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| From Travels around London |
19 May, 2012
Minis at Crystal Palace
12 May, 2012
Fulwell with trolley busses and Richmond Mayfair
I've heard people say that big red shiny things go down well on blogs (so to speak) so there's a treat in store for all today. I went to see the jubilee of the end of trolley busses at Fulwell Bus Garage. Trolley busses began in London in 1931 and finished in 1962. I don't know why they did. They were, and are, much more flexible than tramcars because they are not confined to rails and can manoeuver easily in traffic - in fact they behave just like a normal bus but very quiet and clean in operation. Even the unsightly wires seem not to be such a problem now because electric trains and trams are now built using these overhead things. I can remember TMT trolley busses as they were removed in 1971 predeceasing Bradford which closed in 1972. Getting off at Fulwell Station I didn't realise quite how many trolley (or just general) bus enthusiasts there were. It was like a rush hour crowd. The depot was very busy.
This is London's last trolley bus. We were allowed to go inside to admire the moquette and read the notices etc. We were allowed to sit on the seats of the this bus and perhaps pretend we were going somewhere.
This next bus dated from the early fifties and we were not allowed to sit on the seats of that one. 
That reminds me although I looked out for two bus enthusiasts that I know, they weren't there. Perhaps they came later on.
Both busses seemed comfortable but photography was difficult with the crowds. We were not allowed onto the first trolley bus but it had a lovely half timbered or perhaps panneled staircase. The crowds were pressing so I decided to walk into Teddington for a wander round the shops. Back there again two weeks in a row! Teddington was fine. This time I crossed the bridge and went onto the river bank at Teddington Lock. 320m below the lock is the lower linit of the Thames Conservancy Commission who marked the end of their territory with an obelisk.
I walked down the thames and came to Richmond via Petersham. The parson was plying his marriage trade at Petersham Church so couldn't go in to have a look but instead walked on and up through Richmond's terrace gardens. These were very pleasant although a little steep and approached via an underground passage that begins in a shell grotto. The shell motif is repeated in a small well, the remnants of Richmond's days as a spa. The notice said that the barrel shapes were cast from the barrels on board the Cutty Sark but I think this is doubtful. The Cutty sark was a tea clipper and tea comes in chests.
After a short interlude in the Richmond Museum - now free (the last time I called it was £5 to get in!) I went to the Richmond May Fair. I suppose having mayfair on their doorstep helps RICHmond's residents feel at home. I had a scout hot dog and wandered round the stalls and roundabouts. I think it was a sort of breeders gay pride.
Went home tired but happy and the only down side was the extortionate cost of transport.
Now don't forget your 99 tea- it's the best you can get!
This is London's last trolley bus. We were allowed to go inside to admire the moquette and read the notices etc. We were allowed to sit on the seats of the this bus and perhaps pretend we were going somewhere.
This next bus dated from the early fifties and we were not allowed to sit on the seats of that one.
That reminds me although I looked out for two bus enthusiasts that I know, they weren't there. Perhaps they came later on.
Both busses seemed comfortable but photography was difficult with the crowds. We were not allowed onto the first trolley bus but it had a lovely half timbered or perhaps panneled staircase. The crowds were pressing so I decided to walk into Teddington for a wander round the shops. Back there again two weeks in a row! Teddington was fine. This time I crossed the bridge and went onto the river bank at Teddington Lock. 320m below the lock is the lower linit of the Thames Conservancy Commission who marked the end of their territory with an obelisk.
I walked down the thames and came to Richmond via Petersham. The parson was plying his marriage trade at Petersham Church so couldn't go in to have a look but instead walked on and up through Richmond's terrace gardens. These were very pleasant although a little steep and approached via an underground passage that begins in a shell grotto. The shell motif is repeated in a small well, the remnants of Richmond's days as a spa. The notice said that the barrel shapes were cast from the barrels on board the Cutty Sark but I think this is doubtful. The Cutty sark was a tea clipper and tea comes in chests.
After a short interlude in the Richmond Museum - now free (the last time I called it was £5 to get in!) I went to the Richmond May Fair. I suppose having mayfair on their doorstep helps RICHmond's residents feel at home. I had a scout hot dog and wandered round the stalls and roundabouts. I think it was a sort of breeders gay pride.
Went home tired but happy and the only down side was the extortionate cost of transport.
Now don't forget your 99 tea- it's the best you can get!
05 May, 2012
Channelside promenade
29 April, 2012
Mysterious message
The unsigned text message arrived late on Friday: 'Meet me Strawberry Hill Station @ 1007 Saturday. This msg will self destruct in 15 seconds.' How could I not go to this very leafy, well heeled suburb after a message like that! I boarded a train at Waterloo with a lot of people going to the Army and Navy Rugby match at Twickenham. Some of them had even been drinking at that time of the morning! Not just the men. Anyway they got off at Twickenham. I arrived at Strawberry Hill station and got off the train. Who should be waiting there but my friend Jackie who announced a seven mile walk around Teddington in the rain. Unfortunately the walk managed to miss one of the best features of Teddington - Strawberry Hill House, simply affording a back view of St Mary's College. Still there are good points in Teddington - the Parish Church of St Mary was built in Tudor times and eventually became too small, leading to the Parish building another church - reminiscent of Lancing College Chapel on an adjacent site. This became too big and was taken over as the Landmark Arts Centre and services reverted to the original church.
