Walking. Gossip. Travel.

Category: UK

  • London – Hammersmith and Fulham (Borough of) – Margravine Cemetery (Thomas Austin)

    London – Hammersmith and Fulham (Borough of) – Margravine Cemetery (Thomas Austin)

    This is the grave of Thomas Austin, located at Margravine Cemetery in London, which looked interesting due to the mention of Queen Victoria.

    He was born in 1816 and joined the army, although there’s lots more information about him (and a photo) at https://www.soldiersofthequeen.com/OldSoldiers-YeomanoftheGuardThomasAustin.html which it’s easier for me to just link to….. But, in short, since his army records are on-line, he served in the Coldstream Regiment of Guards, joining on 16 September 1833 and being given military service number 1666.

    Thomas died at the age of 79 on 17 February 1895, with his wife Frances Ann being buried at the same spot on 17 December 1903.

  • London – Hammersmith and Fulham (Borough of) – Margravine Cemetery

    London – Hammersmith and Fulham (Borough of) – Margravine Cemetery

    This London cemetery was laid out in 1868, designed to relieve pressure on churchyards in the area, and the first burial took place here on 3 November 1869. It has also been known as Hammersmith Cemetery and there was an area for Church of England burials and another area for non-conformists.

    Burials continued here until 1951 and at this point the site was taken over by the council who termed it as a ‘garden of rest’. What this really meant is that the council took down a large number of gravestones and buried them, leaving what I think looks like a slightly disjointed and confused cemetery, albeit it in beautiful surroundings.

    The friends of the cemetery seem quite active and their web-site has an interesting take on the history of the site. They mention how sluggish the borough were in opening their burial ground, but an outbreak of cholera in the area speeded things up somewhat. The friends also note that the cemetery saw:

    “A superintendent’s drunken foul mouthed wife upsetting visitors and creating “a crowd” on Christmas Day 1879, belligerent gravediggers demanding higher wages and having fist-fights in the tool house, the nonconformists’ objections, the battle with Sir William Palliser and a fair amount of wheeling and dealing when acquiring or exchanging land”.

    Although I didn’t find his grave, George Wimpey of construction fame is buried at the cemetery. There are 83,000 burials at the site, although when it opened the cemetery was only designed to hold 12,000.

    This squirrel followed me for quite some time, but annoyingly was unwilling to pose for photos.

    There were a large number of dog walkers using the cemetery when I was there, but there’s plenty of space and it looked generally well cared for. Well, other than for the empty beer cans dotted about the site.

    The cemetery’s chapel, which was designed by the local architect George Saunders, who was also responsible for pretty much everything at the site. There was a second chapel at the cemetery, but this was demolished in 1939.

    I visited shortly before the cemetery was due to close, so my meandering was limited and I missed the “ghoulish” Victorian reception house. This building, where bodies were laid to rest, has now been listed and is the only one of its kind left in London. I’m not sure why Historic England thought it was ghoulish, it’s a place to store bodies in a cemetery before they were buried, but there we go….

  • Chelmsford – Disgusting Offence

    Chelmsford – Disgusting Offence

    As an aside, and not one of the most decadent things that I’ve written about, this type of story is alarmingly common in nineteenth century newspapers. The crime relates to the village of Margaretting, which is a few miles to the south of Chelmsford, but which was tried in the city’s courts. The exact nature of the crime it’s best to leave to the imagination, although it was one punishable by the death penalty.

    The Chelmsford Chronicle reported this in January 1860:

    “George Brazier, labourer, was charged with committing a disgusting offence at Margaretting on the 23rd December. The evidence not being sufficient to support the capital offence, the case was dismissed. Brazier was then charged upon the same evidence, with cruelly treating a donkey, and was convicted in a penalty of £2 10s and 8s costs, or six weeks’ imprisonment”.

    £2 10s is worth around £150 in today’s money, so George got off quite lightly given what the potential punishment could have been.

  • Chelmsford – Chelmsford Cathedral and 1832 Great Reform Act

    Chelmsford – Chelmsford Cathedral and 1832 Great Reform Act

    I quite liked this story from the Chelmsford Chronicle in 1832, which was written after the passing of the Great Reform Act, a bit change for the entire country. I can imagine the clash between the characters at what is now Chelmsford Cathedral, although was a parish church back then, when some thought the bells should be used as part of the exuberant celebrations.

