Altar built using stone from the Templar castle of Athlit in the Holy Land
Entrepreneurs are independent-minded people, always looking to do something new, different, better and in their own way. It was fitting that this years Guild of Entrepreneurs Summer barbecue fell on Independence Day. The patron saint of the Guild is St Ethelburga (a very apt saint for a barbecue) and the celebrations took place at All Hallows-by-the-Tower – the oldest church in the city of London, founded by her abbey in 675AD.
This was where I came in. The oldest church in the city is home to a wealth of history and I was commissioned to create a series of cartoons for the occasion to reflect this. Finding subject matter wasn’t difficult – the history of All Hallows is preserved in an amazing museum located in the crypt. Tourists flock to the Tower of London to experience the history there but many are probably completely unaware of the treasures kept right below their feet. The museum is free to access and well worth a visit.
If you’ve spent any time on this page you will have gathered that I have a real passion for History, so it’s no surprise I’d say that but this really is an unusual and eclectic collection. The church crypt boasts a shrine built from the stone of a Templar castle, poignant returned crosses from the Western Front and the crow’s nest from Shackleton’s last voyage. An event on US Independence Day was even more appropriate as the church is connected to President John Quincy Adams and William Penn, the founder of Pennsylvania.
Below your feet is the original pavement of Roman Londinium and above your head is the spire from where Samuel Pepys watched the Great Fire of London. The church is quite the historical treasure trove. My original cartoon art, exhibited at the event (samples of which are replicated here) was donated to the church by the guild and proceeds from the sales of Drawn From History on the night have also been gifted in order to sustain its ongoing ministry and maintain the Grade 1 listed building.
If you are hosting an event and would like some cartoons to be used in the marketing, don’t hesitate to get in touch and commission some bespoke artwork. If you’d like to order some cartoons for any other purpose I would be happy to have a conversation. Also, if you’re in Tower Hill in the near future, take some time to visit the church and crypt museum at All Hallows-by-the-Tower, a truly fascinating place which many people walk past not knowing it’s even there!
