• Home
  • About
    • Work with Me
  • Travel Planning & Itineraries
  • Destinations
    • England
    • France
    • Italy
    • Scotland
    • United States
    • Wales
  • Mental Health
  • Lifestyle
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Bloglovin
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
Life Well Wandered

Life Well Wandered

12 November 2014 · Leave a Comment

Lest We Forget : Helping With the Tower of London Poppies

Destinations· London· School· Study Abroad

Share this post:

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share on Pinterest Share on LinkedIn Share on Email

Today was one of those days that words just cannot describe. Wow.

I got up early to meet my friend Katie to walk to the Tower of London because we had a time slot to volunteer in the moat, helping to dismantle the Tower of London Poppies Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red installation.

Each of the 888,246 ceramic poppies in the installation represents a British life lost during World War I. On July 17, the first poppy was “planted” and Tuesday 11 November, a thirteen-year-old army cadet planted the last one. The poppies were planted to appear as a sea of blood coming from the Tower’s Weeping Window (see below).

tower of london poppies

tower of london poppies

We arrived at the Tower early, which was perfect–we didn’t have to fight tourists for pictures of the full moat! Here are some of my favorite shots (I forewarn—there are lots of poppy pictures in this post…)


tower of london poppies memorial

We had some time to spare so we decided to try out a White Mulberries at St. Katharine’s Docks, a little area right by the Tower that I had yet to explore. The cafe and area were super cute! I can’t wait to go back!

white mulberries london

We headed back to our meeting place which was under the ticket booths. Allocated into group 9, we excitedly awaited our instruction for the rest of the morning! Before I get going on what we did for the rest of the morning, I want to say how awesome the people with us were. There were maybe two other American besides us (and they had been living here for years) and the rest of the men and women were British. It was honestly the most British people I had been around at one time since coming to London (hurrah for super international cities!). Throughout the day we chatted over the poppies and many “sorry”‘s were exchanged. The sense of camaraderie and coming together over the activity was amazing as well.

 

tower of london poppies

 

So once we got briefed on safety measures (i.e. don’t impale yourself with the metal rods) we were handed little buttons that would tell the beefeaters we were legally allowed into the moat. So glad we got a souvenir for volunteering!

tower of london poppies

 

We headed outside and over and into the moat. I can’t describe what I was feeling as we walked in—you can’t go into the moat regularly at all. The Queen and Prime Minister were recently there. And the Chancellor of the Exchequer was there earlier that morning too! Needless to say, I was walking where few (or a few thousand) had walked before! The wave of volunteers taking poppy pictures upon entering the moat was crazy and we, of course, joined in!

tower of london poppy

We headed to our station where we had to build our work tent (well, we watched a few men build the tent…) But then we started pulling out the poppies! Our supervisor, who looked uncannily like Benedict Cumberbatch, gave us instructions on how to get the poppies up without breaking them, stabbing ourselves, or stabbing other people, and, fitted with garden gloves and goggles, off we went!

See also  Camden & Camden Lock Market

 

tower of london poppies

 

Katie and I spent about an hour and a half pulling out the poppies, where we had to separate the washers, rods, and poppies into different groups. For the last 30 minutes (when it poured) we sorted out the washers under the tent and luckily stayed dry.

While it was a fun experience overall, chatting with new people and getting time outside and just being in such a unique place, I kept remembering how each poppy I was pulling up represented a life lost 100 years ago. The small dent we made at the end of our three-hour shift was a testament to just how many losses Britain experienced—It’s one thing to read about it in a textbook or on a website, but it’s another thing to experience it firsthand. You don’t quite realise how large a number 888,246 is until it’s staring you in the face.

 

tower of london poppies

 

It’s also surreal to see the majority of people with poppies on their jacket lapels as I walk around London. It amazing to see the poppy wreaths laid at the World War memorial on Embankment. The buses and the taxis all have poppies on their grills. Everyone remembers, just as the poem says we will:

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

This has been my favorite day in London so far. Here are some more pictures from the experience!

 

 

volunteering at the tower of london poppies
 ~Lest we forget~

You may also like

Share this post:

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share on Pinterest Share on LinkedIn Share on Email
Previous Post: « 36 Hours Is Not Enough Time in Paris
Next Post: Borough Market in London: The Best Food Stalls »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Welcome to Life Well Wandered

alex life well wandered

Welcome to my corner of the internet! Life Well Wandered is a travel blog where you'll find a little bit of everything. I love sharing itineraries from past trips, secret spots I've discovered on my travels, histories of places I find fascinating, and stories about my mental health.

