Three scenes of abandonment, decay and dereliction

I found them quite appealing.

Carve up da face!

Spooky Mansion in Ilford

Here's a little Halloween creepiness for ya! I snapped Valentines Mansion in Ilford in the early hours of the morning recently; kinda spooky, no?  

Christopher's Thought - The Dance!

Sheet music montage - Coney Island 1950

Very clever indeed this montage.

Gordon Wilkins Outside The Old Autocar Offices in 1939

A very kind gentleman sent me this picture of my uncle, Gordon Wilkins, outside what I believe to be the old Autocar offices in Stamford Street London SE1. It's a great picture that shows my uncle, first on the left, ahead of the 1939 Welsh Rally, I don't know the other people in the photograph I'm afraid.

Rudolf Uhlenhaut in Mercedes 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tGuJ34062s

The Great British Bake Off Tent Dismantled

I watched The Great British Bake Off tent being taken down this week, it had been up for three weeks in Valentines Park, Ilford, during that time sixteen "celebrities" had been baking for a special Bake Off Sport Relief programme due to be aired early next year; we'll miss the smell of burnt biscuits and cremated cup cakes emanating from the tent.

Oh for it to be 1984 once more!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7f_HsjpSVaI

A grandfather's letter.

This letter if from a father to his daughter after she has kicked her son (his grandson) out of the house for being gay; it's a wonderful, wise and powerful little document.  

Disturbing Fashion of the ‘70s

Blimey!

Another early walk to work.

God-forsaken Leytonstone High Road on a wet Monday morning..

There can be few more depressing places to be; waiting for a bus.

Autumn is coming!

I love it! The colours; the light; bring it on!

Bowlzee snuck into the Great British Bake Off tent this week.

Window

East London side street

Melancholy flyover

Took these two rather melancholy pictures on my walk in to work last week; at 5 am in the morning if you please!  

Christopher's Thought

... for today.

THE BOY with the BUSY WALK

Hmmm. Which one; I've know a few!

Shoreditch Graffiti

Monday morning and it's raining in London (sad face)

A Stately Old Girl

Here are a couple of stately old girls from the 70s; Rolls Royce Silver Shadows. I have a soft spot for these old Rolls, the top picture is in Piccadilly, London and the one below is a picture of a young Bowlzee (look at those legs - heavens above!) which was taken by my uncle, the motoring journalist Gordon Wilkins, in I think (looking at those legs) 1974. Anyway, always worth a revisit, the majestic Silver Shadow, I think. Enjoy!    

Build - here they come with a brick in their hand...

This song says it all: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZjPlKXT7u0

Cool Chicks in slacks 'n' hoodies

Nice!

Week two of the Great British Sports Relief Bake Off

I watched a bit of the filming of The Great British Sports Relief Bake Off on location in Ilford this week.

PHWOAR!

Had a lovely Ruby at Kanchans last night

A basement off Savile Row

Jaw-dropping Alfa!

I'm in love with an Alfa Romeo.

Sometimes the simplest things...

Calling All Heroes - BBC Children in Need 2013 Trails

Love these two trailers (click below) for BBC Children in Need 2013, featuring the fabulous Bonnie Tyler; great fun!

Click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0YgB-LxOBE

And here too: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1u0MAiLZCM

Chinese Take-Away!

Time gentlemen please; no!

I noticed that this (potentially) lovely old Victorian pub in Whitecomb Street, just off Leicester Square, is still derelict. Called the Hand & Racquet, Bowlzee has himself quaffed the odd pint of the black stuff in here from time to time over the years and it's a sad state of affairs if we loose this and many more old pubs like it as they are of historical importance from a social history perspective.

This is from a plaque that used to be attached to the pub:

The Hand & Racquet has been around in different forms since the Tudor times (1600's) - originally founded as a brewery by William Whitcomb who gave his name to the street and to the surrounding streets. They were named after some of the local brews i.e. 'Panton Ale' and 'Oxen Ale'.

The Pub stayed much the same until 1827 when it moved, quite how no one knows but it moved from 21 Whitcomb Street to 48 which it is still at!

In 1865 the upstairs bar/restaurant was added by the Oldbury Family who ran the pub for over 50 years. The upstairs became a Mecca for comedy,  artists such as Tony Hancock, Sid James and Tommy Cooper were often seen quaffing ale or two!

Tommy Cooper, when the bar was split into 2 bars would use his height to peer to through the windows to see if anyone he knew was in the bar, as he always tried to avoid buying other people drinks. The problem was everyone would see the fez and follow him in.

Tony Hancock's 2 writers Galton and Simpson used the pub, which gets a mention, in many of the famous Hancock's Half-Hours.

Also of interest: http://www.economist.com/node/17722946

Soho Square

He's a model and he's looking good.

I snapped the snappers at this fashion shoot on Mount Street London W1.

LOUIS VUITTON WINDOW - LONDON