Two Bank Holiday Visitors From Ilfracombe

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Two young men from Ilfracombe

A small cache of glass slides of a century ago arrived at the Bishopsgate Institute as a donation from Ilfracombe Museum without any accompanying information, yet the fact that nothing is known of these two men from Ilfracombe featured in the photographs has not prevented my speculation.

“Don’t we look like born Londoners, taking a stroll down the Victoria Embankment in our best suits on a Saturday morning?  It makes the quay at Ilfracombe look pitiful I must say. We sought out the statue of old Raikes on his pedestal in the park and took a picture for Norah and her Sunday School nippers, like we promised. I never thought there were so many people in the world as we saw in Fleet St, it makes you wonder who cooks them all dinner? Everyone seems to know where they are going, so we did our best to blend in, keeping our noses directed towards St Paul’s up ahead in the fog. Himself tugged upon my cuff at every watering hole and it was all I could do to resist. Yet I still felt intoxicated by the train journey, changing at Exeter St David’s and whisking us at lightning speed to Paddington yesterday. We kept our wallets in our inside pockets, like you told us, and made sure that we did not both fall asleep at once, lest we should get robbed. Himself snored all the way up and missed the changing wonders of the landscape, of course. The sheets in the guesthouse were not of the cleanest but rather than raise a fuss I slept on top of the blanket. You do fear you might get lost in all the streets and never find your way out again. Magnificent vessels moored in the Pool and it reminded us of home to see the little tugs and pilot boats bobbing. It makes my head spin to see the big cargo ships lined up and think of the dark continents so far away. I swear I never walked so much as we did through the West End and back across the Park, and I felt we deserved a decent refreshment but the prices were iniquitous and I shall regret that cold roast beef sandwich as long as I live. Yet Himself was philosophical and asked what is existence without adventures like this? The boots are bearing up well, thankfully. At least, if we never go outside dear old Ilfracombe again, we can say that we have seen life now. Greetings to Ernie and Nan, and little Ralph and the twins.”

“Behold Sir Robert Raikes who founded the Sunday Schools movement”

“Best foot forward up Ludgate Hill”

“Outside St Paul’s”

“At the Pool of London”

“Passing ourselves off as Londoners”

“This is me and Albert”

Photographs courtesy Bishopsgate Institute