As a student in London in the late 70s I remember conducting many photographic recces of Shad Thames and environs. It was pretty much derelict at the time, but a wonderful location. I still have the hundreds of slides from those trips. Fabulous video. Thank you.
1977 I bought my first decent camera, I think a Pentax KX. Walked from London Bridge to Rotherhithe and shot a roll of black and white film, I had it developed, but never printed and need to have another look for it.
Love Bermondsey and love being born and raised here. My family can go back 8 generations(maybe more). As a kid we used to run around in them old warehouses before they were converted to expensive homes
Hey Rob I started work in nearby Bermondsey Street in 1979, although I’d visited the area much earlier, including standing on London Bridge with my older brother watching HMS Belfast being brought into the Pool in 1971. Back in the late 70’s Shad Thames was very much derelict, in as much as there were very few, if any, operating merchants there. From my office in Bermondsey Street, I worked for The Stage Newspaper, I would cross Tower Bridge Road, passing Sarson’s and its giant vat of malt vinegar. Down Tooley Street to St Saviours Dock. I would then enter Shad Thames. Shad Thames was always very dark, even during the day, and it took you back to Victorian times. On wet days the empty warehouses smelled of cinnamon and spices and tea. The bridges that criss-crossed the road made you feel like you were in a tunnel. It was such a special place. From Shad Thames I’d make my way to the empty wharves near the Belfast, find an old mooring bollard and eat my corn beef sarnie. There were very few people about as the area was still very much derelict. Happy Days!
My sis in law, a Fleet Street journalist in the 1970s, wrote the article about HMS Belfast's last journey which was displayed next to HMS Belfast at its final mooring.
My 3rd great grandfather and family lived in Back Street, Bermondsey from about 1801, when he married. He was a Waterman, as was his son, my 2nd great grandfather. It would not surprise me if they used to use the Horselydown Old Stairs. He was also married in St John's and my 2nd great grandfather was buried at St Mary Magdalen. They moved to Jamaica Terrace then Printers Place. After this, my great grandfather moved out to Plumstead, where my grandfather was born. My great grandfather married a woman, whose family were involved in the leather trade. He became the Corn Meter for London and founded a Corn Merchant business that my father and his brother ran for about forty years. Every time I go up to London now, I always wander the streets of Bermondsey.
My mum's family were watermen and lighterman going back that far. We actually had family living on Jacob's Island going back years. Dad's side were book binders, going back years. Both families are mentioned by name in The Records of The Old Bailey. One of whom my old man always said, with certain amount of pride, "Hung for sheep stealing son!"
As a child living in Arnold’s Estate and St John’s Estate, Shad Thames holds rich memories for me. My Dad worked for Courages as a driver. His lorry was used to transport a dray to horse shows to compete against the other London breweries such as Watneys and Charringtons. I can still smell the spices from the warehouses. Walking through at night was a very spooky experience.
Great video. I grew up on Arnold Estate across Jamaica Rd. My dad uses to take me and my brother to the Tower of London, and we'd walk through here. I remember in the mid 80's when I was about 5 he'd ask if we could smell the spices from the old warehouses on shad thames and I could. Was all derelict then, but it belonged to us, it was part of us who were from Bermondsey, sadly no longer.
Beautiful comment Warren, thank you. In the video with Bob Hoskins, they do mention how you can still smell curry powder in the air :-) Cheers and stay well.
Fascinating. I remember the episode of Dr. Who done there, and always wondered about the area. I live in Canada but am of British extraction. I haven't been to England since 2006 and regrettably only got to spend a day in London on a one-week visit, so I love watching your reports. My English grands-parents were of Cockney extraction, though they left London after getting married and repressed their accents. I only heard my grandmother revert after she had a stroke in her 90s.
I proposed to my wife at the top of Maggie Blake’s Cause on the corner where it joins the river front path (right where you stopped to film Tower Bridge). Great memory, thanks for sharing this video. (She said yes btw).
Had you said "girlfriend" at the beginning the bracketed bit at the end would have had more resonance, but a jolly slice of life's rich tapestry anyway!?!
Oh fantastic, i really like this part of central london. Its lovely to walk along, and thanks for the Bob Hoskins link, wow i was a young girl at the time of that Omnibus programme, thank God not all of the old ware houses were knocked down. The history is so interesting and thank God for the campaigners for the area so that people can have access to the river thames. Nothing ever changes, people always have to fight for these kinds of things in society.
Always a delight, Rob. As a Yuppie in the late-80s, these were just coming onto the market - but even then were beyond the pockets of most, starting at around £100k - when I could (and did) pick up a Dulwich-fringe 3-bed flat (with shared garden and off road parking for 3/4s of that: there were neither shops nor decent pubs back then, so no-one could have guessed they'd be worth millions one day...
I don’t know. I seem to remember thinking they were going to be worth a fortune. I had a look around a Butlers Wharf warehouse conversion. Dual level. All industrial. Very New York. But no way I could afford it.
As a young boy i fell in love with the movie Oliver from 1968. Although I loved the characters and story it was the backdrop of where it took place the great Victorian city of London that a truly loved most.
The original 1948 film is much better. It's a lot darker and more of what it would have looked like. Unlike the "Hollywood type" made up sets in the musical !
@@enemde3025 The 1948 film was really atmospheric and realistic. Oliver Reed was slightly more terrifying than Robert Newton in the Bill Sikes roles. Both men, oddly enough, had a problem with drink. Bill Sikes himself and Nancy were based on the Eliza Grimwood murder.
@@deanodog3667 So much poverty then and many children often didnt make it with pollution & diseases - the rich and poor so contrasting then but yes, I know what you mean. The homes were dark then, lots of heavy textiles and dark paint, I prefer the Edwardian times a breath of fresh air! ;)
As a kid, my nan used to always take us 'up London', which was basically her version of a lil tour lol. We were only from South London, but it was always a great day out for us! She would take us all over West End, Westminster, The City and the Thames. Now as an adult, I'm always rushing around London forgetting to appreciate these gems...Thanks for the memories 😊❤️
Brilliant as always Rob. I spent many happy years working at Courage brewery until it sadly closed. Not to mention a few sore heads thanks to the Copper pub and the Anchor Tap. There was a barmaid working in the Anchor whose name has sadly escaped me who wouldn’t take any nonsense in her pub. The language I learned from her!! Happy days and wonderful people who I remember fondly.
