A Big Send-Off For Colin O’Brien
Several hundred turned up for our Celebration of the Life & Work of Colin O’Brien at St James Clerkenwell on Thursday night but, for all of you who were unable to make it, Sebastian Sharples has made this short film to give a flavour of this memorable occasion
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Thanks are due (in alphabetical order) to Baddeley Brothers for printing the cards, David Gill for operating the audiovisuals, Friederike Huber for devising the photographic sequence, Lucy Kerr for organising the event, Leila McAlister for catering the reception, and musicians Dan Mayfield and the Symposia String Quartet.
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Two Pieces Of Good News
Alfred the Great repairing the walls of the City of London by Sir Frank Salisbury, 1912
Thanks to the large number of letters of objection – many written by readers of Spitalfields Life – the development scheme which threatened to obscure and inflict permanent damage on the murals at the Royal Exchange in the City of London has been withdrawn.
We understand the scale of objection was such that the City’s Planning Officer made a site visit to inspect the murals and recognised the concerns were legitimate. He informed the developer that he would recommend the scheme for refusal which – in turn – led to the developer withdrawing the scheme. Although they will likely come back with a revised scheme, the developer must now recognise that it needs to be one which treats London’s most important series of murals sympathetically.
For the meantime, this remarkable cycle of paintings including works by Stanhope Forbes, Lord Leighton and Lucy Kemp Welch is safe. As Arnold Bennett wrote when he saw them, ‘You have to pinch yourself in order to be sure that you have not fallen into a tranced vision.’
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Save The Royal Exchange Murals!
Lucy Kemp Welch at The Royal Exchange
My Baddeley Brothers book won Best Trade Illustrated Book of 2016 at the British Book Design & Production Awards with the following citation –
“A fabulous clothbound celebration of the joys of printing with an array of luxurious features and tip-ins exhibiting typographic excellence, foiling, debossing and a fold-out map, amongst other eye-catching flourishes. Strong typesetting and a well-proportioned grid complement the varied imagery which ranges from photography through to sparse line drawings. A treat for fans of type, printing, illustration, or simply a good family history.”
Congratulations are due to David Pearson who designed the book, Lucinda Rogers who drew the illustrations of Baddeley Brothers’ print works and Adam Dant who created the fold-out map.
CLICK HERE TO ORDER A COPY OF THE BADDELEY BROTHERS BOOK FOR £20
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Richard Jefferies In The City
Often when I set out for a walk from Spitalfields, my footsteps lead me to the crossroads outside the Bank of England , at the place where Richard Jefferies – a writer whose work has been an enduring inspiration – once stood. Like me, Jefferies also came to the city from the countryside and his response to London was one of awe and fascination.
Whenever I feel lost in the metropolis, Richard Jefferies’ writing is always a consolation, granting a liberating perspective upon the all-compassing turmoil of urban life and, in spite of the changes in the city, his observations resonate as powerfully today as they did when he wrote them. This excerpt from The Story of My Heart (1883), the autobiography of his inner life, describes the sight that met Richard Jefferies’ eyes when he stood upon that spot at the crossroads in the City of London.
“There is a place in front of the Royal Exchange where the wide pavement reaches out like a promontory. It is in the shape of a triangle with a rounded apex. A stream of traffic runs on either side, and other streets send their currents down into the open space before it. Like the spokes of a wheel converging streams of human life flow into this agitated pool. Horses and carriages, carts, vans, omnibuses, cabs, every kind of conveyance cross each other’s course in every possible direction.
Twisting in and out by the wheels and under the horses’ heads, working a devious way, men and women of all conditions wind a path over. They fill the interstices between the carriages and blacken the surface, till the vans almost float on human beings. Now the streams slacken, and now they rush again, but never cease, dark waves are always rolling down the incline opposite, waves swell out from the side rivers, all London converges into this focus. There is an indistinguishable noise, it is not clatter, hum, or roar, it is not resolvable, made up of a thousand thousand footsteps, from a thousand hoofs, a thousand wheels, of haste, and shuffle, and quick movements, and ponderous loads, no attention can resolve it into a fixed sound.
