Altab Ali Park

Rush hour, Sunday afternoon

Dereliction, Tower Hamlets, London. There is a long standing aim to building housing on the site.

London Borough of Tower Hamlets, Bromley by Bow, London, UK - derelict factory.

January 2018

In the background, the first fruits of the City Island development.

Exit to the left, entrance to the right

Armor (1612)

Cuirassier Armor of King Charles I, Originally Made for Henry Prince of Wales

•Place: Netherlands

•Location: Tower of London, White Tower Entrance Floor

•Object Number: II.91

•Object Title: Armor

•Date: 1612

•Provenance: Tower Arsenal. Probably sold from the Palace at Greenwich about 1649. Purchased back by Edward Annesley, and moved to the Tower by 1650

•Physical Description: This full field armor is engraved and gilt overall. It comprises a close helmet, a gorget, a breastplate, a pair of tassets, a backplate, a culet, cuisses and poleyns, greaves and sabatons, pauldrons and vambraces, gauntlets. The close helmet comprises a skullpiece, a bevor, a two-piece visor and double gorget plates. The skullpiece is made in two halves with a low comb. The face-opening is square-cut around the face with an inward turn at the brow. It is bordered by 21 lining rivets, of which one is missing, six are round-headed and the rest flush. There is a sprung-stud on the right side of the face-opening which passes through a pierced hole on the bevor to secure the visor in the raised position. The lower rear edge is flanged for the rear gorget lames, above which are 9 round-headed lining rivets of which two are missing. Low on the right side is a pierced stud for the attachment of the bevor swivel hook. At the rear base of the comb is a characteristic plume-tube surmounted by three fleur de lys which is riveted to the skull through bilobate wings. The bevor overlaps the side face-opening of the skullpiece and is shaped for the chin. It is articulated by a pivot-pin at either side of the skull. It has a turned upper main edge with 14 lining rivets of which 6 are clustered at the chin. It is flanged at its base for the front gorget lames. On the right side one swivel-hook secures the bevor to the skull, while another secures the visor to the bevor. The visor consists of an upper and lower part and is articulated by the same pivot-pin as the bevor at either side of the skull. The upper visor is prow-shaped with two vision slits. It is shaped to overlap the comb of the skull and is flanged to fit within the lower visor. The lower visor is pierced with a rosette of ventilation holes on either side. The right upper edge of the lower visor has a vertical slot to engage the missing lifting-peg of the upper visor. Low on the right side is a pierced stud for the attachment of the bevor swivel hook. The gorget plates consist of a front and rear plate each with two lames overlapping upwards and articulated by a rivet at either side. A pair of horizontally-aligned rivets at the front and rear are for securing the central, internal strap-end. The lower main edge of both plates is turned and is bordered by 24 lining-rivets. The gorget consists of a single plate front and rear which are secured by a flat-headed rivet on the left and closed by a mushroom-headed stud and pierced opening arrangement on the right. The gorget has a raised neck whose main edge has a inward turn and a plain lower edge that is shaped to a blunt point. The lower edge is bordered by 26 lining rivets while the upper edge has 14 lining rivets. At either side of the rear plate is a strap to secure the pauldrons. The breastplate is made in one piece and is shaped to a small point at the base. The main edges have inward turns. The lower edge has an outward flange which serve to support the tassets. There are 24 lining-rivets bordering the lower and side edges. At either side of the neck is a strap to secure the breastplate to the backplate. There are hinged Greenwich-style hasps at either side with a three-hole option for perfect fitting. There is a large, crudely pierced hole bordering the center of the neck edge. The right and left tassets are composed of 7 lames which overlap upwards and each is shaped to the thigh. The lames are attached to each other by the usual arrangement of a central and inner leather and an outer column of sliding-rivets. The top lame functions as a fauld and has 12 round-headed lining rivets. Both halves of the fauld plate are fitted with pierced lugs for the hooks of the sword hanger. The lowest lame has a mushroom-headed stud at the center and inner side and a swivel-hook at the outer side. The tassets and culet are fastened together at the sides by hinges with removeable pins, the whole being secured in position by a buckle and strap fitted on the inner upper edge of each tasset. The backplate is made in one piece, has an outward flange at the lower edge which serves to support the culet. Modern buckles on a pair of new horizontally-aligned rivets conceal a single rivet-hole for the original buckle. The deep culet of six lames comes well forward at the sides, the ends fitting beneath the rear edges of the tassets. The six lames articulate on a column of sliding rivets at either side and a central internal leather. The culet and tassets are fastened together at the sides by hinges with removeable pins. The top plate is bordered by 15 rivets while the bottom is bordered by 30. The cuisses are each composed of 9 lames which overlap upwards and a poleyn of three lames above a main plate and two below. The poleyns are now detachable with a keyhole slot and pin arrangement. They have a heart-shaped fanplates. The greaves are attached to the poleyns by turning-pins and studs. Each greave is composed of two plates which are closed by an embossed hinge and pin top and bottom. The front plate side edges are bordered by lining rivets. The rear plate carries spurs with six-pointed rowels. The square-toed sabatons comprise 9 metatarsal lames. The pauldrons are symmetrical. Each is composed of an angular main plate with four lames above and six below which underlap outwards from it. The main plate is bordered by lining rivets. The four upper lames articulate on the usual arrangement of internal leathers and sliding rivets. The six lower lames articulate on three internal straps. The strap-ends are riveted to a turner into which rotates the tubular upper cannon. The couter is composed of an encircling main plate with fanplates. The mainplate has three lames above and below which underlap outwards from it. The lowest lame is riveted to a two-piece lower cannon. The outer plate is attached to the inner by an applied internal hinge and closed by a sprung stud. The gauntlets are fingered. Each is composed of a slightly pointed cuff made in one piece joined at the inner wrist, 6 underlapping metatarsal lames, a knuckle plate and originally 6 finger lames. The thumb knuckle is underlapped by four lames above and originally four below. One is now missing on each thumb. The armor is entirely gilt, the surface being chased with a fine scrolling pattern of flowers and foliage executed with an engraving tool and fine punches. The surface of the armor is decorated by chasing using a chisel held vertically and a series of shaped punches. A fluid, complex and floreate linear decoration covers the central body of the plates while a rigid, simplistic repeat patterning fills the subsidiary borders. The chased lines produced have a smooth rounded section and slightly raised burrs on either side produced by the displaced metal. The decorator built up the linear decoration in stages. At first, he chased the fine curving lines to produce 'stems'. A primary stem was generally started in the lower right and left corners of a plate. These two stems develop secondary, meandering shoots and eventually meet in the center of the plate. This is most easily seen in the breastplate and backplate. Each flower, fruit and leaf was built up using a selection of shaped punches. Next, a matting punch was used to fill in the leaves. Finally, dots were applied using a small circular punch. This was used fill in in the ground and at terminals of shoots. The plates are bordered with double lines between which the outer edges are narrow bands of simple floral ornament. The turned edges are decorated with a punched chevron pattern instead of being roped. The decorator produced the repeat patterning by first filling the field with stippling and then used only shaped punches to create simplistic floreate designs.