Can you believe Shad Thames and along the embankment area was my playground - some areas looked just like Fagans den, even the murky green little water channels and inlets. Many of the buildings although locked by their huge gates were easy to get into, and only when Maggie Thatcher enriched the Thames by making it a millionaires pad & playground/ the arts & restaurants replaced rotting architecture did locals start to see gates locked and security guards with dogs and prolific building. As a child the danger we put ourselves in was incredible but so much fun! Later as an Art student at a local college we used this area while still being conserved/ built for its lovely textures/ ruins and age all a real inspiration for us. Still call this home even though moved abroad and now in Cornwall. Depraved area but the history was phenomenal! Thank you
@@Robslondon My pleasure! I shared your video on FB - this is what I added.... This is my London - where I grew up, a very depraved area along the Thames but rich in London's history, near to the prominent Bridges and my Tower of London. Dickens was inspired to write many a book here, and hardly surprising. As a child I played in many of these desecrated buildings, played on the banks of the Thames seeking treasures, and lived to tell the tale; our playground fired up my imagination and why I love to express myself creatively. Some of us were scarred, treading on nails, cutting knees on glass etc but our games set us free from the daily drudge of the grey, poverty-stricken area. Later Maggie Thatcher decided to preserve and turn the Shad Thames and Embankment into a millionaires escape in the city of London with riverside luxury pads, the Arts and fine dining on the doorstep. She literally turned around the area, built new homes and basically cleaned up in a huge investment which in-turn provided better homes for locals and new jobs! I have to applaud her for that - the task was huge and successful but still kept the character and history alive. I remember well, the times before and after, its a strange sensation but where I still call home. 🫶
As a London Firefighter, when I was learning to operate the 100 ft hydraulic Turntable Ladder, we used to come here in the days before regeneration as part of our course. Due to the many overhead obstacles that the elevated walkways provided, it was an ideal location for learning how to deal with difficult pitches of the ladder.
Great video, I grew up in that area from the late 1960s to the late 1980's, I remember playing around the docks with my friends, could still smell the spices! Also fished off the steps for eels, I was filmed by the BBC news when the spaceshuttle flew over Tower Bridge and had to act out in my best London street urchin voice "coor blimey, look at that" 😅 Also I saw many a film and pop video filmed there and even now I still go back for my photography.
Fascinating, as always, Rob - thanks. I spent many pleasant Thursday nights in the Anchor Tap in the late 80s & early 90s, without realising that it was the original Courage pub. If you ever get the time it would be lovely to have a video all about the Hawksmoor churches.
Great video to trip across; takes me down memory lane. I worked for three different design agencies in the early 90's one on Curlew St, one in The Cirlce and Conran and Partners on Shad Thames. The noise from construction was horrific at times. At one point I worked with SIr Terence Conran on Shad Thames when Conran and Partners was a fledging agency, very exciting times and had a hand in the brand work for Le Pont de la Tour, The Chop House, and Cantina as well as Conran Contracts.
I worked In London Bridge Hospital for a few years ; so I walked through that area in search of a pharmacy . It's a bit of a maze . Great video as usual .
My sister lived in the anchor brewhouse for a few years. You cannot beat the view! She is still in the area and we love the atmospheric feel of the place and it's proximity to a London Bridge station and the Borough market whenever we visit.
That was great! Thanks Rob. I live in SE1 and used to go on weekly group walks around the area with a guide who knew a little about the area. There was so much in this upload that I’d never heard before. Very enjoyable indeed. 👍🏼
Years ago , I took my two kids on a RiverBoat trip, ( the big red & white one - can't remember the name ) Most tour guides have a knack of droning on and sending you into a coma .... Our chap was absolutely fascinating , held everybody's attention young and old , start to finish . Relevant , eye-opening information . I remember him telling us that the saying "Dutch Courage" goes back to the Great Plague (mid 1600's) when only Dutch Ships would come up the river with their goods , else the Port would have had to shut down which would have been a catastrophe for an area dependent on The Docks for so much trade . I have nothing but utter contempt for that Odious Little Twerp and what he has done to OUR London .
Thank you for this really interesting video, Rob. I live in Western Australia. On a holiday in England in 2018 I walked around this area and had lunch in the Anchor Tap. I was born in London and have always felt a connection with it.
Fantastic video Rob. It's great the way the old buildings have been preserved and given a nod to their past instead of being knocked down. I remember as a fifteen year old taking shorts cuts to beat the crowds of Liverpool city by walking up Matthew Street, then a road of warehouses and wagons. Now of course it is a mega Beatle's shrine and I look at the bars and restaurants and can see the men who once hoisted up heavy sacks and smell the old smells.
Growing up in the Dockhead area in the 50s and 60s I vividly remember the Shad Thames when it was a working dock the smell of spice the total chaos with Lorry’s blocking access to the wharehouses the noise of ships hooters coming and going at all times of the night and day.and New Year’s Eve at midnight when all the ships in port would sound their horns.So long ago
Oh Rob this was wonderful. Bravo you pulled me in immediately! I love your flow and how you move through your stories. Thank you ... went great with my dinner and wine. ❤
Thank you for this video. This area is so often overlooked. It was the walkways that first captured my imagination here and over the years I’ve learnt a lot of its history, of which this video had added to. It’s almost like time travelling walking these historic streets of south London…
Hi Rob. That was a fascinating and well produced video/documentary. I was Born in Mile End (1962) , and have been to Shad Thames several times and is now just another example of London that People born in London can't afford to live in, but it looks nice though
Another very interesting piece of history from the city. I used to walk through some of the places seen on your vids and often think to myself 'wow I wish I had someone who could fill me in on the history of this place'.. say no more! Quality stuff mate.
I remember Shad Thames before the docks moved out. I wish I'd had the courage to have to wander about...Standing with back to the Thames looking down St Saviour's Dock is very evocative indeed.
This is exactly why I like your channel - I've never been to London, never really heard of this place, and here's a whole lot of fascinating "ordinary people" history I never would have learned about.
Hi, I used to live just off Tooley Street in the late 1970s at the Tower Bridge end. It was a dodgy area then and I had to put my little Puch Maxi inside at night.The police would move those sleeping 'rough' outside every night at 12.15. The old warehouses were impressive. On my days off I used to walk over to the shop in St Catherine's Docks. No hotel back then. If I'd bee3out on the tube I jogged home down Tooley St which had many 'doss houses'. There was a quintessential Italian restaurant in one of the alleyways and I still make my basic spaghetti bolognese using the owner's advice!
