Animal Farm
Animal Farm is a beast fable, in the form of a satirical allegorical novella, by George Orwell, first published in England on 17 August 1945. It tells the story of a group of anthropomorphic farm animals who rebel against their human farmer, hoping to create a society where the animals can be equal, free, and happy. Ultimately, the rebellion is betrayed, and under the dictatorship of a pig named Napoleon, the farm ends up in a state as bad as it was before.
The original title was Animal Farm: A Fairy Story, but U.S. publishers dropped the subtitle when it was published in 1946, and only one of the translations during Orwell's lifetime, the Telugu version, kept it. Other title variations include subtitles like "A Satire" and "A Contemporary Satire".
Orwell wrote the book between November 1943 and February 1944, when the United Kingdom was in its wartime alliance with the Soviet Union against Nazi Germany, and the British intelligentsia held Stalin in high esteem. The manuscript was initially rejected by several British and American publishers, including one of Orwell's own, Victor Gollancz, which delayed its publication. It became a great commercial success when it did appear as international relations and public opinion were transformed as the wartime alliance gave way to the Cold War.
Time magazine chose the book as one of the 100 best English-language novels (1923 to 2005).
It also featured at number 31 on the Modern Library List of Best 20th-Century Novels, and number 46 on the BBC’s The Big Read poll. It won a Retrospective Hugo Award in 1996 and is included in the Great Books of the Western World selection.
George Orwell in Hampstead
George Orwell lived in Hampstead, specifically, in the house that still exists at 77 Parliament Hill, on the edge of Hampstead Heath, during the 30s.
Additionally, he worked as a part-time assistant at Booklovers' Corner, a second-hand bookshop that existed in South Hampstead (on the corner of Pond Street and South End Green).
Currently, the bookshop no longer exists. There, in addition to a franchise of a bakery, there is a commemorative plaque outside, dedicated to the period that the author worked there, between 1934-35.
About the Cache
In honor of George Orwell's work and the period in which the writer lived and worked in Hampstead, we have placed this cache to draw the attention of GeoCachers to this moment in British literary history.
The final location where our cache is located is:
N51 33.ABC W000 10.DEF
ATTENTION: The cache was moved to a new host on December 9, 2024. The new formula for solving the puzzle was also updated on this date.
To crack this puzzle you will need to answer the following questions in the published coordinates. Check the black and white plaque on the house.
A = number of letters in the last word of the fourth line.
B = number of letters of the whole fourth line
C = number of letters in the profession of George Orwell.
D = number of flowers drawn on the plaque
E = number of numeric digits that you can see on the plaque
F = George Orwell died in 19F0
Check sum for all the digits in the final coordinates = 45.
After solving the puzzle, you’ll be looking for a magnetic micro cache. BYOP, the cache has only a log strip for you to sign your find, but no pen/pencil. There's enough space for small TBs if you dare. ;-)
Sometimes this area can be very busy, especially on weekends, with many families enjoying the park. Therefore, be very careful and try not to appear suspicious when searching for and handling the cache.
About Hampstead_Twins
We are Hampstead locals and have recently discovered GeoSearching activity. As we are delighted with the place where we live and with the stories we find in every corner of this locality, we decided to share some curious facts about our neighbourhood and encourage GeoSearching activity in the region. We hope you enjoy.
If you found any errors, had any ideas for improvement while doing the route or even just want to talk with us and encourage more caches like this one, feel free to send us a message. We will respond to everyone as soon as possible. Let’s get in touch.
What’s next?
This cache is the first in a multi series of seven, known as the Hampstead Writers Series. The series is a tribute to the periods of time that famous writers (British or not) lived and contributed with the Hampstead community.
#1 George Orwell - Animal Farm
#2 Julia Donaldson - Stick Man
#3 Aldous Huxley - Brave New World
#4 Agatha Christie - The Mousetrap
#5 H. G. Wells - Floor Games
#6 D. W. Lawrence - The Rainbow
#7 J. B. Priesley - The Good Companions
So, how about trying to find another cache in the heart of Hampstead? Search for any other cache from this series and have fun!