Famous Gnomes and their Associates
The most famous book about gnomes is called quite simply ‘Gnomes’ and was the work of Rien Poortvliet and Wil Huygen, of Holland. Until their book was published, first in Dutch, then internationally in 1976, gnomes were simply figures of folklore. Poortvliet and Huygen, in their own words ‘studied and interviewed gnomes for two decades’ before producing a field guide to gnomes that became a bestseller.
‘Gnomes’ covers all areas of gnomic culture, including architecture, education, courtship, medicine, industry, and relationships with other mythical creatures. The book which is constantly reprinted, has spawned an industry of tea-towels, cartoons and – of course – gnome statuettes.
Gordon MacKillop has become the owner of a controversial gnome. He even faces prosecution over the offending ornament. MacKillop was woken at nearly midnight, one evening in September 2006 by two police officers who warned him that the solar-powered gnome, dressed in full police uniform, with a miniature Alsatian dog as its companion, was offensive to his neighbours. They served him with a notice under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 for ‘placing a garden gnome with intent to cause harassment to Mr John McLean’. MacKillop has vowed to fight the notice.
Perhaps the most famous British gnome associate is the former Prime Minister, John Major. Although born in upmarket Sutton, Major grew up in the much more downmarket Brixton area (hence his claim to be a ‘Brixton boy’) after the family were forced to move to a poorer area as a result of the failure of his father's garden gnome business.
Gnome and Elvis photograph by Davierae, used under a creative commons attribution licence.
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