After coffee at Jasuka, we set out for a stroll, as usual without any specific idea as to where we would roam.

A dull day in St John Street

We started down St John Street, a fairly long road with many interesting features but from which many roads branch off into a tangle of backstreets.

Southampton Square Gardens and band-stand

We did indeed branch off and entered Southampton Square, a quiet and pleasant residential area with a large central garden. It has a band-stand but I have no idea when music was last played here, if ever at all.

Walking on, we came out into another principal thoroughfare, Goswell Road.

Skeleton, chiropractor’s premises

Goswell Road has a wide variety of shops and cafes and is a busy place. This skeleton stands in the window of a chiropractor’s, presumably in the hope of attracting customers. I’m not sure it attracts me, despite its seemingly cheerful grin.

Tigger pointed out that it was now lunchtime. This was a serendipitous thought because we happened to be in front of an establishment called Kennedy’s of Goswell Road.

Kennedy’s, the fish and chips shop

I was dubious because it looked like a fish and chips shop and its menu showed no sign of vegetarian options. However…

Kennedy’s, the restaurant

…adjoining the shop is their restaurant. Nothing daunted, Tigger went within and asked to see a menu. As we had hoped, this contained a desirable item, suitable for us pesky vegetarians: deep fried Halloumi and chips! We took a seat and happily ordered lunch.

Kennedy’s, interior

The interior is clean and well ordered. Notice the big fish on the counter. I would describe the decor as functional apart from one intriguing detail.

Chandelier

This detail is a pair of very decorative chandeliers, shining brightly. A strangely luxurious touch.

Gee Street Courthouse

We entered Gee Street, a quiet residential backstreet. I was quite surprised to discover a courthouse sited here. I had no idea this courthouse even existed, especially in this relatively out-of-the-way location.

Old pub

This now anonymised building can only have been a pub. The band above the windows where its beers and wines would have been advertised and the characteristic blanked rectangle above the door that would have held the pub’s name, all point to this conclusion.

Despite a search of the various “dead pub” sites, I have not found any record of the premises as a pub. This probably means that it closed as a pub long ago. Does anyone still remember its name, I wonder?

Unnamed path

We followed this path through a an open area. On one side is grass and on the other, fenced in, hockey pitches. The path probably does have a name but I don’t know what it is.

Hockey pitches

The pitch may look like grass but it is a grass that never needs cutting and never needs watering, artificial turf, in other words. Practical, I suppose.

St Luke’s Garden

We entered St Luke’s Garden and tarried a while, sitting on a bench. The name comes from the fact that what is now a garden was once part of the churchyard of the nearby St Luke’s Church. Cemeteries within London were closed in 1853 and many have been landscaped to form public gardens, adding to the capital’s treasure of green spaces.

Bird feeder

In front of our bench stood a bird feeder. It contains lumps of fat-rich food for small birds. It has been designed to be squirrel-proof and pigeon-proof. Only small birds can pass through the holes in the netting. There were no customers for the food while we were there though a pigeon did briefly and unsuccessfully try to reach the food while fluttering and clinging to the netting.

Ironmonger Row Baths

On leaving the garden, we stopped to photograph this establishment. In large letters it describes itself as the Ironmonger Row Baths. It was built in the 1930s as a public baths and wash-house. I believe it also had a Turkish bath at some point. Nowadays it is a gymnasium. More information here.

Old pub, future uncertain

On the corner of Dingley Road with Dingley Place stands another old pub. This one still retains its advertising though the name has been expunged. I was able to find records of this one: it was called the Princess Alice until it closed and later became the cab office of City Radio Cars. This company also moved out, leaving the building secured but unoccupied for nine years, after which the Council made plans to acquire it by compulsory purchase. I don’t know whether this has gone through or what is planned for it. Time will tell.

A twitten called Nelson Passage

Tigger set off down what I would call a “twitten”, a Sussex word learned in my childhood. It means a narrow passage between buildings or walls and that description fits this path whose official name is Nelson Passage.

