Move over gnomes – Garden that’s an angel’s delight

Published: 04 June 2010
by PETER GRUNER

SHINING, six-foot angel sculptures – one of them depicting Princess Diana –   watch over the garden of retired Barnsbury builder Stephen Flanagan.

Now Mr Flanagan, 69, is looking for exhibition space to display his collection to a wider public.

A builder for 40 years, employing a dozen workers, he now spends his time crafting his angels out of aluminium and stainless steel at his home in Richmond Crescent, the road where former Prime Minister Tony Blair and his family once lived.

“I’m not one of those people who believe in the spiritual power of angels,” Mr Flanagan said. “I originally decided to design and build them for Angel Tube station. 

“I thought the station needed brightening up so I offered London Underground one of my exhibits. But they weren’t interested.”

He has been in contact with Islington Design Centre to see if they would give him exhibition space. 

“One of the founders of the centre, Paul Morris, even came to my home to look at my angels. He was very impressed but I don’t think he had any idea of where they could be displayed.”

Now Mr Flanagan, who occasionally opens his garden so the public can view the angels, is writing to the Royal Bank of Scotland, which has empty office space at the Angel, to see if they have room for an exhibition.