Croydon Town Hall

Built 1895

The present Town Hall is Croydon's third. There is confusion over the date of construction of the very first Town Hall, but it is believed to be either 1566 or 1609. The second was built in 1808 to serve the growing market and trading centre but was demolished following completion of the present Town Hall in 1895.

The present Town Hall designed by local architect Charles Henman was officially opened by TRH the Prince and Princess of Wales on 19th May 1896. Constructed in red bricks from Wrotham in Kent, with Portland Stone dressings and green Westmoreland slates for the roof the building underwent many design changes throughout construction, including the widening of the main staircase to be of 'adequate size and importance'.

Parts, including the former court rooms, have been converted for the Lifetimes Museum and exhibition galleries. The original public library, which for some years was used as the local studies library, is now the David Lean cinema, and the whole complex is known as Croydon Clocktower. After 100 years, a brand new public library occupies the area shown on Charles Henman's original plans as "space available for future extension".

Since the mid-1980s the Town Hall has been completely renovated and restored, and the Mayor's Parlour and the committee rooms have reverted to their original purpose.

Basically its simply beautiful.

COMMON SENSE AND COURTESY APPLIES . . .Unless credited otherwise, all photos and poetry in this blog are original work protected by international intellectual property and copyright laws. Please ask for permission if you wish to use something.

Somewhere Over The Rainbow (in Souh Norwood).

For the past few days is has been raining pretty much non stop. I was however very luck to catch a rainbow during a lull period from my bedroom window. On the right you can see the Crystal Palace football (soccer) stadium.

COMMON SENSE AND COURTESY APPLIES . . .Unless credited otherwise, all photos and poetry in this blog are original work protected by international intellectual property and copyright laws. Please ask for permission if you wish to use something.

Royal Albert Hall and Albert Memorial

The beauty of the Albert Memorial.and the Royal Albert Hall behind it.

COMMON SENSE AND COURTESY APPLIES . . .Unless credited otherwise, all photos and poetry in this blog are original work protected by international intellectual property and copyright laws. Please ask for permission if you wish to use something.

Fancy a hug anyone? - The Hugging bears in Hyde Park

A picture of two bears hugging each other on the top of a drinking fountain in Hyde Park.

COMMON SENSE AND COURTESY APPLIES . . .Unless credited otherwise, all photos and poetry in this blog are original work protected by international intellectual property and copyright laws. Please ask for permission if you wish to use something.

The Albert Memorial - Hyde Park - London

The Albert Memorial is situated in Kensington Gardens, London, England, directly to the north of the Royal Albert Hall. It was commissioned by Queen Victoria in memory of her beloved husband, Prince Albert who died of typhoid in 1861. The memorial was designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott in the Gothic revival style. Opened in 1872, with the statue of Albert ceremonially "seated" in 1875, the memorial consists of an ornate canopy or pavilion containing a statue of Prince Albert facing south. The memorial is 176 feet tall, took over ten years to complete, and cost £120,000.

COMMON SENSE AND COURTESY APPLIES . . .Unless credited otherwise, all photos and poetry in this blog are original work protected by international intellectual property and copyright laws. Please ask for permission if you wish to use something.

Party in the Park - Brighton Gay Pride

Brighton's Gay Pride is a celebration of being proud of your sexuality also its a good opportunity to get down and party!

COMMON SENSE AND COURTESY APPLIES . . .Unless credited otherwise, all photos and poetry in this blog are original work protected by international intellectual property and copyright laws. Please ask for permission if you wish to use something.

Thank God For Pride! Proclaims a Brighton Church

The Chuch and Gay rights has never really sat comfortably side by side, however from the sign outside this church it seems that things are finally changing for the better.

Are you Lady Gaga? - Brighton's Gay Pride

Brighton's gay pride is a celebration of being comfortable of your own sexuality and the sexuality of others. The event attracts a wide spectrum of the British Community and even a Lady Gaga fan.

COMMON SENSE AND COURTESY APPLIES . . .Unless credited otherwise, all photos and poetry in this blog are original work protected by international intellectual property and copyright laws. Please ask for permission if you wish to use something.

Brighton - Gay Pride - Just Say NO!

Two weeks ago Brighton held its annual gay pride parade at Preston Park. As it was a nice day I took the train outta London to experiance the festival and take some pictures.

Above is my "Just say No! to drugs Campaign" .. Belive that if you can LOL .. anyhow more pictures will follow this week...

COMMON SENSE AND COURTESY APPLIES . . .Unless credited otherwise, all photos and poetry in this blog are original work protected by international intellectual property and copyright laws. Please ask for permission if you wish to use something.

Battersea Power Station

The iconic Battersea Power taken on route to work.

COMMON SENSE AND COURTESY APPLIES . . .Unless credited otherwise, all photos and poetry in this blog are original work protected by international intellectual property and copyright laws. Please ask for permission if you wish to use something.

Spreading the Lords Work - Speakers Corner - Hyde Park

Hyde Park Speakers' Corner is an area where public speaking is allowed. Speakers there are allowed to speak as long as the police consider their speeches lawful. Contrary to popular belief, there is no immunity from the law, nor are any subjects proscribed, but in practice the police tend to be and therefore only intervene when they receive a complaint or if they hear profanity. Above are placards of warnings of God's return. If you are ever in London you should pass to the Marble Arch part of Hyde park on Sunday's afternoon and listen to range of opinions and arguements. It can be quite entertaining.

COMMON SENSE AND COURTESY APPLIES . . .Unless credited otherwise, all photos and poetry in this blog are original work protected by international intellectual property and copyright laws. Please ask for permission if you wish to use something.

Looking Over the Serpentine in Hyde Park

The Serpentine in Hyde Park, London, looks like its gonna rain!

