Jubilee Mural for the Market Place
A spectacular mural was unveiled in Kingston's Market Place on 7th November 2003. It illustrates in colour some 25 buildings, events and people associated with Kingston's Ancient Market Place during its thousand-year history, from the crowning of Saxon kings to the Queen's visit in her Golden Jubilee Year.
Unveiling the mural the Mayor of Kingston, Councillor Dennis Doe, said a respect for history was an essential basis for planning Kingston's future. 'If those involved in this planning need reminding of our history, they can come to this mural'. He commended 'the professionalism with which the mural has been researched and constructed, giving the Royal Borough a fitting memorial to the Queen's Jubilee'.
The mural is on the wall of the Shrubsole Passage, the medieval footpath linking the Thames with the Market Place and now a pedestrian route to Charter Quay. Measuring 6m (20ft) long and 1.2 (4ft) high, it was planned and commissioned by the Friends of Kingston Museum and Heritage Service, the Kingston upon Thames Society and the Kingston Tour Guides.
The mural was painted by John Richards, who combined traditional artistic skills with a creative use of the computer. Drawings in pencil and ink were scanned into a computer, where the artist fine-tuned each one with a special computer drawing tool, added the captions from a keyboard, and then manoeuvred the elements into the final composition.
The drawings-still uncoloured-were transferred by Burnham Signs of Sydenham onto four steel panels. These were fired in a kiln to give them a durable, weather-resistant surface. The artist then added the finishing touches in colour by hand, after which a second firing completed the process.
The mural was designed and constructed with the support of the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, a National Lottery 'Awards for All' Grant, Borders Books & Music, the National Westminster Bank, Pallmers Solicitors, the Rowan Bentall Charity Trust and St George West London Ltd.
END 11/11/03