Tuesday 19th March
Another return visit for me and a new one for Sandra, to the Museum of the Home, in Hoxton, right by the Overground station. It’s a fascinating place not only because of the various exhibits from different eras but the story boards featuring ordinary folk who have made London their home sharing their thoughts and feelings. There was plenty that I missed last time so it was good to be back.
Sandra:
Once when we visited York museum, there were several exhibits showing housing from hundreds of years ago up to more present times. I well remember we spent a couple of hours looking round these and seeing what we could remember, often with great amusement. So the opportunity to visit something similar was very appealing. That it was opposite the entrance to the railway station made it even more so. There were signs for a cafe and although we had passed a quaint little French van made into a coffee bar, we decided to patronise the cafe as entrance was free to the museum. Unfortunately, unlike the last time Richard visited, the cafe was temporarily closed and several of the rooms in more modern times were also closed due to undergoing renovations. It was a bit of a disappointment as obviously the newer age rooms would contain artefacts that we would recognise. So we returned to the coffee van purchasing two delicious freshly made coffees and took our seats nearby in a quiet leafy street which was car free but had lovely bench seats to sit on.
Lunch consumed, we returned to the museum. It was good to note that full accessibility was available. We obtained a leaflet which showed the plans of the rooms that were open and as Richard has described we made a tour of the remainder of the museum. The snapshots of people living in the area in more recent times was indeed fascinating; I remember very well a large photograph montage where on a particular day the photographer had taken a photograph of every flats lounge, from the same position, and assembled the photographs to represent the block of flats. It was very interesting to compare the various styles and ages of each individual resident. Of particular note was the elderly lady, probably living on her own, who had a very minimalist photograph. By comparison some of the younger people in the photographs had very cluttered and full flats. One can only think about the significance of that observation.
Finally, we walked out to the front of the museum, (you actually enter the rear of the property from the station). I was greeted by a totally unexpected sight: the museum was actually a collection of alms-houses which had subsequently been made into a hospital before its eventual closure and ultimately becoming the museum it is today. There had been a lot of rain in the previous few days, so we were not seeing it at its best, however a return visit is on the cards once renovations are completed.
I’ve been past the Imperial War Museum countless times on numerous buses but not visited it since I was a kid, A couple of bus journeys brought us there, the first port of call being the café to top up the caffeine levels.
Sandra:
I do not ever recall visiting the Imperial War Museum as a child. I visited London many times and actually worked there for a while but never got round to visiting it. Seeing the giant cannon parked outside has become a marker point for the number 3 bus and also a quieter stop where we can swap to the number 3 bus too if necessary Its handy too as we can usually get seats before it gets very busy at Brixton.
There was no way my aching feet and uncooperative right knee were going to let us go around the whole lot so we decided to concentrate on one floor, the special Spies, Lies and Deception exhibition. Fascinating and thought provoking and the fact that so much of it went on – and still does – in my lifetime made it particularly interesting.
Sandra:
This was both fascinating, spooky and somewhat alarming! The large photograph which had been posted on the entrance to the exhibition was an innocent looking summer’s afternoon in an ordinary park with people from all walks of life and age enjoying a very pleasant afternoon, some having picnics some walking and some just taking in the views. It was only when you were invited to look again at that photograph, having been round the exhibition, you started to view other people in very different lights. I won’t spoil anyone's visit but suffice to say if you really stopped and thought about it every person you walk past could be a spy!
A little
grocery shop, handily located by the bus stop for the good old number 3 bus,
saved us stopping in the ever busy Brixton for a few provisions.
Public transport used:
Bus 450 to Sydenham, Overground to Hoxton, 149 to Fenchurch St, 344 to IWM, 3 to CP.
