Hah, I knew immediately (and even said out loud to myself) that you'd go to the "Performance" house! Because that's where I'D go! 😊 Did you know that Keith Richards sat in his car and wrote "Gimme Shelter" in front of that house? He knew that there was hanky-panky going on between Anita and Mick during the filming and was obsessively stalking them, hanging around the house day and night feeling miserable. Love your channel so much, thank you! 💜
Notting Hill forever has a place in my heart....I used to go there during my early teens alone to absorb it. Used to go to the tape and disc exchange all the time and bought my first guitar in one of the second hand shops. A special part of London.
Hawkwind reference was The Mountain Grill in Portobello Road, a greasy spoon favourite of the band. Then released as the album The Hall Of the Mountain Grill.
I think the Pink Fairies (Hawkwind comtempories) did a tune called Portobello Shuffle similar sort of time - it was the centre of the underground scene in the early 70s - sort of like Shoredirch in the 2000s
Dave Brock used to busk around the Powis Square / Ladbroke Grove Area and several of the Band lived in squats in the area and I believe Hawkwind played their first gig as Band X nearby.
Killing joke used to live/squat somewhere in Ladbroke grove...in the late 70s early 80s...they have a song called Ladbroke Grove...Great walk by the way
I love these videos. I often spend time wandering around London admiring the layers of history. Please do one on Holland Park with all it's Pre-Raphaelite connections and Holland House.
i was a white van man many years ago,i pulled up in traffic and alexi sayle lent up against my van window on his bike in ladbroke grove lent in and had a quick chat,nice bloke too,
Awe this is so nostalgic for me. I used to live in Kensington & spent so much time in Portobello Market. There was a stained glass shop down there back in the day where you could buy huge restored church windows. I'd spend hours just dreaming of the day when I can own one. Still waiting hahaaa. These are also all of the areas I'd just stroll around on during my Sunday walks. Such lovely quiet roads around there. Always dreamed I'd live there one day. I did lots of dreaming when I used to live in London lol. It's a great place for that. Thank you for this. Made my day not so depressing x
Lived in Bowden Court on Ladbroke Road for just over a year, Nov72 to Jan74, was a civil service hostel, but I worked for Horizon Holidays up Uxbridge Road past Shepherds Bush. Lovely area and a gateway to the promise of London.
As always, just so wonderfully informative and enjoyable. One of my grandmothers lived in the Ladbroke Grove area as a girl in the late 1890's. She was orphaned at a young age, and as a teen immigrated to Canada on a "work assured passage," arriving with only $2.00 to her name. It is is such a pleasure to watch your videos and learn about the areas where she, and my other grandparents and my mother, lived in the greater London area. Much respect John and a BIG thank you from across The Pond.
I used to live in the area as a penniless young actor and "a great place to be broke" is bang on. I spent days on end wandering those same streets and one day got a squizz behind the walls of Aubrey house when i landed a days work on a TV film where we did a couple of scenes inside the house and i got to poke around the place and the garden is HUGE and wooded. Like a small park. I could scarcely grasp at the time that people can live this way. Then off i toddled, back to my tiny flat off Westbourne grove. (Incidentally, when you stopped for a muse about hills on Aubrey walk, to the right of you - left on the street - was Harold Pinter studio where he wrote several of his plays. The studio itself was/is at the back of the house he shared with Antonia Fraser on Campden hill square. No 52 i think)
Of all the houses, no.26 with the steps running up and through house is wonderfully quirky. I had never imagined Portobello Road and market is on a hill. Hilly area, indeed.
Congratulations on your mention in the Financial Times. Your wonderful walks should be publicized, so more folks can enjoy them. Thanks for taking us along.
Another thoroughly enjoyable walk... So pleased you paused outside Bowden Court... I lived there for a year in 1972, believe it's a YHA now... Loved walking this fascinating area back then. Never watched Performance but I'll track it down now. Cheers
Found a copy ... here in the United States! Just purchased it from a used book site. Hopefully will be able to put it to use in another visit to London sometime in the future. Thank you.
Ok, I will admit it my heart sank a little when I saw the vlog listing but never judge a vlog by its title......an absolutely absorbing 30 minutes that passed by all too quickly. Some real hidden gems of London revealed as well as the shots that perfectly illustrated the topography of the area. I never appreciated how steep some of those areas of the city are. 30 minutes of respite from the madness of the present day. Thank you John
Hi John, Dusty Springfield was from High Wycombe, she lived in Micklefield. When I think about it there was a lot of famous people from there, including yourself of course, lol. Thanks for another great video.
You likely knew I’d pop up here when you mentioned Blur 😄 there are a few Damon songs set here (for good reason) and the particular Blur song is Blue Jeans, from 1993’s ‘Modern Life is Rubbish’: ‘air cushioned soles, I bought them on the Portobello Road, on a Saturday.’ Great video today, thank you for taking me back to London for a while
This one takes me back to the 70s, the band The Police used to have a management office/ fan club hq in Blenheim Crescent and then moved to Kensington Park Road with a little souvenir shop to buy mugs n t shirts etc, I was mad on the police I was only 8, my dad used to take me up there every Saturday then we'd go and see one of the London sights, st pauls or the Tower or something touristy, loved it
Really enjoyed that John , Quintessence wrote the song Notting hill gate and Pink Fairies wrote Portebello shuffle. the Hawkwind link was the Mountain Grill a greasy spoon frequented by the band and they later recorded the LP Hall of the mountain grill.