I don't know how things are these days, haven't returned in decades, but in the '60s you could smell the spices in the very brickwork of the warehouses, heady and nostalgic.
Another wonderful yet thoroughly modest work, from Rob. Loved the old film clips of the area too. Worked nearby from 2008 to 2013. A fascinating bit of London. Superb river views.
I used to work in Shad Thames ( Mobile Merchandising) printing Tee shirts 1978/9 Jamaica rd opposite the pub Dockhead stores ,also used to use the pub around the corner next to the fire station Swan & sugarloaf great memories . Have used The restaurant Pont de la tour a couple of times right on the river Near Tower bridge ,I love all the history of the area and the many pubs along the river.
Evening Rob, Hope you are keeping well, This is a fantastic video and one of my favourite parts of London. I also have to say excellent production, Really top quality, Thank you
Dave, that is so kind of you, I truly appreciate your kind words and generous support. Were good thank you, hope you are too. Thanks again my friend, much appreciated. Stay well.
Fascinating.. I worked for ITN 5 News.. for some years located in Northern and Shell building..on Lower Thames St. So this was our daily view from opposite the river.
Great video as usual Rob. Thank you so much. Some scenes from the Sherlock Holmes film ‘Murder by Decree’ were also shot in this area, it’s very atmospheric and well worth a watch.
Thanks Rob, I only live about a 1 & 1/2 from Shad Thames in Bermondsey and I used to work in that area. I wasn't aware of the origin of those names, particularly Maggie Blake's Cause and the local history. So thanks for explaining it so well and I've subscribed. 👍🤗
@@Robslondon Cheers Rob, I can vaguely remember it as a child in the late 70s. It was creepy back then, but it had a load more character. Is it true that Bill Sykes' character was based on factual incidents or is it just fiction?🤗
Fantastic documentary, thanks so much for creating this. I’m lucky enough to live in Butler’s Wharf and love learning about the area. A few newer films that show Shad Thames include Ghosted with Chris Evans , The Veil (last episode) with Elizabeth Moss, and due to release next year, Back in Action with Cameron Diaz (we watched them film a motorcycle chase down the jetty and off the pier).
I worked on the Restaurants Sir Terence started all along Shad Thames. Great times!! Passing my driving test, ended up there driving around London before the rejuvenation so it was so good to see the transformation. Great video, Rob.
Fabulous video. Am a London lad, born in Islington. I remember the area in the 60/70s when it still had the old charatuer of real London, such a fabulous walk around. in the 70s i became a young chef at the Savoy for many years and have always enjoyed the socila history of London, especialy the old London as it used to be. This area was always a odd walk around as plenty of real people. Remember in the mid 70s being able to walk around and ee the various wharfs showing their food and product names which allowed a young chef to learn so much. HMS Belfast was a great visit as a kid with my Dad as a friend of mines Dad had been a chef on Belfast. In the late 70'early 80s remember the area being worked on, new restaurants owned by Terrance Conran and others with open kitchen so had opportunities to pop in and say hi to the Brigade of Chefs. Yes its a shame now since then that the area has lost its real London people with over priced appartments and much more. However, at least they have not been knocked down to mucha nd we can see how they were back in the day. have so many more memories of the areas. Thank you so much for another trip down my Home City of London, which is always with me.
Gary, this is such a superb comment- I really enjoyed reading it; one of my favourites. I’ve always been fascinated by the work chefs do, so it’s very interesting to me that you used to walk around here picking up ideas! Thanks again for sharing your memories, and I truly appreciate your kind words too. Stay well mate.
Thanks Rob. Another great film of the great wharves and Warehouses. Very informative and interesting. I’ll be sure to check out the area when I’m Back next month. Cheers mate
When I worked at London Bridge, I would often take lunch time walks around the area which is rich in history and intresting sights are common. I've had a few pints in the Anchor Tap a fine pub which has resisted the urge to modernise thankfully. Thank you for this informative vid which has a ton of information. I'm now going in to see where else you have covered. Hopefully, Hay's Gallaria that much burnt building where I worked or the area around the old Marshalsea prison.
Thanks so much Len. I hope to cover Hay's Galleria at some point. I've covered the Marshalsea in a few videos (I think the Charles Dickens Christmas pubs features it)
A wonderfully informative video. Really enjoyed the bit about Jacob island. I’ve lived here for nearly 5 years now and so it was wonderful to see the history of the area brought to life. Well done 👍🏼
I lived off Jamaica Road at the end of the 70's and use to explore the warehouses and building s when they were derelict. It's was fantastic time. It's been developed in to an amazing place and still a joy to visit. Thank you for the video really enjoyed learning about the history of the area.💙
Great video! As a local resident who frequents these areas regularly, I know quite a bit of the history already, but this is wonderfully in depth with so many little touches that I haven’t noticed.
I wish I was a bit more mobile because there is always something to learn and something to love along the river's edge. ps - it has just occured to me that I have always been so mesmerised that I have never quite realised how brilliantly well put together your videos are. Great street views with appropriate street sign shots here and there and a perfectly placed occasional overview courtesy of a contemporary map (and here a film clip or still). Really engaging work. Thanks Rob.
Although I have been to the area before, I visited again today to see PS Waverley visiting the Pool of London. I was very pleased to find myself walking along Maggie Blake's Cause and almost felt like telling every one I passed the origin of the name!
Excellent video. I used to live in East London from 1980 onwards before Docklands and other areas were 'improved'. We used to walk around these areas thinking of Dickens, etc. Nice to see that they've been preserved and reused but the price tags are somewhat obscene!
Thank you for a brilliant video about this area. I was very fortunate to have lived on Mill Street for a couple of years in the early 90s when I was a student (the flat was owned by a surgeon at Guy’s who let his son and two of us live there for what was probably barely enough to cover the maintenance fee). I had no idea about much of the history of the area so this was fascinating.
Brilliant rob , I was born in paddington so Southwark was way to far for me,but when I did the knowledge in the 90's I discovered the area & loved it , still to this day I believe it's London's most fascinating borough 🇬🇧
Hello Rob Another excellent video. Is one of our favorite areas, love having the history to go with it. There must be many movies filmed in the area not mentioned. First is Sandra favorite Christmas movie Bernard and the Genie. You actually showed the front of Bernard home at St Andrews wharf. Also Cruella in the Garbage truck chase seen. It is such a lovely area to walk all the way down to Rotherhithe. Thanks for the excellent video. Take care Chris and Sandra of Canada.
