London Lore: Whittington: The Man, the Myth & the Cat

Every London child learns the story of Dick Whittington. It's a rags-to-riches tale that teaches us not to give up even if everything seems hopeless, that England's historic capital city is a place of great opportunity, and having a cat is good. What more could you want?

The story's been spread by chapbooks, ballads, in children's books, plays and pantomime. It's part of London's folklore, commemorated with a marker stone and cat statue on Highgate Hill. This is the spot where, according to legend, Dick stopped on a planned exodus from London, disillusioned by his hard life as a kitchen servant. As he rested, he heard the sound of Bow Bells, and it seemed to offer a prophecy: "Turn again Whittington, thrice Lord Mayor of London!" He did turn back and, with the help of his rodent-catching cat who earned him wealth, the prophecy came true.

Sadly, this is mostly fiction. The very basics are true: Richard Whittington did exist, and he was given the post of London Mayor three times in the late 14th and early 15th centuries. However, he came from a wealthy family, made more money through supplying luxury goods to the nobility and royalty, and never worked as a servant. I was also very sad to learn there's no evidence Whittington ever owned a cat, or that he even liked them.

He was a philanthropist, well-liked, and paid for many worthwhile public causes, including founding the first Guildhall Library. The library is currently hosting an exhibition: Whittington: The Man, the Myth and the Cat.

I visited and took the photos on this post when I was there. It's a very small exhibition, but full of information showing how the transformation from real person to folk hero happened. It features chapbooks, children’s books, works relating to pantomimes and how the cat entered the story. Apparently the link is probably a pun on words, possibly because a fleet of boats used for import and export was known as a "catte".

The magical power of London's famous church bells is an aspect I would like the exhibition to have covered in more detail. The bells of St Mary-le-Bow also feature in the nursery rhyme Oranges and Lemons, and traditionally a true Cockney - or even a true Londoner  - had to be born within the sound of the bells.

Whittington: The Man, The Myth and The Cat runs until 21 August at Guildhall Library, Aldermanbury, London EC2V 7HH. It's open from 10am to 4pm, Mon to Thu. Admission is free. https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/events/whittington-the-man-the-myth-and-the-cat

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