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