Thank you Rob for researching this iconic area 👌🏻 I can remember it as an office worker in the City when I used to wander around by the old warehouses.. just for the atmosphere, then in the years that followed in the early years of the 21st century when my sister had an apartment there in Shad Thames and I used to stay with her sometimes. A real delight to watch your brilliantly constructed video 😊
I worked at Towerbridge Police station in Tooley St, I loved my time there people were mostly friendly and I enjoyed my time walking the beat around Shad Thames, it had the most amazing smell of spices and always made me want some ginger cake! I was there when the area was turned into posh flats and remember well the giant horse Jacob floating down from the helicopter, we were all sand blasted from the dust it kicked up . Although I never lived in the area myself, my family on my mums side came from Bermondsey so I felt a sense of belonging, my great grandfather was a lighterman . I also got to work in Towerbridge magistrates court which is next door to the police station, which I believe has been turned into a fancy hotel. Our after work go to pub was the Anchor Tap. Happy days thanks for your tour
Wonderful comment Karen, thank you. I almost included Tower Bridge police station in this video, but decided to save it for a future video I hope to do on Tooley Street. Thanks again and stay well.
Lovely work, Rob! Fantastic that such an atmospheric little area has survived. No wonder it's been used in so many film productions! Thanks, as ever, for sharing Your Knowledge 😉 🙃
As a teenager in the early 80s me & some friends discovered Shad Thames & visited it several times because it was such an eerie & fascinating place, like walking through a ghost town of Victorian London, I’m kinda sad it isn’t like that anymore
As a student in London in the late 70s I remember conducting many photographic recces of Shad Thames and environs. It was pretty much derelict at the time, but a wonderful location. I still have the hundreds of slides from those trips. Fabulous video. Thank you.
Thanks so much Gary. Would love to see those slides 😉
Do you have a instagram account where we can see them?
I would love to see those too!
I've just moved and they're still in a box somewhere. When I find them I'll be happy to get a few made into prints. I'd love to see them again, too.
1977 I bought my first decent camera, I think a Pentax KX. Walked from London Bridge to Rotherhithe and shot a roll of black and white film, I had it developed, but never printed and need to have another look for it.
I moved to bermondsey because of this history and now I get to work on the other end of shad thames and do this walk every day. I LOVE it.
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Love Bermondsey and love being born and raised here. My family can go back 8 generations(maybe more). As a kid we used to run around in them old warehouses before they were converted to expensive homes
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Hey Rob
I started work in nearby Bermondsey Street in 1979, although I’d visited the area much earlier, including standing on London Bridge with my older brother watching HMS Belfast being brought into the Pool in 1971.
Back in the late 70’s Shad Thames was very much derelict, in as much as there were very few, if any, operating merchants there.
From my office in Bermondsey Street, I worked for The Stage Newspaper, I would cross Tower Bridge Road, passing Sarson’s and its giant vat of malt vinegar. Down Tooley Street to St Saviours Dock. I would then enter Shad Thames.
Shad Thames was always very dark, even during the day, and it took you back to Victorian times. On wet days the empty warehouses smelled of cinnamon and spices and tea. The bridges that criss-crossed the road made you feel like you were in a tunnel. It was such a special place.
From Shad Thames I’d make my way to the empty wharves near the Belfast, find an old mooring bollard and eat my corn beef sarnie. There were very few people about as the area was still very much derelict. Happy Days!
Robin, this comment is simply superb. Really enjoyed reading it- so evocative. Thank you.
My sis in law, a Fleet Street journalist in the 1970s, wrote the article about HMS Belfast's last journey which was displayed next to HMS Belfast at its final mooring.
My 3rd great grandfather and family lived in Back Street, Bermondsey from about 1801, when he married. He was a Waterman, as was his son, my 2nd great grandfather. It would not surprise me if they used to use the Horselydown Old Stairs. He was also married in St John's and my 2nd great grandfather was buried at St Mary Magdalen. They moved to Jamaica Terrace then Printers Place. After this, my great grandfather moved out to Plumstead, where my grandfather was born. My great grandfather married a woman, whose family were involved in the leather trade. He became the Corn Meter for London and founded a Corn Merchant business that my father and his brother ran for about forty years.
Every time I go up to London now, I always wander the streets of Bermondsey.
Brilliant comment Tony. What a family history to have, incredible.
@@Robslondon thanks Rob, isn't it just.
Me too. My Dsd born there in 1921. 😊
@@johannebaker9730 wow ;-)
My mum's family were watermen and lighterman going back that far. We actually had family living on Jacob's Island going back years. Dad's side were book binders, going back years. Both families are mentioned by name in The Records of The Old Bailey. One of whom my old man always said, with certain amount of pride, "Hung for sheep stealing son!"
As a child living in Arnold’s Estate and St John’s Estate, Shad Thames holds rich memories for me. My Dad worked for Courages as a driver. His lorry was used to transport a dray to horse shows to compete against the other London breweries such as Watneys and Charringtons. I can still smell the spices from the warehouses. Walking through at night was a very spooky experience.
Beautiful comment Terry. Thanks so much for sharing.
Great video. I grew up on Arnold Estate across Jamaica Rd. My dad uses to take me and my brother to the Tower of London, and we'd walk through here. I remember in the mid 80's when I was about 5 he'd ask if we could smell the spices from the old warehouses on shad thames and I could. Was all derelict then, but it belonged to us, it was part of us who were from Bermondsey, sadly no longer.
Beautiful comment Warren, thank you. In the video with Bob Hoskins, they do mention how you can still smell curry powder in the air :-) Cheers and stay well.
I know mate .
It's utterly heartbreaking what "Sir Dick" has done to OUR London .
Fascinating. I remember the episode of Dr. Who done there, and always wondered about the area.
I live in Canada but am of British extraction. I haven't been to England since 2006 and regrettably only got to spend a day in London on a one-week visit, so I love watching your reports.
My English grands-parents were of Cockney extraction, though they left London after getting married and repressed their accents.
I only heard my grandmother revert after she had a stroke in her 90s.