Nice walk! That reminded me of "The legendary chaos Tapes" by The Fall, recorded live at Acklam Hall, Ladbroke Grove and my excursions (walks!) in the late 80s during a school trip to London, when stayed in the YH at Holland Park (long gone...). That area at was quite scary, esspeically after the motorway....😎
I remember the Electric Cinema Portobello Rd. Dogs would often come in the cinema when a film was being shown..always a strong smell of dope in the auditorium..that’s was in the early 70s
Beautiful things you show us. Uncle ,at covid time many people left their job.We were thinking 🤔 that in India 🇮🇳 is so condition but when we saw news then fond that all over world is suffering from this situation.Your knowledge is wonderful so you are famous.We are proud of you.May God bless you 💙 ❤ 😀 love from India 🇮🇳
That's so cute. I watch Praveen Mohan tour lesser known shrines in India, and Lincoln Karim film every day streets in NY. It's great to have these peep-holes onto the world!
I lived the first almost 25 years of my life in Lansdowne Road, during the 60s, 70s and early 80s, so lovely to see many of my old haunts, houses where friends lived, etc. You're absolutely right about the actors, musicians and writers (Gene Vincent, Arnold Ridley, Shirley Hughes lived opposite us, Nigel Davenport next door for a while, David Croft, Tony Crosland the politician - and those are just the ones I can call to mind now). There were also many irish immigrants and those Lansdowne Crescent houses, on a hill, have 7 or 8 floors at the back so often had dozens of people living in them. Portland Road, now very chic, was not a place we were allowed to go alone because the people were thought by my mother and grandmother to be 'too rough'. Thanks so much for the nostalgic memories.
I used to drive for a dire firm called Seven Seas who shipped students stuff back home after their studies had finished and i seemed to be permanently trundling around Knotting Hill and the Pembrokes. Thanks John. I never had time to stop and look before. That was a wonderful walk!
Dear John Rogers I like your walks in London I was born at Kingston hospital so I live quite local I know my paternal grandparents were born in 1911 cockney Londoners born under the sound of bow bells bow church London
Thanks for another great walk John. Do you know G.K. Chesterton’s novel ‘The Napoleon of Notting Hill’. It is a fantasy about different parts of London becoming separate kingdoms and going to war. The climax is a battle at Campden Hill when victory is achieved by releasing water from the concealed reservoir.
This legend of an epic hour A child I dreamed, and dream it still, Under the great grey water-tower That strikes the stars on Campden Hill. Unfortunately, the water tower was demolished in 1970, or thereabouts. Chesterton was a local man. I believe his family started what is now the Chestertons estate agents/property company. Kensal Green (Cemetery) also features in his poem, The Rolling English Road.
as I cannot abide that Notting Hill film, I thoroughly enjoyed your disdain - along with all the walking & info of course - another perfect London city walk. And what a lovely memory you gave me of my one visit to Portobello Road where I bought something from a particularly eccentric shop keeper - remembering her made my day.
Great stuff sir! A nice combination of appreciation of Notting Hill (the area) & disdain for Notting Hill (the film) both of which views I heartily endorse...
Yet another great walk, fond memories of spending hours in those record tape exchange shops in Notting hill , couldn't believe the last time I was in London there was only 1 left, gutted you didn't give a shout out to rough trade record shop as you was in Talbot road, very iconic shop . Thank you for a great walk.
I recall walking down Portobello rd in about 1972 . Afghan coats were everywhere and patchouli oil filed the air . Personally I think Whitnail and I is supremely evocative of that era . Ralph Brown as Danny was superb as a ' type' of that era . If you lived in a squat then Danny's would waft in and out like the tide - often just wearing one shoe ! ' .
Great video - next time you need to mention G. K. Chesterton's 'Napoleon of Notting hill,' especially since it centers, as your videos do, on the love of local places. "You saw a moon from Sussex downs, A Sussex moon, untravelled still; I saw a moon that was the town's, The largest lamp on Campden Hill." (From a poem he wrote for his friend Hilaire Belloc). Cheers.
I work in that area of London, there are some ponds in Holland Park, that may owe their origin to a stream or brook. You were very close to the Stamford Brook, which was later turned into the Kensington Canal. A piece of which was turned into the District Line.
A couple of the Small Axe films give very interesting accounts of the Caribbean history in Notting Hill - Mangrove and Lovers Rock. Will investigate Performance - sounds good!
remember staying there after coming back from 7 years living in Australia... Punk scene in full swing, plus a Rockabilly and Mod revival..two tone....Great memories indeed.
Thanks for the memories, as a student at City of London College my first shared flat in my home town was in Stockwell, 18 and off the parental leash. Second year, no student halls, found a bedsit in Pembridge Crescent, a grand four storied town house owned by an impoverished but very posh lady. Even on my grant, augmented by vacation building site work, I could shop for bric a brac in the market on a saturday, have a boozy pub lu ch and later catch a film.