•Materials: Gold, Ferrous metal

•Dimensions:

oArmor:

Height: 169 cm

Weight: 33.2 kg

oRight Gauntlet:

•Weight: 0.578 kg

oLeft Gauntlet:

Weight: 0.59 kg

oGorget:

Weight: 1.09 kg

oRight Greave and Sabaton:

Weight: 1.39 Kg

oLeft Greave and Sabaton:

Weight: 1.44 Kg

oLeft Tasset:

Weight: 1.59 Kg

oRight Tasset:

Weight: 1.66 Kg

oRight Tasset (Top):

Weight: 1.86 Kg

oLeft Tasset (Top):

Weight: 2.22 kg

oLeft Vambrace and Pauldron:

Weight: 2.95 kg

oBackplate:

Weight: 4.23 kg

oBreastplate:

Weight: 4.45 kg

oHelmet:

Weight: 4.9 kg

•Inscriptions and Marks: None

•Associations:

oPlaces: Netherlands

oEvents:

“Civil War: Hull, Town Docks Museum, 11 Apr-31 May 1992

Coventry, Whitefriars Museum, 6 June-26 July

Nottingham, Castle Museum, 1 Aug-20 Sept

Worcester, Foregate Museum and Art Gallery, 26 Sept-3 Jan 1993

Cirencester, Corinium Museum, 9 Jan-28 Mar (catalogue: Royal Armories 1992).

•Bibliographic References:

oA.R. Dufty and W. Reid, European Armor in the Tower of London, 1968, plate L, LI detail of decoration.

oT. Richardson, “H. R. Robinson’s ‘Dutch armor of the seventeenth century’”, The Journal of The Arms and Armor Society, vol.XIII, no.4, March 1991, pp.256-278, p.258ff.

oC. Paggiarino, The Royal Armories, masterpieces of medieval and renaissance arms and armor, Milan, 2011, volume 2, 236-41

•Notes:

oThe Tower Guide books dating back to the 18th century describe this armor as having been presented to the King Charles I by the City of London, but research has failed to confirm this tradition. The armor is listed in the View and Survey of the Armories taken in 1660 where no reference is made to this. The armor was, however, made for the King’s elder brother, Henry, and its commission was perhaps prompted by the 1607 portrait of Maurice of Nassau in gilt armor by Michiel Janszoon van Miereveldt commemorating the former’s victory at Nieuwpoort in 1600. Maurice was greatly admired by Henry who is known to have had it copied for his own collection in 1610. His continuing fascination with Maurice could have easily encouraged him to obtain similar armor for himself. The armor was identified as that of Charles I by 1675 at least, “Armour Cappape richly guilt & graven made for King Charles ye 1st with Gauntlett and Shaffron of the same and Guilt Steeles for a sadle” (ffoulkes 1916: 88, citing I.1). From the Restoration it served as the armor of Charles I in the Line of Kings.

oClaude Blair discovered documentary evidence of the price of the armor, £450. Following Cripps Day (Fragmenta Armamentaria vol. 1.4 An introduction to the study of Greenwich armor, Frome, 1945: 66, Blair identified this as the “Armor of great vallew of his late Majesties made last for his owne person put to sale at Somerset House ye which I procured of one Willet to prevent ye loss of it” (unpublished lecture, 1985). A V B Norman adds the details that one of the inventories of sale of Charles I’s goods notes that the armor was provided for sale by Mrs. Sherman, the widow of Nicholas Sherman, late Master Workman at the Almain Armory at Greenwich (also denoted by the letters GW beside her name on the MS). It is possible that the armor was at Greenwich before the Civil War. Among the Stuart armors in the View and survey of 1628 (SP Dom Chas I vol. 139 no. 94) in the great chamber late Mr. Pickeringes “One guilte and graven old armor for the field complete” though that armor was “wanting one gauntlet”.

•RC2: Permission to lend required from the sovereign

Princelet Street, along with Fournier Street and Wilkes Street, is part of an encave of Georgian houses built in the early 1700s. Threatened with demolition in the 1970s, they were instead saved and refurbished and are now very desireable residences.

