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garydchance says
I like these photographs and immediately began to think that you could create a walking tour of London featuring the locations in the book including Mayfair. They stimulated some more thinking along with a return to the book re-read episodes especially Kat’s swim down the Thames which was a near impossible feat.
Hammersmith Bridge: a target by the IRA three times the last of which occurred in June 2000. See http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/772925.stm for this history. It’s a good symbol of terrorism and police protection involving into population control and dissent management.
Earlier in the 1990s the IRA had set off bombs in the backyard of a house renovation in the Boltons off Old Brompton Road and down this road further at the entrance to the West Brompton Cemetery in a large rubbish bin across from a nearby pub. I lived not far away from these at the time.
The real damage about which I’m aware came from the Baltic Exchange and South Quay bombings. These bombings justified the police roadblocks set up for the City. I also recall a couple other smaller IRA bombings when a bus blew up in Aldwych with an IRA member carrying a bomb and a pub a little further north and to the west perhaps called the Hog’s Head which was bombed.
These and other bombings by the IRA in London justified the police actions which were largely restrained except for the road blocks in the City. They were there to meet a specific threat.
The difference in The History Book is that the security zones and road block checkpoints were set up for population control and used to stop dissent by those in power who were abusing their power based upon fear from a threat of terror to control the population. It’s a world of difference showing legitimate actions being perverted in the future.
The Hammersmith Bridge is an excellent symbol for this. The area to the right of this rather gloomy photo is quite bright and lively with a couple boat houses, a couple pubs, tables outside for having a pint by the river and a small park. The bridge itself is quite beautiful. I used to work in Hammersmith and recall going to this area for a pint by the river after work on a beautiful summer’s evening when everyone was there along with the sculls out on the Thames.
It’s a perfect area for spies to conspire and move around stealthily. Very nice choice for a repressive checkpoint. Let’s have more photos and the ability to comment on each one below it.
Humphrey says
Thanks, Gary. I’m putting up shortly more of the Suffolk coastline where Kat came ashore.
Jeremy says
Fantastic pictures of the Maltings done by a true professional! J