My London: A Short Film

~ beetleypete

My good friend Antony sent me a link to this 24-minute film about the area of London where we both used to live. He grew up there, and I lived there from 2000-2012.

This is not the London that tourists tend to see, but it is ‘real’ London, and a short walk north of most tourist sites. It is also packed full of interesting history, as you will see if you get time to watch it. Presented by a Londoner who obviously enjoys his city, it took me back to where I lived, the streets I used to walk on every day, and the pubs and restaurants I frequented for the last years of my time in London.

Drummond Street, Albert Street, Delancey Street, The Black Cat Building that I lived so close to, and the bus stop outside the old orphanage where I waited for a bus to work if it was raining too hard to walk there. Mornington Crescent Station, my nearest tube station, just across the road from the flats I used to live in.

It is a sheer delight for me to watch this, and I hope you will too, to discover that there is so much more to London than Buckingham Palace and Trafalgar Square.

36 thoughts on “My London: A Short Film”

  1. That’s a great video Pete thank you for sharing it. One or two facts for me to borrow there! I’m on a mission to get more visitors to London to move away from the usual tourist haunts and see what the outer fringes are like. Currently amassing a database of stories, court cases and long forgotten buildings, would be so grateful for any tales or even urban myths that you may have gleaned during your time in the area.

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    1. The first thing I would suggest is to watch a lot more of this guy’s guides on You Tube. He is very good. 🙂 I have written some ‘non-tourist walks’ for visitors who want to stray from the usual tourist areas. Here are some links.

      Non-Tourist London: Surrey Docks to Tower Bridge

      Non-Tourist London: A London Walk

      Tourist London: Another View


      I lived most of my life south of the river, and only moved to Camden Town when I was 48. I come from Bermondsey originally, but also lived in Clapham, Wimbledon, and Putney, before moving back to Bermondsey/Rotherhithe in 1985. My main interest was the development of the old docks into new housing, and how the older buildings and dock structures were preserved.
      I worked in the London Ambulance Service for 22 years, based in the Ladbroke Grove/Notting Hill area, so there are few parts of london I am not very familiar with.
      If you have any specific questions, feel free to email me. petejohnson50@yahoo.com
      Best wishes, Pete.

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  4. What a great tour. I’m sure I walked a few of those street, but it was probably night time and I was probably under the influence 🙂 I have to agree with the guide about the architecture.
    The coffee shop looks great 🙂

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  5. great video Pete, just love all the quirky bits of information just makes me realise how much I really don’t know. But I have always looked up at building tops when walking so much to see there often missed by most.

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  6. I enjoyed the video, although I was a bit annoyed by the cameraman speaking off camera. I guess a walk in a London district offers a boatload of history, and treats the eyes with beautiful architecture both old and new.

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    1. Thanks, Pam. I lived right at the other end of that street, and often walked home from work that way. Most people only know the area from the famous ‘Camden Market’, but it has a lot to offer on the side streets. Glad you enjoyed it.
      Best wishes, Pete.

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      1. I only went there once and as you say, you were pretty much always on shift . . it’s hard on one’s social life! I remember one dinner we had in Delancey St when you were Steven Berkoff for the evening! xx

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        1. Yes, that restaurant closed down later, forced out by huge increases in the business rates. I missed it, especially the Toulouse Sausages! We once sat next to Beryl Bainbridge and Larry Adler in there. Was that the night you came? I only got one weekend off in four, and I was asleep after night duty on one of those days. Shift work ruined my social life, but at least I always felt I was doing a worthwhile job to make up for that. x

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