Description:This postcard view shows St. Mary's Church which dates from the late 19th century, having replaced a church of 1717-21 which had been built following the collapse of part of the medieval church spire during the Easter Sunday Service in 1716. The 18th century church was built in a classical style and had a short square tower. The steeple of St. Mary's was built by G.E. Street in 1852-54, and was added to the Georgian church, which in turn was replaced by a nave and chancel by James Fowler of Louth in 1868-70, which is the church we see today.
Between 1978 and 1981 St. Mary's Church was converted into the St. Mary's Centre. The chancel and aisles were retained as a church, but the rest of the building was divided to comprise a day centre, coffee shop, gift shop, and Lichfield Heritage Centre. The centre closed in 2017 and was converted to house Lichfield’s main public Library, Tourist Information Centre and an Arts Space which opened in 2018.
In the foreground is the bronze Statue of James Boswell, lawyer, diarist, and author. The statue was made and presented to the City of Lichfield in 1908 by Percy Fitzgerald, writer and sculptor and the biographer of Boswell. James Boswell was the friend and biographer of Dr Samuel Johnson who is most famous for writing the first comprehensive English Dictionary, but was also known for being a great wit and conversationalist. Just out of view on the extreme right is a Museum dedicated to the life and works of Samuel Johnson and currently (August 2020) known as the Samuel Johnson Birthplace Museum and Bookshop.
This postcard was published by Boots Cash Chemists “Pelham” Series. It was printed in Prussia, prior to the First World War.