A wonderful comment arrjay, thank you. Hope you make it back here soon 🇨🇦🇬🇧
Yes The Talons of Weng Chiang and Resurrection of the Daleks. I went to Shad Thames in 2007. It looked so much cleaner when I visited
I proposed to my wife at the top of Maggie Blake’s Cause on the corner where it joins the river front path (right where you stopped to film Tower Bridge). Great memory, thanks for sharing this video. (She said yes btw).
Beautiful. Your comment just made my evening 😄
Had you said "girlfriend" at the beginning the bracketed bit at the end would have had more resonance, but a jolly slice of life's rich tapestry anyway!?!
I haven't seen "Oliver!" for years, but seeing Oliver Reed as Bill Sikes made me shudder! Took me right back. Thank you for another great journey!
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Oliver Reed made the best Bill Sikes. ❤
Oliver Reed was a force of nature 😮
Oliver reed possibly most convincing Bill Sykes ever possibly.
You are so right. Bill Sikes was terrifying, totally wicked in the original film.
Excellent history as usual Rob, it's better than watching TV, keep up the good work, thanks 👍
Thanks so much Robbie 😉 Really kind of you to say, hope you’re keeping well
brilliant comment! anything is better than tv these days, especially factual entertaining and informative vlogs like this.
@@freespeechoneeach Thank you so much 😀
Oh fantastic, i really like this part of central london. Its lovely to walk along, and thanks for the Bob Hoskins link, wow i was a young girl at the time of that Omnibus programme, thank God not all of the old ware houses were knocked down. The history is so interesting and thank God for the campaigners for the area so that people can have access to the river thames. Nothing ever changes, people always have to fight for these kinds of things in society.
Lovely comment Sharon. Thank you.
It's sad to think how much of our history we have lost 😢
I really appreciate the video 😁
Thank you ☺️
@@Robslondon your welcome
SUPERB video Rob 🎉 your content just gets better and better - BRAVO 🎉🎉🎉
Bless you Jack, thank you so much!
Always a delight, Rob. As a Yuppie in the late-80s, these were just coming onto the market - but even then were beyond the pockets of most, starting at around £100k - when I could (and did) pick up a Dulwich-fringe 3-bed flat (with shared garden and off road parking for 3/4s of that: there were neither shops nor decent pubs back then, so no-one could have guessed they'd be worth millions one day...
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I don’t know. I seem to remember thinking they were going to be worth a fortune. I had a look around a Butlers Wharf warehouse conversion. Dual level. All industrial. Very New York. But no way I could afford it.
As a young boy i fell in love with the movie Oliver from 1968. Although I loved the characters and story it was the backdrop of where it took place the great Victorian city of London that a truly loved most.
The original 1948 film is much better. It's a lot darker and more of what it would have looked like. Unlike the "Hollywood type" made up sets in the musical !
@@enemde3025 The 1948 film was really atmospheric and realistic. Oliver Reed was slightly more terrifying than Robert Newton in the Bill Sikes roles. Both men, oddly enough, had a problem with drink. Bill Sikes himself and Nancy were based on the Eliza Grimwood murder.
I think I loved Oliver more because I played in the ruins, so atmospheric and the walls of each building really spoke to you.
Would love to have seen Victorian London, warts n all !!
@@deanodog3667 So much poverty then and many children often didnt make it with pollution & diseases - the rich and poor so contrasting then but yes, I know what you mean. The homes were dark then, lots of heavy textiles and dark paint, I prefer the Edwardian times a breath of fresh air! ;)
As a kid, my nan used to always take us 'up London', which was basically her version of a lil tour lol. We were only from South London, but it was always a great day out for us! She would take us all over West End, Westminster, The City and the Thames. Now as an adult, I'm always rushing around London forgetting to appreciate these gems...Thanks for the memories 😊❤️
Such a lovely comment Dee, thank you :-)
Brilliant as always Rob. I spent many happy years working at Courage brewery until it sadly closed. Not to mention a few sore heads thanks to the Copper pub and the Anchor Tap. There was a barmaid working in the Anchor whose name has sadly escaped me who wouldn’t take any nonsense in her pub. The language I learned from her!! Happy days and wonderful people who I remember fondly.
Brilliant comment Mick.
Can you believe Shad Thames and along the embankment area was my playground - some areas looked just like Fagans den, even the murky green little water channels and inlets. Many of the buildings although locked by their huge gates were easy to get into, and only when Maggie Thatcher enriched the Thames by making it a millionaires pad & playground/ the arts & restaurants replaced rotting architecture did locals start to see gates locked and security guards with dogs and prolific building. As a child the danger we put ourselves in was incredible but so much fun! Later as an Art student at a local college we used this area while still being conserved/ built for its lovely textures/ ruins and age all a real inspiration for us. Still call this home even though moved abroad and now in Cornwall. Depraved area but the history was phenomenal! Thank you
A superb comment. Thank you.
@@Robslondon My pleasure! I shared your video on FB - this is what I added.... This is my London - where I grew up, a very depraved area along the Thames but rich in London's history, near to the prominent Bridges and my Tower of London. Dickens was inspired to write many a book here, and hardly surprising. As a child I played in many of these desecrated buildings, played on the banks of the Thames seeking treasures, and lived to tell the tale; our playground fired up my imagination and why I love to express myself creatively. Some of us were scarred, treading on nails, cutting knees on glass etc but our games set us free from the daily drudge of the grey, poverty-stricken area. Later Maggie Thatcher decided to preserve and turn the Shad Thames and Embankment into a millionaires escape in the city of London with riverside luxury pads, the Arts and fine dining on the doorstep. She literally turned around the area, built new homes and basically cleaned up in a huge investment which in-turn provided better homes for locals and new jobs! I have to applaud her for that - the task was huge and successful but still kept the character and history alive. I remember well, the times before and after, its a strange sensation but where I still call home. 🫶
@@TMGold60 Lovely! 🙂
Thank you for shad-ding some light on the history of this part of Bermondsey.
🤣
You beat me to it @izzieb
Rob is the man to make your Sunday night - enjoying the video on an interesting part of town
Really appreciate that Wendal, thanks mate
As a London Firefighter, when I was learning to operate the 100 ft hydraulic Turntable Ladder, we used to come here in the days before regeneration as part of our course. Due to the many overhead obstacles that the elevated walkways provided, it was an ideal location for learning how to deal with difficult pitches of the ladder.
Interesting, thanks Michael.
