Olden Days Tube

An incredible collection of old tube pictures by photographer Bob Mazzer. Born and bred Bob has an affection for tube life which comes across in these images. In some ways nothing has changed - in others - so much. Fascinating. See more pictures and info on Spitalfields Life blog here.

John Grant - Pale Green Ghosts

John Grants new album is something I have been listening to recently. The video for this song features my local neighbourhood, Dalston, including local 'hair' shop PAKS, amongst other things! If there is one thing Dalston doesn't lack it's shops selling hair, which is often seen blowing around the streets like tumbleweed. Plus another of my favourite London places, the Barbican conservatory which I only realised existed last year.

More Backyard Bill

I love this family picture, including the dog looking in the mirror! Adam and Lily his daughter live in London (i think?) and that's about all I know. I think Adam is a model, and obviously quite eccentric and interesting judging by the house and his style. Have a look at the other family pictures here.

A possible new tube map?

The boyfriend (I feel I have to acknowledge that he saw it first) sent me a link to this on TimeOut's blog. This new proposal by Max Roberts has managed to feature the actual London Underground. Also I guess referencing the fact that the Overground is now circular. Very clever.

Sad time for christmas trees

Christmas is almost over, and therefore the sad time of year when the briefly loved Christmas tree, gets dumped in the street and left to rot. This article here on the Guardian is encouraging people to recycle them, apparently it's not that hard, so do it!

Nobody wants to see poor dumped Christmas trees everywhere they go!

from here

On a happier note, check out this Christmas tree from 1955. Looks like it was hard to decorate!

from the fabulous Vintage Photography

New Years Eve, Bill Brewster, Designers Block

What are you doing for New Year? I am going to this! The dress theme is London sub-cultures. Eg punk, goth, rave etc etc. I plan to do the goth thing of course! The party is in an old crumbling pub, just outside Hoxton overground. It wont be there for much longer as a venue so it's a great opportunity to give the place a big send off, with Bill Brewster playing till late!

I also designed the flyer. Rushed job but turned out alright.

Tickets available from here.

Read more about the old pub, the Marquis of Lansdowne, and the petition to save it here.

image from Spitalfields Life blog

St Paul's Studios, Talgarth Road

I remember seeing these years ago, stuck in traffic on the Mega Bus! on a long and painful journey to I can't remember where. Blocked it out of my mind. But these buildings stayed. Not knowing that part of London however, I didn't really have any info or the whereabouts to go back and have another look.

I spied these on good old Tumblr though and it all came back to me. I think what made the buildings stick in my mind so much are the huge windows dotted along the front of the building.

Some more investigation shows that the building was designed by Frederick Wheeler (1853–1931) and was financed by James Gunter (an English confectioner, market gardener and property developer) who wanted `specially designed to suit the requirements of bachelor artists and with accommodation for a housekeeper on the lower floor' (info stolen from Wiki)

The buildings are situated close to Baron's Court station, should you want to go have a look for yourself.

image from here

Fairs on the Thames

A funny time of year to be writing about the Thames freezing, however I have just been reading a book by Virginia Wolf, Orlando. In this she describes the Thames freezing over and fairs taking place actually on the Thames.

According to Wiki, "During the Great Frost of 1683–84, the worst frost recorded in England, the Thames was completely frozen for two months, with the ice reaching a thickness of 11 inches (28 cm) in London. Solid ice was reported extending for miles off the coasts of the southern North Sea."

At the frost fairs, there would be entertainment, fairground rides, puppet shows, plays and fires would even burn on the ice.

film still (Anonymous 2011) shows London Bridge and the ice. Image from Daily Mail site.

images from wikipedia

Some other images of the Thames frozen:

1963 - Thames at Windsor from Thames site

the Thames in the 50's from here

Housing estates, old and older

Has anyone been watching the BBC program "The Secret History of our Streets?" Last night was about Arnold Circus in Shoreditch, somewhere I have always found fascinating to walk around. The program informed us that Arnold Circus (now grade II listed) was The first housing estate in the UK, although failed in that it couldn't afford to house the areas poorest of poor.

