Punks in London
London, England, 1986
I can’t recall exactly where this was, possibly Trafalgar Square. I do remember taking it on the sly after seeing a tourist hassled for a few quid for taking their photo.
Cotswold Way
St Johns church, Old Sodbury, England. 18 April 1987
Day 2 of the Cotswold Way having left Bath in Somerset county and heading north.
Filled up with water at Old Sodbury and spoke to a lady cleaning graves in the churchyard. Up the hill one mile to the large fort site of 11 acres. There were two large outside walls of earth, the grass was nicely cut. Met four hikers in a group coming from Chipping Camden – the only other walkers I’ve met.
I’m camped on an Iron Age Hill Fort near Little Sodbury Manor, now twenty miles from Bath. Once more balloons are floating quite near. It’s 7.30pm and the sun is going down on another perfect day. I actually have a sunburnt face. Cooked myself a vegetable soup meal and feel content.
Astride the prime meridian
Greenwich, London, England. 8 June 1986
Took a ferry from near Tower Bridge down the Thames to Greenwich. An interesting commentary on the history of various buildings and docks. Saw the Cutty Sark, didn’t pay to board it, did so for for Chichester’s “Gipsy Moth”, 20p.
Walked into the parklands, past soccer players, frisbee throwers and cricketers. Very pleasant surroundings. Up to the observatory and GMT. Astride the east/west meridian [0 degrees longitude] for a photo. Back past the Maritime Museum (closed at 6pm, another visit surely) and a train back to St Pauls and the YHA.
Newly arrived to London, I look a bit bedazzled, wearing my Kathmandu clothes. It wasn’t too long before they were ditched in favour of Doc Martin boots and a long black trench coat.
The Dingle, Liverpool
Parkhill County Primary School, Liverpool, UK. 22 September 1986
My cousin Marie took the day off work and drove me into town. To the Dingle and Dad’s old primary school [he later told me that wasn’t it]. Marie took a photo of me in front of it. Arthur Street has been demolished. Toxteth was interesting. Since the rioting [1981] a lot of government money has gone into building new houses, sports centres etc. Lark Lane is now a trendy shopping and wine bar street. My grandparents lived around the corner from it.
Went past lots of derelict, burnt, vandalised houses and flats.
Stanley House Community Centre, Liverpool, UK. 22 September 1986
This was the former St Margaret’s Home for Girls (an orphanage) opened in 1872; a derelict community centre when I visited; and now completely redeveloped:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/44435674@N00/14405314663
Sefton Park, Liverpool, UK. 22 September 1986
Sefton Park had a smashed up car half submerged in it.