Mr Benn Walks Again at Putney Library
New exhibition to open with models and original drawings
Some of the exhibits on display featuring David McKee's character
July 19, 2024
This Saturday (20 July) sees a new exhibition on Mr Benn open at Putney Library.
Putney’s own cartoon character, whose TV series is still watched 50 years later, will feature in models, original drawings and letters from the author David McKee.
David McKee created the Mr Been character in the 60s and 70s when the artist lived in riverside Festing Road. He started all his stories with Mr Benn walking up the road, the character lived at 52, the artist at 54, to the dressing up shop where his adventures began. In the stories McKee called the road Festive because he didn’t like “festering”.
David McKee, also the creator of King Rollo and Elmer the Elephant, died in 2022 having spent most of his last years in France.
In 2006 retired journalist Hugh Thompson moved into the artist’s former home at 54. On discovering its history, he organised a stone to be put down in the street for which David McKee came for the unveiling in 2009.
In 2017 he arranged, with the author’s help, the naming of Festive Walk, the pathway which links with Ashlone Road.
The author famously wrote to the council “of all the places I have lived Festing Road is perhaps the best. Friendly, quiet and humane in proportions…to have a place named Festive Walk is an honour for Mr Benn and myself, we are both flattered” .
Over the years Hugh and David became friends and every year McKee would send a hand drawn New Year card. Although the Mr Benn series is over 50 years old and is watched on iPlayer the odd pilgrim still comes to Mr Benn’s birthplace.
In the course of this relationship Thompson not only organised themed street parties he started collecting Mr Benn memorabilia, which you can now see.
As he says” Mr Benn has put Festing/Festive Road and modern Putney on the nation’s cultural map. His message was its always best to smile, for me and many others he is still at it.”
The show is on until 7 September.
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