There still seems to be quite a community feel in Arnold circus though, despite the obvious changes in the area. I have yet to catch a band at the band stand in the summer, which looks great. 

Arnold Circus 1901 more fascinating pictures here.

On a slightly different note, I love a bit of 60's architecture and the fact it causes so much debate.
My sister, Alice told me about the Alexandra and Ainsworth estate she lives near, and I was intrigued. I now walk past the estate every day on my way to work so have done a bit of research. See their community website for more information.

images from Open Buildings

They have a great website with a brilliant film made by the residents. "it's great, apart from the dog shit' is all one resident had to say. As with most of the housing architecture of the time, it was a bit of a social experiment, so there are some elements that fail and some that don't.

Monochrome Graphics

I really like the simplicity of these bold graphic posters for Melt. I am a sucker for monochome and red and of course the use of lips as a graphic image.

Which for some reason bought me to this, which I also really like! belonging to a coffee shop in Soho.

Old Coronation Pics

Walking around London at the weekend, lots of scaffolding has come down, buildings cleaned and pavements scrubbed in time for the Olympics. The city is going to be unrecognisable! That combined with the sunshine and all the union jacks everywhere in preparation for the Jubilee celebrations, it was quite a site for the eyes.

Queens Coronation image from here

 Street party celebrating 1937 coronation of George 'King's Speech' VI
(courtesy of Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea) 

from jasoninhollywood.blogspot.co.uk

Martino Gamper and Francis Upritchard’s flat

I spied this on HomeCollection's blog. It's the home of artist Francis and furniture designer Martino who live in an ex-council flat in Hackney. These photographs on T Magazine, show that with a large amount of creativity, even the most boring house can be made unique and individual.

see more pictures here.

Radio Days

Discovered this amazing vintage shop the other weekend, close to Waterloo station. There is a little market area called Lower Marsh that seems fairly untouched - no Prets.
The window displays are brilliant. If you go onto their site they have a whole gallery devoted to them.
After that, why not pop over the road in the proper old boozer that is The Duke of Sussex. 

 

Brunswick House Cafe

A friend took me here at last weekend, just off Vauxhall roundabout of all places. It was really nice, apparently the antiques dotted around change all the time depending on what has been bought. The food looked really good and the cocktails definitely got me pissed. Apparently its owned by the brother of whoever it is who owns Franks on Peckham Rye carpark. You can read more about it here, which is where I stole the image from.

A very long walk down a canal...

in London town.... and yes a sneaky little animated gif - almost worked.

bit wobbly dammit

Beautiful Princelet Street

I came across these beautiful images online of a house on Princelet Street, off Brick Lane. Number 4 to be precise. I used to walk down this road everyday on my way to work and try and stare in the windows with not much luck. So it's nice to see these.You can see more on their site.

There is not enough wood in modern homes is there?! I did some more research and discovered that you could buy another house on the street for £2,250,000 (ouch!) Number 19 Princelet Street also looks pretty incredible, built in 1719. The first occupants were Huguenot weavers, much later in 1869 Jewish settlers errected a synagogue in the garden which I think is what is pictured below.

image from thebrimstonebutterfly.blogspot.com

You can read more about this place on this site. The place requires much needed funding apparently to save it, check out their site and donate. Finally, I discovered that 24 has been almost completely rebuilt, see below, an interesting article about it on Spitalfields Life.

image from Spitalfields Life

A few pics from my birthday

Started off in new restaurant MeatLiquor,  just off Oxford St. Was actually quite cheap considering the amount of cocktails we had. Service... not so good. Good start to a great evening though! Special thanks to Lewis for actually turning up, and Gemma for entertaining us all xx

New Year, Space Party

What a night! loved wearing the galaxy leggings! Your Eyes Lie top did not come in time. Boo to them. Amazing efforts outfit wise from people.