This past July I travelled to England to visit my husband's family and, while there, pay homage to George Orwell, the man whose masterpiece, Nineteen Eighty-Four, is the foundation of this website. I wanted to go to the places in and around London where he lived, died, and is buried. This being the year of his 100th birthday I considered it a blessing that I was able to be in England during this time.

I phoned my English friend, Zoe (whom I'd met in Australia thirty years ago) and asked her if she would do a homage to Orwell with me during our visit. She agreed it would be an exciting adventure and we planned our schedules accordingly. Just prior to leaving Canada I found the website of Andy MacDonald which chronicled a pilgrimage to Orwell he'd done in 1999 and gave addresses and directions for "Orwell's London"

The above is a photo of my "1984 is HERE" t-shirt hanging on-line ready to be folded and packed into my suitcase for the journey.

From pictures I'd formed in my mind during the reading of Orwell books and biographies there were certain places that held great interest for me. I wasn't able to visit all of them, due to their varied geographical areas and the time frame allowed, but I was able to visit many of them, including the one I MOST wanted to see.

The significance of the places I visited is better appreciated when people understand what significance they held for Orwell. Knowing how old he was at each place and what stage he was in his writing career will make it more interesting for Orwell Today readers. Therefore, with each photo I am including some basic background, garnered from books I've read before and after my visit.

My Homage to Orwell is presented in the order in which it was conducted, not in chronological order of his life.

...see also PILGRIMAGE TO ORWELL