Great video, I grew up in that area from the late 1960s to the late 1980's, I remember playing around the docks with my friends, could still smell the spices! Also fished off the steps for eels, I was filmed by the BBC news when the spaceshuttle flew over Tower Bridge and had to act out in my best London street urchin voice "coor blimey, look at that" 😅 Also I saw many a film and pop video filmed there and even now I still go back for my photography.
What a wonderful comment! I really enjoyed reading that, thank you 🤩
Fascinating, as always, Rob - thanks. I spent many pleasant Thursday nights in the Anchor Tap in the late 80s & early 90s, without realising that it was the original Courage pub. If you ever get the time it would be lovely to have a video all about the Hawksmoor churches.
Thank you so much. I would like to do a video on Hawksmoor, he was incredible… stay tuned 😉
Great video to trip across; takes me down memory lane. I worked for three different design agencies in the early 90's one on Curlew St, one in The Cirlce and Conran and Partners on Shad Thames. The noise from construction was horrific at times. At one point I worked with SIr Terence Conran on Shad Thames when Conran and Partners was a fledging agency, very exciting times and had a hand in the brand work for Le Pont de la Tour, The Chop House, and Cantina as well as Conran Contracts.
Wow! Nice connection to have 😉
I worked In London Bridge Hospital for a few years ; so I walked through that area in search of a pharmacy . It's a bit of a maze . Great video as usual .
Thanks Anthony, it is a bit of a maze, yes!
10/10!! I work and have worked in Bermondsey for years! Always great to know the history of an area...
Thank you David!
My sister lived in the anchor brewhouse for a few years. You cannot beat the view! She is still in the area and we love the atmospheric feel of the place and it's proximity to a London Bridge station and the Borough market whenever we visit.
Nice comment, thanks Karen ☺️
That was great! Thanks Rob. I live in SE1 and used to go on weekly group walks around the area with a guide who knew a little about the area. There was so much in this upload that I’d never heard before. Very enjoyable indeed. 👍🏼
Thank you so much hArtyTruffle :-)
Years ago , I took my two kids on a RiverBoat trip, ( the big red & white one - can't remember the name )
Most tour guides have a knack of droning on and sending you into a coma ....
Our chap was absolutely fascinating , held everybody's attention young and old , start to finish .
Relevant , eye-opening information .
I remember him telling us that the saying "Dutch Courage" goes back to the Great Plague (mid 1600's) when only Dutch Ships would come up the river with their goods , else the Port would have had to shut down which would have been a catastrophe for an area dependent on The Docks for so much trade .
I have nothing but utter contempt for that Odious Little Twerp and what he has done to OUR London .
Great documentary.
Thank you Keith
Thank you for this really interesting video, Rob. I live in Western Australia. On a holiday in England in 2018 I walked around this area and had lunch in the Anchor Tap. I was born in London and have always felt a connection with it.
Lovely comment Joan, thank you 🤩
Fantastic video Rob. It's great the way the old buildings have been preserved and given a nod to their past instead of being knocked down. I remember as a fifteen year old taking shorts cuts to beat the crowds of Liverpool city by walking up Matthew Street, then a road of warehouses and wagons. Now of course it is a mega Beatle's shrine and I look at the bars and restaurants and can see the men who once hoisted up heavy sacks and smell the old smells.
Lovely comment Liam, thank you. Really evocative description of Liverpool too; nice.
Growing up in the Dockhead area in the 50s and 60s I vividly remember the Shad Thames when it was a working dock the smell of spice the total chaos with Lorry’s blocking access to the wharehouses the noise of ships hooters coming and going at all times of the night and day.and New Year’s Eve at midnight when all the ships in port would sound their horns.So long ago
Brilliant comment Michael. So evocative, thanks for sharing.
Oh Rob this was wonderful. Bravo you pulled me in immediately! I love your flow and how you move through your stories. Thank you ... went great with my dinner and wine. ❤
Such a lovely comment Alannah, many thanks indeed ☺️ Hope you enjoyed your dinner!
Thank you for this video. This area is so often overlooked. It was the walkways that first captured my imagination here and over the years I’ve learnt a lot of its history, of which this video had added to. It’s almost like time travelling walking these historic streets of south London…
Great comment arthunter, thank you
Hi Rob. That was a fascinating and well produced video/documentary. I was Born in Mile End (1962) , and have been to Shad Thames several times and is now just another example of London that People born in London can't afford to live in, but it looks nice though
Thanks Ray, and yes sadly you’re quite right.
Another very interesting piece of history from the city. I used to walk through some of the places seen on your vids and often think to myself 'wow I wish I had someone who could fill me in on the history of this place'.. say no more! Quality stuff mate.
Ah, thanks so much Toby! Lovely comment; cheers 😉
Hi Rob. I've been a cycle courier in London since 1985. It's great to find out about the places I know so well. Thank you.
Thanks so much Neal- stay safe out there mate.
Thank you. Beautiful city, great video and great narration.
I really appreciate your kind words Nina, thank you.
I remember Shad Thames before the docks moved out. I wish I'd had the courage to have to wander about...Standing with back to the Thames looking down St Saviour's Dock is very evocative indeed.
This is exactly why I like your channel - I've never been to London, never really heard of this place, and here's a whole lot of fascinating "ordinary people" history I never would have learned about.
Thank you so much Beth, that means a lot to me. Stay well.
Hi, I used to live just off Tooley Street in the late 1970s at the Tower Bridge end. It was a dodgy area then and I had to put my little Puch Maxi inside at night.The police would move those sleeping 'rough' outside every night at 12.15. The old warehouses were impressive. On my days off I used to walk over to the shop in St Catherine's Docks. No hotel back then. If I'd bee3out on the tube I jogged home down Tooley St which had many 'doss houses'. There was a quintessential Italian restaurant in one of the alleyways and I still make my basic spaghetti bolognese using the owner's advice!
Nice comment Wendy, thank you ☺️
Excellent video Rob very much appreciated can’t wait till the next one
Thank you Michael, that’s really kind of you
I don't know how things are these days, haven't returned in decades, but in the '60s you could smell the spices in the very brickwork of the warehouses, heady and nostalgic.
Yes, in the Bob Hoskins clip it is mentioned that you can still smell the curry powder in the air!
I’ve lived in London since 1992. I remember smelling the spices when walking along Shad Thames on rainy days in the ‘90’s 🤩
Another wonderful yet thoroughly modest work, from Rob.
