A Night Walk around London’s Historic Fleet Street.
16 January 2015 • 2 min read
London is a constant inspiration to me when it comes to designing Jamb’s fire surrounds and reproduction lighting and a recent Nightwalk through the historic streets of London was particularly moving.
It will be so exciting to return next time to New York to see the completion of the projects we have been working on this week using our fire surrounds and lighting range.
Just before Christmas I had a wonderful night with my wife’s family. My father-in-law, Brian Freemantle, invited us to a special Carol Service at St Bride's Church, the journalists’ church off Fleet Street. Brian was the foreign editor of the Daily Mail in the 70’s and every year they have this very special night which raises funds for the Journalists Charity. St Bride’s itself speaks of London’s extraordinary twists of architectural restoration. It was Sir Christopher Wren who restored it from its Roman foundations after the Great Fire Of London until it was destroyed again in the Second world war and once again had to be rebuilt. But its architecture and history prove to be as breathtaking as the soaring voices of the St Bride's choir. of London, until it was destroyed again in the Second World War
After the service, there was a quick pit stop at El Vino‘s for wine and stories of the old days of journalism. It made me think of how technology and the internet have changed so many of our industries. When entering Fleet street one really feels a sense of encountering the past.
Then we walked past my favourite buildings on Fleet Street. The dazzling 1930’s Art Deco Express building, designed by Ellis & Clark, with its rounded corners of vitrolite and glass, has inspired my new series of reproduction lighting.
We ducked down the side street, close to Sweeney Todd’s infamous barbershop, to the 17th-century inn, the Cheshire Cheese. I agreed with Dr Johnson’s advice,
“If you wish to have a just notion of the magnitude of this great City, you must not be satisfied with seeing its great streets and squares, but must survey the innumerable little lanes and courts.”
Then we went past the Royal Courts of Justice, built with Portland stone, which we use in so many of our reproduction fireplaces.
And finally into the tip of Covent Garden to the Delaunay, one of my favourite London restaurants, where Jamb’s Delaval lantern hangs in the entrance, and we stepped back into the 1920’s through David Collins beautifully created art deco aesthetic.