Arthur Phillip became a hero of mine as I researched the life and times of my forebears 'Robert Forrester, First Fleeter' and 'Paul Bushell, Second Fleeter'. Accordingly, I've written two blog posts in tribute to Phillip - as the father of Australia and as an example of the spirit we need on Australia Day.
In London on previous visits I've located his old 'haunts' in and around Cheapside in the City, where he was born in 1738. It's on my bucket list to visit the various sites paying tribute to him in Bath, where he died in 1814. On a recent trip to London, when my time was limited, I restricted myself to viewing the latest acknowledgement of his place in history, a special flagstone inserted into the floor of Westminster Abbey.
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| Magnificent Westminster Abbey |
Some years ago I did the full tour of the Abbey with my then 7-year-old daughter. She even did a brass rubbing (permitted then), still secreted somewhere in my house. With that experience in mind, this time I chose to forego the crowds of tourists flocking to the Abbey and instead opted to attend Evensong, hoping to spot the memorial stone during the service.
Unfortunately the central aisle was roped off on Sunday 26 November 2017 and visitors could not walk that way.
After the service I asked one of the ushers to show me the spot commemorating Phillip. She was happy to do so but declined permission for me to take a photo. The remarkably small memorial stone could easily be missed if you weren't on the lookout for it. Still, it gave me a buzz to see it.
A photo could be purchased, my guide said, and I was advised to email the office via the Abbey's website. This I did, establishing contact and explaining my interest. It led to an unexpected little adventure a few days later, when I happened to be researching at the City of Westminster Archives Centre.
The Centre being located close to the Abbey, I decided to call in at the Abbey's shop and buy my photo, thereby avoiding the hassle of sending a small amount of money in the mail. The shop assistant redirected me to an impressive doorway accessed via the Dean's Yard.
The Centre being located close to the Abbey, I decided to call in at the Abbey's shop and buy my photo, thereby avoiding the hassle of sending a small amount of money in the mail. The shop assistant redirected me to an impressive doorway accessed via the Dean's Yard.
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| What's behind this door? |
I announced my presence into the intercom, heard a click as the lock was released and stepped into a rather Dickensian and very silent space.
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| Behind the door |
The room seemed empty but then I heard a voice saying 'This way please'. A lady stood at the top of the spiral staircase. I climbed up and followed her to a dusty archives room where the photo sale and purchase took place. What fun!
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| Up the spiral staircase |
I opened the sealed envelope - and here it is. The photo I worked so hard to get! I have permission to use it in this low-res form on my blog, with a Facebook link. The memorial's wording seems perfect to me, every bit of it true, and the design is tastefully executed.
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| Flagstone Tribute to Arthur Phillip Copyright:Dean and Chapter of Westminster |
Now I hope that every Australian visitor to Westminster Abbey will be on the lookout for this stone in the floor of the central nave and will say a silent 'thank you' for the example set by a man who showed remarkable qualities of leadership in the face of great adversity.
By the way, my book 'Robert Forrester, First Fleeter' will shortly be reprinted as a Second Edition. Click here for the latest update about that book.
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