Streets of London : Princes and paupers

Today, we were walking across the river from the Palace of Westminster, looking at it for much of the afternoon as we were almost directly opposite. We walked part of the Westminster bridge of the recent tragedy. What we did not realise until today, was that if average folk meet their maker on the grounds of the Palace, as happened recently, the formalities record the death as having taken place at hospital, otherwise such folk would be entitled to a state funeral.

I love the light fittings attached to Westminster Bridge. I wonder how long into the future these will last. I love the 'Shady Old Lady', too. The Coade lion, perched at the beginning of the bridge, made of a composite mix of crushed ceramics, flint, quartz, Dorset clay and soda lime glass, was created in a factory early in the 19th century by Eleanor Coade. But, when she died, the factory shut down as there were cheaper alternatives possible by then, so the formula, for making such an artificial ceramic stone piece, has now been lost. The ingredients are known, just not the proportions to make it all work. Though I am sure if it was financially viable someone could theoretically work it out, these days.

St Thomas' hospital occupies most of the remainder of this stretch on the south bank in front of Westminster: an ancient hospital originally run by Augustinian monks and nuns, for the poor, sick and homeless. Florence Nightingale established the first nursing school here, and a museum in her honour has been set up in the grounds. Her lamp is in it. Today, St Thomas' along with St Guy's further down the street, are two of the largest, busiest hospitals in London. Many of their functions have merged as a statue on the grounds seems to symbolise.

Behind the hospitals London's overflow came to live. Those who could not find a place across the river came here. William Blake was one. He and his family lived and worked for many a long year in a small home on a dreary site where he created many of his works: some of which are remembered in mosaics under an old bridge not far away, his classics, in street art form. Much of the area is dreary even today. There are huge blocks of social housing all around, with lines of hanging clothes and donnas draped over balconies. A little dispiriting, with only a few pieces of any architectural interest at all: some bird houses climbing a brick wall, buildings with windows slanted to catch the view, or to trick the sun: both, possibly; and a modern home, well hidden under many slats. There are old shops, charming in their very retro style. And a Vaulty Towers that is whimsical. None of which are likely to last much longer given London's rapid and continuous growth.

When London's population exploded in the 1800's this was one of the suburbs folk came to live as there were timber yards a plenty, docks and barges, and an early Doulton pottery works. So great were the numbers coming to live in London, that it is easy to forget the dead. Dead bodies increased as well. And great numbers of corpses needed to be buried. Often there were so many that the dead were stacked on station platforms, decomposing, waiting a turn for a spot to be found for burial. This, along with increasing health risks of epidemics of cholera, typhoid and the like, given the massive population using the ineffective water source, caused the authorities to make some hard decisions.

They bought a massive swag of land to the south and west of the city, near Woking, in Surry. It was converted into a rural cemetery, Brookwood, for the steady stream of burials to be forthcoming. Here they built a receiving station. Another station was built in the city: Necropolis Station. Railway lines connected the two sites 25 miles apart, effective for transporting the bodies, not to mention the mourning relatives. It took a day to get there and back. The train left Necropolis Station for Brookwood daily, for much of its history. Today, only remnants of Necropolis Station remain. War bombs finished off much of the building, though the distance had already become a problem. Most Londoners could not afford to take a whole day off work to bury their dead, so the Brookwood option became less viable as time went on. Today, much money is being spent on many parts of Lambeth, around and about the Necropolis station, renewing it. But much work still needs to be done.