Olympic torch parade protests

Its Spring, but yesterday we saw the first fall of snow of the winter.

Although it was very cold, in the afternoon I thought I would take a stroll across Blackfriars Bridge to watch the Olympic torch pass St Paul's Cathedral.

Got there early, not much for the French TV crew or myself to see. More policemen than protesters.

Then suddenly, when I looked down Ludgate Hill I saw a tidal wave of humanity running towards me.


They were closely followed by police reinforcements, on foot and motorcycle.


Even though the crowed was a mixture of protesters opposed to China's human rights record and its occupation of Tibet, and pro-china supporters, the demonstration was good natured.

I only saw one argument, between a very angry pro-Tibet protester and a Chinese supporter.




The police were very quick to move in on any threat to the passage of the Olympic torch.













Unfortunately I did not see the torch. The plan had been for a team of runners to transport it from the Royal Festival Hall to St Paul's , but due to the number of demonstrators that plan was abandoned and the torch transported by bus.

I had been waiting over an hour to see the torch, my hands were freezing. I struggled to change the battery in my camera. Thought "lets go home for a cup of tea".

What a day

Back in early January I wrote about the filming on Blackfriars Bridge. Well they were back again this weekend, but 300m further downstream, to the Millennium Bridge.

And I can confirm, they were filming the new Harry Potter film




How much does it cost, not only for the film crew, but all the extras walking across the bridge, security (both police and private security staff), and a helicopter (which you can just about see if you look closely at the upper photo)?

Movies don't come cheap




Moving 300m upstream of Blackfriars Bridge, yesterday morning they found a WW2 hand-grenade which the police blew up with a controlled explosion.











How can you improve on all that excitement?

Well Mother Nature can. After an afternoon shower, a brilliant rainbow over St Paul's Cathedral

Action Take 2

I was going to write - "a couple of weeks ago . . ." - but on checking I see it was back on the 16th December I wrote about Blackfriars Bridge, London, being used to film a movie.

Well they were back again on Saturday evening, filming until the early hours of Sunday morning.

Previously I speculated they were filming the yet to be named new James Bond film, though I did edge my bet by suggesting it could be the new Harry Potter.

Well unless master spies travel in a large wooden caravan drawn by four horses, then its not James Bond.

That leaves Harry Potter or some other fantasy film.

Any ideas?



I was amused to see, that even though it was raining, they were employing a rain making machine - guess they had to have the "right" type of rain.

Filming James Bond 22?

Blackfriars Bridge, London, was the location last night for filming. But what was the film being made?

Film crew members were so secretive, they were either:

a) members of the British Secret Service,MI6

b) filming the yet to be named James Bond film, number 22

c) not prepared to tell YesBut or

d) just plain dumb.

Witnessing the preparations which started four days ago, gave an insight into the effort and cost in filming just one scene - which might finish on the cutting-room floor.

Sorry but I do not make such an effort to obtain images for My Shared Images - as you can see if you click here.

YesBut why?

Last Thursday the normal stream of commuters couldn’t be seen making their way home over Blackfriars Bridge. The pavement was eerily empty except for a group of policemen and an ambulance. On closer examination two policemen could be seen leaning over the bridge’s balustrade. There was also a police launch on station upstream of the bridge, accompanied by a Royal National Lifeboat Institution rescue boat. Had someone jumped off the bridge?

People walking along the Thames Embankment stopped and pointed to the bridge’s middle span. There was a man sitting on a ledge.

The services of approximately a dozen policemen, a police launch, rescue boat and ambulance were dedicated for the three hours it took to persuade the young man to climb back onto the bridge. No one would object to the expenditure involved in saving a life - even if the resources dedicated seemed to be excessive.

Having witnessing the events unfold, and the efforts of the City of London Police, it was a shock on Friday to hear the tearful please of a mother wanting to know why two Community Support Officers had stood by and watched her son drown.

In May, 10 year old Jordan Lyon was playing with his 8year old stepsister when she got into trouble in a pond in Wigan. He dived into the water to save her. Two anglers also jumped in and saved Bethany but unfortunately Jordan became submerged. The events were witnessed by Greater Manchester Police Community Support Officers (PCSO), who made no effort to take part in the rescue. Also the two PCSOs did not attend the inquest into Jordan’s tragic death.

Police chiefs have defended the two PCSOs stating “PCSOs are not trained to deal with major incidents such as this”.

So following police logic, if in the future I’m walking down the street and see an old woman fall, I shouldn’t help her to get up - because I’m not trained to assist old women.

If I see a lost child crying, I shouldn’t help - because I’m not trained to deal with lost children.

Unfortunately the tragic incident typifies some aspects of police procedure, where everything is done “according to the book”, and common sense no longer prevails.

Memorial day - 3

This is the third in a series of blogs looking at memorials and public sculptures. Worldwide hundreds of monuments were erected to commemorate Queen Victoria, one stands at the north end of Blackfriars Bridge, London. But that is not the subject of this blog. To be perfectly accurate, the object of discussion is neither a memorial nor a sculpture. But in reality it is both!

Even as late as the middle of the nineteenth century the domestic water supply in London was contaminated. The 1832 Cholera pandemic claimed 6,536 victims in London. In 1849 a further 14,137 people died. The 1853-4 epidemic claimed a further 10,738. The latter was proved to be the result of contaminated drinking water supplies. To safely quench their thirst the poor reverted to drinking bear and gin.

In 1859 Samuel Gurney a Member of Parliament and philanthropist, and Edward Thomas Wakefield formed the Metropolitan Free Drinking Fountain Association with the objective of constructing fountains that would provide cold perfectly pure drinking water. Eighty-five fountains were built in the next six years. The one at Blackfriars was built in July 1861. The figure represents Temperance and is the work of Wills Brotherss, working for the Coalbrookdale Iron Company.


In 1867 the Association broadened its remit to include animal welfare and changed its name to The Metropolitan Drinking Fountain and Cattle Trough Association.

Often donations to the Association were inadequate and Gurney paid for fountains out of his pocket. As can be seen from the photograph, the fountains were not merely functional, but decorative. And while not constructed as memorials, they do stand as reminders of the great philanthropists of the Victorian era.

Regrettably the fountain no longer provides cool pure drinking water - tourists have to buy this in bottles.

Click here to see some tourists.