Come with me as I explore London's history, hidden gems and unusual places. "Not all those who wander are lost..."
Thursday, January 30, 2025
'John Betjeman' by Martin Jennings
Monday, January 27, 2025
Victorian Turkish Bath House, Bishopsgate
Sunday, January 26, 2025
Walking with family and friends: Aldgate to Canary Wharf... and beyond
Saturday January 25, 2025.
Another Saturday and another trip to London was in order.
Up. Dressed. Keilyn and I take an Uber to the station. Meet Steve. Underground to Finchley Road. Underground to Aldgate.
Reaching the end of the line, Steve, Keilyn and I left Aldgate station and immediately grabbed a hot drink from the coffee shop outside the station. Then, with drinks in hand, we set off... heading east.
Heading along Aldgate High Street we crossed St Botolph Street and continued along Whitechapel High Street and onto Whitechapel Road, soon coming to Whitechapel Market, with its hustle and bustle and aromatic smells.
We passed the old Whitechapel Dell Foundry, the Royal London Hospital and the Blind Beggar pub, briefly toying with the idea of heading south, through Shadwell to the River Thames, but instead continued east along Mile End Road.
Statues, sculptures and fascinating architecture lined our route with Trinity Green and its Almshouses being a highlight, with stone ships mounted atop the ends of the Almshouses.
We continued our walk, passing Stepney Green station and the huge campus that is Queen Mary University of London, until we reached The Regent's Canal.
Realising that we would soon end up on Stratford or Ilford, if Keilyn had her way, we decided to join the towpath and follow the canal to the River Thames.
Swans, coots, moorhens, ducks and geese were happily gliding along the still water surface, while Herons stood on the bank, or stood motionless in Mile End Park, oblivious to the joggers and families using the space.
We passed the Ragged School Museum, with its cafe full of patrons, and continued alongside the canal until we reached Limehouse Basin, with its myriad barges, boats and yachts.
From here it was a short walk through Ropemakers Fields to Narrow Street, using the bridge to cross Limekiln Dock, to reach Limehouse Hole Stairs. As the tide was out we dropped down onto the small beach and enjoyed the unseasonably warm heat of the sun.
As we climbed back up to street level I could just make out a conversation between a young woman and a much older man, but there was no one around that matched the sounds. Joggers were plugged into their devices, while families were pointing out the sights. As I stood and listened I realised that the voices were coming from a silver bench. Sitting down I realised that it was a recorded interview about life on the docks, being played through speakers at either end of the bench. It is such a clever idea.
We continued along Loverose Way before crossing onto Heron Quays Road, making our way around Middle Dock, heading for the Henry Addington pub, where we would have dinner.
Thursday, January 23, 2025
Special Operations Executive Agents Memorial & Violette Szabo
This bronze bust of Violette Szabo, on the Albert Embankment, just yards from the Headquarters of the British Special Intelligence Service (MI6), commemorates the secret agents who led covert operations against the Nazis.
This monument was commissioned by the Public Memorials Appeal.
S. O. E.
The Special Operations Executive was secretly formed for the purpose of recruiting agents, men and women of many nationalities, who would volunteer to continue the fight for freedom, by performing acts of sabotage in countries occupied by the enemy during the Second World War.
This monument is in honour of all the courageous S.O.E. Agents: those who did survive and those who did not survive their perilous missions. Their services were beyond the call of duty. In the pages of history their names are carved with pride.
The Heroes of Telemark.
In 1943 Norwegian resistance commandos sponsored by the S.O.E. raided the enemy occupied Norsk Hydro Plant in the Telemark region of Norway.
This successful raid sabotaged the machinery that was producing heavy water, which is used in the manufacture of the Atomic Bomb.
Thanks to those Norwegian Commandos the enemy's attempt to develop the Atomic Bomb was thwarted.
The Maquis French resistance fighters.
470 S.O.E. agents were sent on sabotage missions to occupied France where they fought with networks of French resistance fighters who played an important part in the liberation of France in 1944.
Violette Szabo.