Wednesday 20th March
We had nothing book until the evening but during a lazy morning punctuated by naps and coffee, Sandra came across the Charles Dickens Museum on the ‘net. A quick check to see that buses could link us up to the theatre and tickets were booked. It also became clear that we would pass the Imperial War Museum on the way so after a shower and lunch that was our first stop. Entry was free so doing it bit by bit made sense and we headed for the top floor and the Lord Ashcroft Extraordinary Heroes exhibition.
Housed here is the world’s largest collection of Victoria Crosses, and many George Crosses too, along with some other memorabilia. You can read over 250 fascinating stories of those who showed incredible acts of courage, bravery, many of whom made the ultimate sacrifice. An amazing collection – read more HERE
Sandra:
A lot of my great uncles, including grandfathers served in the Royal Navy during World War One. I grew up hearing stories of the commitment to ‘fighting the good fight’ and thankfully all bar one returned at the end of the war. My paternal grandfather served in the Royal Navy as a midshipman and saw action in the Mediterranean and more so in the Baltic Sea. In terms of World War 2 my uncle served in the Merchant Navy and was a boilerman a very hot, physical and ultimately dangerous occupation. Like his father he spent a great deal of the war protecting the Baltic convoys and more latterly saw service around and about Malta. He would rarely talk about his experiences, in particular Malta, other than to say the people of the island well deserved their medal for the resilience under severe bombardment.
In that context I was particularly interested to look at the exhibition of Victoria crosses etcetera and to read the little, for want of a better word, biographies of the recipients. There were also a couple of interesting videos where people were talking about what constitutes bravery, heroism and such like.
A few things stuck out for me, in the earlier days of conflicts in modern times, the very young age of some, if not the majority of young people who were awarded the various medals. The descriptions of the acts they carried out which ultimately led to the award of the medals was both awe inspiring and humbling. I was pleased to see that the more recent wars in the Middle East, particularly Operation Desert Storm and the Falklands War were well represented and by comparison the age of the recipients was considerably older, although not exclusively so. The final note was that there were a couple of Cheshire regiment awards as many of my great uncles signed up for World War One in exactly that regiment. I believe originally they were called the Cheshire PALS but subsequently became the Cheshire regiment of which Chester is the garrison base. It is now part of the Mercian Regiment.
Back on a couple of buses for the Charles Dickens Museum, housed in one of his former homes, in a quiet street in Bloomsbury and spread over the whole six floors. Thankfully there was a lift serving all but the highest and we descended first to the basement for a cuppa.
A fascinating visit and somewhere that ordinarily would not have been on my radar so thanks to Sandra for coming up with it.
Sandra:
Good old Charles Dickens, so beloved of the O level English Literature exams of yesteryear. I hadn’t actually made a connection that Dickens spent some of his time living in London so it was a real find that there was a museum not too far from the theatre that evening.
The house was in a particularly attractive part of Bloomsbury and was very well presented indeed.
After our usual coffee we managed to visit the majority of the rooms with Richard kindly taking photos of the nursery and a further bedroom on the floor at the top which I could not get to. That should not put you off visiting as the majority of the sights are on the other floors.
There were very kind and helpful volunteer guides who recounted various stories about each of the rooms they were covering. I still remain fascinated by the short length of the beds of that era. Neither Richard nor I would be able to lie on the beds without our feet or legs well hanging over the end!
The servants kitchen, laundry and wine cellar recently restored to it original set up by a local wine merchant. These were all very interesting to see and in a way made-up for not being able to see similar rooms at a Museum of the home.
We’d passed a pub on the walk up Doughty Street so decided to ease aching feet for a while. Cask wise there was only a pale ale but I took one for the team in the name of research. We could have eaten here but it was still a little early so decided to head instead to the West End, an easy journey on another bus.
The White Hart sits at the top of Drury Lane and it’s a pub I’ve visited a few times over the years but never, as far as memory serves, for food. It turned out to be an excellent choice. Despite not booking there was plenty of table and the food was superb, so much better than our meal on the Monday night at the Greedy King pub and no more expensive. We both opted for the chicken fricassee for our mains, a dish I hope to recreate at home at some point.