I randomly guessed you’d visit the location for the film ‘Performance’ in Powys Square, a film that left quite a mark on a sixteen year old me, just before I went to art college. I ended up living not far from there in Ledbury Rd and recognised the exterior of the building on one of my many walks around the area. I still miss living there, was a fantastic time of my life (early 90s)
Andrew Duncan.....I once had a complete set of his books , in the early 2000's. I foolishly included these in a book de-clutter four years ago. Andrew later combined them into an abridged volume and I have sootted copies in various Waterstones and in Hatchard's at St.Pancras Station. Beautifuly written with equally beautiful photographs. Years ago my fantasy men's night out was with Robert Di Nero and Joe Pesci at Nathan's Hot Dog emporium in New York. Nowadays, it is with your goodself, Peter Ackroyd and the aforementioned Andrew Duncan, having poached egg on toast in the East End's Pelicci's cafe ! Duncan, Rotherham.
One Man Band by Leo Sayer mentions Ladbroke Grove in the first verse. A great song. Also Powis was where a very young Pink Floyd used to play in the now demolished church hall. A very interesting and enjoyable walk as always. Thanks John.
Well done for getting the mention in the newspaper, you kept a lot of us going through covid and me personally prostate cancer, I live in Shropshire and they took me to Westmoreland Street to operate, first time in London for 40 years and primary school !
The Samarkand is still a hotel of sorts I believe and Hendrix was booked in at the Cumberland Hotel at the time where his old room has been used as a promotional suite, not so at the Samarkand who have always distanced themselves from the link to his death there. Until 1969 he had a flat at Brooke St with his girlfriend, it's now a museum along with the Handel house next door. Worth a visit.
When I first saw Performance (sometime in the mid-90s) I realised that some of the dialogue had been sampled by Big Audio Dynamite in one of their songs (E=MC2 I think).
you did upset me with your comment xD I was quite surprised by your contempt for the film, I wasn't expecting it from you! I still don't understand why people dismiss movies that made some place famous. For us, across the pond or around the world, it's thanks to films how we get to know about other places, and in my case that film - which is absolutely cute and of its time, and it's a Richard Curtis' film, not a 'Hugh Grant' movie, in fairness- was the *entrance door* to actually know about the existance of Notting Hill. Some 26 years later, when I was finally able to go to London, I chose NHG to stay and absolutely loved the area. Not just 'for the movie' but thanks to the movie, because I then learned about the rich history of NH, I bought books about it, watched more films and videos and learned a lot more. The bookshop we see in the film was built inside a film set. It never really existed. They used the exterior of the now souvenir's shop - which back in 1999 was a shoe shop - for street shots, to locate the bookshop somewhere on Portobello Road. And then there's the ACTUAL REAL bookshop which inspired Richard Curtis, who lived in that area, to design the movie's bookshop. Back then it was 'the Notting Hill travel bookshop', now it's 'The Notting Hill Bookshop', on Blenheim Crescent. I understand that for the locals it's annoying but films are important pop culture gateways for those who cannot afford seeing it in person :) We can't blame Curtis for the gentrification. He didn't make movies about Hackney or Spitalfields and... there you go. Anyhow, Notting Hill is amazingly beautiful!
I used to go to school in the Portobello Road in the 1950s, and I have fond memories of the Electric Cinema. On Saturday mornings we went to the Cinema, which was in an extremely run down state. If you were posh and had the money, you could sit in the seats at the rear that were upholstered, all other seats being plain wood. However, if you grabbed an orange box from the fruit and veg market outside the cinema and sat on that, they would let you in for half price. TRIVIA Apparently, it's the second oldest purpose built cinema in the country.
Was a nice walk thanks down memory lane looks like it triggered a lot of memories for a lot of people in the comments back in the day the early 70s there’s a lot of squats in that area which of course now are all 7,000,000 pound apartments but it was good looking back at the old Theatre I was where I took one of my first LSD trips watching Monterey Pop anyway keep it up mate
yes, Hawkwind lived in Ladbroke Grove. it seems very common in western cities that it's often artists (the ones who aren't propped up by family money) who occupy inexpensive areas that eventually become gentrified and unaffordable. even in my smallish town the DIY gallery area has been mostly replaced by condos and techies. they move in then complain about music venues, people hanging out, etc. what made the area so interesting disappears under the crush of capital.
Was hoping for a Withnail and I location as I think the “perfumed p****” pub scene was filmed somewhere there. I believe Aubrey House is now owned by the Tetrapak family. Thanks for the video.
Another great video, Notting Hill and it's residents have always been a very colourful part of London. After your video I looked up the backing track from the film 'Performance' and found that the full film was available on TH-cam so I decided to watch it. I'm now just off out for some therapy, I may be some time!
That number 26 building with the staircase was beautiful! Quite unique. The early part of this video where you talk about how Notting Hill used to be a slum reminded me of a great BBC series I used to watch which looked at the history of specific streets. This episode was on Portland Road, just around the corner: th-cam.com/video/yyUhMIEZh0I/w-d-xo.html . I think you'd find it really interesting if you haven't seen it already, John.
Great video John I used to go to Portobello Market on Saturdays in the early seventies , it was very run down I used to follow this band called Quintessence in the sixties we had many great concerts in a local church hall ,also Hawkwind, Michael Moorcock ,the author , lived in the area , if you want to see what it was like see the film Performance with Mick Jagger which was filmed in a rundown house in a semi derelict square nearby , ( wrote before you mention it in the video !!! ) thanks for bringing back nice memories , see you soon my friend ☯️☮️🌈🎈
Thanks John for the wonderful videos been a London cabbie for 30 years ... Your vibe reminds me how I fell in love with London must have got you a gazillion subscribers ..keep on rocking guvnor
What a great video today; I set aside Monday lunchtimes to watch the latest offering and I wasn’t disappointed. What a corker! Couple of things, firstly the Doctor who certified Jimi Hendrix’s death was an Australian, Bob Brown, who went on to lead the Australian Green Party for many years. Also the Lady Roding could be a little upset with you for forgetting the spur of land running from Leytonstone through Epping Forest up to Woodford Green and Chingford. But I’m sure she will forgive you.