6-10 Princelet Street was the home of a Yiddish theatre founded in 1886 by Jacob and Sarah Adler. The Adlers and their troupe went to New York in 1887 and their tradition of Yiddish theatre would go on to have a huge influence on the American Theatre and film industry.

17 Princelet Street was the home of a Jewish Tailor, Mark Moses, and his daughter Miriam. Miriam went on to become the first woman mayor of Stepney and the first-ever Jewish woman Mayor in Britain. A plaque erected by the Stepney Historical Society honours her achievements.

No 19 was at one time an Ashkenazi synagugue, the first one in London. In the early 20th Century the recluse David Rodinsky lived here, in the weaver's attic; as well as caring for the building he compiled a dictionary of several languages. The house is now a heritage centre.

Armor (1612)

Cuirassier Armor of King Charles I, Originally Made for Henry Prince of Wales

•Place: Netherlands

•Location: Tower of London, White Tower Entrance Floor

•Object Number: II.91

•Object Title: Armor

•Date: 1612

•Provenance: Tower Arsenal. Probably sold from the Palace at Greenwich about 1649. Purchased back by Edward Annesley, and moved to the Tower by 1650

•Physical Description: This full field armor is engraved and gilt overall. It comprises a close helmet, a gorget, a breastplate, a pair of tassets, a backplate, a culet, cuisses and poleyns, greaves and sabatons, pauldrons and vambraces, gauntlets. The close helmet comprises a skullpiece, a bevor, a two-piece visor and double gorget plates. The skullpiece is made in two halves with a low comb. The face-opening is square-cut around the face with an inward turn at the brow. It is bordered by 21 lining rivets, of which one is missing, six are round-headed and the rest flush. There is a sprung-stud on the right side of the face-opening which passes through a pierced hole on the bevor to secure the visor in the raised position. The lower rear edge is flanged for the rear gorget lames, above which are 9 round-headed lining rivets of which two are missing. Low on the right side is a pierced stud for the attachment of the bevor swivel hook. At the rear base of the comb is a characteristic plume-tube surmounted by three fleur de lys which is riveted to the skull through bilobate wings. The bevor overlaps the side face-opening of the skullpiece and is shaped for the chin. It is articulated by a pivot-pin at either side of the skull. It has a turned upper main edge with 14 lining rivets of which 6 are clustered at the chin. It is flanged at its base for the front gorget lames. On the right side one swivel-hook secures the bevor to the skull, while another secures the visor to the bevor. The visor consists of an upper and lower part and is articulated by the same pivot-pin as the bevor at either side of the skull. The upper visor is prow-shaped with two vision slits. It is shaped to overlap the comb of the skull and is flanged to fit within the lower visor. The lower visor is pierced with a rosette of ventilation holes on either side. The right upper edge of the lower visor has a vertical slot to engage the missing lifting-peg of the upper visor. Low on the right side is a pierced stud for the attachment of the bevor swivel hook. The gorget plates consist of a front and rear plate each with two lames overlapping upwards and articulated by a rivet at either side. A pair of horizontally-aligned rivets at the front and rear are for securing the central, internal strap-end. The lower main edge of both plates is turned and is bordered by 24 lining-rivets. The gorget consists of a single plate front and rear which are secured by a flat-headed rivet on the left and closed by a mushroom-headed stud and pierced opening arrangement on the right. The gorget has a raised neck whose main edge has a inward turn and a plain lower edge that is shaped to a blunt point. The lower edge is bordered by 26 lining rivets while the upper edge has 14 lining rivets. At either side of the rear plate is a strap to secure the pauldrons. The breastplate is made in one piece and is shaped to a small point at the base. The main edges have inward turns. The lower edge has an outward flange which serve to support the tassets. There are 24 lining-rivets bordering the lower and side edges. At either side of the neck is a strap to secure the breastplate to the backplate. There are hinged Greenwich-style hasps at either side with a three-hole option for perfect fitting. There is a large, crudely pierced hole bordering the center of the neck edge. The right and left tassets are composed of 7 lames which overlap upwards and each is shaped to the thigh. The lames are attached to each other by the usual arrangement of a central and inner leather and an outer column of sliding-rivets. The top lame functions as a fauld and has 12 round-headed lining rivets. Both halves of the fauld plate are fitted with pierced lugs for the hooks of the sword hanger. The lowest lame has a mushroom-headed stud at the center and inner side and a swivel-hook at the outer side. The tassets and culet are fastened together at the sides by hinges with removeable pins, the whole being secured in position by a buckle and strap fitted on the inner upper edge of each tasset. The backplate is made in one piece, has an outward flange at the lower edge which serves to support the culet. Modern buckles on a pair of new horizontally-aligned rivets conceal a single rivet-hole for the original buckle. The deep culet of six lames comes well forward at the sides, the ends fitting beneath the rear edges of the tassets. The six lames articulate on a column of sliding rivets at either side and a central internal leather. The culet and tassets are fastened together at the sides by hinges with removeable pins. The top plate is bordered by 15 rivets while the bottom is bordered by 30. The cuisses are each composed of 9 lames which overlap upwards and a poleyn of three lames above a main plate and two below. The poleyns are now detachable with a keyhole slot and pin arrangement. They have a heart-shaped fanplates. The greaves are attached to the poleyns by turning-pins and studs. Each greave is composed of two plates which are closed by an embossed hinge and pin top and bottom. The front plate side edges are bordered by lining rivets. The rear plate carries spurs with six-pointed rowels. The square-toed sabatons comprise 9 metatarsal lames. The pauldrons are symmetrical. Each is composed of an angular main plate with four lames above and six below which underlap outwards from it. The main plate is bordered by lining rivets. The four upper lames articulate on the usual arrangement of internal leathers and sliding rivets. The six lower lames articulate on three internal straps. The strap-ends are riveted to a turner into which rotates the tubular upper cannon. The couter is composed of an encircling main plate with fanplates. The mainplate has three lames above and below which underlap outwards from it. The lowest lame is riveted to a two-piece lower cannon. The outer plate is attached to the inner by an applied internal hinge and closed by a sprung stud. The gauntlets are fingered. Each is composed of a slightly pointed cuff made in one piece joined at the inner wrist, 6 underlapping metatarsal lames, a knuckle plate and originally 6 finger lames. The thumb knuckle is underlapped by four lames above and originally four below. One is now missing on each thumb. The armor is entirely gilt, the surface being chased with a fine scrolling pattern of flowers and foliage executed with an engraving tool and fine punches. The surface of the armor is decorated by chasing using a chisel held vertically and a series of shaped punches. A fluid, complex and floreate linear decoration covers the central body of the plates while a rigid, simplistic repeat patterning fills the subsidiary borders. The chased lines produced have a smooth rounded section and slightly raised burrs on either side produced by the displaced metal. The decorator built up the linear decoration in stages. At first, he chased the fine curving lines to produce 'stems'. A primary stem was generally started in the lower right and left corners of a plate. These two stems develop secondary, meandering shoots and eventually meet in the center of the plate. This is most easily seen in the breastplate and backplate. Each flower, fruit and leaf was built up using a selection of shaped punches. Next, a matting punch was used to fill in the leaves. Finally, dots were applied using a small circular punch. This was used fill in in the ground and at terminals of shoots. The plates are bordered with double lines between which the outer edges are narrow bands of simple floral ornament. The turned edges are decorated with a punched chevron pattern instead of being roped. The decorator produced the repeat patterning by first filling the field with stippling and then used only shaped punches to create simplistic floreate designs.

