https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/street-cat-bob-memorial-statue
"Most of the 1,100 monuments scattered around London are dedicated to
individuals who carried out heroic deeds in the service of the Crown. Others
applaud the achievements of persons in the fields of arts or sciences. However,
there is one unorthodox statue dedicated to a furry, famous Londoner who once
walked on four legs.
In the south-east corner of a park in the borough of Islington, lies a
life-size bronze of a cat named Bob, who rests perched on a stack of books.
This feline was immortalized in a series of novels written by his adopted
owner, James Bowen. These two individuals were able to look after one another,
and in turn, their lives became the stuff of legend.
Bowen published the first book of their adventures together in 2012. The story
of how this wayward grimalkin was able to help the busker overcome homelessness
and drug dependency has warmed the hearts of many. In 2016, the first novel,
A
Street Cat Named Bob: And How He Saved My Life, was made into a film. A series
of five more books followed. Bob passed away at the age of 14 in 2020.
In 2021, British artist Tanya Russell, who is known for her animal sculptures,
was commissioned to depict Bob wearing his signature scarf. There is also a
pink granite bench with a quote from Mr. Bowen: “He is my companion, my best
friend, my teacher and my soulmate. And he will remain all of those things.
Always.”"
Via Whuffo and Susan ****
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