COMMON SENSE AND COURTESY APPLIES . . .Unless credited otherwise, all photos and poetry in this blog are original work protected by international intellectual property and copyright laws. Please ask for permission if you wish to use something.

Shopping at Zara's Then A Nice Stroll in Hyde Park

I recently spent the day in Hyde park with a good friend of mine.

A stroll in the park is what Sundays are made for.

COMMON SENSE AND COURTESY APPLIES . . .Unless credited otherwise, all photos and poetry in this blog are original work protected by international intellectual property and copyright laws. Please ask for permission if you wish to use something

Royal Albert Hall - London

The Royal Albert Hall is an arts venue situated in the Knightsbridge area of the City of Westminster, London, England, best known for holding the annual summer Proms concerts since 1941.

The Royal Albert Hall is one of the UK's most treasured and distinctive buildings, recognisable the world over. Since its opening by Queen Victoria in 1871, the world's leading artists from every kind of performance genre have appeared on its stage. Each year it hosts more than 350 performances including classical concerts, rock and pop, ballet and opera, tennis, award ceremonies, school and community events, charity performances and lavish banquets.

COMMON SENSE AND COURTESY APPLIES . . .Unless credited otherwise, all photos and poetry in this blog are original work protected by international intellectual property and copyright laws. Please ask for permission if you wish to use something

The Gates at Kensingston Palace

Kensington Palace is a royal residence set in Kensington Gardens in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in London, England. It has been a residence of the British Royal Family since the 17th century.

It was the official residence of Diana, Princess of Wales (until her death in 1997),

COMMON SENSE AND COURTESY APPLIES . . .Unless credited otherwise, all photos and poetry in this blog are original work protected by international intellectual property and copyright laws. Please ask for permission if you wish to use something.

Brixton Underground Station

Brixton's bustling transport hub Brixton Tube station is the southern terminus of the Victoria tube line and has the honour of being the ninth busiest station on the London Underground network. It has recently undergone redvelopment and now it has a newer modern look.

First time visitors should be warned that things can get mighty lively around the station entrance, with drug dealers, religious fanatics, incense sellers, hustlers, dodgy CD sellers, handbag 'dippers' and random alcoholics all adding 'character' to your journey.

COMMON SENSE AND COURTESY APPLIES . . .Unless credited otherwise, all photos and poetry in this blog are original work protected by international intellectual property and copyright laws. Please ask for permission if you wish to use something

Street Art : Brixton

An interesting murial on the side of a residential house in Brixton, London.

COMMON SENSE AND COURTESY APPLIES . . .Unless credited otherwise, all photos and poetry in this blog are original work protected by international intellectual property and copyright laws. Please ask for permission if you wish to use something.

Windrush Square - Brixton

Windrush Square in Brixton was formed to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the arrival of West Indian immigrants on the Empire Windrush in 1948, many of whom settled in the area. Black celebrities, dignitaries and political figures participate in the social, cultural and political life of the area.

Overlooking the Square is the Old Bovril sign, which is a snapshot of how products were once advertised.

COMMON SENSE AND COURTESY APPLIES . . .Unless credited otherwise, all photos and poetry in this blog are original work protected by international intellectual property and copyright laws. Please ask for permission if you wish to use something

Bramble in Whitehorse Meadow

At the bottom of my rood there is a wonderful meadow where you can see a wide variety of wild flowers, plants and insects. I captured this shot last Sunday as I strolled through it.

COMMON SENSE AND COURTESY APPLIES . . .Unless credited otherwise, all photos and poetry in this blog are original work protected by international intellectual property and copyright laws. Please ask for permission if you wish to use something.

Brixton: Ritzy Cinema

The building was designed as the Electric Pavilion in 1910 by E. C. Homer and Lucas. The client was Israel Davis, one of a noted family of cinema developers who created a large chain in south and west London that included the listed Pavilion, Shepherds Bush. The Electric Pavilion opened on 11 March 1911 and was one of England's earliest purpose-built cinemas seating over 750 seats in the single auditorium.

For the next 65 years the Electric Pavilion operated as an important south-London cinema, with only a short period of closure for some alterations and simplifications. These were carried out by George Coles in 1954, when the cinema was renamed Pullman. The 1920s organ was removed from the side of the stage. However the cinema retains the architecture and atmosphere of an Edwardian cinema intact. The Pullman, later the Classic, closed in 1976. It was at this stage that the building came close to demolition and it was only through the collaboration between Lambeth Council and the management of the time that the cinema survived. Thankfully it was reopened as an arts cinema two years later, with the name 'Little Bit Ritzy', from which the present name is derived.
The most important feature is the proscenium arch, with its present asymmetry. There are eight bays expressed by pilasters with simple drops, and in-filled with plaster panels and swags.

The auditorium is a remarkably complete example of an early cinema. It is exactly contemporary with the Grade II-listed Electric on Portobello Road, and it is a slightly simpler version in the same idiom. The auditorium is remarkable for its completeness, and particularly for the fact that the proscenium has never been altered to suit developments in the film industry such as Cinemascope. The exterior has been simplified by the removal of the top gable to the Brixton Oval facade, but some writhing cherubs survive!

Oasis Cinemas bought The Ritzy in 1994 and in conjunction with Brixton Challenge spent one year renovating it to its former glory - adding four screens, a bar and a cafe – and making it the largest independent specialist cinema in the country. In 2003 it joined City Screen Ltd, the country's leading specialist cinema operator.

Check out whats on this week by clicking on the below website
http://www.picturehouses.co.uk/cinema/Ritzy_Picturehouse/Whats_On/

COMMON SENSE AND COURTESY APPLIES . . .Unless credited otherwise, all photos and poetry in this blog are original work protected by international intellectual property and copyright laws. Please ask for permission if you wish to use something.