    “On the receipt of the news here on Tuesday morning, of the passing of the Reform Bill by the Lords, the flag was hoisted upon the Church, and the ringers were set to work. The bells were going merrily round, and the firing was performed with more than usual precision, when the ringers were ordered to desist by a churchwarden in person, who, with his usual courtesy, ejected the Bob-Majora and the TrebleBobs from the church, and the flag was taken down.

    A request was, however, made for a renewal of the harmonious peal, not only to the Churchwarden but also to the Rector, and the circumstance of the bells having been permitted to ring in October last, when the Bill was rejected by the Lords, was advanced in justification of such a request, and as a proof of inconsistency if denied.

    The Churchwarden not only refused, but declared that so long as he remained in office, the bells should not again be rung to celebrate any political event! The Rector received the party with much courtesy, and after hearing their argument in favour of the application, acknowledged that the example adduced was a sufficient excuse for what had already occurred, and to the ringing of the bells on the present occasion he should not individually have objected, had the consent of the Churchwardens been obtained, but he felt bound to support the parish officers, although, the Rev. Gentleman intimated, the bells were strictly under his control. The result of the application disappointed many of the inhabitants.

    In the course of the day the ringers ventured to resume their amusement, and the flag was rehoisted, but the Rector came into the town, and finding that the consent of the Churchwardens had not been obtained, he interferred his authority and these rejoicings were frustrated. The Rev. Gentleman at the same times very politely wrote a note to one of the applicants, repeating the original objections. Thus disappointed, the Reformers dispatched a messenger for the Baddow musical Band, who in the evening arrived and played many loyal and constitutional airs, whilst the ringers paraded another part of the town with their musical hand bells, in which they are allowed to excel. The two bands played in different parts of the town, and were each followed by a great number of persons, who appeared to take a lively interest in the event. The whole passed off in the most peaceful and creditable manner.”

  • London – Newham (Borough of) – Stratford – Kotch!

    London – Newham (Borough of) – Stratford – Kotch!

    My friend Richard had come to London for the evening to escape Norfolk, so we decided after visiting Wetherspoons for their 99p pints of real ale (well, I had that, he had decadent and expensive gins) to go for a restaurant meal. Incidentally, the evening had started off well as I discovered Richard’s hastily booked room wasn’t as large as the one I had at the Holiday Inn Express at Stratford, so that was some positive news for everyone.

    Being a millennial (well, I’m not, but I pretend to myself that I am) I try to avoid using the phone, so Richard phoned up the restaurant to check if there was space. The restaurant is small and got busier as the evening progressed, so having the reservation was quite useful. The service was attentive, polite and friendly, so all positive there. The restaurant was clean and it had quite a homely feel to it. There’s a toilet at the rear of the restaurant and I’m grateful that the staff members noticed there was a problem, which was that it had locked itself, as otherwise I’d have been standing outside the door for some time waiting for a non-existent person to leave.

    Richard’s pizza, which looked horrible but was apparently delicious, is at the rear, whereas the much nicer Ndjua sausage pizza of mine takes pride of place in the photo. It was cooked in a woodfire pizza oven that’s visible from the seating area, giving the food that nice blackening to the sides. The base was thin and had a decent crunch to it, with the sausage having a pleasant slightly spicy taste. I liked that there wasn’t too much cheese (unlike Richard’s cheese ridden affair) and was more tomatoey, which is all more authentic Italian in my view. Since the dough wasn’t too thick, it also meant that the meal was light and not too stodgy.

    There are difficult times ahead over the next month for restaurants, although at least this Italian should be able to do plenty of takeaways and deliveries. The reviews for the restaurant are positive (which is why we went there), it was relaxed and the staff were friendly. All very lovely.

  • London – Islington (Borough of) – Brewdog Clerkenwell

    London – Islington (Borough of) – Brewdog Clerkenwell

    I’m slowly working my way around the Brewdogs of the world, although unfortunately my attempt to go to Brewdog in Gothenburg this month has rather fallen through. So, I visited the one in Clerkenwell instead.