Teddington High Street has some old cottages covered in wisteria and a very unusual looking branch of Lloyds TSB. The picture was taken by Jonathan Cardy.
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After the high street and Carnegie library,
with a bust of local boy made, maybe, good - Noel Coward, it was on to Bushy Park. Missing the Diana fountain and the deer we entered by one gate and left by another on the same side of the park. By chance we stumbled across a USAAF and RAF memorial, but that was all of interest.
Pinewood Teddington had some plaques on the wall to dead comics Kenny Everett, David Nixon and Tommy Cooper were all represented and there were some real hollywood style flats nearby - a fitting place for a British film star.
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After a while we came to Radnor Gardens with some historic gazebos and a summer house. We missed the school with a plaque to the villanous Labouchere whose amendment to an act got Oscar Wilde prosecuted.
Walking back to the station gave another tantalising glimpsette of Strawberry Hill house.
My pictures were not good today so many thanks to those who provided them.
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After the high street and Carnegie library, 22 April, 2012
A wander in Whitechapel
A visit to the Whitechapel Art Gallery led to a bit of a wander through Whitechapel itself. 
There are some bits of heritage, for example there is on one building the ghostly lettering 'Working Lad's Institute' with separate doors leading to the Gymnasium and the Lecture Hall but one building has been going since 1570 - it's the Whitechapel Bell foundry that casts bells for the world (except the one for the Olympics that is being cast in the Netherlands). The firm even had responsibility for recasting the bell for Big Ben when it got cracked after testing. The bell was first cast in Norton-on-Tees.
It always seems closed when I go past, and I don't think they have a lot of work on, but I suppose what they do is very profitable and with the number of bells around the world there must be some demand for new ones most of the time.
There are some bits of heritage, for example there is on one building the ghostly lettering 'Working Lad's Institute' with separate doors leading to the Gymnasium and the Lecture Hall but one building has been going since 1570 - it's the Whitechapel Bell foundry that casts bells for the world (except the one for the Olympics that is being cast in the Netherlands). The firm even had responsibility for recasting the bell for Big Ben when it got cracked after testing. The bell was first cast in Norton-on-Tees.
It always seems closed when I go past, and I don't think they have a lot of work on, but I suppose what they do is very profitable and with the number of bells around the world there must be some demand for new ones most of the time.
14 April, 2012
Hornchurch - Cultural quarter
Another of the Havering Council walks, this time around Hornchurch, so called because the church has a bull's head mounted outside. It's an old church with a memorial to William of Wykeham but the horns are just there, not sure if anybody knows why.
This is where the walk began and I then walked through a rough piece of ground called 'The Dell' or 'Mill Field' where the Stepney born boxer Daniel Mendoza fought John Jackson in front of 3000 spectators in a fight that lasted 10 minutes. Unfortunately Mr Mendoza who had been the odds-on favourite lost, no doubt to the relief of the bookies. One of Daniel Mendoza's descendants is Peter Sellers. The walk then led me up the High Street (I've blogged about Hornchurch before) with the usual plethora of shops and eateries all a bit identikit and through some thoroughly suburban housing to reach Langtons House and Gardens. Both Parson and registrar were plying their marriage trade so I couldn't go in the church or the registry office which is Langtons House but the gardens were pleasant enough with a lake and an orangery and other things I didn't see.
Next on the list of items was Fairkytes Arts Centre, for amateurs whereas the professional 'production' theatre in Hornchurch is the Queens Theatre. Originally opened in the Coronation year of 1953 the present building was purpose built in 1975 and opened by Sir Peter Hall. Very pleasant it is too.
And that was it. I was hungry after my walk so I decided to have my first attempt at that east end favourite - Pie and Mash, as I had noticed a pie and mash shop on the high street. Expecting a waitress to come out I sat down. Then I realised you go to the counter, ask for what you want (as long as it is a combination of pie and mash) pay and eat. I declined both liquour (not sure about that) and gravy and had 1 pie and one mash although 1 pie and 2 mash would have been better and only 80p more. I have to say this was a remarkably cheap meal and fine to eat although don't come anywhere near my pie with the liquour.
This is where the walk began and I then walked through a rough piece of ground called 'The Dell' or 'Mill Field' where the Stepney born boxer Daniel Mendoza fought John Jackson in front of 3000 spectators in a fight that lasted 10 minutes. Unfortunately Mr Mendoza who had been the odds-on favourite lost, no doubt to the relief of the bookies. One of Daniel Mendoza's descendants is Peter Sellers. The walk then led me up the High Street (I've blogged about Hornchurch before) with the usual plethora of shops and eateries all a bit identikit and through some thoroughly suburban housing to reach Langtons House and Gardens. Both Parson and registrar were plying their marriage trade so I couldn't go in the church or the registry office which is Langtons House but the gardens were pleasant enough with a lake and an orangery and other things I didn't see.Next on the list of items was Fairkytes Arts Centre, for amateurs whereas the professional 'production' theatre in Hornchurch is the Queens Theatre. Originally opened in the Coronation year of 1953 the present building was purpose built in 1975 and opened by Sir Peter Hall. Very pleasant it is too.
