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In Fleet St

June 12, 2018
by the gentle author

Walking between Spitalfields and the West End, Fleet St has emerged as a favourite route in recent years, because the detail of this magnificent thoroughfare never ceases to fascinate me with new interest – and so I spent a morning wandering there with my camera to record some of these sights for you.

Alsal Watches

Royal Courts of Justice by George Edward Street, opened 1882

This marker at the entrance to the City of London was unveiled in 1880 and is the work of Horace Jones, architect of Tower Bridge and Smithfield, Billingsgate and Leadenhall Markets

Hoare’s Bank from Hen & Chicken Court

Hoare’s Bank founded in 1672

Clifford’s Inn founded in 1344

Entrance to Middle Temple, 1684

St Dunstan-in-the-West

Angels at the entrance to St Dunstan-in-the-West

Statue of Queen Elizabeth I that once stood upon the west side of Ludgate, demolished in 1760

Sixteenth century statues of King Lud and his sons that originally stood upon the east side of Ludgate

Old King Lud

Removed in 1878, Christopher Wren’s Temple Bar now stands at the entrance to Paternoster Sq

Prince Henry’s Room over entrance to Inner Temple, 1610

St Brides by Christopher Wren, 1672, reflected in the Daily Express building by Ellis & Clarke, 1932

St Bartholomew House by Herbert Huntly-Gordon, 1900

Carving upon The George

Pulpit in St Clement Danes by Grinling Gibbons

Eagles in St Clement Danes

Statue of Dr Samuel Johnson

Looking east down Fleet St

26 Responses leave one →
  1. David Tarrant permalink
    June 12, 2018

    What a stunning portfolio of photographs! You are, Gentle Author, as accomplished with your camera as you are with your pen. Respect!

  2. Judi Jones permalink
    June 12, 2018

    Thank you for the lovely walk down Fleet Street. As we scurry along pavements it’s so easy to miss what’s above eye level and we take for granted the treasure trove of history right on our doorstep.

  3. Paul permalink
    June 12, 2018

    Which one is the statue?

  4. June 12, 2018

    I started work in Fleet Street in 1960. These wonderful images bring back many happy memories. At that time ‘The Street’ was buzzing day and night, today it seems much more ordinary and lacking in soul.

  5. Mo06 permalink
    June 12, 2018

    Excellent images.

    In 1988 I got a job working just off Fleet Street (Salisbury Court), and I know the area very well, it is indeed a lovely walk, always plenty to see, and lots of interesting pubs, notably the Olde Cheshire Cheese, which was a regular haunt.

    In those days the Telegraph was still on Fleet Street, the Mail was not far away.

    I remember the Cock when they still had gas lamps, it was a shame when it was modernised in (I think) the 1990s. And of course there was the Old King Lud, now a bank I think.

    Lots of memories.

  6. Paul Loften permalink
    June 12, 2018

    I once worked in Fleet Street , in a newspaper office when they were all there. London has never been the same place since they moved away

  7. Patricia permalink
    June 12, 2018

    The poignant photo with Dr. Samuel Johnston in the background tells a story….

  8. david whittaker permalink
    June 12, 2018

    TERRIFIC…Thank You..

  9. June 12, 2018

    A superb portfolio – it’s a great pleasure to admire these sensational pictures. Coincidentally, I walked the length of Fleet Street, one of my favourite London thoroughfares, yesterday in similarly bright sunlight and explored Hen & Chicken Court and the unusual octagonal interior of St Dunstan-in-the-West. You have reminded me of more to investigate – I will return!

  10. June 12, 2018

    Thank you Gentle Author for an evocative early morning stroll for me along that historic street ……beautiful photographs as always.

  11. June 12, 2018

    Beautiful photos!

  12. Su Mason permalink
    June 12, 2018

    Thank you for reviving memories. I used to work on the News of The World for Rupert Murdoch and Paul Hamlyn during the early seventies. Women were not allowed to drink at the bar (where journalists congregated) at El Vinos. We had to skulk through to the back where the lawyers used to sit and pontificate …

  13. Patricia Rowan permalink
    June 12, 2018

    What about the days when Fleet Street, was most famous as the home of newspapers _ and they wouldn’t serve womeni in the pubs and wine bars?

  14. Milo Bell permalink
    June 12, 2018

    Brought back a lot of memories. Specifically when i first arrived in London in january 79 and was staying at a friend of a friends on Gt Titchfield st. I wasn’t entirely welcome there so used to scurry down to Fleet st every morning to get the first edition of the ‘Standard’ to check out flats for rent. It did lose a certain energy when the papers moved out but it’s good to see it’s mostly still there.

