Sunday 30th May
For those that missed or managed to avoid Part 1, you can find out the reason for this trip and the blog title on my sister blog A Load of Nonsense HERE. A huge thank you to those that read it and for your kind comments.
I woke to an overcast morning and in fact the temperature had dropped sufficiently overnight to warrant the deployment of the cute little 2 bar electric fire to warm things up whilst I lay, with a cuppa contemplating the day ahead. With a whole week to complete my project I initially thought about having a day ‘off’. Patsy could certainly do with some more attention lavished on her but breakfast and a nuclear strength coffee saw me booted - and yes even coated - and at the bus stop by 9:30am. Ok - the coat wasn’t necessary but neither was it too warm for one, the sun still yet to put in an appearance. Standards….
First port of call was Islington, a straightforward journey on the good old No.3 to Brixton, then the tube, changing at Victoria to Angel, the first two addresses on the list being only a few minutes walk away in the quaint Camden Passage, just off the main drag.
No. 41 Was once occupied by Gordon Gridley antiques - established in the early seventies by an English teacher who turned his passion for antiques into a second income, eventually opening the shop. Said to be the oldest antiques shop in the Passage, Posh Totty Designs have occupied the unit since 2017.
No. 2 is home to the Camden Head pub and has been since 1849. Such was the er, narrowness of said passage, ahem, I was unable to capture the image as featured on the jigsaw with the DSLR, or even with my phones’ wide angle lens. Looks very similar to back then though.
Next up was a butchers, just a 10 minute’s or so walk away and just south of Angel Station. 399 St John Street was occupied by J.R Wall & Co when the original photo was taken and now by Turner & George, the building’s listed status means the white tiling indicating the name of the original owner (bland) remains.
My next destination should have been a simple bus ride away - however blue and white police tape fluttering and a rather mangled looking police van at a junction by the tube station meant a trudge further down St John Street, turning right by an eerily quiet Smithfield Market and the old Port of London Authority building.
A left turn brought me on to Farringdon Street, getting a good look at the Holborn Viaduct, supporting the A40, built in the 1860’s.
The junction of Farringdon Street and Fleet Street is Ludgate Circus and was the next address to be ticked off the list. 12 Ludgate Circus was the home of a pub since 1870, once the The King Lud pub, renamed Old King Lud and latterly Hogshead before closing in 2005. Now occupied by a fast food chain.
I had achieved my target of four and could have easily hopped on a bus to cross the Thames and eventually home but there were three more that were within the capabilities of my knee, so I set off down the infamous Fleet Street noting how quiet everywhere had been so far. There was evidence of how important Fleet Street had once been to the British newspaper industry and I wondered how the many pubs were now coping without thirsty journalists to keep refuelled between - or during - assignments.
Anyway, back to the matter in hand. 145 Fleet Street is home to Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese and there has been a pub here since 1538. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Charles Dickens and P.G. Wodehouse are said to have visited. The death of it’s resident African Grey Parrot by the name of Polly made international news in 1926.
Fleet Street becomes The Strand, where I found what used to be the Wig and Pen club - frequented as the name suggests by journo’s and lawyers. It is said to be one of the few buildings in the area to survive the Great Fire of London in 1666, however it wasn’t so lucky in 2018 when it was hit by a London bus. The club closed in 2003 and is now the home of a Thai restaurant.
Further on still, was The George on The Strand; still very much a pub today.
St Clements Dane church splits the Strand in half by Aldwych and I grabbed a pew behind it to wolf down a packed lunch, looking over to the Royal Courts of justice opposite The George. The sun had burnt through now and it was nice and shady. There was very little pedestrian or vehicle traffic and it was a pleasant place to sit.
The No.59 bus took me across to Waterloo Bridge and on to Brixton, ‘supplies’ being procured at the Sainsbury’s Local, the staff at which are amongst the most polite, friendly and helpful I’ve come across. The usual No. 3 took me back to the site for a beer in the recliner and a most welcome nap before dinner. The site was still full, one pitch at least being occupied by those who were to attract the attention of the wardens several times, not least for having visitors on site, general rowdiness and rubbish strewn everywhere. Draw your own conclusions, I’m saying nowt else.
A night in front of the TV followed - it may have come to your attention that I’m yet to indulge in my more usual ‘research’ but I’m waiting until after the long weekend when things are quieter. A beer in nice pub garden in the sun will go down a treat.
Right, that’s it for Day 2, now 12 premises visited of the 42 and I’m happy with my progress far. The remaining ones are much closer together in Central London and the next few days will hopefully make further significant dents in that list.
Until Part 3…
- Public transport journeys made: Bus 3 to Brixton, Underground to Angel, changing to the Northern line at Victoria, Bus 59 from The Strand to Brixton, Bus 3 to Crystal Palace. Total cost capped at £5.60