And that was it. I was hungry after my walk so I decided to have my first attempt at that east end favourite - Pie and Mash, as I had noticed a pie and mash shop on the high street. Expecting a waitress to come out I sat down. Then I realised you go to the counter, ask for what you want (as long as it is a combination of pie and mash) pay and eat. I declined both liquour (not sure about that) and gravy and had 1 pie and one mash although 1 pie and 2 mash would have been better and only 80p more. I have to say this was a remarkably cheap meal and fine to eat although don't come anywhere near my pie with the liquour.
01 April, 2012
East Wickham and Welling
I went on a walk for health today, one of a series issued by the Green Chain Working Party to encourage walking, especially in the South East London Green Chain. All this has rather the atmosphere of 'graded' walks for tuberculous patients of the early twentieth century and indeed the walks are graded. I was on the eighth out of ten today. East Wickham open space is really not very interesting although I did see some robins and perhaps a wren - it was very small. Also a Brewer's Georgian pub. The medieaval church at East Wickham was too small for the influx of congregation for new housing so they built a new one adjoining the churchyard.
The new church's foundation stone was laid in 1932 and was one of the 25 new churches built as a result of the Bishop off Southwark's appeal for funds for the project. Very little money was available for the church here so that the design brief was to keep it simple and austere. The church outside is unchanged but the interior has been altered since the 1930s
There - much bigger!
After a pleasant pizza and tiramisu lunch in Welling I walked on to Danson Park to get in some sunbathing. The Old English garden was, as always, quietest and I had a pleasant half hour sitting in the sun looking at a sundial that had been presented to the Borough on and for the occasion of Queen Elizabeth II's golden wedding in 1997.
Hardly anybody came into the garden. I sat on a seat in memory of a councillor who was 'first substitute charter Mayor' when the Urban District of Bexley was incorporated as a borough in 1937. The oak tree where this icorporation took place still lives in the park and is also emblazoned on the municipal coat of arms.
Bexley was home to William Morris the interior decorator (although he would probably hate that term) and social reformer who lived at the Red House. It is a little incongruous to walk along a suburban street of ordinary semis and detatched houses and suddenly find a house in a strange mix of Art and Crafts and Gothic styles. Designed for him by Phillip Webb in 1860 William Morris lived here for 5 years until 1865. In spite of the picture which makes it look as though it is built of London Stock Bricks, it is very red.
The new church's foundation stone was laid in 1932 and was one of the 25 new churches built as a result of the Bishop off Southwark's appeal for funds for the project. Very little money was available for the church here so that the design brief was to keep it simple and austere. The church outside is unchanged but the interior has been altered since the 1930s
There - much bigger!
After a pleasant pizza and tiramisu lunch in Welling I walked on to Danson Park to get in some sunbathing. The Old English garden was, as always, quietest and I had a pleasant half hour sitting in the sun looking at a sundial that had been presented to the Borough on and for the occasion of Queen Elizabeth II's golden wedding in 1997.
Hardly anybody came into the garden. I sat on a seat in memory of a councillor who was 'first substitute charter Mayor' when the Urban District of Bexley was incorporated as a borough in 1937. The oak tree where this icorporation took place still lives in the park and is also emblazoned on the municipal coat of arms.
Bexley was home to William Morris the interior decorator (although he would probably hate that term) and social reformer who lived at the Red House. It is a little incongruous to walk along a suburban street of ordinary semis and detatched houses and suddenly find a house in a strange mix of Art and Crafts and Gothic styles. Designed for him by Phillip Webb in 1860 William Morris lived here for 5 years until 1865. In spite of the picture which makes it look as though it is built of London Stock Bricks, it is very red.
31 March, 2012
Gidea Park - Romford Garden Suburb
The unique combination of rich and chavvy - this is what you will find in Romford. As the Havering Museum told me there are very few blocks of high rise flats in Havering, but that seems not to matter much - you can be just as chavvy in a posh house as you can in a council flat (or the other way round). But the Council impressed me by staging a centenary exhibition of the Romford Garden Suburb and Cottages exhibition in the library today when I called (even if it's a year late) and having a special walk leaflet prepared for a look at the exhibition today, including the Modern Homes exhibition of 1934. The cottages were designed to cost £375 and £500 so these were not cottages for the working classes (although some councils did spend £1400 on their first council houses and still produced smaller than average houses) but more for the 'garden suburb' type, although not as classy as Woodcote. I did the walk the wrong way round - sunwise - but no matter. First up was Raphael Park, just to show some municipal influences then on with the cotts. The first prize winner I saw was designed by Geoffrey Lucas, and it looked quite good. Even better were the cottages designed by Baillie Scott as below.
What a pity the weather wasn't kind but these are lovely cottages with olde worlde roofs and pargetting.
The next house of note was in the modern homes exhibition by Tecton. I haven't done Highpoint I and II but I will one day. This house is uncompromising in its lines and the requirement that it be fit for purpose. To paraphrase Osbert Lancaster the architect has very clearly made this house fit for the purpose! And the purpose he made it fit for was one of sunbathing, something which cannot often be done in the UK. Anyhow in the best traditions of the Architect's Journal I have included a heavily filtered black and white of this Tecton house - the winner of First Prize! And, of course, of great merit architecturally.
There are other Modern Homes Exhibition houses in the same street.