  • Bloglovin
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
Life Well Wandered

Search

What’s New

  • A Guide to Stow-on-the-Wold in the Cotswolds
  • The Real-Life Inspiration for Moria? Exploring St. Edward’s Church in Stow-on-the-Wold
  • A Lord of the Rings Guide to the Cotswolds: Places That Inspired Tolkien’s World
  • Day Trips from London: Stonehenge & Salisbury
  • Visiting Upper Slaughter in the Cotswolds: A Guide
Follow
college tourist

Note: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Please check our disclosure page for more information.

lifewellwandered

My favorite stop in Bruges was City Hall. Built in My favorite stop in Bruges was City Hall. Built in 1376, it is one of the oldest in the Low Countries and has been used as the seat of the city government for over 600 years. 🤓
Inside City Hall is the beautiful gothic hall. It was remodeled in the 19th century and decorated with beautiful murals and woodwork from floor to ceiling. The ceiling dates from 1385. The murals were painted in the 19th century and depict different people from Belgian history, including Jan Van Eyck, Brueghel, Rubens, and more. 😍 #lifewellwandered
If you fancy climbing up about 400 steps in a spir If you fancy climbing up about 400 steps in a spiral staircase, then consider visiting the Belfry in Bruges. From the top, you'll see just how beautiful Bruges is, with its winding streets and orange rooftops. 😍
Dating back to the 13th century, the Belfry is the most important tower in Bruges. At over 83 meters (272 feet) tall, it was an important status symbol in the Middle Ages. It formerly housed the treasury and city archives, as well as a market for the town. 🏰
At the top of the tower, you'll find a carillon—47 bells playable by hand with a keyboard—with bells ranging in weight from two pounds to 11,000 pounds. Historically, the bells were used not only to mark the passage of time but also to alert residents of fires, work hours, or important events. Today, if you visit at the top of the hour, you'll get to experience the ringing of the bells. 🛎 #lifewellwandered
In March of 2015, I began my biggest trip around E In March of 2015, I began my biggest trip around Europe to date. We had about 5 weeks off (during which we were supposed to be revising for exams) so my friend and I took the opportunity to see as much of Europe as possible while also getting to know each stop as well as possible. A hard balance to strike, but we did the best we could! 🇪🇺
Our first stop was Bruges. We visited on the day of a solar eclipse, but it was already cloudy and foggy so the lack of sunlight wasn’t noticed. We spent our day in Bruges wandering around the streets and eating waffles - not a bad start to a trip around Europe that would be characterized by eating and wandering! 🍽 #lifewellwandered
The last stop on my series of day trips around Eng The last stop on my series of day trips around England was Windsor. I had been close to Windsor once before but had yet to visit Windsor Castle or the town. Windsor Castle was overwhelming. 🏰
It is the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world, founded by William the Conqueror and the home of 39 monarchs. We spent hours walking around the various wings and exhibits, trying to absorb everything we could. Have you visited Windsor Castle before? 👑 #lifewellwandered
Bath is most famous for, well, its Roman baths. As Bath is most famous for, well, its Roman baths. As a Roman history nerd, Bath was on my to-visit list for ages and I spent my entire visit to the baths geeking out over all of the artifacts and ruins. 🤓
For thousands of years, 240,000 gallons of 115ºF water has risen into this spring, known as the Sacred Spring, daily. In Roman times, this phenomenon was believed to be the work of the Gods, so Romans built a temple dedicated to the goddess Sulis Minerva, a deity with healing powers, around the spring. Water from it feeds the Roman baths. 🛁 #lifewellwandered
Three churches have occupied the site of Bath Abbe Three churches have occupied the site of Bath Abbey since 757AD. There was first an Anglo-Saxon monastery, then a massive Norman cathedral (the foundations of which can be seen underground in one part of the Abbey) and then the present abbey church from the 1600s. ⛪️
The first King of England, King Edgar, was crowned here in 973 - his coronation set the precedent for the current coronation ceremony of all kings and queens of England. 👑 #lifewellwandered
I visited Winchester on what felt like the first w I visited Winchester on what felt like the first warm, sunny day in months. When you live in a place without regular sun, you always take advantage of beautiful days. Winchester made the perfect destination for a beautiful day spent walking around and exploring. 🤗
Winchester’s High Street is built along the original Roman street that led through the town. Today, it has buildings dating from the 16th century. The clock was presented after a visit from Queen Anne in 1713. 🕑 #lifewellwandered
Chances are, you’ve heard of the Knights of the Chances are, you’ve heard of the Knights of the Round Table. Did you know that the Round Table of King Arthur can be found in the Great Hall in Winchester? ⚔️
While this table was created around 1290, well after the death of King Arthur and his knights, it’s still impressive to visit. Weighing over one ton, it is thought to portray King Arthur on his throne surrounded by 24 places for his knights. King Henry VIII added a Tudor Rose during his reign. Swipe for a closer look at the table! 🤓 #lifewellwandered
In another edition of always visit the cathedral i In another edition of always visit the cathedral in the town you visit, I bring you Winchester Cathedral. One of the reasons why I chose to visit Winchester of all places was its connection to Jane Austen. Jane Austen spent the last weeks of her life in a house in Winchester and was laid to rest in its cathedral in 1817. ⛪️
Have you ever traveled somewhere because of a favorite author? 🤓 #lifewellwandered
Load More... Follow on Instagram
  • Home
  • About
  • Travel Planning & Itineraries
  • Destinations
  • Mental Health
  • Lifestyle

Copyright © 2023 · beloved theme by Restored 316