Cannon lamp posts

Earlier this month I was busy googling info about St James's Square when this image on eBay cropped up in the search results. Here's a screen shot of that page in case the item is sold by the time you click on the link:

The image is dated 1933 and shows at the eastern corner of St James's Square at its junction with Charles II Street here where today an [electric] lamp post stands, the same design most of the others around the square.

Ooh ooh, I thought, I know I've seen a different photo of that lamp post somewhere else. But I couldn't recall where that was, nor could I find ref of it in my files. Hmm. I parked the idea and bookmarked the eBay link. 

Then, a few weeks later, whilst tidying up my ever-expanding collection of London books, I rediscovered and started re-reading H.V. Morton's book Ghosts of London, first published Nov 16th 1939. I love reading old books that contain recollections, observations and personal accounts of old London and this is one of my favourites. Chapter 11 is about gas lamps. Morton recounts time spent with one of the maintenance team who look after and light London's street lamps. The chapter includes a marvellous photo of what Morton is told is a unique cannon lamp post outside No.2 St James's Square, at that time the head office of Canada Life Insurance  – Aha! This is where I'd seen it! 

Morton's text continues... 

He was a brother of... Lord Falmouth. This ship played her part in the tremendous victory over the French off Cape Finisterre, and this London lamp post was one of the guns which she captured from the French. Boscawen presented it to his brother, and, when the gas lighting came in about sixty years later, the old cannon was used as the stand for the first gas light in front of Lord Falmouth's house (...) The lamp standard springs from the muzzle that once fired shot at Anson's squadron one hundred and eighty-eight years ago. 

But here's strange, the eBay image showing the post being removed is dated 1933. This surely cannot be correct if Morton is writing about it in the run up to Nov 1939. I very much doubt that it took him over  six years to complete.

But is it, was it, unique? I wonder if a clarifying word/element is missing in this claim, that this post design was the only one of its kind on a public highway. Because, a few days after rediscovering Morton's book, I happened to be wandering from Fleet Street to Lincoln's Inn Square and, as I entered the south side of New Square from Carey Street, I happened to notice what looked like a very similar silhouette ahead of me:

However, on closer inspection, I decided it was a modern replica – too new, too smooth, too perfect. Hmmm (my ponder word). I looked across the square and could see that there were many more of this design here and there, interspersed with fancier shapes and many of the lanterns are still gas-powered. I decided to walk clockwise around the square. 

This is the southern edge looking eastwards (left) and westwards (right) towards another cannon-shaped base which had an illuminated gas lantern at 5.30pm, followed by a similar one at the corner:

The western side includes a lamp base with faceted rings around it:

Further along I noticed that many of the cannon-shaped lamp bases sport the name BROXAP with the letters arranged vertically. So, yes, they are indeed newly-produced – it turns out the company makes 164 different types of bollard!

Hmmm (again), but why make the bases of some of these lamp posts resemble bollards? 

I have an idea... 

Almost at the NW corner there is another lamp with a cannon-shaped base but this one appears to be older. The metal is different, less new-looking, and it also has some ventilation holes drilled around the top band:

Could this particular lamp post be an original cannon base as per the one that was at St James's Square? Perhaps this is the last one left standing, where before there were many, and this one has been reproduced around the square. Note that this is a private square not a public highway, hence explaining why the St James's one is cited as being 'unique'..? If my hunch is true then there might be more of these things in the vicinity or within other inns of court or private squres.

How lovely to have all these things come together in the space of three weeks – the eBay listing, the book, the street furniture here.

There are many more lovely features in New Square so, before I end this post, lets just look at a few of them. There's some fabulous wisteria adorning the eastern side:

The date of the hall can be found within the brickwork of the building and there are impressive lamp posts and lanterns on the northern side of the square, almost regal in their design:

On the NE corner you'll find an excellent example of a Royal Mail post box complete with a directional sign pointing to a Post Office that used to be at the northern end of Chancery Lane. Today, the nearest POs are within the Rymans on Grays Inn Rd or on Aldwych

My work here is done. For now. 