It is the law in England that every garden suburb must have a street (actually that is what they don't have - Roads, Walks, even Avenues - but never streets) called Meadway, and Romford followed this statute to the letter. Meadway contains some beautiful houses and streetscapes as these next two pictures show.
A pleasant afternoon in the company of Parker and Unwin, Baillie Scott and Tecton
What a pity the weather wasn't kind but these are lovely cottages with olde worlde roofs and pargetting.
The next house of note was in the modern homes exhibition by Tecton. I haven't done Highpoint I and II but I will one day. This house is uncompromising in its lines and the requirement that it be fit for purpose. To paraphrase Osbert Lancaster the architect has very clearly made this house fit for the purpose! And the purpose he made it fit for was one of sunbathing, something which cannot often be done in the UK. Anyhow in the best traditions of the Architect's Journal I have included a heavily filtered black and white of this Tecton house - the winner of First Prize! And, of course, of great merit architecturally.
There are other Modern Homes Exhibition houses in the same street.
It is the law in England that every garden suburb must have a street (actually that is what they don't have - Roads, Walks, even Avenues - but never streets) called Meadway, and Romford followed this statute to the letter. Meadway contains some beautiful houses and streetscapes as these next two pictures show.
A pleasant afternoon in the company of Parker and Unwin, Baillie Scott and Tecton
17 March, 2012
Solihull
A visit to the Solihull countryside, cheers for a great weekend Phil!
This was a pleasant little walk down country lanes and by three non-Roman antiquities Berry Hall, Ravenshaw Hall and Bogay Hall. Unfortunately most of these were surrounded by high fences so what remailed of the non Roman antiquities I couldn't say! However there were some pools and gas test points including this rather splendid red bloom on the water, if petals or algae I don't know.
After passing Whale Tankers and wandering by the M42 for a brief period we came to the Grand Union Canal and walked up that towards the village of Catherine De Barnes, pausing only for a pint in the Boat Inn. Nothing we fancied there to eat so we went into Solihull and had dinner in the old manor house, a building that dates back to the 1400s.
This was a pleasant little walk down country lanes and by three non-Roman antiquities Berry Hall, Ravenshaw Hall and Bogay Hall. Unfortunately most of these were surrounded by high fences so what remailed of the non Roman antiquities I couldn't say! However there were some pools and gas test points including this rather splendid red bloom on the water, if petals or algae I don't know.
After passing Whale Tankers and wandering by the M42 for a brief period we came to the Grand Union Canal and walked up that towards the village of Catherine De Barnes, pausing only for a pint in the Boat Inn. Nothing we fancied there to eat so we went into Solihull and had dinner in the old manor house, a building that dates back to the 1400s.
19 February, 2012
Croydon on a fine day
A visit to Croydon to fill in a gap on my London photograph map. It's not easy to get pictures of Croydon because of the crowds, and there are few historic buildings, but some striking skyscrapers. Croydon Parish church houses the tomb of John Whitgift, former Archbishop of Canterbury, who endowed the Hospital of the Holy Trinity, better known as the Whitgift Almshouses. The residents of the Hospital must be over the age of sixty, of modest circumstances, communicant members of the Church of England and come from either the parishes of Lambeth or Croydon or the County of Kent to comply with the terms of Whitgift's will.
Croydon was extensively redeveloped in the 1960s and the oldest building in the Town centre is the Kentucky Fried Chicken, which dates from even before the alms houses. There's no picture because it looks like a nineteenth century pastiche but you eat your fried chicken in a medieval hall.
The electricity and gas companies both had imposing offices now used for different purposes
and the college carries sculptures of both Minerva (goddess of learning) and Vulcan (god of fire).
Culture is not neglected and the Fairfield Halls provide entertainment and recreation to Croydoners and others, I used to go there for co-operative meetings and it is a fine venue with two theatres and lots of committee rooms.
There are still one or two firms who find Croydon convenient as a place to work
but the council must also take the credit for a skyscraper - Taberner House which was built between 1964 and 1967. Croydon took in Coulsdon and Purley Urban District Council in 1965 so new accommodation would be needed. The 19-storey building has its elegant upper slab block narrowing towards both ends. I think it looks quite elegant.
Not easy to get a picture of though.
Croydon council, in years gone by at least, put religion at the centre as this plaque over the door to the library shows.
Croydon was extensively redeveloped in the 1960s and the oldest building in the Town centre is the Kentucky Fried Chicken, which dates from even before the alms houses. There's no picture because it looks like a nineteenth century pastiche but you eat your fried chicken in a medieval hall.
The electricity and gas companies both had imposing offices now used for different purposes
and the college carries sculptures of both Minerva (goddess of learning) and Vulcan (god of fire).
Culture is not neglected and the Fairfield Halls provide entertainment and recreation to Croydoners and others, I used to go there for co-operative meetings and it is a fine venue with two theatres and lots of committee rooms.
There are still one or two firms who find Croydon convenient as a place to work
but the council must also take the credit for a skyscraper - Taberner House which was built between 1964 and 1967. Croydon took in Coulsdon and Purley Urban District Council in 1965 so new accommodation would be needed. The 19-storey building has its elegant upper slab block narrowing towards both ends. I think it looks quite elegant.
Not easy to get a picture of though.
Croydon council, in years gone by at least, put religion at the centre as this plaque over the door to the library shows.
