based in London, UK
Making Honey in Hackney on Their Rooftop
When I first met Philip Schild in 2005 in Broadway Market, London at the “Mile of Art”, I was immediately taken with his spirit. He stood smiling from behind the mesh of a bee-keeper’s hat, and as I passed him, he practically jumped into my path and tried excitedly to sell me his home-made honey. “Rooftop honey from Hackney, 1/2lb for two quid, 1lb is four quid.” Honey from Hackney? I was so impressed with this young boy, then no more than thirteen and how engaging he was, that his confidence and charm drew me in immediately.
I got to know him, his mother Nicola and her partner Ian over the next couple of years. Philip has Asberger’s syndrome and is incredibly bright and tends to become an expert in any subject he puts his mind to. Ian use to keep bees in Essex and when Philip was 10, Ian thought that given Philip’s current obsession with insects, he would give him one hive and see how he got on. With the help of Philips sustained interest the hives grew from one to eight and Philip and Ian had themselves a small business from their home.
A selection of these images were published in Guardian G2 in 2007. The article was mentioned that day in the House of Lords and media attention grew. Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall tracked down the family and challenged Ian and Philip to a blind taste test with his own honey on his River Cottage Program. Hackney Honey won.