A day trip to Leigh-On-Sea

Thanks to my guided tours and online talks these past few years, I have met some lovely people who have become friends. Last month, after leading my 'Arcades and Alleyways' tour in the Piccadilly and St James's area, I was enjoying a few after-walk beers with some women who had attended the tour and, as we discussed the Southend area, an idea was hatched to meet up for a friendly, non-planned, day out in the Southend area, and this came to fruition yesterday.

We arranged to meet at Leigh-on-Sea station at 11am. My train journey to there is lovely. I caught the Overground from Upper Holloway to Barking, a delightfully varied route with contrasting views of leafy cuttings, the River Lea wetlands, shopping streets and industrial zones. Yet I noticed that most other travellers had their faces embedded in their phones therefore missing all the ever-changing delights outside. At Barking I caught the Southend via Grays* (southern route) which offers marvellous views of the Tilbury area, the Rainham marshes, the Dartford Crossing bridge, old churches, cows and horses in fields, and boats and various forms of industry along this part the Thames estuary. Lovely. 

Exiting Leigh-On-Sea station there is an information board which includes the delightful map, above. We made our way down the steps to the access road that runs along the coast, taking in the peaceful views across the mud flats and the beautiful plants and flowers at the path's edge. We were tempted by the seafood in the shacks there but we abstained.

The road morphs into the High Street, still marked with Victorian vitreous enamel signs, and there lots of pubs to choose from. Lots of pubs – a condensation of inns and taverns that in bygone times would have been packed full of fishermen swigging pints of ale and smoking clay pipes after hard days, perhaps weeks, out at sea. We had a beer in The Crooked Billet, then wandered about taking in the architectural details and hints of history. We peeked in at the museum but decided as we were hungry to go back later (oops, we forgot... next time!). Then a lovely fish and chips lunch at The Mayflower.

The tide came in. Chris and Susie jumped ship at this point but Juliet and I continued eastward along the footpath and went up over the bridge to Leigh-on-Sea's residential and shopping streets where were looked at unusual headstones in the churchyard and admired the lovely seaview houses with their metal verandah additions. There are some really good independent shops in Leigh-on-Sea, many of which retain their original Victorian or early C20th fittings in the form of spindle-framed street-level windows and jazz Age era sunray glass, respectively. The rain that had been forecast for the day never really came to much and we managed to dodge the only downpour with a well-timed tea stop. Then we ambled back down to the waterside and got to the station at about 6pm noticing that the tide had gone out again and it all looked just as it had done when we arrived at 11am.

A delightful day out. We two had the whole train carriage to ourselves on the way back, enjoying those marvellous views on either side in a different, late-afternoon, light. We passed the ruins of Hadleigh castle and I thought, 'that's due another visit' and as we went past a sign to Tibury Fort I was reminded that I still haven't been there. How has that not happened?... Must go back again to this part of Essex soon. It's too nice, and too easy not to do so more often. 

*spotted from the train – an old Art Deco era cinema with STATE around the top – it is hard to see from the pedestrianised High Street today but you can see it from the car park here. I have just doscovered that this is a Grade II* listed building. Wow! More info here. Considering I used to drive back and forth twixt Romford and Grays when I was in my late teens and early twenties to meet friends, to go to pubs and clubs in the vicinity, I do not recall ever seeing shopping streets there, let alone a 1930's picture house. My online wander via Google also shows that there's a fab example of an old Burton's shop there too. So let's add Grays to the list of places to visit on my next South Essex venture.

In wall post box

You might recall that last year I wrote about the loss of the cute little Victorian in-wall letter box that used to be at Upper Holloway Station.
Still no news on that one – it was probably skipped in error or sold on either as a vintage artefact or for its scrap metal value.
So now I am now making it my mission to check on the others...
As you can see here, the one at the top of in Caledonian Road, Holloway N7, is still intact.
It's a more recent example, but it's still there, and that's good.

May 2018

A lost letterbox in Upper Holloway, and some other post box conunundrums

Last month I posted about the reveal of the Brymay ad opposite Upper Holloway Station which happened after the new bridge was finished on Holloway Road and followed a year of upheaval including diversions and tail backs such that the Archway roundabout at the northern end of the road, which was also undergoing reconstruction at the same time, was spookily quiet. And, as it turned out, a perfect time to resurface Holloway Road revealing the old cobbles for about 30mins (I must dig out those pics).
Oops, I digress... back to Upper Holloway station...
The new bridge is now finished. But something is missing...
The cute little Victorian letterbox that used to be by the entrance to the station hasn't been reinstated.