•Materials: Gold, Ferrous metal

•Dimensions:

oArmor:

Height: 169 cm

Weight: 33.2 kg

oRight Gauntlet:

•Weight: 0.578 kg

oLeft Gauntlet:

Weight: 0.59 kg

oGorget:

Weight: 1.09 kg

oRight Greave and Sabaton:

Weight: 1.39 Kg

oLeft Greave and Sabaton:

Weight: 1.44 Kg

oLeft Tasset:

Weight: 1.59 Kg

oRight Tasset:

Weight: 1.66 Kg

oRight Tasset (Top):

Weight: 1.86 Kg

oLeft Tasset (Top):

Weight: 2.22 kg

oLeft Vambrace and Pauldron:

Weight: 2.95 kg

oBackplate:

Weight: 4.23 kg

oBreastplate:

Weight: 4.45 kg

oHelmet:

Weight: 4.9 kg

•Inscriptions and Marks: None

•Associations:

oPlaces: Netherlands

oEvents:

“Civil War: Hull, Town Docks Museum, 11 Apr-31 May 1992

Coventry, Whitefriars Museum, 6 June-26 July

Nottingham, Castle Museum, 1 Aug-20 Sept

Worcester, Foregate Museum and Art Gallery, 26 Sept-3 Jan 1993

Cirencester, Corinium Museum, 9 Jan-28 Mar (catalogue: Royal Armories 1992).

•Bibliographic References:

oA.R. Dufty and W. Reid, European Armor in the Tower of London, 1968, plate L, LI detail of decoration.

oT. Richardson, “H. R. Robinson’s ‘Dutch armor of the seventeenth century’”, The Journal of The Arms and Armor Society, vol.XIII, no.4, March 1991, pp.256-278, p.258ff.

oC. Paggiarino, The Royal Armories, masterpieces of medieval and renaissance arms and armor, Milan, 2011, volume 2, 236-41

•Notes:

oThe Tower Guide books dating back to the 18th century describe this armor as having been presented to the King Charles I by the City of London, but research has failed to confirm this tradition. The armor is listed in the View and Survey of the Armories taken in 1660 where no reference is made to this. The armor was, however, made for the King’s elder brother, Henry, and its commission was perhaps prompted by the 1607 portrait of Maurice of Nassau in gilt armor by Michiel Janszoon van Miereveldt commemorating the former’s victory at Nieuwpoort in 1600. Maurice was greatly admired by Henry who is known to have had it copied for his own collection in 1610. His continuing fascination with Maurice could have easily encouraged him to obtain similar armor for himself. The armor was identified as that of Charles I by 1675 at least, “Armour Cappape richly guilt & graven made for King Charles ye 1st with Gauntlett and Shaffron of the same and Guilt Steeles for a sadle” (ffoulkes 1916: 88, citing I.1). From the Restoration it served as the armor of Charles I in the Line of Kings.

oClaude Blair discovered documentary evidence of the price of the armor, £450. Following Cripps Day (Fragmenta Armamentaria vol. 1.4 An introduction to the study of Greenwich armor, Frome, 1945: 66, Blair identified this as the “Armor of great vallew of his late Majesties made last for his owne person put to sale at Somerset House ye which I procured of one Willet to prevent ye loss of it” (unpublished lecture, 1985). A V B Norman adds the details that one of the inventories of sale of Charles I’s goods notes that the armor was provided for sale by Mrs. Sherman, the widow of Nicholas Sherman, late Master Workman at the Almain Armory at Greenwich (also denoted by the letters GW beside her name on the MS). It is possible that the armor was at Greenwich before the Civil War. Among the Stuart armors in the View and survey of 1628 (SP Dom Chas I vol. 139 no. 94) in the great chamber late Mr. Pickeringes “One guilte and graven old armor for the field complete” though that armor was “wanting one gauntlet”.

