The beginnings
Plans to commemorate Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee were in planning in the immediate years prior, with a competition within the town of Darwen held for designs of a momument to best celebrate the event. David Ellison, a local office clerk (who also happened to be the son of the borough treasurer) won the competition and the wheels were set in motion with the idea of the momument to be built on Darwen moors. Robert William Smith-Saville - David's boss - was set the task of planning architectural reality of the monument (you can find out a little bit more about Robert in his obituary.