Tagged: london

December 16th unconventional advent calendar

Image taken from page 59 of 'Gill's Imperial Geography ... Illustrated with ... maps and ... woodcuts ... Revised edition'

Today’s unconventional advent calendar celebrates archives and the release of over 1 million images owned by the British Library on Flickr.

I previously blogged about the Glasgow image I found, but there are literally millions to see, from all over the world!  You can also add tags to any of the images yourself, and use the usual “favourite” tool in Flickr which will make it easier for you to re-find what you’re after again.

Some of my favourites are below, this time with a tourism and transportation theme… for cultural planners this is an amazing research resource.
Image taken from page 233 of '[Our own country. Descriptive, historical, pictorial.]'

Image taken from page 5 of 'Wensleydale and Swaledale Guide ... Illustrated'

Image taken from page 328 of 'A Text-book of Ore and Stone Mining ... With frontispiece and 716 illustrations'

Image taken from page 313 of 'Pariserliv i Firserne ... Med talrige Illustrationer'

Image taken from page 2 of 'Paterson's Guide Book to England and Wales. With maps and plans ... 1886, etc'

For previous unconventional advent calendar entries see this link.

“Let Glasgow Prosper”- an interesting London crest

On getting the train to St Pancras from Brighton, I noticed this little welcome en route for my journey back home. How interesting, a variation on the “Let Glasgow Flourish” I am used to seeing, and an unexpected piece of the far North in the South East!

Time to unwrap the bike!

I think it is time to go off on some cycling explorations, camera and sketchbook in pannier 🙂

I took these photos in Bristol and London, I am not entirely sure what the wrapped bike is for (perhaps an advert) but now that the sun is ever so slightly peeking over the horizon it’s definitely time to metaphorically unwrap it and get back on my bike on a more regular basis. I love it in Bristol as there are so many cyclists, it is a great way to see the city and I feel like a proper Bristolian when I am out on my bike.

Best address?

A Bristolian favourite
Aberdeen street signs have an amusing “this way” pointing hand
Best number of house ever?
Gaelic multi-lingual street signs
I love Camden Market!
Brick Lane in London has lots of public art and also lots of lovely brick buildings!

This is a little post about some of the interesting street signs and numbers I have observed on my travels.

One of my favourites of all time has to be “There and Back Again Lane” in Bristol.  Genius. It is only a little street, so it is quite well named.  I passed it on the way up to Brandon Hill and burst out laughing, much to the amusement of nearby residents who see it every day without passing comment.  The power of the unfamiliar!

London is full of interesting street names and signs, but I particularly like the Camden Market one, and its neighbouring “Camden Lock” painted on the bridge.  This may be something to do with my love of Madness and the fact that one of the first times I was ever in London this was one of the places I headed first (after the V and A and its amazing architecture court with mini models of famous buildings).


Brick Lane is a wonderful place to go, I was lucky enough to visit this area when there was a street festival on and the whole street was traffic free.  People were literally dancing in the street and pop up markets were out in force.  Delicious food and crazy art to see, and lovely architecture in this area and Spitalfields.

I like that Gaelic street signs and road signs have started appearing in many places all over Scotland, even in the cities and railway stations.  I would like to learn a little more Gaelic, at the moment I could do some of the Colin and Cumberland BBC quizzes but they have hints to help you out.   In Welsh I know “araf” as it is painted on the roads… it means slow (there must have been quite a few winding roads on the route I was on).

The idea for this post was prompted by my recent visit to Aberdeen where I was really quite amused to see the pointing street signs, they are all over the City and rather decorative.  I also spotted a home which called itself “and a half”, something I have only ever seen in one other place which has truly the best address ever; I cannot find the photo I took when I was in York of  1  and 1/2 Whipmawopmagate… but here is the street on Google Maps 🙂