London Belongs to Me is the name of a rather good book by Norman Collins. It’s a rambling novel about London life before, during and after the Blitz with a cast of strong and intriguing characters. Who could write a book today with such a name? The film of the book is much chopped andContinue reading “London Belongs to Me – or does it?”
Tag Archives: england
London Notes
The journey started at the coast. The never ending sailing of the world’s cargo fleets, container ships, oil tankers, liquid natural gas carriers, specialist, technical craft. Warships, aircraft carriers, nuclear armed submarines beneath the waves. Shadow fleets evading sanctions, funding wars, killing children. As the train emerges from the tunnel under the Thames an industrialContinue reading “London Notes”
Fragment of a Radical Walk
I have to accept that a write up of a Radical Walk will never be along the lines of, “meet outside the Bishopsgate Institute, turn left into Artillery Row, proceed in a southerly direction to Middlesex Street, note the estate on the corner, here is the heart of the East End; it’s quite some distanceContinue reading “Fragment of a Radical Walk”
Where are the Socialist Voices?
This is based on a Radical Walk that took place on Sunday 8 June 2025 as part of the London Festival of Architecture. It’s a longer than usual blog pieces because I get regular messages from people who say they would like to come along but for various reasons they can’t. So this is forContinue reading “Where are the Socialist Voices?”
The Gateway Flats, Dover
The Gateway Flats in Dover were completed in 1959. Over 200 council flats, with sea views and easy access to the sweeping, curving promenade by the harbour. There was some controversy at the time, and small echoes of that rumble on. Why should council tenants have such elegant and graceful housing? Why this intelligent andContinue reading “The Gateway Flats, Dover”
Commodity Fetishism 