@@JohnRogersWalks Probably because we refer to the Roding as River and Valley rather than the spur (Chingford is how high above Sea Level - likewise that rise up to the former mental assylum
Happy for the walk.🙏 Missed watching last Sunday. Enjoy all your TH-cam videos. Trees & breeze so pleasant looking. Weather so humid and hot here in Eastern Tennessee. Looking forward your next video Mr. John Rogers. 🌾🌿🌳
Hi John, i just love your walks. I lived and loved in lady London in the early to mid nineties. It was a charmed time and London and its people looked after me as one of her own. I miss those days of my youth. Living now back in the west of Ireland where I was born I often indulge in nostalgia via your fabulous walks. I've had great pleasure introducing your channel to an older friend of mine from East London who lives here now. Gives her immense pleasure also. If you ever get to County Sligo, we'll go for a stroll.
other film locations include the italian job(parts of portabello rd)steptoe and son(harold gets married in the church on the hill)and the blue lamp (various chase scenes on a newly built ladbroke grove westway area)
I've been catching up on lots of your old videos, having discovered your channel a few weeks ago. I really love exploring London and your depth of knowledge, especially as mobility problems means my own walks are limited to a few minutes at a time. But I have to rant a little. I was really shocked to hear out outright dismissive you were of the movie and of one of the actors in particular. I think it's a pretty great piece of escapism. Julia Roberts is wonderful, Hugh Grant is perfectly cost, and the supporting cast really make it. Looking at Rotten Tomatoes, it gets a consistently high rating from critics and audiences alike. More to the point, it still brings in millions of pounds in revenue for small businesses in the area. I don't think I've ever heard you be outright mean about anyone or anything in your videos, and I found that quite surprising, for something that is objectively a positive thing for the area. Anyway, rant over. Looking forward to your next video, wherever that may be!
How nice of Iain to mention you and your You Tube site in that Weekend edition of the FT. I shall be looking forwards to seeing Iain in one of your up and coming videos, John; definitely going to be a video not to be missed.
A great take on the area and Notting hill in general. This and Camden Town has a plethora of music history which I'm always interested in. Keep these fantastic videos coming John and can't wait for your next walk! 🙂
Nice to see this area again. I lived here briefly in 1982 when I was teaching at Holland Park School. I could only afford one tiny room with shared kitchen and bathroom - many of the flats around me were being converted back to one-family residences. We used to go to the Windsor Castle in our lunch hour, except the service was so slow we always ended up eating our sandwiches on the way back to school!
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Hah, I knew immediately (and even said out loud to myself) that you'd go to the "Performance" house! Because that's where I'D go! 😊
Did you know that Keith Richards sat in his car and wrote "Gimme Shelter" in front of that house? He knew that there was hanky-panky going on between Anita and Mick during the filming and was obsessively stalking them, hanging around the house day and night feeling miserable.
Love your channel so much, thank you! 💜
It comes across that you have a loving soul of the area, as do I. 💜
Notting Hill forever has a place in my heart....I used to go there during my early teens alone to absorb it. Used to go to the tape and disc exchange all the time and bought my first guitar in one of the second hand shops. A special part of London.
Hawkwind reference was The Mountain Grill in Portobello Road, a greasy spoon favourite of the band. Then released as the album The Hall Of the Mountain Grill.
Many thanks I knew I’d seen something
Used to eat there in the Hawkwind era Michael Moorcock often holding court.. George & Maria (?) were still there in the 90s.
I think the Pink Fairies (Hawkwind comtempories) did a tune called Portobello Shuffle similar sort of time - it was the centre of the underground scene in the early 70s - sort of like Shoredirch in the 2000s
I'm mentioning Leo Sayer for completeness 🤷♂️
Dave Brock used to busk around the Powis Square / Ladbroke Grove Area and several of the Band lived in squats in the area and I believe Hawkwind played their first gig as Band X nearby.
Killing joke used to live/squat somewhere in Ladbroke grove...in the late 70s early 80s...they have a song called Ladbroke Grove...Great walk by the way
I love these videos. I often spend time wandering around London admiring the layers of history. Please do one on Holland Park with all it's Pre-Raphaelite connections and Holland House.
Withdrawal symptoms over John, always nice to have a walk on a Sunday, well, walking from the comfort of my armchair!
i was a white van man many years ago,i pulled up in traffic and alexi sayle lent up against my van window on his bike in ladbroke grove lent in and had a quick chat,nice bloke too,
Awe this is so nostalgic for me. I used to live in Kensington & spent so much time in Portobello Market. There was a stained glass shop down there back in the day where you could buy huge restored church windows. I'd spend hours just dreaming of the day when I can own one. Still waiting hahaaa. These are also all of the areas I'd just stroll around on during my Sunday walks. Such lovely quiet roads around there. Always dreamed I'd live there one day. I did lots of dreaming when I used to live in London lol. It's a great place for that. Thank you for this. Made my day not so depressing x
Lived in Bowden Court on Ladbroke Road for just over a year, Nov72 to Jan74, was a civil service hostel, but I worked for Horizon Holidays up Uxbridge Road past Shepherds Bush. Lovely area and a gateway to the promise of London.
and a bloody well deserved mention in the ft,,,history encapsulated forever in your walks.