•RC2: Permission to lend required from the sovereign

Seen from Bethnal Green Station.

The Improved Industrial Dwellings Company Ltd. was set up by Sir Sydney Waterlow in 1863, and was one of a number of philanthropic organisations set up to the squalid housing conditions of the working poor. Bethnal Green's Waterlow Estate was built between 1869 and 1890 and consists of the flats along Ainsley, Wilmot and Corfield Streets. The IIDC was also responsible for Leopold Buildings in nearby Columbia Road.

Sir Sydney Waterlow was apprenticed as a printer and stationer, and later moved into finance. In 1863 he became an Alderman of the City of London, served as a Sheriff in 1866 and was Lord Mayor of London in 1872-3. He owned Lauderdale House in Highgate, which in 1872 he gave to St Bartholomew's Hospital to use as a convalescent home for the poor; and in 1889 he gifted the grounds to the London County Council to use as a public park, now Waterlow Park.

Armor (1612)

Cuirassier Armor of King Charles I, Originally Made for Henry Prince of Wales

•Place: Netherlands

•Location: Tower of London, White Tower Entrance Floor

•Object Number: II.91

•Object Title: Armor

•Date: 1612

•Provenance: Tower Arsenal. Probably sold from the Palace at Greenwich about 1649. Purchased back by Edward Annesley, and moved to the Tower by 1650

•Physical Description: This full field armor is engraved and gilt overall. It comprises a close helmet, a gorget, a breastplate, a pair of tassets, a backplate, a culet, cuisses and poleyns, greaves and sabatons, pauldrons and vambraces, gauntlets. The close helmet comprises a skullpiece, a bevor, a two-piece visor and double gorget plates. The skullpiece is made in two halves with a low comb. The face-opening is square-cut around the face with an inward turn at the brow. It is bordered by 21 lining rivets, of which one is missing, six are round-headed and the rest flush. There is a sprung-stud on the right side of the face-opening which passes through a pierced hole on the bevor to secure the visor in the raised position. The lower rear edge is flanged for the rear gorget lames, above which are 9 round-headed lining rivets of which two are missing. Low on the right side is a pierced stud for the attachment of the bevor swivel hook. At the rear base of the comb is a characteristic plume-tube surmounted by three fleur de lys which is riveted to the skull through bilobate wings. The bevor overlaps the side face-opening of the skullpiece and is shaped for the chin. It is articulated by a pivot-pin at either side of the skull. It has a turned upper main edge with 14 lining rivets of which 6 are clustered at the chin. It is flanged at its base for the front gorget lames. On the right side one swivel-hook secures the bevor to the skull, while another secures the visor to the bevor. The visor consists of an upper and lower part and is articulated by the same pivot-pin as the bevor at either side of the skull. The upper visor is prow-shaped with two vision slits. It is shaped to overlap the comb of the skull and is flanged to fit within the lower visor. The lower visor is pierced with a rosette of ventilation holes on either side. The right upper edge of the lower visor has a vertical slot to engage the missing lifting-peg of the upper visor. Low on the right side is a pierced stud for the attachment of the bevor swivel hook. The gorget plates consist of a front and rear plate each with two lames overlapping upwards and articulated by a rivet at either side. A pair of horizontally-aligned rivets at the front and rear are for securing the central, internal strap-end. The lower main edge of both plates is turned and is bordered by 24 lining-rivets. The gorget consists of a single plate front and rear which are secured by a flat-headed rivet on the left and closed by a mushroom-headed stud and pierced opening arrangement on the right. The gorget has a raised neck whose main edge has a inward turn and a plain lower edge that is shaped to a blunt point. The lower edge is bordered by 26 lining rivets while the upper edge has 14 lining rivets. At either side of the rear plate is a strap to secure the pauldrons. The breastplate is made in one piece and is shaped to a small point at the base. The main edges have inward turns. The lower edge has an outward flange which serve to support the tassets. There are 24 lining-rivets bordering the lower and side edges. At either side of the neck is a strap to secure the breastplate to the backplate. There are hinged Greenwich-style hasps at either side with a three-hole option for perfect fitting. There is a large, crudely pierced hole bordering the center of the neck edge. The right and left tassets are composed of 7 lames which overlap upwards and each is shaped to the thigh. The lames are attached to each other by the usual arrangement of a central and inner leather and an outer column of sliding-rivets. The top lame functions as a fauld and has 12 round-headed lining rivets. Both halves of the fauld plate are fitted with pierced lugs for the hooks of the sword hanger. The lowest lame has a mushroom-headed stud at the center and inner side and a swivel-hook at the outer side. The tassets and culet are fastened together at the sides by hinges with removeable pins, the whole being secured in position by a buckle and strap fitted on the inner upper edge of each tasset. The backplate is made in one piece, has an outward flange at the lower edge which serves to support the culet. Modern buckles on a pair of new horizontally-aligned rivets conceal a single rivet-hole for the original buckle. The deep culet of six lames comes well forward at the sides, the ends fitting beneath the rear edges of the tassets. The six lames articulate on a column of sliding rivets at either side and a central internal leather. The culet and tassets are fastened together at the sides by hinges with removeable pins. The top plate is bordered by 15 rivets while the bottom is bordered by 30. The cuisses are each composed of 9 lames which overlap upwards and a poleyn of three lames above a main plate and two below. The poleyns are now detachable with a keyhole slot and pin arrangement. They have a heart-shaped fanplates. The greaves are attached to the poleyns by turning-pins and studs. Each greave is composed of two plates which are closed by an embossed hinge and pin top and bottom. The front plate side edges are bordered by lining rivets. The rear plate carries spurs with six-pointed rowels. The square-toed sabatons comprise 9 metatarsal lames. The pauldrons are symmetrical. Each is composed of an angular main plate with four lames above and six below which underlap outwards from it. The main plate is bordered by lining rivets. The four upper lames articulate on the usual arrangement of internal leathers and sliding rivets. The six lower lames articulate on three internal straps. The strap-ends are riveted to a turner into which rotates the tubular upper cannon. The couter is composed of an encircling main plate with fanplates. The mainplate has three lames above and below which underlap outwards from it. The lowest lame is riveted to a two-piece lower cannon. The outer plate is attached to the inner by an applied internal hinge and closed by a sprung stud. The gauntlets are fingered. Each is composed of a slightly pointed cuff made in one piece joined at the inner wrist, 6 underlapping metatarsal lames, a knuckle plate and originally 6 finger lames. The thumb knuckle is underlapped by four lames above and originally four below. One is now missing on each thumb. The armor is entirely gilt, the surface being chased with a fine scrolling pattern of flowers and foliage executed with an engraving tool and fine punches. The surface of the armor is decorated by chasing using a chisel held vertically and a series of shaped punches. A fluid, complex and floreate linear decoration covers the central body of the plates while a rigid, simplistic repeat patterning fills the subsidiary borders. The chased lines produced have a smooth rounded section and slightly raised burrs on either side produced by the displaced metal. The decorator built up the linear decoration in stages. At first, he chased the fine curving lines to produce 'stems'. A primary stem was generally started in the lower right and left corners of a plate. These two stems develop secondary, meandering shoots and eventually meet in the center of the plate. This is most easily seen in the breastplate and backplate. Each flower, fruit and leaf was built up using a selection of shaped punches. Next, a matting punch was used to fill in the leaves. Finally, dots were applied using a small circular punch. This was used fill in in the ground and at terminals of shoots. The plates are bordered with double lines between which the outer edges are narrow bands of simple floral ornament. The turned edges are decorated with a punched chevron pattern instead of being roped. The decorator produced the repeat patterning by first filling the field with stippling and then used only shaped punches to create simplistic floreate designs.

