Good moorings at Victoria Park on the Regents Canal

Monday, 22 August 2011 14:14

We were very fortunate to secure this mooring at Victoria Park, especially as the Regents Canal was busy over the weekend. It also meant that our hoped for visitors could find us.

Many of our blog readers will recognise me and .....

We were so glad to see Derek and Dot as today (Monday) they return to New Zealand and we wanted to say a proper goodbye. We travelled together in the late summer of 2009 and John went over the top of the Rochdale Canal with them whilst I was in Huddersfield Hospital.

Derek and Dot with Gypsy Rover in Gauxholme Lock, the highest on the Rochdale

They continued with us through my convalescence and right until Great Haywood, for which we were most grateful. This was just typical of their generosity and friendship. So our last view of them walking away on the towpath was tinged with sadness, but we wish them all the best as they travel home and with their plans for the future. We shall continue to follow their blog.

Victoria Park is one of those vital green spaces that London specialises in. London has so many parks and squares that give the residents and visitors places to get away from the traffic and bustle of the capital.

Victoria Park in Tower Hamlets

It is bordered by the Regents Canal and the Hertford Union Canal and is pretty large. It was planted in the mid 1840s. The green space became known as the "People's Park" and many East End working families in the C19th enjoyed its open spaces, away from their humdrum lives.

Park statue, one of the dogs of Alchibiades

The park became a centre for political meetings and rallies, situated as it was between the poverty stricken Tower Hamlets, with a strong tradition of socialist agitation and Hackney, which was more genteel but home to a strong religious brand of reformism. Some lively debates, rivalling those of the more famous Hyde Park, must have taken place.

Bonner Gate - exit to Bethnal Green

Victoria Park now has two lakes (under renovation), a model boat club, some remains of the old London Bridge (this was demolished in 1831) and is the venue for many outdoor events. £12 million is to be spent on the park, renovating it and creating new features. The 2012 Olympics will be brought here via large open air screens.

Moorings from Bonner Hall Bridge

We have been into Bow to explore some of John's Family History and discovered Roman Road - a very long road that ends in a sort of market.

Roman Road

Moreville Street, Bow, where John's maternal Grandmother was born is now a large modern estate. She was a true Cockney  "Eastender", born within the sound of Bow bells. Strange that she married a Cornish "Cocking"!

But we found some houses nearby that would have been typical of the area in 1891, the year of her birth. She will probably have been familiar with Victoria Park, so for John it was a poignant experience to walk in her footsteps.

Houses in Roman Road with flat roofs

We had a couple of outings planned, using Victoria Park moorings as our base, but we will come to them later .....