Sunday, November 01, 2015

'Dockers' by Les Johnson

London The Unfinished City
Holland, Ringwood and Tibbs.

Sunday November 1, 2015.

It was a particularly foggy Sunday November morning, in the Unfinished City, as I strolled around the old Royal Docks. Still, this helped to take some dramatic and atmospheric shots, as the area was pretty much deserted. 

This image of The Dockers, with the cranes disappearing into the fog, became one of my favourite shots of the morning.

Old Billingsgate Market

London The Unfinished City
Old Billingsgate Fish Market.

Sunday November 1, 2015.

I had seen this building from the south bank, and had always been fascinated by it. 

So, on a remarkably warm November afternoon, as I was walking along the north bank, I found myself in front of this remarkable building. 

One of the first things that struck me were its arches and ornate ironwork.

London The Unfinished City
A Free and Open Market for all sorts of fish whatsoever.

Millennium Mills

London The Unfinished City
Reflections on the Past.
Sunday November 1, 2015.

My first visit to London's Docklands was back in 1988. Saturday October 8, to be precise, to see Jean-Michel Jarre's Destination: Docklands concert. Jarre, his orchestra and choirs were situated on a 1,000 ton floating platform, while the freshly painted Millennium Mills acted as a screen for the various images and lasers.

London The Unfinished City
The rear of Millennium Mills

The grandstands, where the 200,000 spectators sat, have now been replaced with the ExCeL Centre, while the mills themselves are still awaiting a much needed makeover.


Back on the evening of October 8, 1988, the weather had been windy with a slight hint of rain in the air. Sunday night's show would be downright water-logged. The day I took this photograph, however, it was decidedly foggy, which made the derelict buildings seem even more forgotten by time.