Had the luxury of travelling on a bus a few weeks ago from Victoria to Charing Cross. I call it a luxury because it gives a different perspective from pavement level when you sit upstairs (at the front pretending to be the driver obviously). Instead of sitting on the Westminster Abbey side I went for… Continue reading Sorry, no fish today
Tag: History
Bucolic Bonnington Square
Bonnington Square in Vauxhall was built during the 1870s. Only a “six” away from the Oval cricket ground it comprised compact neat rows of London brick houses surrounding a central double terrace primarily used to house railway workers who were employed at Nine Elms Goods Yard close by. Booth’s map has the square marked as… Continue reading Bucolic Bonnington Square
In the beginning was the word
And the word was “Doves“. I was skimming through a book that I was given for Christmas, the excellent A Field Guide to Larking by Lara Maiklem. I’d wanted this book as it’s packed with loads of information regarding a new hobby I’m starting, that of Mudlarking on the banks of the river Thames. As… Continue reading In the beginning was the word
He’s behind you!
“Oh no he isn’t, oh yes he is”. Sorry but I couldn’t pass up an opportunity to slip in a pantomime reference considering the time of year. Afraid this might be lost on anyone outside of the UK. Took some American cousins to a pantomime a few years ago and to begin with they were… Continue reading He’s behind you!
Thou Shall not pass (or escape)
Six Word Saturday
Ham Yard, an apt setting
Philanthropy at Christmas comes in many forms whether it is sending money to an appeal, donating to a food bank or possibly even volunteering to serve Christmas dinner to those who find themselves homeless. I’m afraid I can only own up to one of these and its not the last one. I came across a… Continue reading Ham Yard, an apt setting
Christmas is coming, the goose is getting…..stolen!
I came across a seasonal tale recently, one that Charles Dickens if he’d been alive at the time might have woven into one of his stories about the metropolis. It’s a tale with a lesson, one that warns against greed during the festive season. It also goes to show that as today Christmas to some… Continue reading Christmas is coming, the goose is getting…..stolen!
“Why was the Snowman sorting through the carrots?”
The answer can only be found in one place and that is the inside of a Christmas cracker, for it is one of the many terrible jokes that have become a festive institution. What has the Christmas cracker and a rather hideous drinking fountain have in common? No that’s not another one, this is a… Continue reading “Why was the Snowman sorting through the carrots?”
……and then two come along at once
“Where was the first underground railway built?” Anoraks and general know it all’s will sneer slightly at the simplicity of the question, but for you dear reader who does have a life, the answer is the Metropolitan Railway, officially opened on the 9th January 1863. The line ran from Paddington to Farringdon. A slightly more… Continue reading ……and then two come along at once
Life’s a beach
I recently came across an article on the BBC website regarding the photographer and artist Julia Fullerton-Batten. Julia recently won a gold prize in the Association of Photographers Photography Awards project category for her series Old Father Thames, which reimagines scenes from the river’s storied past. It’s a great collection of very atmospheric imaginings based… Continue reading Life’s a beach
A LONDON MISCELLANY 