18 February, 2012
Extrarordinary houses in an ordinary suburb - Kingsbury
I have always thought that strange things go on behind the twitching lace curtains of suburbia. And if you are going to do some strange things then you might as well have a strange house to do them in. I have been meaning to do the Ernest George Trobridge walk in Kingsbury for a long time since I saw the Trobridge exhibition in Brent Museum in 2010. Unfortunately I did the walk on a dull day but got two housing estates for the price of one.
Trobridge was a Swedenborgian, and whether this influenced his architecture or not I don't know, however his architecture is unsymetrical. The mail once had a seies of articles about houses that looked like Adolf Hitler, and the first block of flats I saw would have certainly have qualified. I'm sure that would not be a tenet of the Swedenborgian faith.
These pictures show some of the rather fun entrances to some other blocks of flats in the area. A definite play on the Englishman's house being his castle.
Immediately after the first world war both building materials such as brick and tile were in short supply. Worse, skilled labour was short too. Trobridge solved the problem by building thatched houses with compressed elm, a timber that was then plentiful in England. Elm has a tendency to twist when seasoned but compression overcame this as is witnessed by the houses still standing today. They are interesting and again, unsymetrical. although fireproofed with roof sprinklers.
Roe Green village was built during the first world war for workers in the nearby aircraft factory. Designed by Sir Frank Baines it lacks the variety that could be seen at the Well Hall Estate built for the workers at the Royal Arsenal. The garden suburb here has some brick houses and rendered houses with greenish slates hung down, slates being cheaper than brick for building. It still looks good after nearly 100 years. It was considered cheaper to build permanent houses for temporary war workers. After the first world war good quality housing was considered to be the preservative against armed revolution when the revolutionaries would be better trained than the police. A recruiting poster of the period asks 'Is your home worth fighting for?' The trouble was that in many cases the answer was a resounding NO! I think these homes would be worth fighting for...
Trobridge was a Swedenborgian, and whether this influenced his architecture or not I don't know, however his architecture is unsymetrical. The mail once had a seies of articles about houses that looked like Adolf Hitler, and the first block of flats I saw would have certainly have qualified. I'm sure that would not be a tenet of the Swedenborgian faith.
These pictures show some of the rather fun entrances to some other blocks of flats in the area. A definite play on the Englishman's house being his castle.
Immediately after the first world war both building materials such as brick and tile were in short supply. Worse, skilled labour was short too. Trobridge solved the problem by building thatched houses with compressed elm, a timber that was then plentiful in England. Elm has a tendency to twist when seasoned but compression overcame this as is witnessed by the houses still standing today. They are interesting and again, unsymetrical. although fireproofed with roof sprinklers.
Roe Green village was built during the first world war for workers in the nearby aircraft factory. Designed by Sir Frank Baines it lacks the variety that could be seen at the Well Hall Estate built for the workers at the Royal Arsenal. The garden suburb here has some brick houses and rendered houses with greenish slates hung down, slates being cheaper than brick for building. It still looks good after nearly 100 years. It was considered cheaper to build permanent houses for temporary war workers. After the first world war good quality housing was considered to be the preservative against armed revolution when the revolutionaries would be better trained than the police. A recruiting poster of the period asks 'Is your home worth fighting for?' The trouble was that in many cases the answer was a resounding NO! I think these homes would be worth fighting for...
My journey to Kingsbury (Charles Dickens is 200)
(Skip this if you want as it's going to be tedious - or light a cigarette - we have dickensian day and night service and only 10p a packet)
I arrived at a smoke blackened building, that once fulfilled the function of a public library in a mean part of that London district known as Whitechapel. There, leading down into the station, was a set of concrete steps which I proceeded to descend by placing one foot on the top step and the other foot on the step below. I repeated this procedure until I came to a set of stainless steel and plastic barrier gates with a yellow cone atop them. Having been used to this procedure I removed my blue 'oyster' card from my waistcoat ticket pocket and held it momentarily to the yellow cone. In a trice the portal opened to me to accommodate my passage and allow me to proceed down some more stairs to the crowded platform. An electric powered dot matrix indicator board advised me that a train to my destination was scheduled to arrive in two minutes and that what the Company calls, but most passengers do not consider, a 'good service' was running on all other lines. I attended on the station platform for around three minutes until a red white and blue painted train arrived at the station I was instructed by a disembodied voice to 'mind the gap' and to 'allow passengers off the train first'. I made sure that I did so and boarded the train along with the other surge of humanity and animals that also wished to take this particular conveyance away from the station.
(That's enough Dickens...Ed)
I arrived at a smoke blackened building, that once fulfilled the function of a public library in a mean part of that London district known as Whitechapel. There, leading down into the station, was a set of concrete steps which I proceeded to descend by placing one foot on the top step and the other foot on the step below. I repeated this procedure until I came to a set of stainless steel and plastic barrier gates with a yellow cone atop them. Having been used to this procedure I removed my blue 'oyster' card from my waistcoat ticket pocket and held it momentarily to the yellow cone. In a trice the portal opened to me to accommodate my passage and allow me to proceed down some more stairs to the crowded platform. An electric powered dot matrix indicator board advised me that a train to my destination was scheduled to arrive in two minutes and that what the Company calls, but most passengers do not consider, a 'good service' was running on all other lines. I attended on the station platform for around three minutes until a red white and blue painted train arrived at the station I was instructed by a disembodied voice to 'mind the gap' and to 'allow passengers off the train first'. I made sure that I did so and boarded the train along with the other surge of humanity and animals that also wished to take this particular conveyance away from the station.
