Is this father and son?

There are loads of small architectural features in the upper levels of buildings - usually just above doorways and shop signs - and seeing these made me stop and think.

I find myself invariably walking down a street and looking up now, the camera is an almost instinctive part of my 'what am I carrying when I leave the house in the morning' routine... and it's these little features that spur me on with this endeavour.

It's not uncommon to see kings and queen's, indeed in Kilburn I found four musical greats:
http://474towin.blogspot.com/2008/02/kilburns-musical-past.html

But these two didn't seem quite so obvious. It is entirely possible that we have here a depcition of the Father and Son - perhaps the achitect, the commissioner, the shop owner... any other suggestions.

I have previously commented on this great bit of local shopping,

but this is slightly set aside on the Aldred Road side - if you're down Mill Lane, pause, turn off into Aldred and have a look...
http://474towin.blogspot.com/2007/12/pavement-on-mill-lane.html,

The colours of a red victorian letterbox

The iconic nature of a letterbox is really quite interesting - the red is so distinctive, the VR in fact pretty old now (being Victorian)

I was struck when in Sierra Leone that the old letterboxes I came across were green - it was the familiar shape, but a different colour...

This little pic I took in The Avenues just off Queen's Park - small, discreet and charming. I just found myself wondering, with the loss of Post Offices how long before we start to lose postage points as well?

A blue plaque for George Crabbe in Hampstead?

Heath House is one of the most amazing houses in North West London. Great location, perspective, proportions, gating, settings - all over wow.

I have walked past and around on numerous occasions and thought how great it was and reflected on the shame that was the closed boarded up current state.

Now there is a planning application proposal progressing that will see the house restored to residential occupancy - which can only be good (assuming that all the plans respect the great architecture and listing features).

Some of us had dreamt that the house might have eneded up as the headquarters of the Hampstead Heath Managers (City of London Corporation), but it looks not to be the case now...

However, a new twist for me was the discovery that this was occupied by the Hoare family (Samuel and his daughter Sarah at least) who were cery close family friends , even confidentes, of George Crabb. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Crabbe

Crabbe is a serious player in the canon of romantic poetry and, it emerges, he stayed on a frequent basis at Heath House with the Hoare family writing his poetry and gathering inspiration from the heath and surroundings. I want to return to this but i think the stay here was significant and saw the writing of his very greatest works...

In the context of the links with Keats and Bloomfield I think there's a wider restoration of the poetic significance of Hampstead in the period 1800-1820.

A blue/Hampstead plaque for Crabbe on Heath House?

Independent shops and their charm

Just wandering down Mill Lane and notice these little architectural gems along the way.

I've always liked the row of shops along from the Alliance Pub and near West Hampstead Community Association.

There's now a great cake shop there so it's more than worth while.

Oh, and The Alliance is from Waterloo (1815) and the grand alliance between Wellington and Blucher against Napoleon.. though it has been a local Lib Dem haunt for a quite a while...

Oh, and there is a great little plaque at number 54 to a real local person - more to follow on this, but it has all the definitions of charm and localnesss that I find I appreciate.

Just picking up the architectural features

I was just wandering down the street in Hampstead and was struck by the charm of the features round the break from High Street to Rosslyn Hill - the old 'Dudman's Hampstead Borough Stores' especially stand out.

The inscription (above the window) reads 'Rebuilt 1890' - but because the building is so high, on a hill and at a fairly steep point you have to really stop, step back and look up to appreciate it to the full.

But it sure is a joy to behold.

Also in the way of charm is this old water well drinking point. In contrast this is at street level but is slightly hidden at the point it sits as it's not a natural pedestrian crossing - being between Mulberry Close and Vane Close and near the pederestian crossing on the hill...

A tad religious for me, but the extent it adds to the local charm is pretty good - and it does reflect a different age in a way that is quite special.

The days of Liberal clubs round the country

Hidden away on Heath Street, Hampstead is an old foundation stone for the former Liberal Club.

"HAMPSTEAD LIBERAL CLUB
Foundation stone laid by
SIR CHARLES RUSSELL Q.C. M.P.
20th July 1889
S.A.LYON. ESQ. TREASURER

Spalding and Cross, Architects
Allison and Foskett, Builders"

In 1880 the Hampstead Liberal Association was formed and worked out of 13 High Street but them moved to 1 Downshire Hill by 1885 (this appears to have been a correspondence address). it was then renting at 31 High Street in 1888 before moving to the newly built headquarters at 24 Heath Street from 1889.

The offices were still in operation in 1925 and disposal may have taken place any time after that - it certainly co-incides with the split and decline that then ensued in the Liberal Party.

It's just by the current zebra crossing opposite Tesco (the old dairy).

Sir Charles Russell as QC is pictured left here practising as a barrister.

If you google him then you can find a case he was involved in of BRACEWELL V BRACEWELL SMITH AND THRELFALL

Welcome to Nancy Jirira

We thought it would be a good night, but we never expected Thursday to be quite so good.

Nancy Jirira was elected as the new councillor for Fortune Green with a whopping 51% of the vote and a majority of over 600 votes.

The Tories threw absolutely everything at this election, lots of Labour canvassers (though few Labour Camden councillors in evidence on the doorsteps!) and Nancy still won through.

Good luck to Nancy - she's a strong community champion, she joins Russell Eagling and Flick Rea on the team and will really stand up for Fortune Green's residents.

Well done, best wishes.