A fine bust of Lichfield's greatest son, Samuel Johnson, has been reinstated where it belongs, some way up on a wall in Bird Street, just along from the George hotel, and over what is now the Viking e-Cigs Shop, of all things. It was originally installed in 1884 and stayed in place until being removed in 1969. Now, restored, refreshed and lime-washed, it is back where it should be. I somehow missed the unveiling, which was on Johnson's birthday, September 18th, and was done by the mayor with the aid of a cherry-picker – believed to be a UK first. It's good to see yet more evidence that, in the city of his birth, Johnson is still very much alive. As he would have wished, he does indeed 'appear considerable in his native place'.
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