The mist descended today to remind us it was January. After a quick stroll to Tesco I ventured out into the dank climate to remind myself that I ought to have stayed indoors.
I spent time indoors where the warmth was preferred scanning in pictures for my niece. This done I also added some old fotos that I will annoy you with later. It is amazing how long it takes to search for and then scan a few photographs. The ones you seek are in the last album you search through and the ones you remember as near perfect are as far from that as I myself am. That is quite far...
Amongst the old photos was this one. A mostly red brick building with a great deal of fancy brickwork indicating the wealth of the company that created this artistic façade of green, gold and silver tiles in 1903. What was once a Gas & Electric engineers company is now a mere art gallery, the 'Woolff Gallery.' At the time I took the picture, probably on my way home through the back streets rather than by bus as this was quicker in the evenings, the street contained many interesting buildings which I ignored. These can be seen on Google maps however. The business died a while back and the art gallery moved in and changed its name to T.J. Boulting, which makes sense. Many buildings in London, and indeed elsewhere, carry adverts still that go back into the distant past and it requires the head craned upwards all the time to find them. Not far from Oxford Street this area is called 'Fitrovia,' this includes the 'Fitzroy Bar' once frequented by Dylan Thomas. One cartoon featured this bar with one of those Blue Plaques given to the famous this time situated under a table in the bar with "Dylan Thomas Lay Here" inscribed thereon.
Miles away from there but down the road from the Maida Vale Hospital where I spent many a happy hour and occasionally worked also stands Lords Cricket Ground the home of the MCC whoever they are. Outside the ground stands proudly this mural created in 1934 featuring sportsmen of various talents, clearly not something seen by cricketers of recent years. Not that those who played cricket in the past held to high standards either of course. The noble sportsmen, portrayed as something you may expect to see on the Parthenon rather in St Johns Wood, speaks volumes for those who created this mural. The sculptor was Gilbert Bayes.
All that sunshine in London and we wake up to this! In spite of the mess that London offers there is a wealth of interesting streets to walk down, history, people, events, many of which I would avoid at the time can be imagined all around. If only most of the population were out when I pass through.
9 comments:
The friend whom I visit in London used to be an accredited - by whom I know not - guide to London...taking a walk with her is a real education as she points out stuff I would never have noticed without her to make me look up and learn.
When Leo was on the Stock Market he used his lunch breaks to wander the maze of alleys in the area...once ending up in the Barclays Bank staff canteen where he fed happily and gratis for some months before noticing others from the Stock Exchange turning up there having followed him. He went there no more...and the following week there was a control followed by a mighty rumpus with his colleagues' employers...
Fly, Was she a 'Blue Badge Guide?' They need to have two or three languages and various others things to get one.
Sounds like she needs to take you walking again. As for Leo causing a rumpus....well!
That must be it! I can never remember what it was apart from being prestigious.
Leo very much regretted no longer having the freedom of Barclays canteen. The elderly ladies serving there made a pet of him and gave him huge helpings...and he could save his luncheon vouchers to buy a meal in the evening in his local caff, run by Italians for Irish navvies. The LV bought a plate of mashed potatoes and cabbage, piled high, with two pork chops on the top, accompanied by a pint of milk.
However, as he left before the control he was not one of those upbraided by their employers for abusing Barclays' hospitality...
I dare not dare to answer that question at the end!!!
Lee, It is intriguing...
Fly, Leo causes a rumpus and leaves before the come back! That's talent!
A grand building, and as you say walking the back streets is often very rewarding.
I have only ever been to one Burns supper and it was a fantastic occasion, and when the Haggis was brought in an Asian lady next to me said and they say us Indians have strange customs. A great night.
I often pass this building, and it is very attractive. Some people like to photo London "ghost signs" which are old adverts painted on the side of houses, often advertising stuff like Craven A cigarettes or fast steam trains from Kings X. I sometimes wonder if anyone has done a book of them.
Dave, Indians in Scotland soon adapt and join in. I suspect them reading Burns works would be an excellent listen!
Jenny, I have seen blogs and the like featuring these, people do collect them. I wonder if books are available. Your next work perhaps?
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