St George the Martyr

22 July 2012 • View from a point almost in the middle of Borough High Street, opposite the Police Station. The church in the fore-ground is St George the Martyr which stands almost opposite Borough Underground Station. The architect of the Shard of Glass, Renzo Piano, is on record as having said that his design was a modern interpretation of the shape of the spires on churches in London. It was with this sentiment in mind that this picture was taken – to highlight the similarity of the shape of the Shard when compared to St George’s spire.

Sydenham Wells Park

24 January 1979 • Digitised 35mm slide. Thick snow in Sydenham. The beautiful park is situated on the Lewisham side of the ridge along which the road called Sydenham Hill runs.

 

24 January 1979 • Digitised 35mm slide. Thick snow around and ice on the ornamental pond. In those days several flamingoes were kept in the park. In their natural habitat flamingoes live in cold water and they are used to the water freezing over.

West India Quay Footbridge

6 February 2017 • A long view looking west at the footbridge floating on the surface of the old West India Dock, supported by ‘scissor’ struts. With almost no wind to disturb the surface of the water, the bridge and the people crossing it are reflected in the dock. The figures have an almost ethereal appearance when looking at the water’s surface.

City of London from Rotherhithe

26 May 2015 • View from the shopping precinct called Surrey Quays, in Rotherhithe, of the City of London, with its tall offices. The tallest building in the view is 122 Leadenhall Street – a slender wedge-shaped building commonly known as the ‘Cheesegrater’. Partly obscured by it is Tower 42 – built as the NatWest Tower. The curved lines of 20 St Mary Axe – commonly called the ‘Gherkin’ – is shining in the sun. The Heron Tower (far right) completes the ‘line up’ of tall buildings.

Riverdale Mill

16 Apr 2015 • The water in this view is part of the River Ravensbourne which, from medieval times, had many water-mills along its length. This one was last rebuilt in 1828 and is complete with its water-wheel. In the 1970s the derelict mill was restored and became part of a large office complex. In 2016 the nearby offices and the mill were refurbished and have become a housing complex. The site stands beside Molesworth Street, along with the old mill and its millpond.

St Andrew Undershaft and the Gherkin

12 March  2005 • The view put two contrasting buildings in close proximity. The pre-Great Fire church tower of St Andrew Undershaft stands near the junction of a street called St Mary Axe with Leadenhall Street. The office block called ‘The Gherkin’ whose proper name is ’30 St Mary Axe’. The Gherkin had not long been completed when the picture was taken.

Dulwich Mill Pond

14 April 2015 • Looking at the view, it is hard to realise that this tranquil scene is only yards from a very busy thoroughfare – the South Circular Road. The brick-built house seen through the trees stands in a short cul-de-sac called Pond Cottages. There only a few houses on one side of the narrow street – this one, probably dating from early Victorian times, and three very small ones standing next to it. Between the two chimneys in the view can be glimpsed the lone narrow spire of the Victorian church of St Stephen, further south beside College Road.

West India Quay DLR Station

13 March 2016 • View looking west from the western end of the newly constructed Canary Wharf Crossrail Station. Immediately below roof level is a restaurant called the Big Easy and the view looks out at West India Quay DLR Station. On the skyline are buildings in the City of London.

Liverpool Street Station

3 October 2016 • View from the main entrance of Liverpool Street Station, looking SE towards the Gherkin (30 St Mary Axe). The station has taken on a new lease of life since its refurbishment in the 1990s. The addition of glass canopies and new mezzanine levels within the concourse has been a good match for the original flamboyant Victorian style of the brick walls and elegant pillars.

Poole, River

12 May 2001 • Flowing past the large Sainsbury’s store at Bell Green is a stream known as the River Poole which joins up with the River Ravensbourne just south of Catford. The stream was considerably cleaned up and landscaped when the store was built. On a summer’s day in May the stream is seen at its best – glistening in the sunshine.

 

8 December 2001 • On a cold winter’s day the River Poole looks quite different from the summer scene. So clean is the water these days that herons can be seen cautiously striding in the water, living off the fish to be found in it. Many other unusual species of birds are also to seen in the grassland and trees lining the banks of this haven for wildlife.