more seeds, Wellcome Collection (and UK Government challenges)

Sadly (but not unexpectedly) I'm behind on my allotment - last few days I've
Planted :-

Broad beans French Beans and Peas (in seed trays)

Tomatoes, Cucumbers and Peppers (in propagating trays)

Asparagus - takes time

Also managed to get some potatoes in - and 2 more Asparagus Crowns.

Rows of Potatoes - Main crop

Seed trays

Rather pleasingly (after several years) I finally  have two spears of almost acceptably dimension-ed  asparagus.

Always Wellcome

Wellcome Collection   

Antony Gormley 'Living on the ceiling'
at Wellcome Collection

I popped into the Wellcome Collection earlier in the week - interesting the way exhibitions held their look at the collision of Health and Art - current one (free too) is titled Somewhere in Between.

It includes about 6 artists each collaborating with an associated 'expert'.

I liked the  amazing photographs of  Bulls that are bred specifically (and scientifically)  to  produce best (economic) returns for Agricultural industry.

The Photographs show something of the genetic  efforts involved by having models of these on the bulls backs - truly amazing looking animals but perhaps rather worrying that we're playing a potentially dangerous game (in many ways).

[Great cafe and bookshop too]

Sire - Amazing photographs from Maria McKinney in Wellcome Collection  showing powerful beasts 

UK Government

If the UK's  Political class wonders why they are held in such low esteem by much of the populous  perhaps it should examine how they answer questions (or dodge them) and consider what the consequences of being direct and honest could lead to.

There used to be a joke (an old one)  about untruths from those in power..

How can you tell when a politician is lying?

Easy their lips are moving (boom- boom)

Since Bill Clinton's rebuttal over his behaviour with an White House Intern

'I did not have sex with that woman'  we 're perhaps more suspicious of the true meaning of what's said, the reports around and analysis of the current UK Home secretary's statements relating to those (once denied) immigration targets have meant that we've had the possibility of what is technically true been used to obfuscate the real heart of the deception that's being foisted on us.

There's a school of thought that says either Amber Rudd didn't know what was going on in her department (not up to the job) or that she knew and has now been caught out (perhaps worse) - It doesn't seem too  unreasonable to five some credence to the idea that Theresa May would not wish to see Amber Rudd on the backbenches as there could be some damage to be revealed around what went on when Theresa May signalled her strong desire to see UK immigration figures fall.

Monday looks like yet another critical day for the stability of the current PM and her Home secretary.

Clerkenwell Walk (CityLit London Villages)

Week 2

Second week out on the streets with London Villages walks and our leader  John Sinclair again providing a great source of information.

One of the key things from the day was to find that many London Squares aren't - they were often built speculatively and the terraces spanned different periods of time  depending on the demad at the time.

Lloyd Square - with subsidence 

Interesting to learn of the houses in Lloyd Square which until the 1970's had no indoor toilets.

They're in a really prime location with quite a history  but  the  final private owner Olive Lloyd Baker was not a perfect landlady.

A former dairy in Amwell Street

The area we were walking in has many links to the river and water supply to London - Amwell Street and River Street for examples where some shops keep the look of the 'olden days' .

And River Street

They say it's a small world - when I returned from this weeks walk I had a look to find out more about the Fig Tree (below) it's one of 'London's Top 20 Trees' - in fact the guy who measured the tree (Steve Waters) lives just down the road from us!

A top 20 tree - As researched by Steve Waters tree Expert

London has always struggled with the lawless and part of the way of keeping order was Local Police as the case is now housing cost could be prohibitive and Police housing was provided in this rather austere looking form (Charles Rowan House - it is no longer Police housing but retains metal Crittal Window frames) .

A sign

Charles Rowan House 

Peabody Housing 

We saw examples of the Philanthropy of  the Peabody Estate (actually a an American who was horrified by the poor housing in London) - affordable housng of its day

Churches

Religion (as well as water) was important to Clerkenwell another way of keeping some form of control (some would say) - Christian religion evolved and often the newest and best churches were in poor areas - Methodism offered a 'reformed' form of worship .