Blue carts and yellow omnibuses, varnished carriages and brown vans, green omnibuses and red cabs, pale loads of yellow straw, rusty-red iron clunking on pointless carts, high white wool-packs, grey horses, bay horses, black teams, sunlight sparkling on brass harness, gleaming from carriage panels, jingle, jingle, jingle! An intermixed and intertangled, ceaselessly changing jingle, too, of colour, flecks of colour champed, as it were, like bits in the horses’ teeth, frothed and strewn about, and a surface always of dark-dressed people winding like the curves on fast-flowing water. This is the vortex and whirlpool, the centre of human life today on the earth. Now the tide rises and now it sinks, but the flow of these rivers always continues. Here it seethes and whirls, not for an hour only, but for all present time, hour by hour, day by day, year by year.
All these men and women that pass through are driven on by the push of accumulated circumstances, they cannot stay, they must go, their necks are in the slave’s ring, they are beaten like seaweed against the solid walls of fact. In ancient times, Xerxes, the king of kings, looking down upon his myriads, wept to think that in a hundred years not one of them would be left. Where will be these millions of today in a hundred years? But, further than that, let us ask – Where then will be the sum and outcome of their labour? If they wither away like summer grass, will not at least a result be left which those of a hundred years hence may be the better for? No, not one jot! There will not be any sum or outcome or result of this ceaseless labour and movement, it vanishes in the moment that it is done, and in a hundred years nothing will be there, for nothing is there now. There will be no more sum or result than accumulates from the motion of a revolving cowl on a housetop.
I used to come and stand near the apex of the promontory of pavement which juts out towards the pool of life, I still go there to ponder. London convinced me of my own thought. That thought has always been with me, and always grows wider.”
Richard Jefferies (1848-1887)
Archive photographs courtesy Bishopsgate Institute
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The Alphabet Of Lost Pubs M-P
Among the fine specimens of watering holes in the fourth part of my series of The Alphabet of Lost Pubs, I am delighted to present The Marquis of Lansdowne which was saved from demolition in 2013 by a campaign led by Spitalfields Life and will be restored next year as part of a Heritage Lottery Fund scheme at the Geffrye Museum. Additionally, I should like to highlight a favourite of mine, The Marksman – as a shining example of a pub that has recently discovered new life, cherished as Michelin Pub of the Year for the excellence of its food. My time-travelling pub crawl is presented in collaboration with Heritage Assets who work in partnership with The National Brewery Heritage Trust, publishing these historic photographs of the myriad pubs of the East End from Charrington’s archive for the first time.
