City Square, Leeds

James Watt (1736 - 1819) keeping an eye on things from his plinth in City Square.

This is what I learned about him (thanks, Blip, for making me more curious). He was a Scottish inventor and mechanical engineer who improved the efficiency and reliability of the steam engine. These changes brought about immense social change, resulting in the relocation of millions of rural families to Britain's towns and cities. It was precisely these changes which resulted in the development of Leeds as a city, which seems a very appropriate reason to position James Watt as the first character in the square which was redesigned in celebration of this change from town to city.