Monday 6 August 2012

The Olympic mascots

The mascots for the London Olympics are called Wenlock and Mandeville. The name Wenlock comes from a small town in Shropshire called Much Wenlock where the Wenlock Olympian society organised their first games in 1850. It was here that Baron de Coubertin got the idea to create a global games event. Much Wenlock still hold their own games each July.

Mandeville is named after Stoke Mandeville Hospital which started their own games for injured soldiers in 1948 which became the forerunner of the paralympics.

The mascots are full of symbolism. They are supposed to have been created from the last two drops of steel that remained after constructing the Olympic stadium. The 3 points on Wemlock's head represent the 3 medals and the one eye is the lens of a camera recording everything that happens.

Here are a few Wenlocks I found around London

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Wimbledon Wenlock

Aquarium Wenlock


Arty Wenlock































This is a Beefeater Mandeville





I can't decide whether I like them or not. As one paper said 'cute or just creepy'. However they have been a huge success with schoolchildren who have embraced the technology that goes alongside the mascots including computer games etc so maybe it's a generation thing!

35 comments:

  1. Great post, and very informative. Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.

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  2. I agree with Riet! they are colorful and fun! Great variety of captures of Wenlock and Mandeville!! Hope you have a wonderful week!

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  3. I just love Wenlock ... especially Sonnet Wenlock. They're SO colorful and fun.
    I saw one in the arena posing with Usain Bolt after he'd won the 100m .... Looked gorgeous!!

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  4. Your Wenlocks are all cute, I love them. They are so colorful and fun looking. Great post and I enjoyed the photos. Have a wonderful week!

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  5. Thanks for sharing this … the mascots become more compelling when the symbolism of them is understood. Also nice to see the differing environments they’ve been placed in. Noticing the sign on each of the pedestals I have to say I wouldn’t think of climbing on one. :)

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  6. Wonderful, a nice series of photos, excellent flowers, greetings.

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  7. Fun mascots. I enjoyed the shots.

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  8. There certain is quite a number of variations which does add to the fun of the mascots.

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  9. Great shots of the mascots! We were in London recently and the kids just loved the mascots... So cute.

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  10. great series of wenlocks. they add a nice decoration to the streets.

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  11. I think they are cute! and the background/history for them is very interesting.

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  12. Awesome!!! I hadn't seen Mandeville yet, anyhow I prefer Wemlock. :p

    A LOT more interesting now that you've shared their background, thanks! :o)

    Funny coincidence, my sister just sent me a stuffed Wemlock for my birthday last week! :D

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  13. Whoa! What a collection!
    Great captures.

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  14. I've just been looking back through your last twenty or so posts. What a fantastic lot of photos you have! You seem to be an official for the Olympics - working in the Olympic Village? What wonderful memories you will have after these three weeks. Well done you! (I am a little envious!!!!)

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  15. Hi there - I like them! They are not a sickly cute as some other mascots!

    I suppose the crocs and stingers may all be a bit new to you - but then again they were new to me too!

    Cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne

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  16. Wow, you certainly found quite a few of them. Thanks for teaching about English and Olympics history.

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  17. I think they're cute and fun. :)

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  18. I think they are really a nice mascotte. The Olympics always have though? I remember a yellow figure in Barcelona I bought at that time.

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    Replies
    1. Cobi!!! A cubist dog! :p
      I had quite a few little figurines of him as a kid that my grandparents gave me. And in memory of how much we used to like him my sister sent me a Wemlock! :o)

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  19. une belle crise de delirium des artistes ;))


    Publicity ;o) Every Friday (and the Weekend), The Challenge "Walk In The Street Photography"

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  20. Oh I love the wenlocks ~ so creative and unique ~ Great photography ~ thanks for sharing this tour ~ (A Creative Harbor)

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  21. I didn't know and I haven't seen a single one, and I was yesterday in London first at London Tower for the Crown jewels and then through the whole city sitting on the 2nd floor of the bus to have a nice view. Maybe I took a picture of one without knowing what it was ;) !

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  22. I think it's a cute mascot, and it's the first I've seen of it. (I don't watch any TV so I sometimes miss things like this...)

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  23. I have to say I find them creepy and kind of disturbing and I do apologise in advance but my warped mind makes me think of... well lets just say tadpoles shall we!?

    I have to say though that I love your images and the fact the London is looking so cool right now. Just not sure Wenlock and Mandeville are our best representative of this wonderful city.

    Mollyxxx

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  24. They're a little weird to me, but I loved this post because it shows a side of London during the Olympics that I never would have known about and it delights me!!!

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  25. you must have spent a lot of time finding them all. :) Quite funny masacots.

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  26. Cute and creepy from the country that brought us the Teletubbies. How we stretch the imagination! Another Olympic sport!

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  27. Oh the mascots looked so cute. I love the opening ceremony with the queen and Mr. Bean something so different from the normal olympic opening ceremony.

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  28. Amazing the artistry that went into the Wenlocks. I enjoyed your photos of them.

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  29. They look quite funny indeed:)Thanks for sharing.Have a great day!

    Shantana

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  30. I think they would grow on you. I liked the Beefeater one best.

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  31. Fantastic photographs. I am greeting

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  32. Eine tolle Kollektion, so niedliche Maskottchen...
    Liebe Grüße, Karin

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