Violette Bushell was born in Paris, France, in 1921, before her family moved to England. At the outbreak of World War II, she joined the Women's Land Army and the Auxiliary Territorial Service, where she met Étienne Szabo, a Free French corps soldier. They were married and she bore him a daughter, Tanis, in 1942. That same year Étienne was killed in action at the battle of El-Alamein.
It was this event that led her to join the Special Operations Executive intelligence agency, which, at the time, had its headquarters on Baker Street.
Tuesday, January 21, 2025
Walking with family and friends: King's Cross to Hampstead Heath... and beyond
Saturday January 18, 2025.
Keilyn and I headed off to London, earlier than usual, as we were to meet my friend who was travelling to King's Cross from Peterborough.
As we reached Northwick Park Keilyn took a photo of one of only four remaining K8 telephone boxes left on the London Underground.
Our timing was almost perfect with Keilyn and I exiting onto King's Cross plaza just ten minutes after Gary. After a walk through St Pancras International we began our walk.
We headed north along Midland Road and onto Pancras Road, where we stopped at St Pancras Old Church to see the remains of the Hardy Tree. The graves that the ash once stood over are now covered in weeds, while the Hardy Tree lies in pieces on the grass. Such a loss.
We left St Pancras Gardens and followed Camley Street which led us to Murray Street, our route taking us ever northward. Camden Square brought us onto Camden Road, where we turned onto Royal College Street. It was here we discovered 'Dots Music'. The steps, to the shop, were painted like piano keys, so Keilyn pretended to play them.
Up Royal College Street we went, before finding ourselves on Kentish Town Road where we stopped to grab a hot drink each, from an independent coffee stall.
After spotting a camel, on Highgate Road, we noticed a LFB Fire Investigation van, with its occupant in a white coverall, which fascinated Keilyn. We passed Parliament Hill School and William Ellis School, before we turned in to Hampstead Heath, where school children of all ages were playing rugby, while their parents watched on. Other people were using the running track as we dodged the joggers and dog walkers.
We left Hampstead Heath, via Savernake Bridge, and headed along Roderick Road, at the end of which, on the other side of Mansfield Road, was the London School of Mosaic, which is situated in 'Waxham House'. It was here that we made the mistake of turning left, following Mansfield Road onto Gordon House Road. Eventually we reached Highgate Road, where we turned left. Keilyn started laughing as we approached a LFB Fire Investigation van, with its occupant in a white coverall, as she had realised, long before us, that we had taken so many left turns that we had completed a circle!
Monday, January 20, 2025
Model Village, Vauxhall Park
It was while on one of my many walks that I discovered Vauxhall Park and, by extension, this model village.
There are only about six homes and three smaller buildings, but it is quite a nice thing to discover.
With the other work going on in the park I assumed that this was a new installation, as the buildings looked freshly painted and maintained. It wasn't until I did some research, for this blog post, that I discovered their remarkable history. Enjoy.
Thursday, January 16, 2025
'Vitreous Enamel' by Dale Devereux Barker RE
Walking along Cloister's Walk, in St Katharine Docks, you will discover a plethora of bright panels fixed into the arches that separate Cloister's Walk from St Katharine's Way.
There are one hundred and thirty five of these panels, with nine panels per arch.
Some of the designs are repeated, but sometimes with a different colour. However, each tells a story.
Dale Devereux Barker RE was commissioned for this project by Taylor Woodrow Properties, back in 1998.
Monday, January 13, 2025
Victoria Park Cemetery: Meath Gardens
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Headstones. |
Victoria Park Cemetery opened in 1845 and was the last of the eight private garden cemeteries to open.
The cemetery was unconsecrated and, when it opened, had two chapels, designed by the architect Arthur Ashpitel,
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The great Gothic archway. |
The great Gothic archway, restored in 2017, still stands at one of the entrances emblazoned with 'VPC 1845'.
During its short existence over 300,000 bodies were interred here, with three-quarters of them being children.
Although well-managed initially, it was a poor financial venture and became insolvent in 1853, leading to its closure in 1876.
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Headstones. |
Following its closure the monuments were cleared... But, the bodies were never removed.
Thursday, January 09, 2025
Japan House: 'Looks delicious! Exploring Japan's food replica culture' exhibition
Japan House, on Kensington High Street, is the cultural home of Japan, in London. Set across three floors Japan House offers a glimpse into the culture and history of Japan, with a shop, restaurant and an exhibition space.
