I visited here, years ago. Must have been in the late 1980s. It seems such a long time ago. I might have the guidebook safely stashed here.

Here is a similar image from a hallmarked silver nurses buckle which has popped-up on my SM feed.

Carpentry complete. My filing and collating also done. All that's left is the tweaking and the sorting of *those* boxes.

Oh my ...

And.... breathe. It's been a haul, but Stage 2 is now complete. Jettied eye-level cupboards (I'm 6' 3") with shelves below (obviously !). The cupboards are deep enough for box files and ring binders. All credit to the amazingly fastidious Paul Hodges of Boreham wood; Carpenter.

The Stage 2 Bookcases in the 'Drum Room' have gone to the sixth day ! Issues with the existing floorboards have delayed the schedule (and increased the cost !). Paul the carpenter has coped admirably; working with no room to swing a cat, using his gazebo in our back garden as workspace !

Great news that guitarist, Mr John Etheridge has received the Musicians' Company's Lifetime Achievement Award (Jazz) 2025. Here he is having the time of his life with yours-truly bashing the tubs. Them were the days ... 12 years ago in London N20. Click on photos for a slimmer, younger me.

'Public House', Camden Town (from 'High Street', 1938) by Eric Ravilious

This delightful coffee mug just came-up on my SM feed. Will resonate with the chosen few who did O Level Metalwork as opposed to Art.

Is this the chap that founded and endowed Brentwood School, in Essex ?

Also Master of the Clothworkers' Company of the City of London. He seemed to be promoted to high office with indecent haste (IMO).

I often wondered whether this was filmed in the (now demolished) ground floor vestibule of the Clothworkers' Hall in the City of London. It wasn't.

Extraordinary !

I hear the term "Highgate Village" for more often than I do "Hampstead Village". To me, it's simply Hampstead.

Citizen and Mercer, for sure.

It's a reeeeel nowhere lane ...

Which Church might that be ? Looks like a Brewery with the chimney.

I met the current Mr Donovan on an early morning guided tour of the New Spitalfields Market over twenty years ago. He was then the Chairman of the Market Traders' Association, and wore a splendid gong on a ribbon signifying this. The City loves its gongs.

Patron Saint of the Worshipful Company of Grocers, London.

Yes, Iconic.

The restored Hogarth Stair in the North Wing of St Barts Hospital. #StaircaseSaturday

Made. in. NEW YORK !!

'London's armory accuratly delineated in a graphical display of all the arms, crests.... of every company and corporate societie in the City of London' by Richard Wallis (1677) (GR 3.3.7) A striking collection of the coats of arms of various City of London livery companies. 🛡️🦁

It's cool how the city of London puts these lemon juicers out for free public use urbanism win!

No: barbed wire fence line, poultry to be kept, Gypsy Caravans; have I seen.

The ceiling of James Gibbs' Great Hall at St Barts Hospital. Superb restoration.

Resplendent. Nice ...

Clothworker. Master, no less, after a very swift acceleration up the Company's slippery pole. Gave significant silver plate to the Company, as a gesture of his gratitude for the recognition; I suppose.

I need this. Hardback, natch.

Tyler & Bricklayer.

Clothworker.

Juxon House is a modern (post-Blitz) office block in St Paul's Churchyard in the City of London. Part of the huge Paternoster Square re-build after the Second World War.

This is wonderful. The late James Blades in his magnum opus 'Percussion Instruments and their History' (Faber), covers Nakers liberally.

"... benefactor of this ancient guild". The Worshipful Company of Parish Clerks not only pray for the soul of William Roper, we also toast him (and other benefactors) silently at our gatherings. Mr Roper's gifts to the Company were in 1868.

I bought two at the time. Still have the paper-work. The less popular names were sold by sealed bid. I think that I bid on six; won two. I was happy with that. I recall taking them home on the train ! Weighed a ton. They came with certificates of authenticity :)

@tracelarkhall.bsky.social One rainy Half-Term when I was c14, I looked up, in the London telephone directories, the names on the business name-plates shown on the photo of Bowie on 'The Rise & Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars'. All pointing to Heddon St W1. #ProtoAnorak

It has only been during this last week that I have discovered that there is in London, no Blue Plaque to William Hogarth. Seems so unlikely, doesn't it ? Some are saying that there was one once, and that it is one of a number of missing plaques commemorating various bods. I have no idea.

More old Champagne; with Christmas cake. At least this one (Lanson) from 2016 'popped' a little. Plenty of life in it.

A bonus SM post.

A very Happy New Year. Here is P G Wodehouse setting the tone for New Year's Day. I'm holding-out 'til Lunchtime.

I still have the guide book from the nineteen-sixties from when I was a child. The Castle was still in private ownership then, I think.

I simply HATE losing things. I was given the lovely Phaidon book on Hogarth some time ago by a Cabby mate who is also a Guide. I thought that I had lost it, but didn’t know how, as I rarely take books out of the house It turns-out that I found these lurking in our large collection of cookery books

My Diary tells me that it's a Saturday. Third consecutive day of fine, bright weather here in fashionable North London. I like the idea of cutting the grass. It will probably remain just an idea.

Turkey sandwiches this evening. Though I had Duck last night. Boxing Night was the only time that I ever played cards with my late Father. It was some sort of ritual. Beef sandwiches (my Dad hated Turkey) and Rummy with no larking around, 'cos cards is a serious business LoL :)

Not just blue and grey - orange too!

I'm listening to this. Bought it five years ago or more. It's simply amazing. Possibly one of the finest recordings of the Vespers. Not cheap.

A Christmas visit to see Santa in Leytonstone was very-much a local thing for those who couldn't get to Gamage's in Holborn.

My challenge this coming weekend is a) to get through this excruciatingly painful viral throat infection and b) to remove books from four, tall freestanding Argos bookshelves to allow a carpenter/joiner to install fitted bookcase next week. #jenga NB: the bookshelves are free to anyone who wants.

Exquisite.