Southern Rambles for Londoners

Ahh, to be in the countryside rambling over hill and dale,with sturdy shoes and a chirpy friend. One of a series of walking guides produced for Southern Railways in the 1940's to entice people to use the railways.The guides, written by S,P,B,Mais,provide wonderfully written one day walks around locations served by Southern Railways.The routes "ramble" along well beaten rovers paths, hop over weathered stiles and beat their way through many old woodland tracks.The rambler passes old villages, interesting windmills,curious churches, gypsy caravans and prisoner of war camps and many inns before being led safely back to a railway station. Some of the routes still exist, it is definitely possible to follow the pilgrims way walk with the guide descriptions still legible in the Twenty first Century, whilst others are now smudged and erased by the ill built new builds and business parks of progress.

Satanic Door Knocker

" My rattling fingers let go of the evil goat shaped iron as if stung and a sulpherous wisp escaped from the emerging dark as the heavy oak door began to open."

Thanks Spitalefields market.

woodbines badge

Here is a happy chappy and his dog enjoying his smokes without the rigmarole now associated with such pleasures.I love the colours and the look on his face.Cheers me up every time I look at it.

shell collection

It is imposable to come away from Dalston waste market empty handed hence my new shell collection that cost me Fifty whole pence. Whilst not in the realms of some expansive Victorian display it still holds a certain charm in its wrinkled pale yellow sheet.It reminds me of British sea side summer holidays spent beach combing and sand castle building that seem so far away in an overcast February London.Now I know my "Murex Endive" from my "Strombus Urseus" and my "Spotted Babylonia" from my "Dog Whelk" and dear reader so do you.

Skull ashtray

"It's better to smoke here than hereafter." Wise words indeed. Stick your cigarette in his side and smoke comes out of his eyes. Ace.

Ganesha monster in my pocket

This is the rare "monsters in my pocket" Ganesha model that was pulled from production after complaints. It is a small rubber statuette depicting the Hindu elephant deity Ganesha.Having faith in Ganesha will aid the removal of objects and burdens in life. Only 4 cm in height but carrying huge weight.

The Chromatrope. A Victorian artificial "firework".

This is the slide part of an early Psychedelic visual display for the home. The projectionist would fit the wooden "slide" into an early oil lamp or candle powered slide projector type apparatus which would throw the image out. There are then two printed glass disks on the slide, one static and one that revolves when the small handle is cranked.Thus creating the spectacle.