Richard Gilpin researches pods for the LFA

22 July 2008

In May 2008 Hayley James (Volunteer Co-ordinator) asked for a volunteer,from the existing pool of volunteers, to work with the Museum and the London Festival of Architecture for two weeks.  Richard Gilpin, thankfully, had some time spare and carried out some amazing work enabling the project to move forward.

Richard has provided this report:

"Towards the end of March, the Museum's Early Department was asked by Pipers (the leading architectural model makers) to contribute to the 2008 London Festival of Architecture. This contribution would be in the form of posters that Pipers would laminate and mount onto clusters of industrial-strength cardboard drums called pods, which would be placed at seven locations around the City.

"The Museum agreed that each pod should carry eye-catching images and short pieces of text and this meant that a fair bit of research and writing would be needed.  Hayley was asked to find a volunteer to take on some of the workload and I met Francis Grew, (Curator Archaeology), late in April. Together we worked out a strategy, which involved me walking around the City to check out the pod sites, taking photographs of anything interesting and then using the Museum's own text and image resources for research.

"May was a very busy month indeed and by the end of my spell with Francis I had nearly worn out my shoes, provided the Museum with around a hundred copyright-free photographs and unearthed masses of information and images using one of the Museum's computers.

"I had created 30 posters with sets of text and images from which the Museum would make a choice but pressure on my time meant that by the end of May a few posters still remained for completion by Early London.  I greatly enjoyed the experience and am grateful to Hayley and Francis for giving my such an opportunity."

Francis says, "Contributing to the Festival was a great idea, but it involved a huge amount of research and there was very little time.  So Richard's contribution was absolutely vital.  With great enthusiasm, he tramped the City's streets, searching out pubs with a past or statues with a secret.  Later, in the Museum's Picture Library, he trawled through thousands of old maps and images of archaeological discoveries.  This was essential work that I simply didn't have time to do.

"As I walk past the pods each day, I notice that the Museum's panels are the ones that attract the most attention.  That is largely down to Richard's eye for what makes a good story".

The Festival opened on 20 June and other volunteers may wish to talk a walk around the City visiting the pods at Moorgate, Broadgate, Devonshire Square, St Mary Axe, Queenstreet, Cheapside and Paternoster Square.