Sandra:
I was particularly interested to see this pub and read all about its long, illustrious history and in some parts of dubious repute!
Today however, it is a lively and well patronised establishment. I can only concur with Richard’s assessment of the main course. It was so nice to be offered something other than XYZ and chips.
Another bus brought us to the crossroads where the Dominion Theatre is located and I persuaded Sandra that a pint in Oxford St’s last remaining pub – The Flying Horse – would be worthwhile. It was busy but we managed to get a seat.
Then it was to across the road to the theatre and the main event – a revival of Sister Act – The Musical. They were already ramping up the atmosphere in the auditorium with mirror balls and disco music from the 70’s. I resisted a boogie down the steps as I returned with our drinks, mindful of spilling the gold plated merlot.
Well, what a cracking show. Beverley Knight played the lead, accompanied by Ruth Jones as the staid and officious Mother Superior. Funny, poignant and with some superb songs, Knight was undoubtedly the stand out but supported by a very talented cast too. A real ‘feel good’ musical that had us buzzing as we left. Just the job and I’d thoroughly recommend it.
I was really looking forward to the musical that evening, having seen
both films in the past. I was not to be disappointed and the production and
staging was superb. The theatre was full and as Richard has said the atmosphere
was one of great happiness and enthusiasm. Certainly one which I would
recommend.
Public transport used:
Bus 3 to Imperial War Museum, 59 to Holborn, 243 to Charles
Dickens Museum, bus 38 to Drury Lane, bus 188 to Tottenham Court Rd, bus 188 to
Elephant & Castle, bus 363 to Crystal Palace.
Thursday 21st March
Sadly time for Sandra to depart and with a mid-morning train from Euston to catch we were on the 3 by 9am, doing the usual swap to the Victoria line at Brixton. We didn’t have to wait for either and there was time to procure a coffee in Smiths before adjourning to the Assistance lounge.
Sandra:
All too quickly my break had come to the end for this trip, my towing skills were needed up north! As with the beginning, train and passenger assistance worked great. Thank you Richard and here’s to the next one.
Very soon it was time for Sandra to depart, we said our goodbyes and as Sandra was whisked off to the train I made my way to the bus stop down the side of Euston. I’d decided to head to Camden, having given it a miss in October and had the usual mooch around the Stables Market. It was busy as is the norm but not rammed and after I’d done the rounds with hands firmly in pockets I decided that with a certain generosity of spirit it could be considered lunchtime so decided to seek out a pint.
Wetherspoons is not to everyone’s liking but the Ice Wharf occupies a great spot by the canal and the opportunity to sit out watching the world go by with a pint costing less than four quid in London was too good to pass up.
I had nothing else planned for the day so had a snout in a shop on the main road – the name; House of Leather – won’t be a particular surprise to you. I was encouraged – like it took much – to try on a pair of jeans and was immediately taken with them, a great fit, the right length and butter soft. Negotiations were opened and I emerged a short while later with said jeans. I don’t doubt that the price tag was merely a starting point but, not surprisingly, over the years I’ve got to know a bit about such garments and was pleased with what I got for the price.
After alighting at Charing Cross my idea was to head to the Sherlock Holmes pub for a pint – it was one of the pubs that featured on the Pubs & Shops of London Jigsaw that I completed and the researched during one of the covid lockdowns. However they clearly were not that concerned about serving customers and, having perused the uninspiring range of real ales on offer and I decided to take my leave.
A quiet afternoon and evening in brought the day to a close. An expensive one but I was very pleased with my purchase and looking forward to giving them an outing later on in my stay.
Public transport used:
Bus 3 to Brixton, Victoria line to Euston, bus 1 to Camden, Northern line to Charing Cross, 453 to Elephant & Castle, 363 to Crystal Palace.
That’s it for Part 2 but plenty more to come – a multimedia exhibition, another show and a couple of cemeteries!