In search of a chip shop

I suppose I had better explain. The V&A has an exhibition called The Tower of Babel, by an artist called Barnaby Barford. In short, he has cycled around London photographing clocks, getting the photos made into china models, and then creating a tower (see below).

 

 

If we want to see it you need to get a wiggle on as it closes on 1 November.

 Each of the model shops in the tower are available for sale, so I thought I would buy one. And as I also photograph fish and chip shop signs, I decided to buy the one below.

So I thought it only right and proper to visit the actual shop, which according to the V&A website is at 316 Lee High Road. Which meant a trip down to Lewisham.

The first task on arriving at Lewisham station was to find the right road to head down. Probably no easy task at the best of times as this part of town is dominated by a traffic gyratory system, but made worst by said gyratory being dug up, making pedestrian routes tortuous and confused, and with visibility reduced by the onset of rain.

 

So a quick visit to the Lewisham Shopping Centre was called for, which was rewarded by the sight of this clock.

 

I like this clock because of its simple honesty, a design that fits well with the shopping centre. Too many of these modern mall have retro clocks (usually Victorian) rather than being brave and going with the contemporary. So well done Lewisham Shopping Centre, and well done to the security guards who happily gave me permission to take photos.

 

A bit of internet research reveals there was once a clock which was linked to a series of models of local characters who came out from behind doors on the hour. From the comments on the Transpontine blog (www.transpont.blogspot.co.uk) it seems that was in equal measure fascinating and scary to young children. the current clock is probably neither.

 

Outside it was still raining, but I needed to press on. Amongst the jumble of market stalls, shops, people and rain, you can see the Lewisham clock tower which stands on the junction with Lewisham High Street and Lee High Road.

 

The tower is one of many similar ones erected around the country to mark the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria in 1897. The tower, constructed of Portland stone, was listed in 1973.

And the good old internet research shows that the excellent Caroline's Miscellany blog (www.carolineld.blogspot.co.uk) got here first in November 2009.

 

After the tower, the clock hunting took a turn for the worst. The Dirty South building along Lee High Road does indeed have a clock, but it was largely obscured by scaffolding.

 

But this disappointment is made up by crossing the Greenwich Meridian, as this plaque in the pavement testifies.

A bit further along you can glimpse a clock on a building set back a long way from the road. This provided a lesson in how not to take photographs at distant buildings through a chain link fence in the pouring rain, as illustrated by these blurred pictures.

The building turns out to be the Merchant Taylor's alms houses.

 

And so on to the chip shop. The shop frontage on the model is clearly an as - is photograph, but a great deal of liberties have been taken with the rest of the building.

 

But hey, get on down there (316 Lee High Road) and buy some fish and chips.

 

And finally, a bit further on and left at the junction with The Old Tigers Head and The New Tigers Head pubs, Lee Road leads you to  what is now blackheath interiors, but was once Ron Pemberton insurance brokers.

 

I love this clock and its old fashion sign.

 

 

 

Oldham

By the splendid delights of the Manchester tram system to Oldham. And to the not quite so splendid delights of this odd looking and somewhat worn clock tower.

Despite its unusual appearance, its location high up on the building on a road junction, with large clear dials, makes it a highly effective timepiece. Or what do if the clock was working.

 

But at least you have the choice of time, depending on which face you look at.

 

The building is a snooker and pool club (although I am not sure if it is still open) on Union Street, but I assumed surely must have been a cinema originally. Further research shows that it was the Gaumont Cinema which was closed in 1961, but has had later reincarnations as a bowling alley, night club, snooker hall and, since 2011, a roller derby venue. So a useful local venue, but just a shame the exterior looks so awful.

Further up Union Street is The Centre.

 

And even further along are the offices of the Oldham Evening Chronicle.

What I have just realised is that Union Street is quire special in that it has three clocks, all of which are of the simple dashed-clock face design rather than the more common Roman and Arabic numerals. Union Street might just well be Unique Street in the world of clock bloggers (admittedly not the largest world in the universe).

The Oldham Evening Chronicle newspaper itself started out as the Oldham Chronicle on 6 May 1854.

Back to the world of Roman numerals. This is the church of St Mary with St Peter. As so often is the case, the church has a very long history, but the current building design dates from 1830.

On to Tommyfield Market.

The market was founded in 1788 on land owned by Thomas Whittaker, hence the name. The subsequent market hall was burned down in 1974, and the replacement building dates from the 1990s.

The market covers the site of what is claimed to be the first chip shop, opened in about 1860. There is apparently a plaque on the wall in the market all, although I didn't see it myself.

And finally on to the bus station. The original new bus station was opened in 2001 and is fitted out with several identical clocks.

An addition to the bus station, on a separate piece of land, was opened in September 2006. The seeds from the main site must have blown across, as the same clocks have sprung up here.