This is a beautiful and distinguished monument that was donated to the people of Grimsby in 1869 by the mayor Edward Bannister. 
It was grade 2 listed in June 1999 but delisted in November 1999. Goodness knows why ! 

Edward Bannister was described as “Grimsby’s Grand Old Man “ and one of “its best and brightest citizens “ Although married he never had any children  but his good works were often described as his municipal children . 

The list of his contributions is almost endless:  Founder of the Grimsby Nursing association, one of the original guarantors for the Grimsby district hospital ,established the school of Art , chair of the mechanic’s institute, later helping it become Grimsby first public library, chair of the fund for deep sea fishermen ,chair of  lifeboat committee. He helped build the Cleethorpes pier .

He donated the old clock tower that stood in central markets place . Sadly this was sold in 1959, the house he lived in in Bargate was demolished, he was buried in the old cemetery on Ainslie Street next to his first wife who left him a widower.  This area is no longer a recognized cemetery,  so he now doesn’t even have a headstone . 

I think we owe it to him to restore and reinstate this fantastic fountain .

“with his death , there was practically a complete snapping of the link that had made his name reserved throughout the whole of Grimsby “ taken from an article in the Times in 1922