(That's enough Dickens...Ed)
05 February, 2012
Oxford The Pitt Rivers Collection
So I'm now being gawped at by a London Blogger. Hmph as if it wasn't bad enough being in a glass case surrounded by other articles and labelled 'sympathetic magic'.Oh yes, me, Elizabeth Lawrence in the Oxford University Pitt Rivers collection of anthropology confined in a little silvered bottle. So how come I ended up here and not burned at the stake? Well forget burning- if you were a witch when I was, 4, maybe 5 hundred years ago- time means little to me now - they didn't burn you they just said you didn't exist. 
Unless of course you were a threat to the state and breaching the King's peace, like old chatterbox up in Lancashire did. Then the authorities really came down on you, and you were hanged. I was just a threat to my neighbours. And I was good at it too. You can achieve such a lot with gossip and what you can't achieve with gossip you can achieve with sickness. Rarely you can poison. But it's all poison really. And when you have lived as long as I have you get to know a lot about poison. When I was handed over in this bottle to Margaret Murray, who sometimes cast spells for a laugh, the old woman who handed me over stated: "They do say there is a witch in it, and if you let 'un out there'll be a peck o' trouble." Yes and there would be too! All I've been able to do in here is brood and plot and my revenge will be vile.
Unless of course you were a threat to the state and breaching the King's peace, like old chatterbox up in Lancashire did. Then the authorities really came down on you, and you were hanged. I was just a threat to my neighbours. And I was good at it too. You can achieve such a lot with gossip and what you can't achieve with gossip you can achieve with sickness. Rarely you can poison. But it's all poison really. And when you have lived as long as I have you get to know a lot about poison. When I was handed over in this bottle to Margaret Murray, who sometimes cast spells for a laugh, the old woman who handed me over stated: "They do say there is a witch in it, and if you let 'un out there'll be a peck o' trouble." Yes and there would be too! All I've been able to do in here is brood and plot and my revenge will be vile. I began my career of destruction (and incidentally the accumulation of property and chattels) when I was fifteen. The squire had a daughter, old squire Blackthorne was hard up so he needed to make a good marriage. Except the daughter was an ugly b****, and with a nasty temper, but what she certainly was was a virgin - well looking like that what else could she be? I let it drop to some of the right people that she had known several of the village peasants and one was particularly persistent. Course nobody would have cared if it was the other way round but the man she was about to marry who had land and money, and was in the next village too, certainly did care. He called off the wedding on the basis of the rumours I'd spread. When the squire died the girl all hope of marriage gone, went into a convent. I just happened to have a few sheep then and started to graze them on the land they vacated. And everybody forgot the old squire and his daughter and just assumed the land was mine. Victory one. But there's no end to the havoc you can cause in an English village with a quiet insinuation. When a good wife becomes pregnant, as they often do, a quiet word to imply it's not her husband's can wreck many a marriage. Yes indeed some of my wrecking was done just for fun. Did I live up to the stereotype of a witch knowing herbal lore and helping people? Sometimes I helped them on their way to meet their maker! Only peasants of course but still if the King knew about it is still murder. Not that they weren't well on their way anyway when I did them in but a helping hand never came without its profit. It's a myth that peasant's have nothing worth stealing. Some of the people had gold, others had some fine cloth. I'd never take anything that they boasted about. Other people might then wonder why it was missing. But something they never talked about - like a guilty secret - such as some silver or the like I could easily purloin if the owner was hastened away. I sold the articles well away from Sussex and used the money for more land and stock. Always useful. My career continued - reputations ruined, peasants murdered and robbed, and if someone died and all their relatives were gone nobody really stopped me taking their land, they just forgot it. I hardly ever resorted to spells but fear and intimidation were my stock in trade. But one day it all changed. A woman from a family of tinkers moved into the village. We'd never had a tinker before so people were able to get their pots and pans repaired. She also brought some bottles with her. Often the tinker is itinerant and goes round different places but sometimes they settle and this one did. I knew from the start she could see right through me. She probably had done the same as I had and things became too hot for her for some reason. So one day I was on my rounds making my insinuations and gossiping as usual when she confronted me in the high street near the ale house. She told me I'd spoken a pack of lies and I'd get my comeuppance one day. I let forth a string of invective as I wasn't prepared to have my business taken away - or more likely usurped - by this newcomer. Oh yes she was out for my trade all right.
The next day she says to me 'Lizzie, don't take it too hard what I said yesterday, why don't we have some ale together and be friends'. She poured the ale and I didn't look closely while she was doing it. It was dark in the tinker's cottage too. Then she brought out some of her wares including the glass bottle that's being gawped at right now. Well the ale was drugged and she cast a shrinking spell on me. I was helpless and couldn't resist as she picked me up and popped me into the bottle. She then told me that my lies and scandals would no longer do any harm and sealed me up. And here I remain. Lets hope nobody drops the bottle.
