Today, in 2002,
reformer’s
tree is just a point on the map where several footpaths meet in
Hyde Park,
London,
England. It is between
Speaker’s Corner and the
Serpentine.
At the crossroads, there is a low mound, a bit like a traffic circle on the ground. It is covered in white and black pebbles. Closer inspection will reveal that The pebbles form the design of a black tree on a white background.
This is a memorial to a real tree, that stood on this spot. The first lawful public meetings took place here in 1872, after the right of assembly was established.
It is still the starting point of marches and rallies. For instance, an estimated 16 000 people gathered here in March 1998 for a march to legalise cannabis.