Gardens · Art UK · London Remembers · Wikipedia: Avenue House Grounds Checked
- Medium
- Life-size bronze figure on a bronze bench. Chortle, 2 Sep 2014 · The Irish Times, 4 Sep 2014 · The Finchley Society Checked
- Commissioner
- The Finchley Society with Milligan’s friends and family, funded by public subscription and grants; patrons of the appeal included Michael Palin, John Cleese and Terry Wogan. The Finchley Society · The Irish Times, 4 Sep 2014 · Art UK Checked
- Status
- Seen in a Wikimedia Commons photo with the camera date 5 May 2019; the venue’s gardens page still lists the statue but carries no date. We found no newer dated picture. Loz Pycock / Wikimedia Commons, 5 May 2019 · Stephens House & Gardens Checked
- Our photo
- Loz Pycock, via Flickr and Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0, camera date 5 May 2019. Loz Pycock / Wikimedia Commons, 5 May 2019 Checked
Related
- There’s Room on the Bench (13 Photos): the SAU collection with Spike Milligan’s bench in Finchley
All sources (12)
Official
- Stephens House & Gardens: “The Gardens”, the venue’s own page. The statue “encouraging a ‘Conversation with Spike’” was installed by the Finchley Society, of which Spike was president; address 17 East End Road, Finchley, London N3 3QE.
- The Finchley Society: “Spike Milligan”, the society’s page. Milligan in Finchley 1955–1974, president and later patron; fundraising from 2004; life-size statue by John Somerville; unveiled September 2014 in the Gardens of Stephens House.
- Art UK: “A Conversation with Spike (Milligan)”, public sculpture record. Unveiled 4 September 2014; commissioned in 2013 after ten years of fundraising; H 150 × W 200 × D 80 cm (estimate); elephants, fairies, soldiers, Q and the Goons on the bench.
Press
- Chortle: “Spike’s statue to be unveiled”, 2 September 2014. £60,000 raised; life-size bronze by John Somerville turning as if to speak to someone next to him; about £5,000 short for insurance, installation and endowment.
- The Irish Times: “Statue in memory of Spike Milligan unveiled in London”, Genevieve Carbery, 4 September 2014. Unveiled that day; organised and fundraised for by the Finchley Society; fundraising began in 2004; created by local sculptor John Somerville.
- Irish Post: “In Pictures… Celebrities attend unveiling of Spike Milligan statue”, 10 September 2014. Unveiling held on Thursday, 4 September, in the gardens of Stephens House; life-size bronze by John Somerville.
- Barnet Society: “Millie to live on in bronze”, Nick Jones, 14 February 2019. Calls the Spike Milligan bench one of Somerville’s best-known local works; his studio in Wood Street, Barnet.
Records
- London Remembers: “Spike Milligan statue”. Erection date 4/9/2014; inscriptions “Spike Milligan, 1918 – 2002” and “John Somerville 2014”; bench very close to the café.
- Wikipedia: “Avenue House Grounds”. Statue erected by the stables block; unveiled 4 September 2014.
Photos
- Wikimedia Commons: “Spike Milligan memorial bench”, Gareth E. Kegg, CC BY-SA 4.0, dated 1 November 2016 on Commons. The statue in place in autumn.
- Wikimedia Commons: “‘A Conversation With Spike’ by John Somerville, Stephens House and Gardens, Finchley”, Loz Pycock, CC BY-SA 2.0, camera date 5 May 2019. Our photo.
Street Art Utopia
- Street Art Utopia: “There’s Room on the Bench (13 Photos)”, 20 October 2026. The SAU post with this work.
Artwork File · Last checked 20 October 2026 · Certainty labels follow How We Verify Art · All Artwork Files