Our most Holy Redeemer 

And inside the church still looks good

The Area would have once been relatively poor and the market nearby would have provided fresh produce - the nature of the market has now changed but remains and lots or restaurants from the gently vegetarian to the blatantly carnivore.

next door meat

A 'Veggie' haunt

Health

We saw  examples of the health service which included the Michael Palin Stammering Centre and 

As seen in 'A Fish Called Wanda'

The nearby Finsbury Health Centre was designed by the architect we were introduced to last week Berthold Lubetkin and although in some disrepair an idea of its grandeur remains - it was commissioned by the local council before the advent of the NHS

Finsbury Health Centre

Well Well

Outside

The advantage of having a proper guide was apparent for both our visit to the (quite literal) source of Clerkenwell - we saw where water was once drawn.

Water wells were important as not only did they provide fresh water but also community meeting places.

Once water was drawn.

Above the well Red marks the area

Politics

It's more than 5 years since I visited the Marx Memorial Library and we just took a look outside, Clerkenwell Green the area it's situated in was well known as a radical hangout in the 19th Century and the Irish Republicans were active with Michael Barrett being imprisoned nearby (12 people were killed in an attempt to 'spring him from the jail)

Marx Memorial Library Clerkenwell Green (but no green)

And St John

Finally on to another access that John Sinclair was able to arrange a visit to the Crypt of the really old St John's church (Norman Church 1143).

Lovely Crypt

Aryt stuff too

Some of the Church still remains

St John in evidence at the nearby gate too..

St John's gate

And Home

Already looking forward to Week 3

Farringdon - A convenient end point

Allotments and connections of Cildo Meireles

My little helper

Finally feel like I'm making some (limited) progress on Plot 202 - weather and other activities are my excuse.


Big help is the  Mountfield Tiller (running on a rechargeable battery)  -it  gives a good half an hour of tilling the soil and managed to get onions and garlic in yesterday - potatoes to follow soon (I hope).

Onions and Garlic planted 

Connections with Cildo Mereiles

On my Citylit Walk last week I saw an intriguing work/bird sanctuary (left) following tweet I followed up to find the work which it reminded me of which I'd seen in Tate Modern.

The bird house is called "London Fieldworks Spontaneous City in the Tree of Heaven" and is a sculptural installation located in Duncan Terrace Gardens it has 300 birdhouses

Tower of Babel (2001)

"London Fieldworks Spontaneous City in the Tree of Heaven"

Tower of Babel (2001) is by the Brazilian artist Cildo Mereiles coincidentally (perhaps) Cildo is the one person who I referenced when I did 365 pictures featuring red - as he had a totally Red room.

You can see more and find out a bit on the Tower of Babel here

One year celebrations at The Showroom, Leeland Road W13

The show

Via an introduction from Mandie at OPEN Ealing I got peripherally involved with an exhibition in West Ealing this weekend.

Pictures for sale

 As part of 'Dare 2 Dream' Ealing Mencap is helping people via creating products and gaining experience in  The Showroom , to mark one year of this shop a small exhibition was held and I put some of my photographic prints together to be part of the offering.

Mencap Staff members were in attendance 

It was (as always) nice to see my work in a place where people felt comfortable looking and generally a nice vibe.

I hope that the next year goes well for the enterprise and thanks to Adrian Ford at Ealing Mencap for including me on the 'ticket'

Do stop by the shop if you get the chance:

When: Monday to Friday,          9.30am - 3.30pm 

Where: 1-2 Leeland Road, West Ealing, W13 9HH

Modern History through the lens of Branding

The entrance

Probably about once every couple of months over the last year or so I've met up with a friend to chat and visit an Exhibition or Museum - our most recent visit was  this Friday and  the venue was The Museum of Brands Packaging and Advertising - it's currently located in Notting Hill (it's been moving around a bit).


The guiding light behind the project is a guy called Robert Opie - he describes himself as a social historian (not a crazed collector).


The Museum is actually quite delightful and somewhat eccentric but offers a nice route into modern history, there's a nice little cafe, which on the day in question meant we could have a pleasant cup of coffee and a pastry in the sunny courtyard.

Me and my shadow

Although the day was very hot - premises were comfortable and airy.