    This isn’t a great photo, the layout makes it a bit difficult to take photos without walking about and that’s not an ideal situation given the current health climate. It’s a spacious Brewdog which is split over a couple of floors, with the usual range of different seating types.

    This is two thirds of a pint of Breakout Space from Full Circle, although I only ordered a third. I did query that, since this is an expensive beer, but they kindly just gave me the extra third. I suppose since their beer stocks will be thrown away on Thursday, it perhaps matters a little less. The bar didn’t have as many darker options as they usually would, so I veered into this hoppy IPA and it was quite decadent for this beer style. Very fruity, smooth, slightly sweet and an aftertaste of pineapple, this is about as tropical as I’ll be getting for some time.

    Since Brewdog were so gracious with the free third of a pint they ended up giving me, I ordered their own doppelbock of Weizen Up (which was also over-poured, although that’s a useful side benefit of ordering thirds). I’ve never quite understood what the difference is between a doppelbock and a dunkel (my friend Nathan will tut, as he’ll find that obvious no doubt) so I’ve finally looked it up, and apparently “with alcohol concentrations of 4.5% to 6% by volume, dunkels are weaker than Doppelbocks, another traditional dark Bavarian beer”. So with that mystery now solved, back to the beer, which had a caramel and toffee taste, it was likely being back in Germany. Well, without the McRibs.

    I had noted that Brewdog were doing this as it was featured on Untappd and it seemed an interesting collaboration with that many breweries taking part. Unfortunately, that weekend is now lost for Brewdog, but hopefully they can do something similar in the future.

    I had a look on TripAdvisor and this bar has done well to only get two very low scores over the years that it has been open, one which was about it being busy when football was on (the manager seemed confused as the bar doesn’t show football) and the other complained he wasn’t asked if he wanted fries. I’d say that they’re doing pretty well if that’s all people can complain about.

    The staff here were friendly and pro-active, although it was very quiet on a Monday afternoon. They were serving food, although I’m not sure they were selling much, but the bar environment was clean and everything seemed ordered. It’s not the cheapest location, but the range of beers is usually well balanced and there are also some decadent and tempting options in the fridges. Slightly strange to see that Wetherspoons are selling off pints of Brewdog Punk IPA for £1.50, whilst they were nearly £6 here, but such is the strange world of alcohol retailing….

    Anyway, I liked this outlet of Brewdog, calm and welcoming. Goodness knows when I’ll next be in a Brewdog though…

  • London – Kensington and Chelsea (Borough of) – Brompton Cemetery (Alfred George Auger)

    London – Kensington and Chelsea (Borough of) – Brompton Cemetery (Alfred George Auger)

    Sapper Alfred George Auger was born in 1924 and was the son of Joseph Auger and Ellen Gertrude Auger. Alfred joined the Royal Engineers and was part of the Bomb Disposal Company, not a role that was ever going to be anything other than risky. He died on 18 April 1945, alongside Sappers George Raymond Lewis and Mark Pierce, although I’m not sure what this incident was.

    The inscription on his grave is “gone from my home but never from my heart, mother” which is one of the more personal that I’ve seen. Alfred’s mother lived until 1981, when she died in London at the age of 95.

  • London – Newham (Borough of) – Stratford – Holiday Inn Express

    London – Newham (Borough of) – Stratford – Holiday Inn Express

    I booked this hotel as there was a 5,000 points IHG rewards bonus on it, which is pretty generous as 10,000 points can get a free room. It was the cheapest IHG hotel in London, coming in at just under £40 for the night, including breakfast. That’s a bit more expensive than the endless Accor hotels that I’ve been booking, but it’s a modern and clean hotel.

    The dining and bar area of the hotel. It was never particularly busy, but it’s a pleasant environment for guests who want somewhere to sit.

    A water feature. How decadent.

    The room, which I’d booked as a family room to myself, as it was the same price as the other rooms. All bright, clean and comfortable. The television was meant to allow casting from my phone, but it didn’t work and I couldn’t be bothered to make it work. The remote control was also wrapped up in a little bag which was very thoughtful in terms of the health issues.