Old fire hydrant

We found ourselves in Mora Street. I thought we had arrived here by chance but we hadn’t. Tigger had come here on purpose. She looked for and found this old fire hydrant and photographed it for her collection. Don’t underestimate Tiggers!

Oh look, it’s City Road

When we emerged onto a main road, I was for a moment disoriented and didn’t know where we were. It looked familiar but because I wan’t expecting to be here, I experienced a moment of uncertainty. Tigger, of course, knew exactly where we were, having led us here: City Road.

The bus stop

We were also quite near this bus stop. Within a couple of minutes, a number 394 arrived and carried us up the road the the clock tower where we collected our cups which we had left at Jusaka and made our way home.

And finally, here are some flowers from Tigger:

Hedge flowers
Photo by Tigger

As Tigger’s week of holiday is passing apace, we decided to do something a little more adventurous today than a ramble in the neighbourhood.

Aboard the 73

We boarded a 73 bus, finding rear-facing seats at the back. These are our favourite seats on these buses because there is reasonable leg room and it’s near the rear exit.

Oxford Street

We left the bus in Oxford Street. As you can see, it is a damp grey day. It’s not cold, fortunately, as long as you keep moving.

Ramillies Place

From Oxford Street, Tigger led me through some backstreets which had the advantage of being virtually deserted. Needless to say, I had no idea where we were going but tagged along happily enough.

Ramillies Road

The Place led to Ramillies Road and this led, eventually, to…

Carnaby Street

…Carnaby Street. The street is still much visited and tries hard to seem as trendy and exciting as it was when it first sprang to prominence but the glitter of those days is long past. These days it’s a street of rather ordinary fashion boutiques.

Alley between builders’s screens

Then we scurried through more narrow ways, like this one hemmed in by screens put up for building works. These have at least been colourfully decorated by street artists.

More builders’ screens

Then it was a tunnel between more screens, not decorated, these.

Liberty’s

This at last brought us to Liberty’s store. The first door we tried was exit only while inside we found one if the staircases labelled “Up Only”. All because of Covid, of course. Happily, the store was not very busy. We took the lift (no one in it but us) up to the fourth floor.

Light-well from the fourth floor

I photographed the light-well, as I always do, partly because it’s impressive and partly because it makes me nervous. (Height phobia… 🙂 )

Post your wish-list to Santa here

A “feature” in the store is this facsimile posting box for children to post their wish-lists to Santa Claus, a “hook” to draw children, and therefore parents with money, into the store.

Reindeer

We came upon this patient creature in his corner. I’m not sure whether he is decor or is for sale. Either or both, perhaps.

So much to see

With four floors packed with stock, there is a lot to see, all of it good quality. We cane, we looked and we bought nothing.

Carnaby Street once more

We took the lift down (again as the only occupants) and exited into Carnaby Street once more. Then off we went through the by-ways again.

Name unknown

I don’t know the name if this passage though the banner at the end declares it to be part of something called the Newburgh Quarter.

Newburgh Street

This is definitely Newburgh Street which I suppose is the main axis of “Quarter” of the same name. It is pedestrian only which allows stalls to be set up in the roadway.

Group

In Ham Court, we paused to photograph this creation by Tony Cragg, entitled Group. I would describe this as “interesting” and leave it at that.

Arcade

We passed through another arcade, this one beside Shaftsbury Avenue, and after a few more twists and turns and risking life and limb crossing the busy roads, we arrived at Trafalgar Square.

The End

Whereas most of the statues and other objects in Trafalgar Square are permanent, the so called Fourth Plinth is used to show a series of artworks, each of which resides there for a period before giving way to a new one. The works have been known to cause controversy. This one, by Heather Phillipson, is called The End and represents a twist of cream, topped by a cherry. On it is a blowfly and, bizarrely, an object with four spinning propellors, looking rather like a drone. It is said to represent hubris and collapse. Make of that what you will.

Nelson on his column

The focus of Trafalgar Square is of course Nelson’s column. The victor of the Battle of Trafalgar has rested upon his pinnacle peacefully since 1843 but just recently there have been voices raised in criticism of his attitudes to other races and calls to have the stature removed. It is hard to imagine Trafalgar Square without Nelson. Could it possibly happen?

