'Herd of Hope' by Gillie and Marc

The 'Herd of Hope' is a collection of 21 life-sized bronze elephants that have been exhibited in London to raise awareness of elephant poaching and endangerment, in Africa.

The sculptures are the work of Gillie and Marc Schattner.

The herd began its London journey in Marble Arch before moving to Spitalfields, where you can get up close and personal with these majestic animals.

Each elephant is modelled after a real orphaned elephant and each sculpture has a QR code, which links to videos about the orphan's rescue.

The sculptures consist of 21 elephants, led by a matriarch and 20 smaller elephants, each with its own personality.

I am unsure as to how long these wonderful creations will remain, in Spitalfields, so, if you wish to see them, I wouldn't wait too long to visit. 

You can find out more about the 'Herd of Hope' by clicking the link below.

Herd of Hope

You can view sculptures, by Gillie and Marc, that have been seen in London by clicking the link below.

Sculptures by Gillie and Marc

'Longplayer' by Jem Finer

Part of the 'Longplayer Live' instrument.

Within Trinity Buoy Wharf Lighthouse is a unique musical experience. A musical composition, entitled 'Longplayer', that will play for 1,000 years.

On the first floor you can walk around part of the 66-foot-wide orchestral instrument, which is used to perform 'Longplayer Live', while listening to 'Longplayer' being streamed into the room.

However, the Lantern Room, at the top of the Lighthouse, is the best place to hear 'Longplayer', while taking in the unique views on offer.

'Longplayer' has been running since the year 2000.

What is 'Longplayer'?

'Longplayer' is the brainchild of Jem Finer and is a 1,000-year-long musical composition that has been playing continuously since the first moments of the year 2000. It is designed to play on, without interruption and repetition, until the last moments of 2999.

Since it began, 'Longplayer' has been performed simultaneously by a number of computers around the world - from its primary location at Trinity Buoy Wharf Lighthouse to listening posts in Alexandria, Brisbane and San Francisco. It can also be heard anywhere in the world via an online audio stream at Longplayer.org.

Singing Bowls.

How does it work?

Composed by Jem Finer, 'Longplayer' is written for a set of highly resonant 'Singing Bowls', an ancient type of standing bell. These bells are sounded according to a precisely timed score, itself based on six simple algorithms. The resulting music is made up of six continuous, interlocking musical patterns whose harmonic and rhythmic interactions change gradually over hours, days, decades and centuries.

Taking Keilyn to King's Cross: Via Swiss Cottage and Baker Street

Keilyn's LNER Azuma train to Peterborough.

Saturday July 19, 2025.

Since Keilyn had broken up from school, on Friday, we had spoken with some friends, in Peterborough, who were happy to have her come and stay for the week. All we had to do was get her there, and they would take care of the rest, bringing her home on the following Friday.

Her train was due to leave King's Cross station at 12:03, so we made sure that we left in plenty of time.

With her suitcase packed, Keilyn and I headed off to Watford Metropolitan station, in a taxi, thus avoiding the light drizzle that had begun to fall.

We boarded a Baker Street-bound train, on Platform 1, and were soon speeding towards London, as a soft drizzle fell from the clouds. 

London Transport Griffin.

As we approached Finchley Road we grabbed the bags and alighted the train, quickly boarding a Stratford-bound Jubilee line train in its last carriage. Moments later we arrived at Swiss Cottage, where we alighted and began looking for the eighteen decorative tiles, designed by Harold Stabler, that adorn this and a few other stations. Although I had photographed many of them before, two had eluded me, so we walked the length of the platform, finally capturing the last tile. 

A train at the end of the tunnel and Harold Stabler's 'Berkshire' tile.

A few more photographs of the platform and a train, that I could see through the interconnecting tunnel, were taken before our train pulled in.

A few stops later and we arrived at Baker Street. We travelled up the escalators and clambered up the stairs, towards Platform 1, and headed straight for the Starbucks kiosk. 

With drinks purchased we headed towards platform 5, where we caught a Circle line train to King's Cross.

The Great Northern Hotel.

Once we had alighted we made our way out of the station, via the subway, and came out into King's Cross Square, where we were met with torrential rain. We stood beneath the canopy for a few minutes, finishing our drinks, while watching those dressed in summer clothes running for shelter, their clothes soaked.

'Nancy's Steps', Old London Bridge

'Nancy's Steps'.

These steps, on the southwest side of London Bridge, the arch and a few remaining pedestrian alcoves are pretty much all that is left, in England, of John Rennie's London Bridge. 

