Sunday 12 August 2012

A cat on the hat

We popped into Cambridge today on a shopping mission (daughter's birthday in under 2 weeks!) and came across this new sculpture near the market place
I couldn't work out what it was at first but the mice running round the edge of a top hat reminded me of a busker who used to always be around the Lion Yard area.  When we got home I 'googled' it and found that it was a memorial to him, he was a great eccentric and raised over £125,000 for charity yet died penniless a few years ago.  He was quite a character, and would be dressed in strange military costumes with a very long white straggly beard.  He had various musical instruments and was often accompanied by random animals, including mice in his hat!  
Today I took a break from the sketches and made a layout using a kit from a crop day that I was unable to attend
And now ... I'm off to sit down and watch the closing ceremony for the Olympics London 2012.  If it's anything like the opening ceremony, we're in for a treat!

5 comments:

alexa said...

How nice that a memorial was made in his honour! Hope you enjoy the Olympics.

Elizabeth said...

That certainly is an unusual sculpture! What is a busker?

Amy said...

That is an interesting sculpture with a great story - enjoy the closing ceremony.

Beverly said...

I would definitely be confused by the sculpture, good detective work! less than an hour before closing ceremonies start here :)

Alison said...

What a lovely thing to have done to pay tribute to your busker! Lovely LO too..and I DID enjoy the ceremony last night- and felt quite emotional by the end of it!
Alison xx