The story of this corner of London runs deep. The roots of settlement here stretch back to the 10th century, when King Edgar granted 13 acres of riverside land to 13 knights (yes, an acre per knight), with permission to use it for trading along he river. By 1125, there was already a dock at St Katharine's. Over the centuries, the area grew into a small but busy community, complete with a hospital, a monastery, a school, almshouses and its own court.
This part of London sits just outside the historic City walls, so it attracted traders who wanted to avoid the strict rules binding City merchants. The land was later acquired by Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Cleveland, who developed it, hence the main road being named Wentworth Street. If you're wondering about Ann's Place, that was probably after his wife, Anne Hopton.
It's been a bit of a mixed bag, if I'm honest. The first half of the year was rather hampered by health gremlins, which put a definite dent in my usual habit of wandering off in random directions and spotting odd, interesting things simply by being out and about. That said, there's always a flip side. It turned out to be a cracking year for exhibitions,
On the border of Hackney and Islington, on the line where the two boroughs connect, lies Blackstock Road, arguably London's most interesting street. A short walk from the Arsenal Emirates Stadium and home to all the food options and pubs you could ever need - from Kurdish naan bread at Baban's Naan, to about a dozen sports pubs, and chilled reds at Top Cuvée - Blackstock Road is a magnetic field to tote bag hoarders, Paul Mescal dupes, Matty Matheson wannabes, and Arsenal fans alike.
London has been through some serious change in its lifetime. Founded by the Romans in 43 AD, the capital's 2,000 year history has seen the city go through plagues, fires, industrialisation, the Blitz, and the tech boom. Now a new photo book has revealed London's lost and secret histories. To be published on November 23, Panoramas of Lost London: Work, Wealth, Poverty and Change 1870-1945, features more than 300 black and white photos, 60 of which have never been seen before, showing London in the 19th and 20th centuries.
Fanny Wilkinson worked hard for many years to design public gardens, making green spaces and fresh drinking water available for all to enjoy, and it's an absolute pleasure to know that my sculpture will help to commemorate her pioneering professionalism.
