Comments on: A Walk Along The Black Path

By: Jan porter

Jan porter — Wed, 23 Oct 2024 17:55:13 +0000

Intrigued as to how porters path got it’s name as I come from walthamstow. And my surname is porter

By: pauline taylor

pauline taylor — Mon, 23 Apr 2018 15:23:59 +0000

Peter, thank you, the man I am talking about was actually my grandfather and he was Alfred Russell, his father, Samuel Denton Russell, had a farm on Spring Lane, at the bottom of Spring Hill, long since gone of course but I did manage to walk along where it would have been some years ago now. I am delighted to hear that you too love rowing, I sometimes wear my grandfather’s Gladstone medal as it is so pretty.

By: Peter Chapman

Peter Chapman — Sun, 22 Apr 2018 23:11:25 +0000

Pauline, I am also a Rower of over 50 years and still compete as a veteran at the Lea Rowing Club of which I am a founder member, a union of the last five remaining clubs at Springhill in 1980. I now live in Walthamstow and know the Black Path route very well. If you want to know about the history of Rowing over 200 years on the Lea there is a book by Richard Anderson and another by Clyde Radley which covers 130 years of boat building on the River Lea. Both books have many old photographs. What was your fathers name?

By: Natalie Koch

Natalie Koch — Sun, 22 Apr 2018 19:55:56 +0000

This brings back memories… When I was staying in Walthamstow a couple of years ago, I often took a bike ride through Walthamstow Marshes to London Fields. Just lovely.

By: Caroline Murray

Caroline Murray — Sun, 22 Apr 2018 16:56:02 +0000

I went to Walthamstow a couple of months ago (https://bit.ly/2BQVS0F) and was amazed by the market (two enormous pomegranates for £1!), but it hadn’t occurred to me that you could walk back into the East End … thanks for this account!

By: pauline taylor

pauline taylor — Sun, 22 Apr 2018 15:50:14 +0000

Thank you, thank you GA, oh how I wish that I could follow your footsteps as my lovely grandfather and his family would have known every step of this path I am sure as they grew up in Spring Lane Clapton right beside the River Lea and we have paintings of the views across the marshes to Walthamstow when it was all open countryside. My great grandfather, a farmer, had horses on the fields near Spring Lane and my aunt used to tell me about travelling beside him on a cart when he went to the market (nor sure where that would have been) ‘ I used to beg to be allowed to go’ she said ‘ so mother used to wrap me up in layers of warm clothes and off we went.’ My grandfather was great oarsman and I still have medals and trophies that he won for sculling on the River Lea and my father had the runners that he used for skating when the river was frozen but these have, sadly, now been lost. I think the river must have been much cleaner in those days as grandfather was a great swimmer as well.

I have a copy of a photograph of all the members of the Tiger Rowing and Athletic Club taken outside C MEGGS and SON on the River Lea circa 1890. This shows over 60 men and boys together with their oars and four very early bicycles, my grandfather is sitting cross legged in the front row wearing a white sweater and a cap at a very jaunty angle. I would love to know more about this rowing club and if anyone reading this can help I would be so grateful. I have donated a copy of the photograph to what was Hackney Archives but I can’t trace what has now become of it. It is a wonderful photograph and I would love to share it with more people so any help would be much appreciated.

By: stuart goodman

stuart goodman — Sun, 22 Apr 2018 11:24:41 +0000

memories!!! fascinating! miss all this now i live in norfolk. thank you!!!

By: Coralie Mattys

Coralie Mattys — Sun, 22 Apr 2018 08:10:48 +0000

Ooh the memories! I know every step of this journey and have walked them (not all at once, but sections at a time). The only things missing for me are the cattle that used to be (not sure if they still are) put out to graze on Walthamstow Marshes. Also, the horses – they weren’t around in my time. Lovely memories thank you.

The Bell – on my walk or cycle ride to work at Sir George Monoux College. The market – many a time
Markfield Road and the Lighthouse garage
Coppermill Lane leading down to Springfield Marina where I lived for 23 years
Across Walthamstow Marshes and cycling along the Old River Lea
Lea Bridge Road, Chatsworth Road, Cooper and Wolf cafe, Powerscroft Road and Mare Street.
Hackney Grove where I worked for six and a half years at Off Centre
Towards London Fields – Martello Terrace where Matt’s Gallery used to be years and years ago and where I saw Richard Wilson’s sump oil installation
Broadway Market and the path along the Hertford Cut to the River Lea one way and Regent’s Canal the other
Hackney City Farm in Goldsmith’s Row and then Hackney Road
And then on to Columbia Road Market bursting with flowers and people.

Great memories.

By: Greta Kelly

Greta Kelly — Sun, 22 Apr 2018 06:51:32 +0000

Will follow in your footsteps next weekend.
Thanks for the feature on Verdi, we had a scrumptious meal there last night. Very exciting …….the fire alarm went off, and no one moved! Couldn’t leave our culinary delights behind.

By: Valerie-Jael

Valerie-Jael — Sun, 22 Apr 2018 06:14:48 +0000

Well done on your pilgrimage! Valerie