CGM Posted 7 November , 2014 Share Posted 7 November , 2014 I certainly agree that the end of the war would have been more appropriate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pighills Posted 7 November , 2014 Share Posted 7 November , 2014 Yes, I agree, the end of the war would have been more appropriate and possibly far, far more effective? But then, if it had been really thought out, maybe they would have posted a poppy for each person who died on the day they died. Would that have worked? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David_Underdown Posted 7 November , 2014 Share Posted 7 November , 2014 Since it's based on CWGC data, then doing it on the day the person died would have taken us in to 2021. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragon Posted 7 November , 2014 Share Posted 7 November , 2014 Making it an extended tourist attraction is a prostitution of purpose. What next? Petitioning that the snow sticks around a bit longer so everyone can have more fun? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeatherC Posted 7 November , 2014 Share Posted 7 November , 2014 According to the Times today, re Boris Johnson's suggestion of extending the time the poppy field remain, Historic Royal Palaces have said ' The transience of the installation is key to the artistic concept'. I was surprised that the poppy field was an artistic concept. Am I alone in thinking what a load of b******s Whether you like it or not, this IS an art installation. That's how it was designed, installed and constructed. The fact that it's turned out to be more successful than expected and so a load of people are jumping on the bandwagon with "demands" (even though they had nothing to do with the thing in the first place) is hugely ironic. As for keeping it going for the duration, while I sympathise with the idea, it's not approporiate to change the thing now for all sorts of practical reasons which have already been stated here. Perhaps the focus now should be on looking at what to do to commemorate the centenary of the end of the war? I did see a few ideas on this had already been put forward. What about something for 1 July 2016? Let's look forward to the next rather than wailing about the present. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAW Posted 7 November , 2014 Share Posted 7 November , 2014 I heard on the news today that eBay has banned the 're-sale' of these poppies on their site. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiegeGunner Posted 7 November , 2014 Share Posted 7 November , 2014 I should think that the organisers are already worried enough about the possibility of a severe autumn storm before the poppies are removed from 12 November onwards, without the attendant risks of extending the duration of the display. In any case, how long will it take them to dismantle an installation of that size .... during which time I presume the public will still be able to view it? Probably at least the extra week that people have been asking for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CGM Posted 7 November , 2014 Share Posted 7 November , 2014 There are no vacancies left for volunteers to help remove the poppies but if any spaces do appear they will be listed here: twitter.com/HRP_Palaces facebook.com/toweroflondon poppies.hrp.org.uk CGM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlesa Posted 7 November , 2014 Share Posted 7 November , 2014 Dragon (Gwyn), my thoughts precisely. I have just emailed Mayor Johnson to that effect but I'm not holding my breath ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
esmeralda1961 Posted 7 November , 2014 Share Posted 7 November , 2014 Since when was art meant to be taken literally? The Tower symbolises defence of the nation to most people, despite the fact that its purpose was to stake the Norman claim to the possession of England, and I think that the metaphor of blood poured out in war for whatever reason works well with the Tower as a focus. In any case it looks amazing and I'm planning to go and see it. I heard that men gathered there at the start of the war ready to be marched out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
esmeralda1961 Posted 7 November , 2014 Share Posted 7 November , 2014 Put my Great uncles name forward for the roll of honour, to be read out and its been accepted. Jus clarifying some details, but it looks like its on the launch date. I am delighted for Uncle George.. You are lucky to have a photo. My photo is of my grandpa who was a suvivor. I made a dedication for his brother Walter who sadly did not return from the battle of Arras. I am totally appreciative of all photo for I am looking in the hope I may come across a photo of Walter E Bailey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CGM Posted 7 November , 2014 Share Posted 7 November , 2014 I have just watched the BBC TV lunchtime news. There are no plans to bring a halt to the arrangements for removing the poppies and it is expected to take two weeks to remove the all. Packing firms have been paid and are standing by to start sending them off. However, it has been decided to extend the time the poppies are illuminated into the night and people are being encouraged to continue visiting after 11th November, until all the poppies have been removed. We saw a quick flash of a large, muddy puddle with poppies standing in it and it was mentioned that keeping it going on for longer could jeopardise money intended to go to the charities. CGM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anneca Posted 7 November , 2014 Share Posted 7 November , 2014 CGM this is good news and I'm surprised they will be able to remove the poppies within two weeks - reckon if they