Loved the old film clips of the area too.
Worked nearby from 2008 to 2013.
A fascinating bit of London. Superb river views.
Lovely comment Brian, thank you so much.
I used to work in Shad Thames ( Mobile Merchandising) printing Tee shirts
1978/9 Jamaica rd opposite the pub Dockhead stores ,also used to use the pub around the corner next to the fire station
Swan & sugarloaf great memories . Have used The restaurant Pont de la tour a couple of times right on the river
Near Tower bridge ,I love all the history of the area and the many pubs along the river.
Evening Rob, Hope you are keeping well, This is a fantastic video and one of my favourite parts of London. I also have to say excellent production, Really top quality, Thank you
Dave, that is so kind of you, I truly appreciate your kind words and generous support.
Were good thank you, hope you are too.
Thanks again my friend, much appreciated. Stay well.
Ive been to London countless times but theres always new stuff to learn about it!
😉
I’m not a Londoner & I don’t recognise many of the places in this video but I still found it fascinating. Thank you for taking the time to educate me.
It’s an absolute pleasure Chris! Thank you for watching 😉
Fascinating.. I worked for ITN 5 News.. for some years located in Northern and Shell building..on Lower Thames St. So this was our daily view from opposite the river.
Nice comment, thanks ☺️
Great video as usual Rob. Thank you so much. Some scenes from the Sherlock Holmes film ‘Murder by Decree’ were also shot in this area, it’s very atmospheric and well worth a watch.
Thank you Liam- and that’s a good one 😉
Thanks Rob, I only live about a 1 & 1/2 from Shad Thames in Bermondsey and I used to work in that area. I wasn't aware of the origin of those names, particularly Maggie Blake's Cause and the local history. So thanks for explaining it so well and I've subscribed. 👍🤗
Thanks so much Brian! Good to have you here.
@@Robslondon Cheers Rob, I can vaguely remember it as a child in the late 70s. It was creepy back then, but it had a load more character. Is it true that Bill Sykes' character was based on factual incidents or is it just fiction?🤗
Fascinating as ever. Thank you!
Thank you Jon!
Brilliant as ever, I learn more from your 20 minute videos than any book. Thanks Rob.
Thank you so much Michael.
Fantastic documentary, thanks so much for creating this. I’m lucky enough to live in Butler’s Wharf and love learning about the area. A few newer films that show Shad Thames include Ghosted with Chris Evans , The Veil (last episode) with Elizabeth Moss, and due to release next year, Back in Action with Cameron Diaz (we watched them film a motorcycle chase down the jetty and off the pier).
Thank you so much- and those are great references, thank you!
I come from London and walked around many times but never knew all this. Thank you for sharing
Thank you Claire
Best yet Rob. The quality of your videos is exceptional. I get so much pleasure from “visiting” the capital this way. Than you so very much x
That means a great deal to me Claire, thank you so much.
What an amazing area of London i had never heard of before.. you are a great story and history teller.😂
That means a great deal to me. Thank you so much.
Wish I'd had this to show when I taught Geography, thanks.
Thank you so much Andrew, that’s a massive compliment. Stay well.
I worked on the Restaurants Sir Terence started all along Shad Thames. Great times!! Passing my driving test, ended up there driving around London before the rejuvenation so it was so good to see the transformation. Great video, Rob.
Nice comment, thanks Simon 😉
Fabulous video. Am a London lad, born in Islington. I remember the area in the 60/70s when it still had the old charatuer of real London, such a fabulous walk around. in the 70s i became a young chef at the Savoy for many years and have always enjoyed the socila history of London, especialy the old London as it used to be. This area was always a odd walk around as plenty of real people. Remember in the mid 70s being able to walk around and ee the various wharfs showing their food and product names which allowed a young chef to learn so much. HMS Belfast was a great visit as a kid with my Dad as a friend of mines Dad had been a chef on Belfast. In the late 70'early 80s remember the area being worked on, new restaurants owned by Terrance Conran and others with open kitchen so had opportunities to pop in and say hi to the Brigade of Chefs. Yes its a shame now since then that the area has lost its real London people with over priced appartments and much more. However, at least they have not been knocked down to mucha nd we can see how they were back in the day. have so many more memories of the areas. Thank you so much for another trip down my Home City of London, which is always with me.
Gary, this is such a superb comment- I really enjoyed reading it; one of my favourites.
I’ve always been fascinated by the work chefs do, so it’s very interesting to me that you used to walk around here picking up ideas!
Thanks again for sharing your memories, and I truly appreciate your kind words too. Stay well mate.
Thank you for reading directly from Dickens! This is a part of London I would explore far more if I ever get to visit again
Thank you; can’t beat a Dickens quote! 😉
Thanks Rob.
Another great film of the great wharves and Warehouses. Very informative and interesting. I’ll be sure to check out the area when I’m
Back next month. Cheers mate
Thanks Doug- enjoy your visit ;-)
Another great video - thanks Rob!
And that Bob Hoskins interview was brilliant. Thanks for the link 👍
Thank you! Yes, he was great old Bob ;-)
Thanks you for these charming mini documentaries!
Salvatore, thank you so much my friend! That is extremely kind of you; I truly appreciate your support :-) Thanks again and stay well.
When I worked at London Bridge, I would often take lunch time walks around the area which is rich in history and intresting sights are common. I've had a few pints in the Anchor Tap a fine pub which has resisted the urge to modernise thankfully. Thank you for this informative vid which has a ton of information. I'm now going in to see where else you have covered. Hopefully, Hay's Gallaria that much burnt building where I worked or the area around the old Marshalsea prison.
Thanks so much Len. I hope to cover Hay's Galleria at some point. I've covered the Marshalsea in a few videos (I think the Charles Dickens Christmas pubs features it)
Lots of gems again and what a transformed area that was perfect for filming years ago
Thanks rob ❤
Thank you Tracy!
A wonderfully informative video. Really enjoyed the bit about Jacob island. I’ve lived here for nearly 5 years now and so it was wonderful to see the history of the area brought to life. Well done 👍🏼
You're very welcome! Thanks so much for the kind words.
Very well researched and presented
Many thanks ☺️
I lived off Jamaica Road at the end of the 70's and use to explore the warehouses and building s when they were derelict. It's was fantastic time. It's been developed in to an amazing place and still a joy to visit. Thank you for the video really enjoyed learning about the history of the area.💙
Great comment dodgycat, thank you 😉
Very interesting video and information, thanks.