    The rewards voucher. I’ve never lost the key folder before, but I managed to last night, I have no idea where it went. Luckily the keycard wasn’t in it and I remembered what room number I was in. In the morning, a cleaner came into the room (well, she didn’t, she couldn’t get past the key chain thing), just as I was leaving it. She looked horrified but said she thought the room was meant to be empty. Her timing was fortunate though since I was leaving, but it would have been annoying if I was having a lie-in.

    The welcome drink, this was the best I could find. It’s something a little different, although I found it a bit drab. Anyway, it was free, so I won’t complain. Well, not much.

    The breakfast arrangement.

    The hot food was served by a staff member, who was very generous on the beans front. The ingredients were of a decent quality and if it was self-serve then there might have been a lot more bacon on the plate. There was only one other hot option, which was scrambled egg, but I’m not much of a fan of that. The croissants and muffins were a bit drab, but at least the hotel had made an effort with putting some sort of breakfast on.

    And this is my final hotel of 2020. I have a trip to Bilbao booked on 3 January 2021, although given everything I’m really not sure that this will actually happen. Anyway, I’d stay here again, although I’m not sure why I’d be in the Stratford area of London….

  • London – Kensington and Chelsea (Borough of) – Ibis Styles Kensington (Sixth Visit)

    London – Kensington and Chelsea (Borough of) – Ibis Styles Kensington (Sixth Visit)

    My sixth visit to this hotel, which I wasn’t going to write up as I was meant to be coming back for a seventh visit during the week. Unfortunately, given the latest news, I’ve cancelled that and been refunded, so this will be my final Accor hotel of the year…. And that deserves a quick mention (to amuse me, not necessarily anyone else).

    This was an upgrade from a single room to a basic twin. I can’t complain, before loyalty discounts, this room cost £19 per night. Even the staff member was surprised at this pricing.

    The room from another angle, with my welcome drink of a Tiger beer. I’ve commented before that the drinks could be a bit more inventive, so I won’t drone on about that again….

    The breakfast, and I’m pleased to see that the Coco Pops are back. All rather satisfactory for £19 and the room was clean and tidy once again. It’s probably true, as a few reviewers have noted, that the breakfast offered could have been varied a little more, but this solution was convenient.

    For the first time, I had a look at the six buildings which make up this hotel, all knocked through to create a maze of corridors. The 1939 register shows the variety of people who lived here before the Second World War, it’s possible to work out who lived in each building and from this who used to likely occupy each of the now hotel rooms. Anyway, this hotel has been a useful base for my stays in London, I’m sure I’ll be back in 2021……

  • London – Hammersmith and Fulham (Borough of) – The Dove

    London – Hammersmith and Fulham (Borough of) – The Dove

    I walked to this riverside pub as it’s listed in the Good Beer Guide, a short walk from the centre of Hammersmith. There’s no shortage of history to this pub either, which was first opened in 1740 as Doves Coffee House. It became a pub in 1796 and it has been visited by Dylan Thomas, Graham Greene, Ernest Hemingway and Alec Guinness.

    There is mention on-line, and indeed by the pub, that King Charles II and Nell Gwyn visited here, although I’m struggling to see how since they lived 100 years before the building was constructed. That link is just a bit too tenuous… There’s also a suggestion that James Thompson wrote the lyrics for ‘Rule Britannia’ when living here, although there’s not much evidence for that either. But it’s a nice thought.

    I was seated in the small bar which is said to be the smallest public bar in London, with five tables in it. There’s a larger dining area down some steps at the rear of this photo, but this remains a relatively small pub. I try to avoid taking photos with people in them, but I couldn’t avoid it with this one, hence the professional editing out.

    The bar was all nice and cosy, with half a pint of ESB, which is the best drink I can find in most Fuller’s pubs, and another pack of crisps. Main meals are served as well, although the prices are towards the higher end of the scale, £15 for mains and £8 for desserts, but the reviews of them are positive. The service I had was fast, efficient and polite, with the pub being clean and organised. I suspect it’s normally hard to get a table here given the decent reputation and it was full on Saturday afternoon, with some diners being fortunate enough to get a river view.

    Anyway, an interesting pub to visit…