African Palm Crosses, Pack of 100

The making of palm crosses was started in Devon and Cornwall as very much a “cottage industry” and by the 1950’s this had all but disappeared. The Reverend Talbot, at this time, was with Bishop Huddleston in Tanzania and living in a village called Namakambale. In 1957 he was visited in the village by two English botanists who were able to identify and confirm that the low bushes that had long leaves growing from them were indeed genuine palms. This prompted Reverend Talbot to teach the locals to harvest the leaves and make the crosses. He also, through his UK contacts, arranged for an English church in London to purchase them. The funds were then used to begin the education of the children of the village.