Excellent day at The Blacksmith & The Toffeemaker with the Hair's Breadth team. We had no idea how many people would come along to the private view, but we ran out of film and pins and floorspace which I think says "It was pretty packed". It's been such an interesting project to contribute to and a pleasure to be around such funny/serious people. Plans for more HB are in the pipeline...
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During WW2, as that Mister Hitler was busy bombing brave, plucky, London, one of his bombs landed on and flattened several houses on Woodside Ave N6. As neighbours rushed to the scene of the damage they saw a small slow-moving creature emerging from the still smoking crater. That creature, was a tortoise who the residents immediately christened Adolf. It was unclear who owned Adolf, but it seemed entirely possible that he lived at one of the houses destroyed by the bomb. He was adopted by the next door neighbours, who when they moved, passed Adolf onto the new owners with whom he still resides. Adolf is now at least 72 years old and last Sunday, having lain motionless over the long winter within his bomb damaged shell, he was brought out of his box in the shed and into the sunshine in the hope that he may have survived another year. With the encouragement of the clement weather, some sunshine and Carey who looks after him he had indeed survived, and for much longer than Gloria Gaynor could have even imagined. Adolf is now back in his garden looking for some fresh dandelion leaves. He is featured in this week's Ham & High newspaper. Carey has even polished his shell. Covering the start of annual Lord Mayor's Walk from the Whittington Stone at the bottom of Highgate Hill to Mansion House in the City, or in my case from the Whittington Stone to the top of Holloway Road, about 100 yards. Mayors from all the London boroughs dressed in their robes and finery join the Lord Mayor of the City of London in this ceremonial 5 mile schlep following the fabled route of one Mr Dick Whittington the first Lord Mayor who reportedly reached the spot at the bottom of Highgate Hill as he was leaving the capital before hearing the words "turn again Whittington Lord Mayor of London", and that was when he walked all the way back to the City, eventually becoming the first Lord Mayor. After I'd taken some photos and was leaving, a small child at the bus stop caught sight of the be-robed and fancy hatted procession along the opposite pavement and said "ooh look Mummy, Pirates!" Mayors cross the road by Archway Tower. On an assignment on Rosslyn Hill this afternoon amongst mostly familiar faces, one of whom could not contain his excitement at having breakfasted earlier with Barry Humphries, off Barry's own plates, at Barry's actual table, in Barry's house where he lives. I asked him what they'd eaten, and although he told me I am sworn to secrecy. Later on I had to go to Lisson Green where, between downpours, they were holding a community football tournament. 5 a side, 7 watching... but only one actually levitating. Lost patience with the football, due to sudden terrible craving for scrambled eggs and toast. |
AuthorLondon based photojournalist, interested in pretty much everything. Archives
March 2018
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