The Joke of Wellington: The Duke of Wellington’s cone from folk act to brand

Abstract

This article focusses on the Glasgow landmark, the cone on the Duke of Wellington’s statue, outside the Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA). Focussing on the history of the Duke’s cone, in the wider context of similar public interactions, it discusses how the attitude of the city (both the people and the city authorities) has developed until the practice has become an informal emblem for Glasgow.