#WhittingtonsCat

[hackneyoutdoors]

Massive succulent plant cat! As found outside Whittington Park where I helped run a #forestschool session this week. Of course it’s inspired by the tale of Dick Whittington. The park itself is rather nice, if small, just off the top of Holloway Road - it has a couple of grassy wooded areas plus a rather nice little pond for pond dipping (we found one tadpole!) #londongreenspaces #hackneyoutdoors #parklife #forestschool #dickwhittington #whittingtonpark #holloway #whittingtonscat #london https://www.instagram.com/p/CREDMhIHohZ/?utm_medium=tumblr

[librarycompany]

Shown here is the frontispiece from The Story of Sir Richard Whittington, or, Whittington and His Cat, published by Longmans, Green, and Company in London, 1871. 

According to folklore, Sir Richard Whittington arrived in London as a poverty-stricken youth. With the aid of his cat’s ratting abilities, Whittington found fortune and eventually become the Lord Mayor of London. 

Though it’s hard to know whether this legend is true, we can’t help but love this book for its images of Whittington’s cat participating in myriad adventures.

Carr, G. The story of Sir Richard Whittington, Lord Mayor of London in the years 1397, 1406-7, & 1419 A.D.  London : Longmans, Green, and Co., 1871.