The Magpie & Stump, 18 Old Bailey, St Sepulchre, EC4 (Originally The King of Denmark, dating from the fifteenth century, renamed in 1944 and open today)
The Manby Arms, 19 Water Lane, Stratford, E15 (Opened before 1874, closed 27th September 1940, reopened 10th May 1943, closed and sold in 2013)
The Marion Arms, 46 Lansdowne Rd, Dalston, E8 (Opened before 1859, closed in 1994 and now converted to residential)
The Marksman, 254 Hackney Rd, E2 (Opened before 1869 and open today)
The Marquis of Cornwallis, 337 Old Ford Rd, Bow, E3 (Opened before 1855 but now demolished)
The Marquis of Cornwallis, 115 Curtain Rd, Shoreditch, Ec2 (Opened before 1856 but now demolished)
The Marquis of Lansdowne, 32 Cremer St, Haggerston, E2 (Opened 1838, closed 2000, threatened with demolition but saved and to be restored next year by Geffrye Museum)
The Marquis of Lansdowne, 48 Stoke Newington Rd, N16 (Opened before 1851 and open today)
The Mercers Arms, 34 Belgrave St, Stepney, E1 (Opened before 1839, closed 2006 and now converted to residential use)
The Middleton Arms, 123 Queens Rd, Dalston, E8 (Opened before 1837, rebuilt in the twentieth century, but closed and demolished in 2002)
The Milton Arms, 28 Wrights Rd, Old Ford, Bow, E3 (Opened before 1869, closed in 2007 and demolished in 2008)
The Mitford Castle, 129 Cadogan Terrace, Victoria Park, Bow, E9 (Opened before 1864, renamed ‘Top O’The Morning’ in 1983, closed in 2013 and demolished in 2015)
The Moor’s Arms, 78 Bow Common Lane, Bromley by Bow, E3 (Opened before 1848 and destroyed by enemy action on 7th September 1940)
The Navarino, 45 Navarino Rd, Dalston, E8 (Opened before 1856, closed by 1983 and converted to residential use in 2007)
The Nelson’s Head, 32 Horatio St, Shoreditch, E2 (Opened before 1839, changed name to ‘Fanny Nelson’s’ this year and open today)
The Nevill Arms, 31 Nevill Rd, Stoke Newington, N16 (Opened before 1874, closed 1984 and now converted to residential)
The Newmarket, 26 Smithfield St, EC1 (Opened before 1856, destroyed by enemy action in September 1940 then rebuilt, closed in 2006 and now a restaurant)
The Norfolk Arms, 15 Ivimey St, Bethnal Green, E2 (Opened before 1822 and now demolished, the site is a park)
The Norfolk, 199 Shoreditch High St, E1 (Opened 1856, closed 1996 and demolished in 2004)
The North Star, 24 Browning Rd, Leytonstone, E11 (Opened in 1858 and open today)
The Northampton Arms, 205 Goswell Rd, Clerkenwell, EC1 (Opened before 1802, rebuilt 1891, closed 1961 and now demolished)
The Old Blue Anchor, 133 Whitechapel Rd, E1 (Opened before 1754, rebuilt in 1860, renamed ‘Indo’ in 2000 and open today)
The Old Ivy House, 166 Goswell Rd, EC1 (Opened before 1837 and open today)
The Old King John’s Head, 90 Mansfield St, Shoreditch, E2 (Opened before 1848, rebuilt in 1965, closed and demolished 2013)
The Old Red Lion, 418 John St, Clerkenwell, EC1 (Opened in 1415, rebuilt 1899 and open today)
The Old Ship, 38 Stepney High St, Mile End, E1 (Opened before 1839, closed 1944 and now demolished)
The Oporto Tavern, 43 West India Dock Rd, Poplar, (Opened 1851, changed name to ‘Westferry Arms’ in 2012 and closed in 2016)
The Palmerston Arms, 184 Well St, Hackney, E9 (Opened before 1872, closed 1950 and now a pizzeria)
The Peacock, 12 Whitecross St, Cripplegate, EC1 (Opened 1725 but destroyed by enemy action inDecember 1940)
The Percy Arms, 26 Great Percy St, Clerkenwell, EC1 (Opened before 1853 but now closed and converted to residential use)
The Perseverance, 35 Vicarage Lane, East Ham, E6 (Opened befire 1881, closed 2004 and now converted to residential use)
The Perseverance, 7 Wallis, Hackney Wick, E9 (Opened 1911, closed 1967 and now demolished)
The Phoenix, 24 Upper East Smithfield, Aldgate, E1 (Opened before 1826 but destroyed by enemy action on 15th September 1940)
The Prince Albert, 16 Alfred St, City Rd, N1 (Opened before 1850, renamed ‘The Charles Lamb’ in 2006 and open today)
The Prince Albert, 11 Coopers Row, Crutched Friars, City of London, EC (Opened before 1842 and destroyed by enemy action on 10th May 1941)
The Prince Albert, 221 Queesbridge Rd, Dalston, E8 (Opened before 1848, closed 1971 and now demolished)