The next day she says to me 'Lizzie, don't take it too hard what I said yesterday, why don't we have some ale together and be friends'. She poured the ale and I didn't look closely while she was doing it. It was dark in the tinker's cottage too. Then she brought out some of her wares including the glass bottle that's being gawped at right now. Well the ale was drugged and she cast a shrinking spell on me. I was helpless and couldn't resist as she picked me up and popped me into the bottle. She then told me that my lies and scandals would no longer do any harm and sealed me up. And here I remain. Lets hope nobody drops the bottle.
I've just been to the Pitt Rivers Museum where there was allegedly a witch in a bottle. I am always amazed by the sheer credulity of peasants of old. How could they possibly believe things like that?
20 January, 2012
Liverpool
I've never been to Liverpool before, even though it was one of the Universities that examined me for 'O' and 'A' level. I have been to Manchester, Leeds Sheffield and Brumagem but never to Liverpool.
It was with some trepidation I approached because I once read a piece of poverty porn called 'Twopence to cross the Mersey' and of course Liverpool was the childhood home of John Lennon who wrote the miserablists anthem 'Imagine' which is breathtaking in its nihilism. There are other examples - Alan Bleasdale the Liverpool playwright springs to mind. So I wondered what the city would be like - children in rags perhaps, dour, grumpy people and streets filled with beggars. I don't know about the suburbs, which may well be quite dire but I was very pleasantly surprised by the City Centre. Firstly the hotel room had a view of both the Cathedral and the RC Cathedral which both looked very fine in their diverse ways.
First port of call was the Museum of Liverpool which concentrated on the history of Liverpool including its popular culture, engineering and sporting achievements. Apart from the rude schoolchild this was an amazing space in a modern building on the waterfront near to the Three Graces, the Liver Building, The Cunard Office and the Port of Liverpool Offices. All these buildings are very fine and display very well in their waterfront setting.
After the museum, it was time to go to the Cathedral. Liverpool Cathedral, the largest in the UK, was designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott (a Roman Catholic - the RC Cathedral was designed by Frederick Gibberd who was Church of England) in the Gothic style, brick with ashlar facings and incorporating concrete into the structure for the vaulting.
It is a soaring space, reminiscent of Guildford, and was concieved in 1901. The Lady Chapel was the first part of the cathedral to be built in 1910 and contains a window paid for by the Girl's Friendly Society commemorating women of local and national influence including Kitty Wilkinson (friend of the poor and needy of Liverpool) Elizabeth Fry, Grace Darling and Baroness Burdett Coutts as well as others. There were artworks in the cathedral two different pictures of the Good Samaritan in very different styles but very good.
The lift to the tower top followed by 108 stairs above the bell chamber was quite scary but also thrilling.
On a better day - it rained when I was up there, I could have stayed there for a long time. Sight lines were not good from the tower top as there were small embrasures to look out of rather than something a little wider.
The second day was wet so we went to the Maritime museum which had lots of artefacts relating to the see including ship models which I like.
I get the impression that there is much more to see and do in Liverpool and I shall definitely be coming back. As for those children in rags and grumpy people - they were nowhere to be seen.
It was with some trepidation I approached because I once read a piece of poverty porn called 'Twopence to cross the Mersey' and of course Liverpool was the childhood home of John Lennon who wrote the miserablists anthem 'Imagine' which is breathtaking in its nihilism. There are other examples - Alan Bleasdale the Liverpool playwright springs to mind. So I wondered what the city would be like - children in rags perhaps, dour, grumpy people and streets filled with beggars. I don't know about the suburbs, which may well be quite dire but I was very pleasantly surprised by the City Centre. Firstly the hotel room had a view of both the Cathedral and the RC Cathedral which both looked very fine in their diverse ways.
First port of call was the Museum of Liverpool which concentrated on the history of Liverpool including its popular culture, engineering and sporting achievements. Apart from the rude schoolchild this was an amazing space in a modern building on the waterfront near to the Three Graces, the Liver Building, The Cunard Office and the Port of Liverpool Offices. All these buildings are very fine and display very well in their waterfront setting.
After the museum, it was time to go to the Cathedral. Liverpool Cathedral, the largest in the UK, was designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott (a Roman Catholic - the RC Cathedral was designed by Frederick Gibberd who was Church of England) in the Gothic style, brick with ashlar facings and incorporating concrete into the structure for the vaulting.
It is a soaring space, reminiscent of Guildford, and was concieved in 1901. The Lady Chapel was the first part of the cathedral to be built in 1910 and contains a window paid for by the Girl's Friendly Society commemorating women of local and national influence including Kitty Wilkinson (friend of the poor and needy of Liverpool) Elizabeth Fry, Grace Darling and Baroness Burdett Coutts as well as others. There were artworks in the cathedral two different pictures of the Good Samaritan in very different styles but very good. The lift to the tower top followed by 108 stairs above the bell chamber was quite scary but also thrilling.
On a better day - it rained when I was up there, I could have stayed there for a long time. Sight lines were not good from the tower top as there were small embrasures to look out of rather than something a little wider.
The second day was wet so we went to the Maritime museum which had lots of artefacts relating to the see including ship models which I like.
I get the impression that there is much more to see and do in Liverpool and I shall definitely be coming back. As for those children in rags and grumpy people - they were nowhere to be seen.
