'Greyscape' Photo Competition Winner

My entry to the photo competition.

Back in April, 2024, I was informed about a 'Photo competition' that was being run by 'Greyscape', a website that celebrates Brutalist, Modernist and Constructivist architecture.

Their competition was for photographs of Bastion House, near Barbican.

Fortunately, for me, I had visited the area while on one of my walks with Keilyn, and so had a couple of photographs that I could use as my entry.

I wasn't particularly enamoured by either of the two photographs, that I had taken, but chose the one that I thought looked the better of the two.

The photo I rejected entering.

Having sent in my entry I promptly forgot about the competition and carried on with my walks and continued to take photographs.

'Ring of Steel', City of London

A City of London police sentry box.

Walking through and around the City of London you may notice that roads, entering the City, narrow and concrete islands have, usually empty, Police sentry boxes on them. 

These sentry boxes are a remnant of far more dangerous times. They were put in place, along with narrower roads and CCTV cameras, as a response to the IRA threats to the City of London from the 1970s through to the 1990s. This initiative became known as the 'Ring of Steel'.

But, this wasn't the City of London's first form of protective security. For that we must go back to the founding of Londinium. 

The City of London's original defensive ring.

The Romans constructed a wall, many parts of which are still visible, to protect early Londinium from invasion from the Picts, who had invaded northern Britain and overrun Hadrian's Wall. 

To further protect Londinium the Roman's increased fortifications along the wall, as well as increasing the wall's height.

Various Wards were also created within the City walls, ensuring that communities were linked and security could be maintained. These community links are still as important today for keeping the City of London safe.

Terrorism became an issue for the City of London, and London as a whole, when Irish Republicans began a bombing campaign between 1867 and 1885. This was followed by Militant Suffragette actions, along with Anarchist attacks.

The Irish Republican Army started a limited campaign between 1939 and 1940, which became known as the 'Sabotage Campaign',

The most deadly attacks began in 1973 and would continue until 1997, when the Provisional Irish Republican Army began a sustained campaign during what was called 'The Troubles'. This was further exacerbated by attacks related to Middle East politics and more Anarchist attacks.

The City of London's 'Ring of Steel'.

It was during the 1990s that a new 'Ring of Steel' was put in place. This involved the narrowing of roads and the adding of small chicanes, which forced drivers to slow down. Concrete medians were also installed, each with a police sentry box manned by armed police. Some roads were closed to traffic altogether.

CCTV cameras recorded vehicles entering, and leaving, the City of London. One of the measures, now used throughout the world, was Automatic Number-Plate Recognition (ANPR) which was developed in the City of London. Today, the whole of London has traffic monitoring systems which are constantly viewed by police. This data is kept for five years.

Some dissident members of the Real Irish Republican Army and Islamic terrorists have continued to attack locations within the City of London, London and the UK, up to the present day.

Keilyn in a police sentry box.

As new threats are detected new technology evolves. Cameras are moved, upgraded or more are installed. As the City of London changes, with roads rerouted, new businesses moving in or new infrastructure being constructed the 'Ring of Steel' adapts, doing its best to keep us safe.

Jabez West Drinking Fountain

Memorial to a working-class man.

In Southwark Park there is a drinking fountain that was installed in 1885, shortly after the park opened to the public in 1869. 

It is fairly unique as it is a memorial to a working-class man.

Jabez West was born in Princes Risborough, on June 6, 1810, to Anne and William West. His father was a blacksmith. 

He moved to Bermondsey some time in the 1830s and married Sarah Johnson on October 21, 1838. They went on to have seven children.

His wife, Sarah, died in 1873 and, in 1876, he married Hannah Aiton.

Jabez died on May 13, 1884.

The information board in Southwark Park.

Although he originally worked in the leather trade he is best known in the area for his devotion to political reform and the temperance movement.

He also campaigned for the creation of Southwark Park.

Following his death the Metropolitan Board of Works took the unusual step of agreeing to this memorial for a working-class man. Made from polished grey granite the fountain was paid for by public subscription at a cost of £120.

