Journal Extracts
I began making my first photographs in that space at 8.30 am on the morning of the 26th of June 2000.
I started from the point that Laurent handed me the camera. Kneeling down, my first thought was of evidence of activity over the years preceding our visit. I made photographs of the bench area around the leaders sitting position, taking particular attention of how heels and toes of presumably well polished shoes and boots had scraped the surfaces, revealing lighter wood beneath the dark, oak surfaces.
Whilst in this position I looked up and could hardly believe what I was seeing. A piece of chewing gum or similar, had been left; maybe for devilment by another occupant of the chamber, maybe out of necessity by the leader himself, underneath the ‘Table of the House’ and directly beneath his microphone. [2] This was startling and I began making photographs of it immediately. The object itself can of course be found in many other places of interest, but it’s presence here lent an air of considerable excitement and hilarity.
We kept this from our guide, who possibly would have been compromised by the information. As we were to find out, the guides were an assorted bunch of characters, all ages, mainly of the working classes, many ex police or armed services. Their duty as incumbents of the Serjeant at Arms was to protect the Crown at all costs, even though the Monarch can never actually enter the chamber, vigilance is their code and they look like they would prove to be extremely efficient in hand to hand combat especially.
Our morning continued and we meandered around the chamber under the watchful eye of our guide. Photographs were made of the following;
Microphones, Carpet areas, Debris, discarded speeches, sweet wrappers and so on. [3], [4] and [5]. Conscious of time closing in on us I shot off the few remaining frames, concentrating on the microphones hanging from the ceiling. This was rather rushed and it was uncertain if any of these have any real value for my work.