Rather oddly we traversed the collection in reverse starting out in the modern day and moving back in time to conclude in what could be described as Victoriana.




 Unlike many exhibitions this was 'text light' and relied on visitor putting in some work - as long as you've been around for some time (or are a student of history) you'll inevitably have some moments where you're transported back in time - as someone who has radios of various kinds for over 50 years there was plenty of items I could relate to.

Just opposite was a splendidly decorated old pub/hotel

Once the Kensington Park Hotel

Staff are nice there are various discounts available on £9 ticket (I was half price by virtue of being a National Trust member) , there's a shop and staff are very nice and friendly.

My companion for the visit was an ardent left wing environmentalist but was able to get something from the visit - although like me he was a bit puzzled by the growth of novelty products that can carry your own name (Marmite, Coke and Heinz beans to name just a few).

and here's a panorama of the current premises (Photography is prohibited).

Great entrance...

[On entering museum I was embarrassed by a tourist wanting to know the nearest police station sadly London has lost so many (seems more than 4 in 10 to me) - the guy had been pick-pocketed, he asked at reception of the museum and they struggled to help hi too - felt a bit like we were a developing country]

Heavenly Majestic Skylines at St George's Church

Simon on the left and John on the right 3 years ago?

So I was surprised to find from my invitation to Simon James Smith first Solo Exhibition that it's nearly 3 years sine I was part of a City Lit Photo Walk course, led by talented Armelle Skatulski that Simon was also on.


I'm in touch with John L but not really heard anything much from the rest so it was nice to catch up with Barra who was also on the course  at the viewing as we looked at Simon's beautifully printed work.


The 'Viewing' last night was pleasant, Simon's Photo's play to his previous experience in the travel industry and also have a 'spiritual' theme - 'Heavenly Majestic Skylines'  which fits the St George's church location (Lovely Hawksmoor designed Church with quite a history).

St George's Bloomsbury - Great Hawksmoor Church

And Simon yesterday 

Simon spoke a little about the path that he's pursued and the pictures - if you're going make a visit (on util 2nd May)  you can combine with a look at  the Museum of Comedy which is in the Crypt.


As I was in West End couldn't resist a couple of snaps too...

Centre Point

A London Cab

The end of 'Cash'

On Sunday we met some old friends after meeting at The Questors 'Grapevine' bar we took a walk to Charlotte's W5 - original I'd intended to go to Charlotte's Place (on Ealing Common) but this is closed following a fire so we expected something broadly similar at this other part of The Charlotte Group - I've had my eye on the restaurant/bar for some time.

So after looking at my pictures..

My 'Calendar' of Photo's in the Questors  Grapevine bar.

Well we had a few issues in Charlotte's Place -

Charlotte's W5 -They don't want your money 

1st Glasses cloudy
2nd Chairs difficult to get into
3rd Poached Egg overcooked..


and for me  the fact that Cash was not acceptable - I realise that we're in the 21st Century but I don't like the demise of cash it leads to state having (even more) powers.




I want to be able to reward individual service and  I fear too much knowledge is being accumulated about us all.

Dancing with the Captain

Richmond Theatre

Great production of Ronald Harwood's Play Quartet at Richmond Theatre yesterday - play is about so much more than a synopsis might suggest (ageing Opera singers in shared living space).



Very strong ensemble piece, with fine comic performance kept maudlin feelings at bay but there was pathos .



I have some sympathy with critics (of the play) who are troubled by the way it ends but ultimately it is (somewhat) 'life affirming' which is perhaps not such a bad thing.

Long while since I've seen Paul Nicholas and I was surprised to see him looking older (he's74) but in fact he was vital, energetic and showed great timing (as did other cast members) - Wendi Peters (of Coronation Street fame), the baby of the cast at just 50 - is fast becoming a great comic  actor - a sort of new version of the late Joan Sims.

I was surprised to find that Paul Nicholas (who found national fame as Vince in BBC sitcom 'Just Good Friends') when a young pop singer (he went on to have very big hits in the 70's) sang a song co-authored by a young David Bowie you can hear it here - it's no 'Heroes'.

Quite funny to see so many amongst the audience who could relate to the topic and a lovely spring day in Richmond..