•Materials: Gold, Ferrous metal

•Dimensions:

oArmor:

Height: 169 cm

Weight: 33.2 kg

oRight Gauntlet:

•Weight: 0.578 kg

oLeft Gauntlet:

Weight: 0.59 kg

oGorget:

Weight: 1.09 kg

oRight Greave and Sabaton:

Weight: 1.39 Kg

oLeft Greave and Sabaton:

Weight: 1.44 Kg

oLeft Tasset:

Weight: 1.59 Kg

oRight Tasset:

Weight: 1.66 Kg

oRight Tasset (Top):

Weight: 1.86 Kg

oLeft Tasset (Top):

Weight: 2.22 kg

oLeft Vambrace and Pauldron:

Weight: 2.95 kg

oBackplate:

Weight: 4.23 kg

oBreastplate:

Weight: 4.45 kg

oHelmet:

Weight: 4.9 kg

•Inscriptions and Marks: None

•Associations:

oPlaces: Netherlands

oEvents:

“Civil War: Hull, Town Docks Museum, 11 Apr-31 May 1992

Coventry, Whitefriars Museum, 6 June-26 July

Nottingham, Castle Museum, 1 Aug-20 Sept

Worcester, Foregate Museum and Art Gallery, 26 Sept-3 Jan 1993

Cirencester, Corinium Museum, 9 Jan-28 Mar (catalogue: Royal Armories 1992).

•Bibliographic References:

oA.R. Dufty and W. Reid, European Armor in the Tower of London, 1968, plate L, LI detail of decoration.

oT. Richardson, “H. R. Robinson’s ‘Dutch armor of the seventeenth century’”, The Journal of The Arms and Armor Society, vol.XIII, no.4, March 1991, pp.256-278, p.258ff.

oC. Paggiarino, The Royal Armories, masterpieces of medieval and renaissance arms and armor, Milan, 2011, volume 2, 236-41

•Notes:

oThe Tower Guide books dating back to the 18th century describe this armor as having been presented to the King Charles I by the City of London, but research has failed to confirm this tradition. The armor is listed in the View and Survey of the Armories taken in 1660 where no reference is made to this. The armor was, however, made for the King’s elder brother, Henry, and its commission was perhaps prompted by the 1607 portrait of Maurice of Nassau in gilt armor by Michiel Janszoon van Miereveldt commemorating the former’s victory at Nieuwpoort in 1600. Maurice was greatly admired by Henry who is known to have had it copied for his own collection in 1610. His continuing fascination with Maurice could have easily encouraged him to obtain similar armor for himself. The armor was identified as that of Charles I by 1675 at least, “Armour Cappape richly guilt & graven made for King Charles ye 1st with Gauntlett and Shaffron of the same and Guilt Steeles for a sadle” (ffoulkes 1916: 88, citing I.1). From the Restoration it served as the armor of Charles I in the Line of Kings.

oClaude Blair discovered documentary evidence of the price of the armor, £450. Following Cripps Day (Fragmenta Armamentaria vol. 1.4 An introduction to the study of Greenwich armor, Frome, 1945: 66, Blair identified this as the “Armor of great vallew of his late Majesties made last for his owne person put to sale at Somerset House ye which I procured of one Willet to prevent ye loss of it” (unpublished lecture, 1985). A V B Norman adds the details that one of the inventories of sale of Charles I’s goods notes that the armor was provided for sale by Mrs. Sherman, the widow of Nicholas Sherman, late Master Workman at the Almain Armory at Greenwich (also denoted by the letters GW beside her name on the MS). It is possible that the armor was at Greenwich before the Civil War. Among the Stuart armors in the View and survey of 1628 (SP Dom Chas I vol. 139 no. 94) in the great chamber late Mr. Pickeringes “One guilte and graven old armor for the field complete” though that armor was “wanting one gauntlet”.