St Martin-in-the-Fields

A less controversial landmark is the nearby Church of St Martin-in-the-Fields. The surrounding fields have long since all been built on but the picturesque name survives. The church had a long history going back well to before the Normans though it has been altered and extended many times. You will find more details here.

Opposite Heal’s, Tottenham Court Road

We caught a bus at Trafalgar Square and changed in Tottenham Court Road. As it was a weekday, traffic was beginning to build up. Progress along Tottenham Court Road was very slow and we had a while to wait for our next bus. Part of the reason is that the creation of separate lanes foe cyclists has led to a narrowing of the road, sometimes reducing the width to single file for motor vehicles. Unsurprisingly, this has led to longer queues of vehicles and consequent delays and disgruntled motorists.

On the way home

When the bus arrived, the lower deck was full so we had to go upstairs. Fortunately, one of the front seats was free. These buses are very cramped on the upper deck but the front seats have a little more leg room.

This ride home ended today’s “adventure”.

We started with a ritual visit to Jusaka but found it closed. A notice on the window cited a water leak as the cause. Will they be open tomorrow? Time will tell.

Islington High Street

We set off on a ramble, intending to find coffee along the way. At midmorning on a weekday, the streets are busy. The main road starts as Islington High Street until it reaches Liverpool Street on the left on from then on is known as Upper Street. I suspect that many people are unaware of this and think the whole belongs to Upper Street.

HSBC Bank
previously the White Lion

On the corner of the High Street and White Lion Street stands this handsome building. Today, the ground floor is occupied by the HSBC Bank and I assume the upper floors are offices. This is the site of the White Lion inn from which the street takes its name. The original inn dates from 1714 but I don’t know whether this is the original building or (as I think more likely) a later rebuild. More work needed!

Antiques stalls, Camden Passage

Leading off to the right and running parallel with the main road is a lane lined with shops and restaurants called Camden Passage. It was once known as an important centre for antiques shops and stalls (there is an antiques market on Wednesdays and Saturdays) but since the antiques stalls were evicted from the Tram Shed, a decline in the antique business has set in. Today there were some stalls operating but very few compared with the antiques heyday.

Camden Passage itself continues to be a lively place with a mixture of shops and restaurants.

Kiperl, an Austrian-style coffee house

We happened upon this Austrian-styled coffee shop called Kipferl. We had to queue for a short while but, once inside, found plenty of tables free.

As is becoming common in restaurants, each table has a card bearing QR codes. These enable you to register your presence and present you with their menu.

Coffee and cake
Photo by Tigger

We had come in for coffee but allowed ourselves to be tempted by the display of cakes. (Note that they serve a glass of water with each cup of coffee.)

Islington Green

Camden Passage eventually merges into the main road near Islington Green but here, that main road is Essex Road that branches off Upper Street to the right.

Essex Road

Essex Road is, like Upper Street, lined with shops, cafes and other businesses. Though perhaps not as busy as Upper Street, it is just as interesting and had its own character.

Alfredo’s Snack Bar

Very noticeable (not least for the now improbable prices of its ice cream) is this Grade II listed cafe restaurant. Originally called Alfredo’s Snack Bar, it dates from the 1930s. Its chrome and Vitrolite decor suggests (to me, at any rate) the American diners of the period. We came here often at one point when it was a branch of Sausage & Mash. As well as the usual meaty sausages, they served very tasty veggie sausages and gravy. They are missed!

South Library

South Library is one of Islington’s five public libraries. On the drainpipe hoppers its completion date of 1916 is still proudly displayed. It is Grade Ii listed.

Elaborate doorway

In contrast to the relatively plain façade, is the elaborate doorway with its recessed window and deep pediment. It bears a motto in Latin: DEUS PER OMNIA (“God pervades all”), though why this is so I do not know. Islington’s motto is WE SERVE.

