Deadline Looms To Donate To Hogarth Family's Pets Memorial

Funds urgently needed for replica stones for Dick the drake and Pompey the dog

There is a last call for donations towards the memorial stones for Hogarth's family pets, Dick the drake and Pompey the dog. The project may have to be abandoned unless donations reach the target before the deadline, next Tuesday, April 23rd.

The campaign to receive donations from the public to help create replica memorial stones to the animals in the new garden at Hogarth’s House has captured the support of academics, animal lovers and Hogarth enthusiasts.

But project co-ordinator for the Mulberry Garden, Val Bott, says that they are in urgent demand of final donations before the deadline.

"Despite the pledged £1,687 towards our total of £2,148, which is fantastic,if we don't reach our target the crowd-funding scheme does not allow us to claim the pledges and we lose them all."

The story of the duck memorial has attracted all sorts of donations, including some from academics specialising in the 18th century, local animal lovers and Hogarth enthusiasts and the story has been written up on the British Waterfowl Association's blog

"It would be really disappointing to have to tell them we can't use their donations. And the project needs every penny it can get," says Val.

The crowdfunding site was set up to raise funds to replace the touching memorials which were in the garden until at least 1850 but have disappeared without trace.

The carving shows that Dick was a drake; he may have lived with a small flock of ducks laying eggs for the Hogarths. The unique long-billed Memento Mori carving may originally have been executed by Hogarth himself.

The tribute to Pompey came long after William Hogarth’s time, so would have been installed by the lively women of the Hogarth household. The dog was probably named after the canine hero of a best-selling 18th century satirical novel “The History of Pompey the Little, or the Life and Adventure of a Lap-Dog”. Was Pompey a little lapdog or was this an ironic and humorous name for another tough pug like those Hogarth loved?

The replica memorials are part of the Mulberry Garden project, which will create a learning studio and an innovative "exhibition garden" as a venue for activities and events to engage new audiences with Hogarth and the other past residents.

A very successful 2016 exhibition looked at the affectionate way in which Hogarth depicted animals and the emotional links between animal and owner. It also compared 18th century attitudes to animals with those of today. The Hogarth Trust say they know visitors are intrigued by this theme.

The new garden will provide a high quality setting for the House, telling the whole story of the site from its origins as a 1680s orchard through life as a domestic garden and a nursery, and incorporating Hogarth's theories of art, such as his scrolling Line of Beauty, in planting and design features. Lost elements are being re-created including a skittle alley, a nut-walk and the pet memorials.

The project will allow Hogarth’s House to welcome many more visitors, increase its educational impact and involve local people of all ages in heritage and horticulture.

More details about the pet memorials, the Mulberry Garden Project and Hogarth's House are available at www.williamhogarthtrust.org.uk

Hogarth’s House is still closed to allow works which are part of the Mulberry Garden Project to be undertaken.

April 19, 2019