•RC2: Permission to lend required from the sovereign

Yule marks an important turning point in the Pagan year. At this point daylight and energy are at their lowest; but even as the low point is reached the year begins to turn again.

Long before Christianity chose this time of year to celebrate the birth of Jesus, Pagans celebrated the birth of the Sun Child. He will become the young god of Spring, the mighy god of sumer and the mature god of fruitful Autumn. Equally important to Pagans is the Sun Child's mother, the Great Godess, who brings new hope and new life to the land. To Pagans she is not merely the mother of the Sun God, but has equal importance and status as a goddess in her own right (in Paganism, male and female gods have equal status). Lights are lit at Yule, to counter the long darkness and to invoke the spirit of the Sun Child and the Mother Goddess, that the daylight may return once more.

Apart from the birth of Jesus, many other Christmas traditions have their root in Pagan ritual and worship. Bringing an evergreen tree into the house is one such custom, the evergreen symbolising life when so many trees are bare (the hymn 'The Holly and the Ivy' is a direct instruction to follow the ways of Christ, as represented by the holly - crown of thorns - and leave behind Pagan ways, as represented by the ivy!) . Gift-giving at Yule is also a Pagan custom.

Yule was also a time for feasting, for gathering together, to listen to and tell stories. Although the year was about to turn, Pagans still had to endure 'The Hard' - the cold winter months of January and February when resources would be scarce - so the Yule feat was a way of using up the rest of the surplus and preparing for the difficult weeks ahead.

Christmas tree and lights, Ellsworth Street, Bethnal Green. 19th December 2011.

The pier in the foreground is Trinity Jubilee Pier, which was constructed using mostly salvaged materials in 2002. In 2007 it became the operational base of Thames Clippers Ltd, the operators of the fast catamaran passenger boats on the Thames.

Trinity Buoy Wharf is tucked into the end of a small peninsula at the point where the River Lea flows into the Thames, and for many years this was an isolated and forgotten part of London. Until 1988, this was where Trinity House built and maintained the buys and lightships that were used to aid navigation around the Kent, Essex and Suffolk coasts.

Trinity House was originally a voluntary organisation of shipmen and mariners, and was granted a Charter in 1514 by King Henry VIII, becoming "The Guild or Fraternity of the most glorious and undividable Trinity of St Clement". It gained its Coat of Arms in 1573, and with it the authority to erect beacons and other markers to aid navigation around the coasts of England; these evolved into the buoys, lightships and lighthouses for which Trinity House is still responsible around the United Kingdom.

Trinity Buoy Wharf was established in 1803 for the construction of wooden sea buoys, and over the years has adapted and expanded with the development of cast iron buoys in the 1860s. An experimental lighthouse was built in 1864 to test equipment and train lighthouse keepers; it still stands today.

Trinity Buoy Wharf was closed in December 1988 and acquired by the London Docklands Development Corporation, who decided to turn it into a centre for creative enterprises. In 1996 a long lease was granted to Urban Space Management, a company with a track record of regenerating former industrial locations.

www.trinitybuoywharf.com

Opened 2014 on Twelvetrees Crescent

At the Bow Flyover

Taj Mahal restaurant

At Iron Bridge Wharf, beside the A13 Lea Flyover

From the floating towpath at the Bow Roundabout

Field and Tilt Armor (1590)

•Consists Of:

A.Burgonet

B.Gorget

C.right pauldron

D.backplate

E.breastplate and tassets

F.Lance rest

G.Right vambrace

H.Right gauntlet

I.Locking gauntlet

J.Gauntlet linings

K.Left pauldron

L.Left vambrace

M.Right tasset plate

N.Left tasset plate

O.Right cuisse and poleyn

P.Right greave and sabaton

Q.Knuckle plate

R.Knuckle plate

S.Knuckle plate

T.Armet

U.left gauntlet

V.left cuisse and poleyn

W.left greave and sabaton

•Place: England, Greenwich

•Location: Leeds, Tournament Gallery

•Object Number: II.40

•Object Title: Field and tilt armor

•Date: 1590

•Provenance: Probably transferred from Greenwich, 1649.

•Physical Description:

A.The skull of the burgonet (A) is of one piece with a medial roped comb and a peak. At the lower rear is a small neck guard attached by three rivets. Attached by internal hinges at either side are large, roughly square cheekpieces. The main edges have roped inward turns with recessed borders containing replacement round headed iron rivets in place of the original lining rivets. Each cheekpiece is embossed at the center with a decorative rosette of five petals, round ended, and five pointed sepals between them. To the rear of this at either side is a pierced stud for the falling buffe, and below it, original at the left, restored at the right, is a rectangular block with a roped edge for the same purpose. The recessed border on the peak is plain, and there is a row of rivets around the base of the skull, the one at the right corner an original flush rivet retaining a trace of the original lining band. At the rear of the skull is a plain iron plume holder with cusped and scalloped side edges, attached by four rivets. The exterior is bright and slightly patinated. There is a small riveted repair at the right of the peak, a long crack at the left of the skull above the cheekpiece and a shorter one beside it, at the corner of the peak. The roping on the comb is corroding through in several places. At the lower left corner of the skull at the neck is a crack and a vacant rivet hole from the original neck guard.