Walking with Keilyn: Marylebone to Kensington Gardens... and beyond

A small piece of Japan in London.

Wednesday May 29, 2024.

Another half-term for the girls and another walk for Keilyn and myself.

Normal beginning with a taxi to Watford underground station, from where we caught a train to Harrow-on-the-Hill, where we switched to the Chiltern Flyer to Marylebone. Various signal and points issues had disrupted the Metropolitan, Circle and District lines, so this was our backup route.

Harrow-on-the-Hill underground station.

Arriving at Marylebone station we left the station and walked along Daventry Street towards Edgware Road, where we turned on to Edgware Road, before turning right and headed down Praed Street.

'Real Time' by Maarten Baas.

Our first stop was at the corner of Eastbourne Terrace, where we stopped to watch the 'Man in a Clock', which is an installation by Maarten Baas, a Dutch artist. The work is called 'Real Time' and has a man perpetually cleaning the clock face and wiping off the clock hands and then repainting them, every minute. It is fun to stare at.

Leinster Gardens facade.

Continuing down Craven Hill our next stop was Leinster Gardens, where I convinced Keilyn to knock on the giant black doors. Her face when she discovered that they were not real was priceless, as she exclaimed, "It's fake!"

Behind the Leinster Gardens facade.

We stopped for a coffee and a hot chocolate at The Central Pantry, before heading to Porchester Terrace, so that I could show Keilyn the rear of the false buildings.

The Round Pond.

From here we headed down Porchester Terrace and, after crossing Bayswater Road, entered Kensington Gardens. A slow walk along the tree-lined path brought us to the Round Pond, where coots, ducks, geese, moorhens and swans made a raucous sound, as visitors got too close to their young.

Keilyn at Kensington Palace.

We headed towards the Queen Victoria Statue and entered the grounds of Kensington Palace, taking photos of the palace, its gates and the statue of William III of Orange. Following Studio Walk we found ourselves on Palace Green with its various embassies and armed police protection.

The beautiful Barkers building, Kensington High Street.

We left here and joined Kensington High Street and searched out a shop to replenish our water supply and grad some more snacks. Suitably stocked we continued along the high street, passing the impressive Barkers building and Japan House, before we found ourselves on Melbury Road.

It was along this road that we to see two more things of interest. 

The gnomes have a bar.

The first was a Gnome Garden, which, as its name suggests, is a Gnome Garden... pure and simple. However, the effort and time put into this small front garden was impressive and Keilyn and I kept spotting different things on each inspection.

Walking with family and friends: Aldgate to St Katharine Docks... and beyond

St Katharine Docks and Marina.

Saturday May 25, 2024. 

Another Saturday and another walk through London.

Keilyn and I met up with my friend Steve at Watford Underground station and boarded our train to Baker Street. Arriving at Croxley station we were joined by my mum and uncle Martin.

We alighted at Finchley Road and waited the six minutes for an Aldgate bound train to continue our journey.

Arriving at Aldgate station we headed outside and, after crossing Aldgate High Street, grabbed a coffee from 'Copper Coffee', on the corner of Mansell Street. We then continued along Mansell Street on to St Katharine's Way and our destination of St Katharine Docks.

'Excelsior'.

With the sun in an almost cloudless sky it was the perfect conditions to wander around the Marina with its yachts, barges and other vessels.

Is that a Koi?

Having explored the marina and after spotting what looked like Koi in the clear waters, we made our way to the Docks and the chance to explore the 'Dunkirk Little Ships' that had arrived ahead of the anniversary of 'Operation Dynamo', which took place between May 26 and June 4, 1940.

Dunkirk Little Ships.

These historic ships had been part of an armada that travelled from Ramsgate to Dunkirk to aid in the rescue of over 336,000 British and French soldiers. Many of these boats made multiple trips.

We read the stories of the ships, listened to crew members telling stories and got up close to these historic vessels.

A different perspective.

With noon fast approaching we went our separate ways, with mum and Martin staying around the St Katharine Docks area, while Keilyn, Steve and I crossed Tower Bridge and headed along the Thames Path towards Rotherhithe.