Comments on: The Coal Holes Of Old London https://spitalfieldslife.com/2019/07/18/the-coal-holes-of-old-london-2/ In the midst of life I woke to find myself living in an old house beside Brick Lane in the East End of London Sat, 27 Jul 2019 08:00:47 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 By: Jeanette Hollick https://spitalfieldslife.com/2019/07/18/the-coal-holes-of-old-london-2/#comment-1300710 Sat, 27 Jul 2019 08:00:47 +0000 http://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=175797#comment-1300710 Thankyou for such an interesting post.

]]> By: Jo Walton https://spitalfieldslife.com/2019/07/18/the-coal-holes-of-old-london-2/#comment-1299752 Sun, 21 Jul 2019 13:28:50 +0000 http://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=175797#comment-1299752 A particularly rich crop of these covers can be found in Mornington Crescent, in north London. They have the names and addresses of the different coal dealers who provided coal to the houses there, some of them from right the other side of town (Borough High Street, for instance).

Presumably they supplied regular customers with a suitably inscribed coal-hole cover, which would also have helped the delivery driver to find the right house.

There was a very entertaining article on such covers by Chris Catling, for the magazine Current Archaeology a couple of years ago, though I’m afraid I can’t remember exactly when.

]]> By: Mick Csaky https://spitalfieldslife.com/2019/07/18/the-coal-holes-of-old-london-2/#comment-1299439 Sat, 20 Jul 2019 09:28:26 +0000 http://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=175797#comment-1299439 Some five years ago, with my three of my grandchildren, I made rubbings of many of the coal-hole covers in Bloomsbury (Gordon Square, Russell Square, Tavistock Square, etc).

In fact, during the 60s, while an art student I made similar rubbings (like brass rubbings in a church) as part of a design project. It was the enjoyment of doing this some 50 years ago that prompted me to get my grandchildren involved. They adored it!

Mick Csaky – July 2019

]]> By: Victoria Cooper https://spitalfieldslife.com/2019/07/18/the-coal-holes-of-old-london-2/#comment-1299119 Thu, 18 Jul 2019 17:39:58 +0000 http://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=175797#comment-1299119 I love love love these – love the fact that Dr Shepherd Taylor wanted to record them, love the fact that there are layers upon layers of life in London, love the fact that there is always so much more to see that we do, love the fact that not everything is lost and forgotten by everyone. Thank you Gentle Author for revealing treasure upon treasure and making life that much richer.

]]> By: James https://spitalfieldslife.com/2019/07/18/the-coal-holes-of-old-london-2/#comment-1299084 Thu, 18 Jul 2019 14:12:05 +0000 http://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=175797#comment-1299084 Wonderful piece. My high school Latin played me false: I assumed that the plural would be”operculae,” but find that that opercula is the plural, while operculum is the singular. Your stories are always educational. Thank you.

]]> By: sberris https://spitalfieldslife.com/2019/07/18/the-coal-holes-of-old-london-2/#comment-1299078 Thu, 18 Jul 2019 13:25:07 +0000 http://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=175797#comment-1299078 These are a lovely record, but would they not have had the manufacturers’ names stamped on them? which is also good to see. I was very taken with the pictorial ones on the quayside in Bergen last year, but so many old ones that remain go unnoticed. E. Berris

]]> By: Pimlico Pete https://spitalfieldslife.com/2019/07/18/the-coal-holes-of-old-london-2/#comment-1299074 Thu, 18 Jul 2019 12:54:48 +0000 http://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=175797#comment-1299074 Lovely collection.

Imagine my surprise in Duncan Terrace Islington yesterday — a coal hole freshly sprinkled with coal dust, indicating a recent delivery. Unless it is being mined there and the dust was spoil from a recent carting away.

]]> By: Peter Metaxas https://spitalfieldslife.com/2019/07/18/the-coal-holes-of-old-london-2/#comment-1299072 Thu, 18 Jul 2019 12:40:12 +0000 http://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=175797#comment-1299072 This is so good, it’s amazing to see that the different manufacturers put thought and an artistic flair into their designs. I might start a collection. News flash! another cover missing’, 3rd this week”

]]> By: Mila Tanya Griebel https://spitalfieldslife.com/2019/07/18/the-coal-holes-of-old-london-2/#comment-1299057 Thu, 18 Jul 2019 10:50:01 +0000 http://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=175797#comment-1299057 This is an amazing collection . I thought it was just me that looked and took note of the designs .
When I was at Primary school in about 1972 aged around 9/10 we were given what was called chip paper and crayons and sent off for the day in pairs to take rubbing of the coal holes in the St Johns wood area .This was with out any teachers .Some of us got as far as Camden town , Swiss cottage, Maida vale and Baker street . When we git back to school we put our rubbings out and saw just how many different designs there were .

]]> By: Mathilde Grange https://spitalfieldslife.com/2019/07/18/the-coal-holes-of-old-london-2/#comment-1299045 Thu, 18 Jul 2019 08:59:23 +0000 http://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=175797#comment-1299045 Incredible, wonderful.

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