As always, just so wonderfully informative and enjoyable. One of my grandmothers lived in the Ladbroke Grove area as a girl in the late 1890's. She was orphaned at a young age, and as a teen immigrated to Canada on a "work assured passage," arriving with only $2.00 to her name. It is is such a pleasure to watch your videos and learn about the areas where she, and my other grandparents and my mother, lived in the greater London area. Much respect John and a BIG thank you from across The Pond.
I used to live in the area as a penniless young actor and "a great place to be broke" is bang on. I spent days on end wandering those same streets and one day got a squizz behind the walls of Aubrey house when i landed a days work on a TV film where we did a couple of scenes inside the house and i got to poke around the place and the garden is HUGE and wooded. Like a small park. I could scarcely grasp at the time that people can live this way. Then off i toddled, back to my tiny flat off Westbourne grove. (Incidentally, when you stopped for a muse about hills on Aubrey walk, to the right of you - left on the street - was Harold Pinter studio where he wrote several of his plays. The studio itself was/is at the back of the house he shared with Antonia Fraser on Campden hill square. No 52 i think)
Of all the houses, no.26 with the steps running up and through house is wonderfully quirky. I had never imagined Portobello Road and market is on a hill. Hilly area, indeed.
London likes to casually dismissal of the hills it involves, almost as if it is embarrassed about it 😳 🤔 😬
Enjoyed and watched your video's for years. You remind me adventure is the joy of life. Thank you.
Performance is the of the best films of that era
Congratulations on your mention in the Financial Times. Your wonderful walks should be publicized, so more folks can enjoy them. Thanks for taking us along.
Another thoroughly enjoyable walk... So pleased you paused outside Bowden Court... I lived there for a year in 1972, believe it's a YHA now... Loved walking this fascinating area back then. Never watched Performance but I'll track it down now. Cheers
Found a copy ... here in the United States! Just purchased it from a used book site. Hopefully will be able to put it to use in another visit to London sometime in the future. Thank you.
Lovely walk. Apart from its varied topography, I think the amount of tree cover adds something to the general ambience.
Ok, I will admit it my heart sank a little when I saw the vlog listing but never judge a vlog by its title......an absolutely absorbing 30 minutes that passed by all too quickly. Some real hidden gems of London revealed as well as the shots that perfectly illustrated the topography of the area. I never appreciated how steep some of those areas of the city are. 30 minutes of respite from the madness of the present day. Thank you John
Hi John, Dusty Springfield was from High Wycombe, she lived in Micklefield. When I think about it there was a lot of famous people from there, including yourself of course, lol. Thanks for another great video.
You likely knew I’d pop up here when you mentioned Blur 😄 there are a few Damon songs set here (for good reason) and the particular Blur song is Blue Jeans, from 1993’s ‘Modern Life is Rubbish’: ‘air cushioned soles, I bought them on the Portobello Road, on a Saturday.’ Great video today, thank you for taking me back to London for a while
This one takes me back to the 70s, the band The Police used to have a management office/ fan club hq in Blenheim Crescent and then moved to Kensington Park Road with a little souvenir shop to buy mugs n t shirts etc, I was mad on the police I was only 8, my dad used to take me up there every Saturday then we'd go and see one of the London sights, st pauls or the Tower or something touristy, loved it
A fascinating walk John. Thanks for taking us around this great area of London. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
Really enjoyed that John , Quintessence wrote the song Notting hill gate and Pink Fairies wrote Portebello shuffle. the Hawkwind link was the Mountain Grill a greasy spoon frequented by the band and they later recorded the LP Hall of the mountain grill.
I was a Kent boy at school John that's why I always wanted to live somewhere like London
Nice walk! That reminded me of "The legendary chaos Tapes" by The Fall, recorded live at Acklam Hall, Ladbroke Grove and my excursions (walks!) in the late 80s during a school trip to London, when stayed in the YH at Holland Park (long gone...). That area at was quite scary, esspeically after the motorway....😎
in Ottawa we have a Landsdowne Terrace. after a governor general posted from England back in the 1800's. One street over from me.
My Grandad grew up around Latimer Road from 1910. Pretty sure Notting Dale is further west that you stated on the map.
I think there used to be a Notting Dale house somewhere near Bramley Road, if I’m not mistaken.
I remember the Electric Cinema Portobello Rd. Dogs would often come in the cinema when a film was being shown..always a strong smell of dope in the auditorium..that’s was in the early 70s
Beautiful things you show us. Uncle ,at covid time many people left their job.We were thinking 🤔 that in India 🇮🇳 is so condition but when we saw news then fond that all over world is suffering from this situation.Your knowledge is wonderful so you are famous.We are proud of you.May God bless you 💙 ❤ 😀 love from India 🇮🇳
Thanks 💝 😊 🫂 🙏
That's so cute. I watch Praveen Mohan tour lesser known shrines in India, and Lincoln Karim film every day streets in NY. It's great to have these peep-holes onto the world!