Top row shows 2008 and 2014. Bottom row shows how the wall letter box was recorded at that site in 1909, and bottom right is how the bridge wall looks now.

So where is this wonderful old piece of Victorian metalwork?
Who has it? News please.

Whilst I am on the subject of Victorian letterboxes, I noticed last month that the Penfold acanthus pillar box in St Pancras Way, NW1, has moved to the other side of the road since the last time I took a snap of it which must have been approx 10 years ago. Why is that? But hey, at least it's still there.
This and more oddities in the pics below.

Top right – the Penfold box in St Pancras Way and below it a close up of its VA motif showing that the box used to be painted green.
Middle top – the box in the gate at Chelsea's Royal Hospital – accessible from both sides!
Top right – a wall letterbox, also in Chelsea – the same design as the lost Upper Holloway.
On the bottom row – a VR in London N6 is really thick with paint – compare it to the ones either side it and note also how the one bottom right, (EC4) has a different monogram design.

Brixton Windmill

Did you know there is a fully-functioning windmill in the back streets of Brixton within the aptly named Windmill Park?

A windmill has stood on this site since 1816. This is one of only a handful left standing in London. The bonus is that this mill, rather than having been turned into living space, or similar, produces an excellent finely-ground flour which is available to buy in the adjacent cafe. Also available; tours, events, arty things, children's activities and more besides – see here

On the streets nearby I spotted some other these nice things:

The side of the old Ace cinema, a lovely decorative street sign for Blenheim Gardens, a simpler one along Brixton Hill where a stretch of shops was known as The Pavement, and layers of faded and peeling red paint on a pillar box.

Tufnell and Dartmouth and Waterlow Parks

Out for a afternoon stroll recently, I found myself at the Tufnell Park Station junction. Crossing into Dartmouth Park Hill to take a snap of the Boston Arms looking wonderful against the crisp blue winter sky, I realised I had never walked the full length of that road, so up the hill I ventured...

Dartmouth Park Hill is actually two hills; heading northwards from The Boston, there is one ascent, then a flat bit, then up it goes again all the way to where it meets Highgate Hill opposite Hornsey Road. 

Just past Dartmouth Park Road, on the flat bit, is an old in-wall Royal Mail letter box. I stopped to take a crappy out of focus picture and wondered if the rather impressive chunky post that surrounds it was built especially to hold the red metal or was part of a pair of gateposts, as per the two larger ones near the junction of Lady Margaret Road on nearby Tufnell Park Road. I wonder if it/they could be part of the Earl of Dartmouth's original estate buildings?

I then crossed the road to look at what can be seen of the covered reservoir. There's not much visible from street level just a metal ventilation pipe, some nice sloping grass and a non-slip surface. The two tanks cover rather a large area though despite what this map shows only a small piece of land around the edges is actually parkland.

Opposite the reservoir is a house that looks like a hangover from the 1970s – the bright yellow walls and purple front door look more completely out of place. I am sure it wasn't this colour a few years ago – I may be wrong, but, being so bright I am sure I would have noticed it before.  

Looking down Chester Road I stopped to to admire the spire of St Michael's, Highgate Village, hovering like a beacon above the trees and houses.

I continued up the second hill section, past the old original buildings at the rear of Whittington Hospital and then entered Waterloo Park. 

A gorgeous little dog amused me and others as she ran up trees. She didn't appear to be chasing squirrels, just having fun. She'd get perhaps 3 metres up, turn, jump down and then run up the next one. Lovely.

I then exited the park into Swain's Lane opposite the Highgate Cemetery entrance and was half way up the hill before I realised that I still haven't walked the full length of Dartmouth Park Hill.