Thank you
Great video! As a local resident who frequents these areas regularly, I know quite a bit of the history already, but this is wonderfully in depth with so many little touches that I haven’t noticed.
That's really kind of you to say! Many thanks ;-)
I wish I was a bit more mobile because there is always something to learn and something to love along the river's edge.
ps - it has just occured to me that I have always been so mesmerised that I have never quite realised how brilliantly well put together your videos are. Great street views with appropriate street sign shots here and there and a perfectly placed occasional overview courtesy of a contemporary map (and here a film clip or still). Really engaging work. Thanks Rob.
Thanks so much Paul! And thanks for noticing 😉 I really enjoy that aspect of making them
I love your videos. I write down all the places you describe and, when I go to London, I do my little Robslondon pilgrimage. Thank you!!❤❤❤❤❤❤
Bless you Ester, that’s such a lovely comment ☺️ Many thanks indeed, it means a lot to me. Stay well.
Wonderful video thank you for taking the time to make it. It is really nice to see old buildings saved and preserved.
It's a pleasure, thanks for watching.
So much life lived here and how well you give that history its life Rob, wonderful as usual, thank you !
Thank you so much Anne 🤩 Hope you’re keeping well
Another fantastic video! As a Bermondsey boy, I have learnt a lot!
Thanks so much Mark!
Engrossing from start to finish. Top work rob
What an absolutely brilliant post. Really enjoyed watching this 👏👍
Thank you so much James 😄
Although I have been to the area before, I visited again today to see PS Waverley visiting the Pool of London. I was very pleased to find myself walking along Maggie Blake's Cause and almost felt like telling every one I passed the origin of the name!
Ha ha! Lovely comment, thank you batman ;-)
What a great video. I live in Rotherhithe and wallk all the time this route. I will have this all in my head next time I am walking to London....
Thank you!
Excellent video. I used to live in East London from 1980 onwards before Docklands and other areas were 'improved'. We used to walk around these areas thinking of Dickens, etc. Nice to see that they've been preserved and reused but the price tags are somewhat obscene!
Great comment, thank you- and thanks for the kind words.
Thank you for a brilliant video about this area. I was very fortunate to have lived on Mill Street for a couple of years in the early 90s when I was a student (the flat was owned by a surgeon at Guy’s who let his son and two of us live there for what was probably barely enough to cover the maintenance fee). I had no idea about much of the history of the area so this was fascinating.
Lovely comment Simon, thanks.
Really good film Rob. Brought back many memories of my dad and grandad who did their printing apprenticeships in the area.
Lovely comment Keith, thank you.
Many thanks for this Rob. I do love looking back at London's history. Delayed watch, as just back off holiday 👍
Much appreciated Paul, thanks! Good to see you 😉
A really interesting part of London which still feels old in spite of its many incarnations, great video
Thanks you 😄
Brilliant rob , I was born in paddington so Southwark was way to far for me,but when I did the knowledge in the 90's I discovered the area & loved it , still to this day I believe it's London's most fascinating borough 🇬🇧
Thank so much homestead, I discovered it on The Knowledge too…. Be lucky 😉
An area I've visited many many times, but with very limited knowledge of its history. So this was really fascinating to watch. Thanks as always!
Thank you Claire, it’s a pleasure!
Fantastic video as always! I love the bridges spanning between the buildings, I can see why so many movies were shot there.
Thank you!
This was a lovely video! Just my cup of tea! You got a new sub now, matey! 🎉❤🇦🇺🐨
Thanks so much Dawn! It's lovely to have you here :-)
Hello Rob
Another excellent video. Is one of our favorite areas, love having the history to go with it. There must be many movies filmed in the area not mentioned. First is Sandra favorite Christmas movie Bernard and the Genie. You actually showed the front of Bernard home at St Andrews wharf. Also Cruella in the Garbage truck chase seen. It is such a lovely area to walk all the way down to Rotherhithe. Thanks for the excellent video. Take care Chris and Sandra of Canada.
Thanks guys- ah yes, Bernard and the Genie! I remember seeing that when it was first shown, must’ve been early 90s? Hope you’re keeping well.
Brilliant. I have a day off work on Saturday so I shall be paying this area a visit! Thanks.
Thanks Martin! Enjoy ;-)
Amazing video, Rob! I love this part of London. You can just imagine what life was like walking these streets back then.
Thanks Ben!
Fascinating. Another absolute gem. Thank you.
Thank you Nick!
Thank you Rob for researching this iconic area 👌🏻
I can remember it as an office worker in the City when I used to wander around by the old warehouses.. just for the atmosphere, then in the years that followed in the early years of the 21st century when my sister had an apartment there in Shad Thames and I used to stay with her sometimes.
A real delight to watch your brilliantly constructed video 😊
Such a lovely comment, thank you Twirlover 😄
I worked at Towerbridge Police station in Tooley St, I loved my time there people were mostly friendly and I enjoyed my time walking the beat around Shad Thames, it had the most amazing smell of spices and always made me want some ginger cake! I was there when the area was turned into posh flats and remember well the giant horse Jacob floating down from the helicopter, we were all sand blasted from the dust it kicked up . Although I never lived in the area myself, my family on my mums side came from Bermondsey so I felt a sense of belonging, my great grandfather was a lighterman . I also got to work in Towerbridge magistrates court which is next door to the police station, which I believe has been turned into a fancy hotel. Our after work go to pub was the Anchor Tap. Happy days thanks for your tour
Wonderful comment Karen, thank you.
I almost included Tower Bridge police station in this video, but decided to save it for a future video I hope to do on Tooley Street.
Thanks again and stay well.
@ I’ll look forward to that one
Lovely work, Rob!
Fantastic that such an atmospheric little area has survived.
No wonder it's been used in so many film productions!
Thanks, as ever, for sharing Your Knowledge 😉
🙃
Thanks so much Bryan 😉
I forgot to say,thanks for another great video.👍
It’s a pleasure Keith.
As a teenager in the early 80s me & some friends discovered Shad Thames & visited it several times because it was such an eerie & fascinating place, like walking through a ghost town of Victorian London, I’m kinda sad it isn’t like that anymore
Lovely comment Dave, thank you
Superb....what a professional presentation...Well done 👍 I really enjoyed watching that !! Thank you
Thanks so much MrJohn. Hope you're having a good week ;-)