I have a soft spot for Holland Park from when I was about 12. My Dad, bought a second-hand car ( Ford Granada MK2 ) from an Army Major type-chap. I went with my dad to pick the car up, as that’s the sort of thing you do when you're a kid. Yes, picking up an old car up on the weekend was an exciting adventure and I think it Probably still is in my book. But imagine, the sort of house that an Army Major type-chap would live in. Fucking awesome.
If you ever get the pleasure to study photography at college ( or maybe you already have ) then no doubt, you will be drawn to this type of subject matter. You will probably stick these images up on the wall for all the bare. Then probably waffle on about how they represent isolation and so on. Meanwhile, your tutor will have drifted off with boredom and would be possibly thinking what to do for lunch, the college canteen or the student union bar perhaps?
Why not treat these photos as a metaphor to how your post college career will pan out. Maybe a couple of years in a bubbly film lab, whilst the likes of greedy landlords and and the tax man, bludgeon your creative soul to death. You never know, this kind of talk could get you an A+?
A couple of snaps from James’ wedding that took place on the Saturday. Location, Southend on Sea. Actually, I presumed that I had taken a lot more photos. However, I now recall that I spent most of the time chatting away to people at the bar. A lot of catching up to do I guess. Good to see a lot of friendly faces and thedailytitlow was in attendance too.
I had the honour of being invited to the West Ham v Burnley game, Saturday just gone. My Granddad; on my mums side, was a fan of the Hammers, so I guess that’s why I am. Mind you, I think my interest wavered shortly after their F.A. Cup win back in 1980 and most probably the telly rights moving to Sky television wouldn’t have helped either.
I noticed in the Football program that the Cockney Rejects are playing a 30th anniversary gig soon too. I’ll dig out some photos of yours truly from the 1980s era, donned in West Ham paraphernalia once I find some.
The summer factory, sucking in the last of the daylight and closing its doors for business. Hello darkness my old friend. It’s time to talk to you again.
There used to be a Lido swimming pool at the back of the Hollow ponds, Leytonstone. According to a small bit of internet research that I did. The Lido started out in life as bathing pool. Then was converted into an outdoor swimming pool in the mid 1930s. It was closed in 1982 and then was used for general land fill by the local coucnil. Good old Maggie Thatcher played a part in its demise, no doubt. I went there a couple of times as a child. I pretty much remember it being massive. It had its own diving section, fountains and everything. 300ft x 130ft to be exact. You wouldn’t want to swim a length underwater in that thing.
I thought I would check out its remains. I was hoping that I might stumble across some old ruins, similar to Athens maybe? What I did find was a flat clearing from the trees were something colossal may have once stood. There were quite few pathways cutting through bramble bushes over what must have been the Lido. However, there did seem to be a few odd looking men walking around and on closer inspection, lots of tissues and wet wipes scattered around. This started to feel a bit grotty, followed by mild panic and I wasn’t quite sure how to get back out. Remember, this pool used to be 300 x 130ft. Eventually, I find a clearing back to safety and that’s including without having stood in any wet wipes too.
I did find some reference to the Lido (pictured) amongst the bushes, but not really the overgrown with ivy diving board tower that I was hoping for. Oh well, you live and learn.