17 January, 2012
Morcambe - Beauty surrounds and health abounds
A visit to Morcambe in Lancashire. There does not seem to be much to do there - there is an indoor market but not much else. I think that Lancaster Council does not do much to promote Morcambe. Morecambe does have its attractions though, even though it faces north. Eric Morcambe took his stage name from the place and his statue is on the sea front, in a charachteristic pose. There is a panorama of the Cumbrian Hills in iron on the front too.
Morcambe is also fond of seagulls which appear on the bollards and sculpture in the town, including this one on the stone jetty. The Jetty was built in the 1850s as a rail terminal for people catching ferries. It didn't catch on though, and now is just a pleasant walk out into Morecambe Bay. There are various artworks, including 'Magpie Hopscotch'.
The main attraction is the Midland Hotel, built in the 1930s as a new railway hotel the war interrupted any hope of it making a profit. Until recently it was derelict but has now been restored by Urban Splash, although sadly some of the minor artworks have been destroyed.
Some do remain including this cieling painting at the top of the central staircase.
Morcambe is also fond of seagulls which appear on the bollards and sculpture in the town, including this one on the stone jetty. The Jetty was built in the 1850s as a rail terminal for people catching ferries. It didn't catch on though, and now is just a pleasant walk out into Morecambe Bay. There are various artworks, including 'Magpie Hopscotch'.
The main attraction is the Midland Hotel, built in the 1930s as a new railway hotel the war interrupted any hope of it making a profit. Until recently it was derelict but has now been restored by Urban Splash, although sadly some of the minor artworks have been destroyed.
Some do remain including this cieling painting at the top of the central staircase.
13 December, 2011
Preston in Lancashire Recusant council
A visit to Preston on the way home from Barrow. The Harris Museum was closed last time I called as I had called on a Sunday, although the library was open which I thought strange. Nevertheless on a Tuesday everything was open. I started at the top with the art galleries which contained a good mix of art from most centuries. The kindly gallery attendant gave me some leaflets including a historical walk around Preston (of which more later) then began to talk about anything other than painting. Perhaps people usually come in for a warm from the very chilly winds. There was a Stanley Spencer in the gallery and some lovely nineteenth century genre paintings. Portraiture was less interesting although Pauline in a yellow dress caught my eye - the 1944 Mona Lisa.
Leaving the Museum I decided to take the historical walk. This did not start too well - the Old Bull's Head where some election shenanigans took place took precedence to the Minster church of St John and St George. I began to suspect Preston was a rather recusant borough, especially as their badge is a lamb and flag. Missing out the church the next port of call was a fence - previously the site of the Temperance Hall. Formerley a cockpit where people bet on cocks fighting for money it became a place where people signed the pledge. A redemptive change of use. Demolished.
The next place on the walk was where Arkwright invented a spinning frame, and kick-started the industrial revolution. This was the house he lived in.
The next two places on the itinerary were car parks - Look one is the site of a big factory. Demolished. The other the site of the town gas works. Demolished. Oh dear - best to show people something other than car parks (and not even a good one - see later). The Gas Company was started by an RC priest... After looking at a gold thread works (converted to flats) and a statue of Sir Robert Peel in a square, it was time to go past the RC church (even invited to go inside - not me thanks) and the RC School - the first to be gas lighted which I suppose it would be given the founder of the gas company. Strange that the RC church should be mentioned and not the Established church...
The Corn Exchange, the hall of radicalism, was next on the list with its monument to cotton workers killed by the militia in 1842 during a period when mill owners reduced pay by 10%. The walk ended at a massive covered market.
It's rather a pity that nobady thought to include the best car park and bus station in the North West on the tour. Preston Bus station goes on for miles and is an iconic 20th century marvel, well deserving of listing. I used it once and it was easy to use.
There is also a rather nifty taxi rank.
All in all Preston was pleasant if chilly.
Leaving the Museum I decided to take the historical walk. This did not start too well - the Old Bull's Head where some election shenanigans took place took precedence to the Minster church of St John and St George. I began to suspect Preston was a rather recusant borough, especially as their badge is a lamb and flag. Missing out the church the next port of call was a fence - previously the site of the Temperance Hall. Formerley a cockpit where people bet on cocks fighting for money it became a place where people signed the pledge. A redemptive change of use. Demolished.
The next place on the walk was where Arkwright invented a spinning frame, and kick-started the industrial revolution. This was the house he lived in.
The next two places on the itinerary were car parks - Look one is the site of a big factory. Demolished. The other the site of the town gas works. Demolished. Oh dear - best to show people something other than car parks (and not even a good one - see later). The Gas Company was started by an RC priest... After looking at a gold thread works (converted to flats) and a statue of Sir Robert Peel in a square, it was time to go past the RC church (even invited to go inside - not me thanks) and the RC School - the first to be gas lighted which I suppose it would be given the founder of the gas company. Strange that the RC church should be mentioned and not the Established church...The Corn Exchange, the hall of radicalism, was next on the list with its monument to cotton workers killed by the militia in 1842 during a period when mill owners reduced pay by 10%. The walk ended at a massive covered market.
It's rather a pity that nobady thought to include the best car park and bus station in the North West on the tour. Preston Bus station goes on for miles and is an iconic 20th century marvel, well deserving of listing. I used it once and it was easy to use.
There is also a rather nifty taxi rank.
All in all Preston was pleasant if chilly.
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