The current exhibition concerns the history and manufacturing of food replicas, that can be seen in the windows of tea rooms and restaurants, across the 47 prefectures of Japan.
Each replica is highly detailed and, although its manufacture has changed throughout the years, looks realistic, in thanks to the craftsperson that create these masterpieces.
The original replicas were made from hot coloured wax, which were cast from agar moulds and then painted.
With the growing demand for food replicas, in the 1970s, PVC was used instead of wax, which allowed for greater detail and durability, but the manufacturing process remained the same.
Monday, January 06, 2025
Tram Shelter, Southwark
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A relic from a bygone era. |
On the junction of Union Street and Southwark Bridge Road, there is a cafe bar that resides in a wonderful relic from a bygone era.
The building began life as a tram shelter and stands on a pedestrian island near Flat Iron Square.
It is a single storey building with timber framed doors, a pitched plain clay tile roof with a ventilation lantern. A semicircular window, above the door adds to the charm of this 1930s building.
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A tram shelter repurposed as a cafe bar. |
Trams once trundled by this building on their way to the northern end of Southwark Bridge and, in the other direction, to the Hop Exchange, close to Borough High Street.
Like much of this area, in and around Southwark, a lot has been lost to redevelopment, so it is nice to see that this almost 100 year old building has been repurposed.
The two London Plane trees offer some shade to patrons who choose to dine outside in the summer months.
Sunday, January 05, 2025
Walking with Keilyn: Baker Street to Paddington... and beyond
Saturday January 4, 2025.
Today 'Keilyn and I were to be joined by a couple of friends, for our first walk through London of 2025. However, various events conspired against us, resulting in Keilyn and myself making the trip alone.
So, off we set, walking to Watford Metropolitan station as a short flurry of snow began to fall. We took the train to Baker Street, where, after purchasing warm drinks, we exited the station and headed north along Baker Street and on to Park Road, where we dropped down onto the Regent's Canal Towpath.
Having walked to Camden and King's Cross too many times we decided to walk in the opposite direction, heading towards Little Venice and from there Paddington.
The snow had by now stopped and the towpath was quiet, with us only seeing a few other walkers along the canal. We reached Lisson Moorings, where we admired the narrow boats and barges, before we reached the Maida Hill Tunnel, where we climbed the slippery metal steps to Aberdeen Place.
We walked along Maida Avenue, rejoining the towpath at Warwick Bridge, and Little Venice. Surprisingly all of the cafes and kiosks were closed, so we continued beneath Westway towards Paddington Basin.
A blue 'velvet' covered Paddington Bear statue provided a photo opportunity, before we reached Praed Street, where we stopped for some lunch at a KFC.
Suitably filled we headed inside Paddington Station in search of the Paddington Bear statue, which we soon found by looking out for the crowds. We waited patiently for the other children to have their photos taken before it was Keilyn's turn.
We then headed further along the platform to Paddington's Bench, where another photo was taken.
We then headed out of the station and headed along Praed Street to The Wild Table of Love, where Keilyn joined Dogman and Rabbitwoman with their guests of ten of the most endangered animals in the world. Just across Eastbourne Terrace, Maarten Baas' 'Man in a Clock' was busy painting hands inside the clock face.
Heading south down Westbourne Terrace we entered Kensington Gardens and the amazing Italian Gardens. Again, there were not too many people around so we made our way along the path, beside The Long Water, to the 'Peter Pan' statue.
From here we headed west towards the 'Physical Energy' statue and, from there, on to the Round Pond. It was here that we discovered the crowds who were eagerly waiting to enter Kensington Palace, so we continued along Studio Walk and turned down Palace Green towards Kensington High Street.
Thursday, January 02, 2025
'Wellington Monument' by Richard Westmacott
The inscription reads:
"To Arthur Duke of Wellington
and his brave companions in arms
this statue of Achilles
cast from cannon taken in the victories
of Salamanca, Vittoria, Toulouse, and Waterloo
is inscribed
by their country women
Placed on this spot
on the XVIII day of June MDCCCXXII
by command of
His Majesty George IIII."