NIPPER ALLEY

Upon commencing their twelve month residency in the Toilet Gallery, Kingston upon Thames, the Copernicium artists - Patrick Blower, Dave Loder & Kate Renwick - realised that, although many people had heard of the gallery, its exact location was relatively unknown. Realising the small street the gallery was on had no signs for a street name, while definitely a public highway, and further finding no records of any name being given, the artists saw an opportunity to name the street themselves.

Research soon uncovered the fact that one of the borough’s most notable residents was Nipper, the dog made famous as the model in the painting by Francis Barraud and which subsequently became the HMV trademark. Indeed, Nipper was buried in a site that is now the car park behind Lloyds Bank on Clarence St and which is no more than 100 metres from the site of the Toilet Gallery. Apart from a small plaque inside the entrance to the bank, Nipper had, to their knowledge, no other memorial in Kingston and the artists made representation to the council to have the byway named, Nipper Alley.

On the 16th December 2009, the artists stood before the Kingston Town Neighbourhood Committee, with the support of Graham McNally of Kingston First, to speak for the case of Nipper Alley. After discussion among the committee members, a decision was granted in favour of the artists proposal. Following a public consultation stage with no objections, the naming came into effect on the 5th February 2010.

Artist Nick Lott was commissioned to cast a special 'dog height' sign to accompany the standard regulation street plaques, which was unveiled at a public ceremony on the 10th March 2010 by HMV's current 'Nipper' stand-in.

Nipper Alley was part of the 'Open Road' exhibition, and supported by Arts Council England and HMV.