were there much longer it would take even more time to clean them up and send them out. Hope mine isn't one of those standing in the mud! Anne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CGM Posted 7 November , 2014 Share Posted 7 November , 2014 I don't know the size of the groups to be brought in for removing the poppies but I image they could be much larger than the groups installing the poppies. No time need be spent in checking gaps before hammering the stems into the ground, etc and the line of volunteers could circle the Tower, start from the outside of the circle of poppies and just work inwards towards the tower walls. CGM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Lang Posted 7 November , 2014 Share Posted 7 November , 2014 It has to go asap so that the next money-(eh, charity)-making scheme can be launched. I wonder what will be next - there will be a 'next'. The misery of war is always a great source of stimulation for sympathy and sentiment - good all-round for the propaganda machine (and a nice little earner at the same time). Bah, humbug! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Wood Posted 7 November , 2014 Share Posted 7 November , 2014 As this has been such a success - and has raised loads for charity - and there are those who want to see it there for the duration of the centenary - why not do it again in 2018? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pooter Posted 7 November , 2014 Share Posted 7 November , 2014 It was very busy yesterday morning, very difficult to get round to see it all. We gave up and found the Merchant Navy memorial an oasis of calm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Posted 7 November , 2014 Share Posted 7 November , 2014 My idea would be to plant poppy seeds after they have gone and see them bloom each year, G Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Tom Posted 7 November , 2014 Share Posted 7 November , 2014 HeatherC I dare say you are correct. It was the 'transience' bit of the statement that I did not like. It may be impracticable to maintain the display, I am not suggesting that it should be. The Great War lasted four years. Transience, to me, suggests that the writer felt that remembrance should only be a passing phase. Old Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonraker Posted 7 November , 2014 Share Posted 7 November , 2014 Just seen a short item on ITV News. (If you can get ITV + 1 you can see it again at about 1940.) No explanation (such as weather risk, sales commitment, volunteers mustered to dismantle) about why the art installation/display can't continue, but it was reckoned that 4 million people would have visited it by November 11- and millions more will have seen media coverage. Wonder how much overseas TV and newspapers have featured it? Moonraker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonraker Posted 7 November , 2014 Share Posted 7 November , 2014 It has to go asap so that the next money-(eh, charity)-making scheme can be launched. I wonder what will be next - there will be a 'next'. The misery of war is always a great source of stimulation for sympathy and sentiment - good all-round for the propaganda machine (and a nice little earner at the same time). Bah, humbug! The vast majority of people - and (nearly?) all of us her on the GWF - agree that this "scheme" has been a great success in focusing attention on the sacrifice of so many. Would you rather that it hadn't happened - in which case charities would have lost out of some useful income? How else do you think it might have gone ahead without "a nice little earner" element. I suspect that a public appeal to finance it would have raised nothing like enough money. For the general public the display is likely to be the most abiding memory of the commemoration, and it will encourage some to show continuing interest. Moonraker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PBI Posted 7 November , 2014 Share Posted 7 November , 2014 The Artist who created the Project was speaking on LBC Tonight,and he made it very clear that he wants the Poppies removed and sent to the People who bought them as soon as possible after 11.11. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanCurragh Posted 7 November , 2014 Share Posted 7 November , 2014 I've just hidden a political comment - it really is remarkable that some of our long standing members haven't yet realised that modern politics is against forum rules Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WilliamRev Posted 7 November , 2014 Share Posted 7 November , 2014 I went to the Tower today - from what a number of people have said it was far less crowded than some previous days, although it seemed busy to me. My thoughts were along the lines of: if this is what 890,000 poppies for each of the British+Empire military dead look like, what would the 1.5 million of the French look like... and 2 million or more for the Germans? I think that the whole project has been a truly wonderful thing, and one that has captured the imaginations of millions of people who are not inclined to read books, or watch historical documentaries on TV. Here is the moat of blood at lunchtime today, under a fabulously cloudy, brooding sky, in a moment of sunshine. William Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sepoy Posted 7 November , 2014 Share Posted 7 November , 2014 Despite various health issues, I was not going to miss this fantastic commemoration for anything and, thanks to my Brother, I also visited the Tower today. If you get a chance to go before the 11th November - GO! It is an amazing sight. Sepoy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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