The Prince Albert, 47 Hows St, Shoreditch, E2 (Opened before 1848 and now demolished)
The Prince Alfred, 46 Eleanor Rd, London Fields, N11 (Opened before 1863 abut destroyed by enemy action in September 1940)
The Prince Alfred, 7 Poplar High St, E14 (Opened 1861, closed 1972 and now demolished)
The Punch Tavern, 99 Fleet St, EC4 (Opened before 1839 and open today as a restaurant)
Photographs courtesy Heritage Assets/The National Brewery Heritage Trust
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The Programme For Tomorrow
Baddeley Brothers have produced beautiful cards designed by Friederike Huber which we will distribute tomorrow at our Celebration of the Life & Work of Colin O’Brien, but I am publishing the programme today alongside Marcus Liversedge‘s film as a taster of what to expect
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Dan Cruickshank At Trinity Green
Despite public opposition, widespread coverage and the outcry of all the significant heritage bodies, Sainsbury’s are pushing ahead with their plans for a twenty-eight storey tower of luxury flats overshadowing the historic Grade I listed Trinity Green Almshouses in Whitechapel
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The Friends of Trinity Green are staging a fundraising dinner on Friday 2nd December cooked by Oliver Rowe, acclaimed chef & star of BBC2’s The Urban Chef, in the beautiful panelled chapel at Trinity Green which has never before hosted such an event. This candlelit evening will include a three course seasonal meal inspired by Oliver’s new book, Food for All Seasons. The Friends of Trinity Green are inviting a donation of £300 per guest towards their legal fighting fund to stop Sainsbury’s. If you wish to attend, please email friendsoftrinitygreen@gmail.com to reserve your place.
The proposed Sainsbury’s tower of luxury flats (as tall as Centrepoint) overshadowing Trinity Green
The Chapel at Trinity Green
Celebrated chef Oliver Rowe will be cooking a candlelit seasonal dinner in the chapel on Friday 2nd December to raise money for the fighting fund to stop Sainsbury’s and Save Trinity Green.
Click here to learn more about the FRIENDS OF TRINITY GREEN
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Tim Hunkin’s Housing Ladder
If you are heading to Clerkenwell this Thursday 17th November for our Celebration of the Life & Work of Colin O’Brien, starting at 6pm at St James, Clerkenwell Green, you might like to walk over to Holborn afterwards to visit Novelty Automation which is open until 10pm that night for the inauguration of a new machine by Tim Hunkin
Tim Hunkin climbs The Housing Ladder
Yesterday I paid a visit to Novelty Automation, Tim Hunkin’s home-made slot machine arcade in Holborn, where I found the maestro at work installing his latest satirical contraption, The Housing Ladder, Buy the House or Die Trying – an elegant construction which expresses our current crisis with astute irony.
The purpose is to climb the ladder to reach the shining house at the top without being knocked back by buy-to-let entrepreneurs, property developers or second home owners. Once you start climbing, a clock that gives you eighty years starts ticking and you need to be alert because, if the one of the villains pops out, you will find yourself sliding backwards down the ladder and may run out of time before you can reach the top. Unlike life, there are options which you can choose, offering degrees of difficulty – from EASY PEASY (Offshore funds), QUITE EASY (Bank of mummy & daddy) and HARD (No savings).
At first, I was encouraged when I succeeded by setting the machine to EASY PEASY (Offshore funds) but then I was dismayed to discover the HARD (No savings) option takes greater skill than I possess – Why should I have been surprised? Readers are invited to step up and test their ability on The Housing Ladder at Novelty Automation.
Tim Hunkin’s Housing Ladder, Buy the House or Die Trying
Tim climbs…
Tim climbs…
Tim’s progress up the property ladder is halted when a property developer pops out …
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Click here to read Tim Hunkin’s account of making The Housing Ladder
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