West Putney street celebrates the Diamond Jubilee with a permanent memorial

While town halls, cities, corporates and even nations splash the cash to salute the Queen’s Jubilee one street in Putney has found its own way of marking the event. A commemorative paving stone. Festing Road in West Putney, is not only having a street party, its own mugs designed but on Tuesday May 15 put down its own Jubilee memorial.

After the Council workmen had finished  the job a small crowd of residents gathered to celebrate. One little girl who dressed up specially got it a bit wrong when she cried,”I thought we  were going to meet the Queen.”

Street organiser Hugh Thompson says: “Why should pavements be dull places, just for walking on. Why can’t they tell a story, be part of the culture and make statement  both for  now and for the future. Our stone  states “ Happy and Glorious Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond  Jubilee 2012”. We are happy because she is glorious. Wandsworth Council have been very supportive, though charging us £230 for removing and replacing one paving stone  underlines  why they say London’s streets are paved with gold. Getting the engraving done cost another £180.”

In 2009, Festing Road residents clubbed together to pay for a paving stone to commemorate storyteller David McKee – the creator of famous cartoon character Mr Benn, who lived at number 52 in the similarly named Festive Road.

McKee, who used to live in the Putney street, remains the subject of a paving stone in the road, which reads: “Festive Road, Home of story teller David McKee and his creation Mr Benn.”

Festing Road’s paving engravings were the brainchild of retired writer, Hugh Thompson, who was inspired by similar street etchings he saw during a visit to Sydney, in Australia.

Mr Thompson, who has lived in Putney for 35 years, said:
“I think these engravings are a very nice way for the inhabitants of the street to leave some sort of legacy – these are things that will live on.  I suppose they are a sort of alternative to the blue plaques you see on buildings, only pavement engravings offer something a little different.”

May 15, 2012