  15. Bob McArdle permalink
    June 12, 2018

    Concur with all the comments above. Worked in that area in the mid 80s until a few years back. Full of amazing buildings all around. Great job Gentle.

  16. bellehelen permalink
    June 12, 2018

    What wonderful photos. I am now going to hunt out those dragons!

  17. Adele permalink
    June 12, 2018

    One of my favorite London thoroughfares. Worked at various locations for different solicitors’ offices in and around there starting in 1962. Went back recently, but other than most of the amazing architecture remaining, the ‘Street’ has changed. Missed seeing the hustle and bustle around the Daily Express building, but still love the hushed feeling in side streets and alleys such as Kings Bench Walk and Essex Street. Great photos GA.

  18. Helen Breen permalink
    June 12, 2018

    Greetings from Boston,

    GA, what great shots of Fleet Street – the black ‘n white presentation makes the details on the buildings so much clearer. I love walking in that area, and continue to enjoy the architecture even when we are crawling along in a bus. So much variety and history.

    Headed for London in a few days and will review these photos before leaving…

  19. Debra Matheney permalink
    June 12, 2018

    So many memories of one of my favorite London areas. Also not allowed to drink in El Vinos back in the day. Thanks for the tour!

  20. gkbowood permalink
    June 12, 2018

    Your pictures are great!! Loved this stroll along Fleet Street – so where to next?

  21. June 12, 2018

    Such an excellent street to stroll down, whistling. I always look for the statue of Mary Queen of Scots when I am there. Somehow I am pleased to see her still in place.

  22. Ian Silverton permalink
    June 12, 2018

    Used to live in Clifford’s Inn, off Fetter Lane, when working in Fleet Street in 60s, great times to have lived and worked in such busy area in the start of my working life, every day was an adventure,meeting famous people,and the not so famous of the time, drinking in the pubs,was.real eye opener,the Street was never quit even weekends, remember Conrad opening his first Soup Kitchen,side of the Daily Express,for the rich,not the poor,his waitress,were the best looking of all,all the printers took up drinking soup,just for a look,LOL open very late in the evening, just selling soup,couldn’t make it up. Remember the reporter Tom Mangold,walking about with a Black Face and tinted Black Hair,having a photo shoot at the Mirror,to find out what it was like for Black people in the UK and how they where treated by the local people. My local Barber Shop in Fetter Lane,had Wee Willie Harris in there one day,having his hair tinted bright red,for a photo shoot, the place,called Clifford’s Hairdressers, also had an all night service,and mobile service for the printers,and lawyers.

  23. Ian Silverton permalink
    June 12, 2018

    Just thought about another moment this Street had for me,and the time had a large collection of stamps, a stamp dealer at the time,had his shop,next too Clifford’s Inn,got chatting to him about selling my collection,he bought the lot about 6 albums full,now young man what are you going to do with all this money, next thing got introduced to the Banker Mr Hoare,he gave me sound advice,been there ever since, Londons Oldest Bank

  24. julia harrison permalink
    June 12, 2018

    What a fascinating set of comments: i never knew women were not allowed to drink in some of the bars. Thank you for taking me back to walks i used to take with my father, who loved the city of London, the churches, and Samuel Johnson. He sits on my shoulder now, as i admire these photographs.

  25. Paul Ridgway permalink
    June 12, 2018

    Wonderfull medium black & white, especially for architecture.
    I remember Fleet Street and the bombed churches from the top of a No 11 from L’pool St to Chelsea in the late fifties.
    Also the trucks delivering newsprint down narrow lanes off Fleet Street. Ancient offices of important colonial newspapers “The Straits Times” from Singapore where you could go and read back numbers. Incidentally this paper was received by the City Business Library as late as the 1970s.

    There was a pub on the south side towards Ludgate Circus (Punch?) with a gas flame for the lighting of cigars.

    Once a year I used to hand deliver to the dailies a press release covering a national seafarers’ charity’s AGM. Seem to remember it could all be achieved in an hour except a bus ride was necessary to The Guardian then in Grays Inn Road.

  26. Linda Pagnani permalink
    June 13, 2018

    Thank you for the marvelous photos of an area dear to my heart. My great-great grandfather had law offices on Essex Street, my great grandfather was christened at St. Clement Danes and later had offices at Paper Building Middle Temple and tried andv/or defended many cases in the Royal Courts. I have visited several times but it’s not likely that I’ll return so the details of your photos are much valued.

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