Street art portrait

On a side-street wall we spotted this large piece of street art. I don’t know who the artist is (if any of the scribbles are a signature, they are not legible). The included text, “You must be the change you wish to see in the world”, is often ascribed to Mahatma Ghandi and the portrait is therefore presumably meant to be his though, personally, I don’t find it a very good likeness.

Discount store window display

Tigger needed to make a purchase and went into this discount store while I waited outside. The window displays contains a mixture of face masks for Covid and fantasy Hallowe’en masks, making a curious contrast.

Old Carlton Cinema

This is the old Carlton Cinema, built in the 1930s and famous for its decor inspired by Ancient Egyptian motifs. Like many cinemas, this one became a bingo hall and was more recently occupied by a religious group. It looks rather abandoned at the moment but perhaps that is just a result of the pandemic.

How we live now – queueing at the Post Office

We noticed this scene on a street corner. I think the picture and the caption say all that needs to be said.

White building – unknown history

Our attention was caught by this large white building, prominent on its corner site. I think it is residential now but looks as though it was built for some other purpose, as a business company’s offices, perhaps. More than that I cannot say. Perhaps more information will turn up later.

Once a bank, now a betting shop

A painted-out inscription on the doorway pediment declares this building to be a bank though does not say which bank. In any case, it is no longer a bank but a betting shop. Neither with this building have I been able to discover its history. Islington still had plenty of secrets to elucidate!

At this point, we felt we had walked enough and so caught a bus back to our district, watching the path we had travelled but now in reverse as though running a film backwards.

Tigger is on holiday from work this week. We had originally planned to go away but the pandemic out paid to that idea. Still, a holiday is still a holiday and welcome in spite of the situation.

View from Moreland Street

After the ritual visit to Jusaka for coffee, we set off down Goswell Road. We had no fixed plan and turned left along Moreland Street by mentally tossing a coin. We noticed this tower block nearing completion but with a section near the top still being filled in. Every new building seems to be taller than those that preceded it and the London skyline is becoming ever more cluttered with these eyesores.

Into City Road

Moreland Street led us into City Road which, as its name suggests, is the main route into the City of London. If we continued in the direction in which the photo is pointing, we would arrive back at our starting point, so we cast about for another direction to take.

Oakley Crescent

Opposite was a minor road which curved to the left, hiding most of it tantalisingly from view. It was familiar to us from passing it every working day on the way home but we had never been into it. So that’s where we went next.

Is it a cul de sac?

Once we rounded the corner, however, it began to look as though it was a dead end. We continued, though, because in London things are often not quite what they seem.

St Peter’s House

We stopped to photograph this building called St Peter’s House. These days it is divided into “luxury” flats but that was obviously not its original purpose. I don’t know how old it is, possibly 19th-century (though I stand to be corrected). I do know, however, that it was once the vicarage of St Matthew’s Church. The church was damaged during WWII and all traces if it have disappeared under more recent buildings.

That leaves a slight mystery in my mind: why, if the church was called St Matthew’s, was the vicarage named after St Peter? I don’t know but I expect someone somewhere does.

A way out?

We walked to the end of the crescent and found this alleyway. Would this prove to be a way out? There was one way to find out…

A community garden

The alley led to a gate that was promisingly open, and the gate led into what looks like a small community garden. The garden, however, had no other exit. Impasse!

We had to retrace our steps back to the City Road.

Ghost sign, Nelson Terrace
Photo by Tigger

We walked along City Road to the next turning which was Nelson Terrace. Tigger photographed this ghost sign still visible on the corner house. We could easily make out the word “BEANS” but the rest was a little difficult to read. We decided in the end that it said “BEAN’S EXPRESS CARRIERS”, but with remnants of earlier and/or later signage faintly visible. Whoever Bean was, he seems to have quit the scene long ago.

A pleasant view along Sudeley Street

The road bends to the left and becomes Elia Street. Elia? There is only one person of that name having connections with Islington that I could think of.