Old London Bridge pedestrian alcove, Victoria Park.

One alcove sits in the quadrangle of Guy's Hospital, while another can be found in Victoria Park.

The rest of the bridge was sold to Robert McCulloch, who had it dismantled and shipped to America, where it was rebuilt in Lake Havasu City, Arizona.

A surviving arch of John Rennie's London Bridge.

These steps are often called 'Nancy's Steps', in reference to the character of Nancy, from the novel 'Oliver Twist', by Charles Dickens.

In the novel Bill Sikes murders Nancy in a room, while Bill's dog, Bull's-Eye, watches on. 

However, in the 1968 movie, 'Oliver!', Nancy is murdered on the steps of London Bridge by Bill Sikes.

Shorely Shome Mishtake.

This makes the Blue Plaque, affixed to the wall of the surviving arch of John Rennie's London Bridge, incorrect.

You can read more about London Bridge by clicking on the link below.

London Bridge

MillenniuM Pathway, Archbishop's Park

Archbishop's Park, Lambeth, is a wonderful park that sits just to the east of Lambeth Palace Gardens. In fact it was once part of Lambeth Palace Gardens, before Archbishop Archibald Campbell Tait opened over 9 acres of land for use by the poor of the area.

Besides the usual sports fields and courts, there is a wonderful play area, a stunning bench, a community orchard, gardens and much more.

A path that flows through the park has stepping stone plaques, embedded in the tarmac, which chart the history of the area, along with some of the area's more famous names. 

It was unveiled in June 2000 with local residents choosing the subjects of the plaques.

Plaques Timeline

1000 - Lambeth is mainly marshland and open countryside punctuated by Roman roads and a few small settlements

1041 - The Anglo Saxon chronicle records 'This year died Hardicanute at Lambeth, as he stood drinking'.

1087 - Domesday Book lists Lambeth, or Lanchei, as belonging to Countess Goda, sister of Edward the Confessor.

1197 - The Manor of Lambeth is acquired by  the Archbishop of Canterbury. The building of Lambeth Palace begins during this period.

1339 - Edward III gives Kennington to the Black Prince, who builds a palace.

1534 - Sir Thomas More refuses to swear allegiance to the King at Lambeth Palace.

1605 - Guy Fawkes and his fellow conspirators store their gunpowder in a house in  Lambeth.

1634 - Tradescant opens his museum of curiosities to the public.

1661 - John writes of his 'Pretty Contrived

1731 - Birth of Henry Cavendish who weighed the world at Clapham.

1740 - Death of Margaret Finch Queen of the Norwood Gypsies aged 109.

1760 - Dr Johnson stays with the Thrales at Streatham Place.

1770 - Campaign tp abolish slavery is spearheaded by the Clapham Sect.

1771 - Opening of Astley's Amphitheatre in Westminster Bridge Road. The first indoor circus.

1793 - William Blake writes of 'Songs of Experience' while living in Hercules Road.

1802 - A hermit called 'Matthews the Hairyman' lives in a cave in the remote Norwood hills.

1820 - Henry Potter breeds leeches at Streatham to supply the London hospitals.

1826 - Doulton and Watts begin making pottery from premises in Lambeth High Street.

1848 - Mass meeting of Chartists on Kennington Common to present a petition to Parliament

1853 - The Crystal Palace moves from Hyde Park to the Norwood Ridge and the surrounding area develops rapidly.

1880 - Clapham Rovers win the  FA Cup.

1898 - Charlie Chaplin leaves Kennington Road School to join a Clog Dancing Troupe, aged nine.

1902 - WG Grace plays at Streatham Cricket Club, known as one of the most attractive grounds in the country.

1936 - Lupino Lane sings 'The Lambeth Walk' in the show 'Me and My Girl', and it becomes an international dance craze.

1938 - Alfie Howard, Lambeth's Town Crier, attends his first function. He's still working at the age of 87 as this path is made.

1945 - Lambeth Baths receives a direct hit from a V2 rocket. Thirty seven people are killed in Lambeth's worst incident of World War II.

1948 - The Empire Windrush docks in Southampton, the post-war immigration from the West Indies begins and Brixton's black community flourishes.

1951 - The Festival of Britain and the redevelopment of the South Bank.

1981 - The Brixton Riots act as a catalyst for change and regeneration in the inner city.

1990 - Brixton produces its first Prime Minister, John Major.

2000 - Ken Livingstone, Lambeth born and bred, becomes London's first elected Mayor. The London Eye transforms the London skyline.