'Windrush & Commonwealth NHS Nurses and Midwives Statue' by Dr Jak Beula

At the entrance to the Whittington Hospital, on Magdala Avenue, there is a stylised mother and child statue.

It depicts a mother cradling her newborn baby, with the mother wearing a nurses' fob watch.

This unique statue was commissioned to commemorate the extraordinary efforts of the some 40,000 Windrush and Commonwealth NHS nurses and midwives, who came to the UK between 1948 and 1973 in order to help the newly created NHS.

The statue consists of 16 pieces of granite and is 2.1m in height, width and depth and cost £100,000.

It was unveiled on Friday September 10, 2021.

A worn brass plaque reads:

'The Windrush & Commonwealth NHS Nurses and Midwives Statue' was conceived and designed by Johnny Alexander Bebeula Dodd, aka Dr Jak Beula. 

He named the piece "NICU Suite 16" because of the 16 pieces of granite used to create the statue. 

It is dedicated to all Commonwealth National Health Service staff, notably Nurses and Midwives from Africa and the Caribbean, who have worked in the NHS since its foundation in 1948. 

The Nubian Jak Community Trust thanks Whittington Health NHS Trust and Islington Council for supporting this NHS Memorial. 

Special thanks to Islington BH365, Haringey Council, Ernst & young, Arsenal Football Club, Entain PLC, Havas Group, Aviva, Crowdfunder UK and the generous donations from nursing organisations and the general public for the successful delivery of this statue. May she be a source of inspiration to all NHS staff and provide light,  hope and pride to those who come into contact with this memorial.

Elsyng Spital Church Tower

Elsyng Spital Church Tower.

The City of London is full of churches. Some are still in use, while others are ruins. Some of these ruins have been turned into pocket gardens, where people can go to escape the bustle of the city. Others, like Elsyng Spital Church Tower, have been left as they are.

I like that places like this have been left, rather than bulldozed, now standing alongside the new office blocks which, no doubt, won't last as long.

This is all that remains of the tower of the church of the medieval hospital of Elsyng Spital. 

 

The entrance to the church was through the archway on the right.

 

'Sam' the Cat

London is full of statues of monarchs, politicians, generals, soldiers, horses, wild animals and lots more. The ones that I love discovering, though, are the smaller, lesser known ones... such as this one.

This statue depicts a cat poised to jump from a brick wall, possibly to land on an unsuspecting bird or mouse. Sam was a real cat and he was commissioned to recognise his owner, Patricia Penn. 

Bow Creek Lighthouse: London's Only Lighthouse

On the Leamouth Peninsula, where the River Thames and Bow Creek meet, lies Trinity Buoy Wharf, in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets.

The site was used by the Brethren of Trinity House, now known as Corporation of Trinity House, from 1803, with the sea wall being constructed in 1822.

A photo of both lighthouses, circa 1900s.

Originally there were two lighthouses, with one being built in 1852, by James Walker, and the other between 1864-1866, by James Douglas. The former was demolished in the 1920s, while the latter one still stands today.

Both lighthouses were used to train lighthouse keepers and for testing lighting systems, not for their true purpose as the River Thames is not that dangerous a stretch of water.

The original lantern, at the top of the lighthouse, came from the Paris Exposition of 1867, where Trinity House had demonstrated improved systems of electric lighting for lighthouses.

Michael Faraday set up a workshop, next door to the lighthouse, and carried out experiments here, discovering the principles underlying electromagnetic induction, electrolysis and diamagnetism.

2024: A Year in Review

Looking back at my travels, throughout 2024, I visited some historic places, iconic landmarks, museums and some interesting, unique and quirky places.

From Battersea to Woolwich and Highgate to Elephant and Castle, plus many points in-between, I, often with family and friends, walked a distance of over 140 miles and travelled over 700 miles, via London Underground. Plus, there were the buses, cable car, Overground and National Rail, which add more to the total.

Below I have listed some of these walks, although there were many others.

The year began with a walk from North Greenwich to Canada Water, taking the Thames Path for much of the route. Sculptures and historic buildings lined our way, with a lunch break at Greenwich Market and a drink at 'The Victoria', Deptford.