Hello from the Midwest. Thank you John for the great video. I always look forward to them.
Back in the day when I was a student we got housing benefit so I moved to St Luke’s Road in Portobello. Loved the ambience. Great vibe.
I lived the first almost 25 years of my life in Lansdowne Road, during the 60s, 70s and early 80s, so lovely to see many of my old haunts, houses where friends lived, etc. You're absolutely right about the actors, musicians and writers (Gene Vincent, Arnold Ridley, Shirley Hughes lived opposite us, Nigel Davenport next door for a while, David Croft, Tony Crosland the politician - and those are just the ones I can call to mind now). There were also many irish immigrants and those Lansdowne Crescent houses, on a hill, have 7 or 8 floors at the back so often had dozens of people living in them. Portland Road, now very chic, was not a place we were allowed to go alone because the people were thought by my mother and grandmother to be 'too rough'. Thanks so much for the nostalgic memories.
I used to drive for a dire firm called Seven Seas who shipped students stuff back home after their studies had finished and i seemed to be permanently trundling around Knotting Hill and the Pembrokes.
Thanks John. I never had time to stop and look before. That was a wonderful walk!
Remember there ads in Time Out !
Good to see a little glimpse of Rough Trade on Talbot Road.
Dear John Rogers I like your walks in London I was born at Kingston hospital so I live quite local I know my paternal grandparents were born in 1911 cockney Londoners born under the sound of bow bells bow church London
'Getting it straight in Notting Hill Gate'...Quintessence hahaha that ages me 🤣
"A good place to be broke"... loved that poetic recollection.
Doing this walk in October, looking forward to it thanks again very informative
Thankyou once again John, most enjoyable !
Thanks for another great walk John. Do you know G.K. Chesterton’s novel ‘The Napoleon of Notting Hill’. It is a fantasy about different parts of London becoming separate kingdoms and going to war. The climax is a battle at Campden Hill when victory is achieved by releasing water from the concealed reservoir.
wow
This legend of an epic hour
A child I dreamed, and dream it still,
Under the great grey water-tower
That strikes the stars on Campden Hill.
Unfortunately, the water tower was demolished in 1970, or thereabouts. Chesterton was a local man. I believe his family started what is now the Chestertons estate agents/property company. Kensal Green (Cemetery) also features in his poem, The Rolling English Road.
as I cannot abide that Notting Hill film, I thoroughly enjoyed your disdain - along with all the walking & info of course - another perfect London city walk. And what a lovely memory you gave me of my one visit to Portobello Road where I bought something from a particularly eccentric shop keeper - remembering her made my day.
Lovely tour of an area very familiar to me and not far from where I live now. Thanks John and I look forward to the next walk "wherever that may be".
Great stuff sir! A nice combination of appreciation of Notting Hill (the area) & disdain for Notting Hill (the film) both of which views I heartily endorse...
Thanks Phil
i have dipped in again to your walks,,and once again i am not dissapointed,,your awareness of the topography is great.thank you.
The architecture is so lovely and breathtaking . I always imagine who lives there
The road with the bookshop from your least favourite film was Blenheim Crescent, I think. There was a famous cookery bookshop across the road.
Super walk around John. Many thanks to you. …….
Cheers Karen
Jarvis Cocker "Your Ladbroke Grove looks turn me on, yeah' from the track 'I Spy' from the album Different Class.
Watching from Bullamakanka in Outback Australia. Really interesting John. Thank you. 👍
Yet another great walk, fond memories of spending hours in those record tape exchange shops in Notting hill , couldn't believe the last time I was in London there was only 1 left, gutted you didn't give a shout out to rough trade record shop as you was in Talbot road, very iconic shop . Thank you for a great walk.
And I walked past it as well- cannot for the life of me remember why I didn’t mention it
I recall walking down Portobello rd in about 1972 . Afghan coats were everywhere and patchouli oil filed the air . Personally I think Whitnail and I is supremely evocative of that era . Ralph Brown as Danny was superb as a ' type' of that era . If you lived in a squat then Danny's would waft in and out like the tide - often just wearing one shoe ! ' .
Great video - next time you need to mention G. K. Chesterton's 'Napoleon of Notting hill,' especially since it centers, as your videos do, on the love of local places. "You saw a moon from Sussex downs, A Sussex moon, untravelled still; I saw a moon that was the town's, The largest lamp on Campden Hill." (From a poem he wrote for his friend Hilaire Belloc). Cheers.
Brilliant thanks Timothy
I work in that area of London, there are some ponds in Holland Park, that may owe their origin to a stream or brook. You were very close to the Stamford Brook, which was later turned into the Kensington Canal. A piece of which was turned into the District Line.
A couple of the Small Axe films give very interesting accounts of the Caribbean history in Notting Hill - Mangrove and Lovers Rock. Will investigate Performance - sounds good!
remember staying there after coming back from 7 years living in Australia... Punk scene in full swing, plus a Rockabilly and Mod revival..two tone....Great memories indeed.
Thanks for the memories, as a student at City of London College my first shared flat in my home town was in Stockwell, 18 and off the parental leash. Second year, no student halls, found a bedsit in Pembridge Crescent, a grand four storied town house owned by an impoverished but very posh lady. Even on my grant, augmented by vacation building site work, I could shop for bric a brac in the market on a saturday, have a boozy pub lu ch and later catch a film.