Penfold's Victorian post boxes

John Wornham Penfold's distinctive hexagonal letter boxes date back to 1866 and were manufactured by Cochrane Grove & Co in Dudley. Made in three different sizes, the nine different designs featured acanthus leaves on the top and balls/seeds around the edges.
Many originals, as well as a few replicas made by Machan Engineering in the 1980s, still grace our streets today and I love it when I spot another one. So far, I have snapped ten in London and one abroad.
It's interesting to note how five of these are situated really close to each other in an area bounded by Clissold Park, Finsbury Park and Highbury Fields.

Top row: Tower Bridge (the first replica), Walthamstow Village (closed with a black metal plate that makes it look like a highwayman!), Battersea Village and Queens Drive.
Middle row: Highbury New Park, Highbury Grove (missing its finial), Prince Albert Road and St Pancras Way.
Bottom row: Aberdeen Park x2 2008 vs 2014 (the second pic shows it needs a new paint job!), Nevill Road (also missing its finial) and Wellington, NZ.

Find more pictures and information in a Flickr group, here.

New places for 2014

Here are some news

(a sentence that would normally be grammatically incorrect; but, in this instance it's OK):

Top row: Newman Street, New Cross, Camberwell New Road, Great Newport Street.

Middle row: Highbury New Park, New Oxford Street, Newcomen Street , Stoke Newington.

Bottom row: New Square, Newgate Street, Newell Street, New Kings Road

Seeing red – save our post offices!!

My local post office near the Nags Head junction of Holloway Road is always busy. Especially so in the run up to Christmas.
A queue of about 20 people usually snakes up and down the central area of the shop and there is always another queue at the secondary counter for parcels, stamps, lottery tickets etc. I think I can count on one hand the number of times I have walked in there in the past 25 years and been able to go straight to a counter.
So, how come this branch is threatened with closure? And why is this happening to other branches all over London, indeed the UK? In this area alone we have lost three sub Post offices in as many years.
Perhaps Post Office's are not handling so much mail these days? Royal Mail's recent price hikes may have something to do with it as a lot of customers, like me, are sending parcels via other (cheaper) independent couriers. 
Or perhaps the RM bosses think that TV licensing, tax discs, utility bills etc can all be done over the internet? But this is not fair on all those people who do not like to pay their bills etc on line. Many things are still better achieved in person.
There is a plan to locate the Post Office facilities within a "retail partner". This effectively means a small supermarket with a post office within it.
Er... two things...
1. How will there be room for shelves of food etc when the shop will be full of people queueing for postal service?
2. Holloway does not need another supermarket or grocers – the immediate area already boasts Waitrose, Morrisons, Iceland, M&S, a couple of large pound stores and lots of mini markets, with small Tesco, Budgen and Sainsbury stores close by.
This news is, quite frankly (frankly!!) appalling.
SAVE OUR POST OFFICES!!!
Specifically, save Holloway Crown Post Office – sign the petition – do something!!

Three of the images here feature hexagonal shaped Victorian "Penfold' pillar boxes with acanthus leaves on the top. Dating from a brief period (1866–1879) there are only a few of these left jotted around London. I have so far seen and photographed nine, although I do know of others.

Colourful London

February... and it's all a bit grey and gloomy and cold and dull out there.
So cheer yourself up with this palette of London jewels.

Top: Fitzrovia, Hoxton, Fulham, Holborn
Middle: Wapping, Bow, Old St, Camden, 
Bottom: Spitalfields, Vauxhall, Kilburn, Covent Gdn
All taken from my Flickr Photostream

Red feathers and black lace

It's been drawn to my attention that there were a load of semi-naked women in Trafalgar Square last week taking part in an attempt to break the Guinness Book of World Records' attempt for the largest burlesque dance. Sponsored by Virgin, it tied in with that ad that's showing on TV at the moment, hence all the red and black being worn.

I'm no prude but if I was going to parade around semi-naked I'd rather fly off on one of their planes and do it on a beach in the Caribbean or the Far East wearing a bikini. And I do have one in both colours should they need me!

Top row: Walthamstow Village, Rosemary Branch, Serpentine Gallery, Stoke Newington

Middle row: Islington, Surrey Docks, Highgate Village, London Bridge

Bottom row: Battersea, Clerkenwell, Bayswater, Holloway.