https://spitalfieldslife.com/2024/07/15/swan-upping-on-the-thames-i/ In the midst of life I woke to find myself living in an old house beside Brick Lane in the East End of London Mon, 15 Jul 2024 10:25:21 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 https://spitalfieldslife.com/2024/07/15/swan-upping-on-the-thames-i/#comment-1589417 Mon, 15 Jul 2024 10:25:21 +0000 https://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=200244#comment-1589417 My married home for 34 years was in Maidenhead, and I clearly remember Mr Turk from those far off days in the mid 1960s. It was always a wonderful sight watching the Swan Upping, and when visiting an old school friend in Surrey about 4 years ago, we had a walk along the tow path at Kingston, and I was pleased to see the family name of Turk was still in existence there. The Stanley Spencer gallery in Cookham (which is next to Maidenhead), where he lived in the village there, has a lovely image of Swan Upping that Stanley had painted. I shall be in Maidenhead next week for a reunion, and no doubt will call into the Gallery, and will certainly be having a walk alongside the River from Boulters Lock at some point too!

]]> https://spitalfieldslife.com/2024/07/15/swan-upping-on-the-thames-i/#comment-1589409 Mon, 15 Jul 2024 10:12:50 +0000 https://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=200244#comment-1589409 Wonderful post which brought back many memories, so thank you. My married home from the mid-1960s for 34 years was in Maidenhead, (coincidentally I shall be visiting there in less than a week) and I knew Mr Turk who was the Swan Upper in Cookham. It was always a wonderful sight. And a couple of years ago when staying with an old school friend from Surrey, we had a walk along the Thames at Kingston, and saw the family name of Turk is still active there! One of Stanley Spencer’s paintings (Stanley Spencer gallery is in Cookham) is also of the Swan Uppers.

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