Perhaps now the Uni halls? Good cheap(ish) accom when school is out. Was in 2018 at least...
Thanks John.
Notting Hill with H Grant is a wonderful movie, ready to watch again and again🎉
I randomly guessed you’d visit the location for the film ‘Performance’ in Powys Square, a film that left quite a mark on a sixteen year old me, just before I went to art college. I ended up living not far from there in Ledbury Rd and recognised the exterior of the building on one of my many walks around the area. I still miss living there, was a fantastic time of my life (early 90s)
Andrew Duncan.....I once had a complete set of his books , in the early 2000's. I foolishly included these in a book de-clutter four years ago. Andrew later combined them into an abridged volume and I have sootted copies in various Waterstones and in Hatchard's at St.Pancras Station. Beautifuly written with equally beautiful photographs.
Years ago my fantasy men's night out was with Robert Di Nero and Joe Pesci at Nathan's Hot Dog emporium in New York. Nowadays, it is with your goodself, Peter Ackroyd and the aforementioned Andrew Duncan, having poached egg on toast in the East End's Pelicci's cafe !
Duncan, Rotherham.
One Man Band by Leo Sayer mentions Ladbroke Grove in the first verse. A great song. Also Powis was where a very young Pink Floyd used to play in the now demolished church hall. A very interesting and enjoyable walk as always. Thanks John.
Thanks for the info Paul
was that the tabernacle opp the square? saw elton john [with rolls outside] going in. 80s
Well done for getting the mention in the newspaper, you kept a lot of us going through covid and me personally prostate cancer, I live in Shropshire and they took me to Westmoreland Street to operate, first time in London for 40 years and primary school !
The Samarkand is still a hotel of sorts I believe and Hendrix was booked in at the Cumberland Hotel at the time where his old room has been used as a promotional suite, not so at the Samarkand who have always distanced themselves from the link to his death there. Until 1969 he had a flat at Brooke St with his girlfriend, it's now a museum along with the Handel house next door. Worth a visit.
When I first saw Performance (sometime in the mid-90s) I realised that some of the dialogue had been sampled by Big Audio Dynamite in one of their songs (E=MC2 I think).
you did upset me with your comment xD I was quite surprised by your contempt for the film, I wasn't expecting it from you! I still don't understand why people dismiss movies that made some place famous. For us, across the pond or around the world, it's thanks to films how we get to know about other places, and in my case that film - which is absolutely cute and of its time, and it's a Richard Curtis' film, not a 'Hugh Grant' movie, in fairness- was the *entrance door* to actually know about the existance of Notting Hill. Some 26 years later, when I was finally able to go to London, I chose NHG to stay and absolutely loved the area. Not just 'for the movie' but thanks to the movie, because I then learned about the rich history of NH, I bought books about it, watched more films and videos and learned a lot more. The bookshop we see in the film was built inside a film set. It never really existed. They used the exterior of the now souvenir's shop - which back in 1999 was a shoe shop - for street shots, to locate the bookshop somewhere on Portobello Road. And then there's the ACTUAL REAL bookshop which inspired Richard Curtis, who lived in that area, to design the movie's bookshop. Back then it was 'the Notting Hill travel bookshop', now it's 'The Notting Hill Bookshop', on Blenheim Crescent. I understand that for the locals it's annoying but films are important pop culture gateways for those who cannot afford seeing it in person :) We can't blame Curtis for the gentrification. He didn't make movies about Hackney or Spitalfields and... there you go. Anyhow, Notting Hill is amazingly beautiful!
That was a very good piece thank you. You missed the home of Eric Blair. We always stop at the Electric Diner for breakfast
I used to go to school in the Portobello Road in the 1950s, and I have fond memories of the Electric Cinema. On Saturday mornings we went to the Cinema, which was in an extremely run down state. If you were posh and had the money, you could sit in the seats at the rear that were upholstered, all other seats being plain wood. However, if you grabbed an orange box from the fruit and veg market outside the cinema and sat on that, they would let you in for half price. TRIVIA Apparently, it's the second oldest purpose built cinema in the country.
Was a nice walk thanks down memory lane looks like it triggered a lot of memories for a lot of people in the comments back in the day the early 70s there’s a lot of squats in that area which of course now are all 7,000,000 pound apartments but it was good looking back at the old Theatre I was where I took one of my first LSD trips watching Monterey Pop anyway keep it up mate
yes, Hawkwind lived in Ladbroke Grove. it seems very common in western cities that it's often artists (the ones who aren't propped up by family money) who occupy inexpensive areas that eventually become gentrified and unaffordable. even in my smallish town the DIY gallery area has been mostly replaced by condos and techies. they move in then complain about music venues, people hanging out, etc. what made the area so interesting disappears under the crush of capital.
Your disdain for Notting Hill the movie is hilarious. Cheers, sir.
5:08 palm trees in London? Mild winters must be nice. Great video John, cheers from the eastern Canadian bush.
Its the amount of brick that retains and reflects heat, plus the body heat of 6million londonders
home sweet home. used to divert through that area pointing out " before " & " after" ( doing up ) fascinating thank you but not Bloomsbury!!!😅
BTW I'm aka Daisy:-)
Was hoping for a Withnail and I location as I think the “perfumed p****” pub scene was filmed somewhere there. I believe Aubrey House is now owned by the Tetrapak family. Thanks for the video.
