TolcakeHeroes - Charlie Spooner Tolworth

Sam Tout - Tolcake Haiku 

A few months ago we started a new exhibition at Tolworth Station with our What If posters. It has been a great success and has included work from artists Sam Tout, Bryan Benge and Alban Low. We'll finish this exhibition in the next few weeks and I'm sure we will revisit the format in the future. But worry not public art lovers because we have another venture up our collective sleeves.

Alban Low - Tolcake Hero

Sam and Alban have begun a new exhibition in Tolworth today, this time along its famous Broadway. They have written haiku and had them engraved on brass effect plaques. Alban has chosen to write about heroes of Tolworth while Sam has found inspiration from cakes he is eating in the Broadway shops and cafes. They have placed the first two brass plaques out on benches today. Go and have a look for yourself.

Sam's haiku today was inspired by a Caramel Bun from Costa Coffee (55-57 Tolworth Broadway, Surbiton KT6 7DW)

Sweet Tolworth cake rain, 

On caramel roundabouts, 

Creamy clouds blow out 

Alban's haiku is inspired by Charlie Spooner (aged 13) who rescued a school chum from the Hogg's Mill river in 1909. He was awarded a special certificate from the Royal Humane Society and was lauded as a hero in the local area. The boy he saved was so grateful he gave Charlie all his worldly possessions including his swimming shorts, a fishing rod, 3 farthings and a quantity of cake. Unfortunately Charlie died 5 years later and is buried in St Mary's Churchyard, Long Ditton.

A special thank you to Robin Hutchinson and The Community Brain who has made this project possible. More next week when Sam eats a massive doughnut and I celebrate the life of the great Thomas Dumper.