In February some friends and I walked from King's Cross to Wapping and back to Aldgate. We visited 'The Blind Beggar', where we met Vas Blackwood, before heading through Shadwell to 'Turner's Old Star', before heading through Wapping to 'The Prospect of Whitby'. We then made our way back, via St Katharine Docks, to Aldgate.

Erin joined me for my next trip, where we visited 'The Wallace Collection', at Hertford House, before having lunch at a 'Wok to Walk' and then visiting 'Liberty' and taking a meandering walk to Great Portland Street, via the BT Tower.

Late February saw Keilyn and I heading to Stratford to visit 'The Cart and Horses', birthplace of Iron Maiden, before we headed back to the City of London, visiting the 'Bank of England Museum'. Torrential rain cut our walk short, but it was still a great day out.

My mum and I took a trip to Canary Wharf and the 'Theatreship', in March, to hear Niki Gorick give a talk on her latest book, 'Dock Life Renewed'. Not much of a walk, but a fascinating evening.

With Spring truly here, my next walk, with Steve, was from the Light Tunnel, at King's Cross, to Baker Street, along the Regent's Canal, with lunch at Canopy Market and a drink at 'Camden Lock Dingwalls Pub'. A wonderful tranquil walk.

April saw Erin, Keilyn and I take Gary and his son, Alfie, to 'Mudchute Park and Farm', for Alfie's first trip to London. After the park we walked south to Island Gardens, before continuing along the River Thames and back to Canary Wharf.

Keilyn and I visited Gunnersbury Park and Museum, where we explored the mansion, once owned by the Rothschild family, and visited the exhibitions, before exploring the grounds.

Late April saw Keilyn and I visit the Brunel Museum, before heading along the Thames Path and visiting Stave Hill Viewpoint, before walking to Canada Water. From here we walked to Rotherhithe Station, where we travelled through the Thames Tunnel, built by Brunel, Wapping. From here we walked to HM Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London, stopped for lunch, and then continued our walk to Barbican.

Our next walk saw Keilyn and I joined by my mum, uncle Martin and our friend Steve. We visited St Katharine Docks to see the Dunkirk Little Ships, before Keilyn, Steve and I headed off to the south bank for lunch at 'The Salt Quay'. We returned to Tower Bridge in time to see it open, to allow a barge to pass through, before rejoining my mum and uncle Martin.

Keilyn and I started our next walk from Marylebone station, heading towards Paddington. We saw 'Real Time' by Maarten Baas, before moving on to Leinster Gardens and the fake houses. From here we headed into Kensington Gardens and on to Kensington High Street. We visited Gnome Land, the Tower House and Gnome Land and ate our lunch in Holland Park, before heading to Green Park via Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park.

Severndroog Castle was the next starting point, for Keilyn and I, on a glorious Sunday in July. The folly offers unique views across London and its surrounding counties. From here we walked to St George's Garrison Church, before we stopped for lunch in Woolwich. We then took the Woolwich Free Ferry to the north bank, before continuing our walk to the Royal Docks, where we caught the Cable Car to North Greenwich.

Brent Lodge Park was the next visit, and starting point, for Keilyn and I. Hanwell Zoo is a great children's zoo, which we visited after first exploring the MillenniuM Maze. From here we walked through Brent Lodge Park, and The Hobbayne, before arriving at Hanwell station. A short trip, on the Elizabeth line, took us to Tottenham Court Road, where we continued walking, eventually arriving at Baker Street station.

August saw Emma, Erin, Keilyn and I, stay at Premier Inn Archway for one night, so that we could explore the area, using the hotel as a base. Kenwood House, Archway, Hampstead Heath and Highgate Cemetery were all explored, during our stay.

A rare solo trip saw me walk from Elephant and Castle to Borough, where I saw old World War II ARP Stretchers used as railings, saw the last surviving part of Marshalsea Prison and visited 'The Southwark Tavern'. An old Tram Shelter, with a new lease of life, was next, before heading for the south bank, where I saw William Blake's Mosaics beneath a bridge, before continuing to Waterloo.