Another great video, Notting Hill and it's residents have always been a very colourful part of London. After your video I looked up the backing track from the film 'Performance' and found that the full film was available on TH-cam so I decided to watch it.
I'm now just off out for some therapy, I may be some time!
Wonderful to add more context to an area we are looking forward to visiting in two months!
That number 26 building with the staircase was beautiful! Quite unique. The early part of this video where you talk about how Notting Hill used to be a slum reminded me of a great BBC series I used to watch which looked at the history of specific streets. This episode was on Portland Road, just around the corner: th-cam.com/video/yyUhMIEZh0I/w-d-xo.html . I think you'd find it really interesting if you haven't seen it already, John.
Great video John I used to go to Portobello Market on Saturdays in the early seventies , it was very run down I used to follow this band called Quintessence in the sixties we had many great concerts in a local church hall ,also Hawkwind, Michael Moorcock ,the author , lived in the area , if you want to see what it was like see the film Performance with Mick Jagger which was filmed in a rundown house in a semi derelict square nearby , ( wrote before you mention it in the video !!! ) thanks for bringing back nice memories , see you soon my friend ☯️☮️🌈🎈
Good one, thanks.
Thanks John for the wonderful videos been a London cabbie for 30 years ... Your vibe reminds me how I fell in love with London must have got you a gazillion subscribers ..keep on rocking guvnor
Cheers Wayne
Lovely stuff. I live around this area and walked much of this yesterday. Nice to see your take on the area!
Great place to live Tom
What a great video today; I set aside Monday lunchtimes to watch the latest offering and I wasn’t disappointed. What a corker! Couple of things, firstly the Doctor who certified Jimi Hendrix’s death was an Australian, Bob Brown, who went on to lead the Australian Green Party for many years. Also the Lady Roding could be a little upset with you for forgetting the spur of land running from Leytonstone through Epping Forest up to Woodford Green and Chingford. But I’m sure she will forgive you.
Thanks for the info and pointing out that glaring omission. I’m sure there must be a spur associated with the Brent as well
@@JohnRogersWalks Probably because we refer to the Roding as River and Valley rather than the spur (Chingford is how high above Sea Level - likewise that rise up to the former mental assylum
"Saw you walking down by Ladbooke Grove this morning" 'Slim Slow Slider on 'Astral Weeks'.
A lovely walk. Thanks John
Another excellent walk.😎
Happy for the walk.🙏 Missed watching last Sunday. Enjoy all your TH-cam videos. Trees & breeze so pleasant looking. Weather so humid and hot here in Eastern Tennessee. Looking forward your next video Mr. John Rogers. 🌾🌿🌳
Thanks Janet
great stuff JR
😮 Did Mr Rogers just drop the 'B' word ('bloody', not the other one) when mentioning Hugh Grant (3.06). 😂
Hi John, i just love your walks. I lived and loved in lady London in the early to mid nineties.
It was a charmed time and London and its people looked after me as one of her own.
I miss those days of my youth. Living now back in the west of Ireland where I was born I often indulge in nostalgia via your fabulous walks. I've had great pleasure introducing your channel to an older friend of mine from East London who lives here now. Gives her immense pleasure also. If you ever get to County Sligo, we'll go for a stroll.
Cheers Kete - would love to go walking in Ireland again - been a long time
Performance, probably my favourite film. I have the DVD here somewhere; I'll have to watch it again now
other film locations include the italian job(parts of portabello rd)steptoe and son(harold gets married in the church on the hill)and the blue lamp (various chase scenes on a newly built ladbroke grove westway area)
I've been catching up on lots of your old videos, having discovered your channel a few weeks ago. I really love exploring London and your depth of knowledge, especially as mobility problems means my own walks are limited to a few minutes at a time.
But I have to rant a little. I was really shocked to hear out outright dismissive you were of the movie and of one of the actors in particular. I think it's a pretty great piece of escapism. Julia Roberts is wonderful, Hugh Grant is perfectly cost, and the supporting cast really make it. Looking at Rotten Tomatoes, it gets a consistently high rating from critics and audiences alike. More to the point, it still brings in millions of pounds in revenue for small businesses in the area. I don't think I've ever heard you be outright mean about anyone or anything in your videos, and I found that quite surprising, for something that is objectively a positive thing for the area.
Anyway, rant over. Looking forward to your next video, wherever that may be!
How nice of Iain to mention you and your You Tube site in that Weekend edition of the FT. I shall be looking forwards to seeing Iain in one of your up and coming videos, John; definitely going to be a video not to be missed.
Hawkwind, Killing Joke, Michael Moorcock. Squatters Association. Zig Zag magazine. Rough Trade records.
lovely John. Another eye opener to the beauty of London.
A great take on the area and Notting hill in general. This and Camden Town has a plethora of music history which I'm always interested in. Keep these fantastic videos coming John and can't wait for your next walk! 🙂
Many thanks Robin
Nice one John, great walk - Performance, the ultimate London film..
Great Video. I'm your Fan.
Nice to see this area again. I lived here briefly in 1982 when I was teaching at Holland Park School. I could only afford one tiny room with shared kitchen and bathroom - many of the flats around me were being converted back to one-family residences. We used to go to the Windsor Castle in our lunch hour, except the service was so slow we always ended up eating our sandwiches on the way back to school!