The Charles Lamb
previously the Prince Albert

Whoever named this pub the Charles Lamb was of the same opinion. Charles Lamb was famous for his essays, some of which were published under the pseudonym of Elia. He lived with his sister (with whom he composed Lamb’s Tales from Shakespeare) at several addresses in Islington. I should really say whoever renamed the pub as this mid-19th-century hostelry was originally called the Prince Albert. I don’t know when it was changed.

Colebrooke Row

Elia Street leads into Colebrooke Row. The greenery on the right belongs to Duncan Terrace Gardens, the park built over the course of the New River. On the other side of the garden lies Duncan Terrace about which I have also written.

Both streets are pleasantly quiet because they are closed to motor vehicles at the City Road end, though there is an well used exit from Colebrooke Row for cyclists.

Smith’s clock tower at the Angel

This led us back to our starting point at the Angel crossroads and Jusaka, where we collected our cups, which we had left there pending our return, and made our way home for lunch.

How long will London remain in Tier 2 and will it even be moved into Tier 3, as there are whispers that it may? As long as it is so, we will have to stay close to home and rediscover the pleasures of local explorations.

Roughly a year ago, I had a series of appointments at the dentist’s for their specialist to carry out root canal work. Not much fun, that, unless you like lying on your back for the best part of an hour with your mouth jammed open while someone plies a drill and and periodically asks if you are OK, to which you can only answer “Ung ung…”

Anyway, once the fun part was over, the dentist made an appointment for a year later to check the work and see that all was still in order. I dutifully entered this appointment in the calendar on my phone, setting two alerts, one for a week ahead and one for a day ahead. No chance of missing the appointment, then, eh?

Somehow, I must have missed the one-week alert because the first reminder I saw was on Sunday (yesterday), telling me that I had a dentist’s appointment on the morrow (today) at 8:30 am. Oops!

The first thought that occurred to me was “Will the appointment even take place as the dentist’s surgery had concelled all routine appointments because of Covid?” There was now no way to verify this because you can’t phone the surgery at the weekend.

This left me with three possible courses of action:

1. Assume the appointment has been cancelled and not go.
2. Get up early, get ready and go to the surgery and see what happens.
3. Phone the surgery as soon as they open and ask whether I still have an appointment.

While option 1 was tempting, it seemed impolite, not to mention that they might charge me a fee for not turning up. I wasn’t keen on 2 because I know from experience that during the pandemic they don’t admit you to the premises without an appointment, which involves you in explaining your business by shouting through a closed door in the street. I therefore decided on the third option but as the dentist’s reception opens at 8am during the week, that left half an hour for me to make the call and then go to the surgery if the appointment was still extant. Also, you can expect that on a Monday morning, the phone line will be jammed with calls from patients with urgent problems that have arisen during the weekend.

Ho hum, there was nothing for it but to set the alarm nice and early, have breakfast, wash, dress and be ready to rush out to the surgery, if necessary.

This morning, then, I prepared myself and, at 8 am on the dot, made the call. The robot voice told me the surgery was closed. I waited two minutes and called again. This time the robot voice confirmed that the surgery was now open. The phone rang briefly and then the robot returned to tell me that they would answer my call “soon”.

It’s bad enough having to listen to someone else’s poor taste in music but much worse when the music is continually interspersed with advertising… and the advertising keeps repeating until you are thoroughly sick of it. And the advertising is interupted by the robot telling you how important your call is and that a human will answer it “soon”. And the longer this torture lasts, the less time I will have to rush to the surgery for my appointment… assuming that I have an appointment.

A receptionist eventually picked up my call.

After the usual civilities, I enquired: “Can you please confirm whether I have an appointment at 8:30, please?”

“No,” came back the response, “because there are no appointments at 8:30 today.”

After a moment’s thought, she asked whether she should check my appointmennts for me. I said yes; she did; and there weren’t any.

There followed an awkward pause while I thought what to do next. Ask to make a replacement appointment? Given my chronic inablity to make decisions at any time, let alone on the spur of the moment, this was too difficult a poser, so I said goodbye and cut the connection.

So here I am, in the words of the song, “All dressed up and nowhere to go.” But I am at least ready for whatever else the day has to offer.