Jewish Museum/Time in Camden

Second cultural visit of the week was to the Jewish Museum in Camden and it was a good one.

Over last couple of years I've had a number of enjoyable excursions with JL and the only real challenge is to take in something of what we're visiting as conversation does not let up!


I was surprised at how different Camden is on a weekday morning in Winter to the Tourist-fest I last saw it as during a summer w/e and saddened to see so many people around the area  who appeared to be without homes.

Walking by?

so many on the streets

A comedian remembered 

Camden Station 

Museum is a fairly short walk from the Camden Town underground station (where comedian  Willie Rushton is remembered in the form of a Blue Plaque) and there is some (I would say unsurprisingly) security on show.

Outside

There's a café with good coffee and in what's not too much  of a shock a selection of Bagels.








We started at the Temporary exhibition and having had an independent look latched onto a 'curated' tour which revealed so much more about Jewish influx during WW2 (and before) - Tom Karen (who is still alive) had some input to the exhibition and a bike, a child's toy and classic radio hinted at the breadth of his scope in design.

The Chopper Bike (courtesy of Tom Karen) and memories of my own Cycle -Design Museum Tours

As well as the Design items each designer had an illuminated box - and some nice 'film' clips, including a nostalgic 1951 Festival of Britain  revisit.

That Chopper 'iconic'

Publishing and Posters too

Other items in the Museum showed religious and cultural artefact and told of the persecution of Jewry over the centuries with (of course) a focus on the Nazi horrors.

We had a great chat with one of the volunteers at the Museum who recalled his work in tailoring - starting at age 14 and spanning over half a century - big message I got from the visit was what immigrants have brought to the UK in recent times.

And on Subject of Immigration..

Good TV show on Channel 4 (UK), My Millionaire Migrant Boss last night subvert the 'meme' around English people not willing to work - take a look if you can, I'd be tempted to say it was heart warming..