B.The gorget (B) is formed of a main plate with three lames above front and rear. The main edges of the upper lames have roped inward turns bordered by double incised lines and a row of modern brass lining rivet retaining a modern buff leather lining band, and the subsidiary edges are bordered by double incised lines. The lower main edge is scalloped and bordered by single incised lines, with a modern round headed rivet retaining a leather lining band in each scallop. The upper lames are hinged at the left and fastened by two modern sprung studs at the right, and the main plates are joined at the left by a modern brass pierced stud and nail at the left and a modern iron mushroom headed stud and keyhole slot at the right. The plates are articulated by three internal leathers at front and rear, attached to each lame by pairs of rivets. Rows of original decorative rivets follow the lines of the outermost leather rivets at either side. The exterior is bright and rubbed. The rear lames are numbered with 3, 2 and 1 dots from the top down. No numbering is visible on the front lames.

C.The right pauldron (C) is formed of five lames overlapping upwards. The main edges have roped inward turns, the roping symmetrical with two dots at the center, with recessed borders containing modern brass lining rivets, and the subsidiary edges are bordered by double incised lines. At the center front of the upper lame is an embossed bulge for the collar bone. The front edge is cut away for the lance, and the rear edge is fully rounded. The lames are articulated by three double width and one single width internal leathers of modern buff. A modern leather lining band and replica lining are fitted. At the lower edge is a modern strap and buckle for fastening round the vambrace. At the center of the upper edge is a large hole for the stud on the shoulder strap, an adjacent hole from a previous configuration, and a modern bifurcated pin on a brown lace for securing it. The exterior is bright and rubbed.

D.The backplate (D) is formed of one piece, shaped to the shoulders, with a low, flat neck, and a flange at the waist. The main edges have symmetrically roped inward turns with broad recessed borders. The center of the waist flange has a cusp. At either shoulder is a hinged steel shoulder strap, pierced with three holes for the breastplate stud, with a small adjacent hole with a pin on a brown lace, fitted with a large pierced stud for the pauldron (on a hinged plate riveted to a lobe at the right), and attached inside the backplate by three rivets. At either side is a pierced stud for the breastplate hasp. It is decorated with pairs of incised lines running down the center and from either arm to the waist center, these so rubbed as to be hardly visible. The exterior is bright with some patination. There are riveted repairs inside each side edge. There are cracks at the center right of the flange edge and center left of the neck edge, a large area of lamination inside the flange towards the right and a crack at the angle of the flange towards the left.

E.The breastplate (and tassets, (E)) has a low-neck medial ridge and a deep peascod, with a flange at the waist. At either arm is a gusset attached by a rivet at the bottom and a sliding rivet at the top. At either side is a modern hinged hasp pierced with three holes, to fasten the backplate, and a small loop at the end with a pin on a brown lace. At the right of center is a set of five pierced lugs and a key for the lance rest. At the center is a filler for the hole for the grandguard stud, attached by a modern nut and washers. Modern to the flange is attached a single fauld plate by a modern sliding rivet at either side. The tassets are each attached by two hinged hasps. Each tasset is of three lames, overlapping upwards. Each is articulated by a leather at the center and inside, and by sliding rivets on the outside. Those on the left tasset are of modern buff leather, but those on the right are older but not original, being attached by brass (rather than brass capped iron) rivets. Leather lining bands of the same vintage are attached to both tassets by similar rivets. Each tasset has a turning pin at the inner end of its lower lame and a stud at the outer, for attachment of the extension lames. The main edges have symmetrically roped inward turns, about triple crests on the breastplate, with recessed borders on the tassets, and the subsidiary edges are bordered by double incised lines. The exterior is bright, rubbed and slightly patinated. A long crack runs around the angle of the flange, and the upper lame of the left tassets has a riveted repair at its inner end. Painted inside 21-8 (for 21 lb., 8 oz), 13/3.

F.The lance rest (F) is of steel, comprising a round ended flat plate pierced at the inner end with a slot for the key, riveted to a vertical plate with a scrolled lower corner, and cut with five slots to engage the lugs on the breastplate, and the two sections are joined by a scrolled angle bracket. The surfaces are all bright.

G.The right vambrace (G) comprises an upper cannon and turner with three lames above, a bracelet couter with one articulating lame above and below, and two lames above and below the inside of the joint, and a lower cannon formed of two plates hinged at the outside and fastened by a sprung stud and swivel hook inside, with a separate articulated cuff plate on the front plate. The main edges have roped inward turns, the roping symmetrical with one dot at the center, with recessed borders. The subsidiary edges are bordered by double incised lines. The upper section has a modern buff leather tab and is articulated by dark modern leathers at the front and center, and by sliding rivets (replaced by nuts and bolts) at the rear. The couter is made in two parts, the front section with its inner and outer wings attached by two modern brass rivets at the inside and one at the outside. The exterior is bright and slightly patinated. At the front of the cuff is a small hole. Above this is riveted with two brass rivets the base of a modern brown leather strap, probably for display purposes. At the inside of the turner are two holes, one slightly enlarged.

H.The right gauntlet (H) has a cuff of two pieces, joined by two rivets at either side, and slightly flaring. Inside the wrist is a wrist plate shaped to the thumb and two articulating lames. Outside are three metacarpal lames, a fourth which is extended to include the base of the thumb defense, and a fifth which is shaped to the knuckles. All these overlap upwards and are articulated by rivets at either side. The knuckle plate and the single carpal lame were restored in 1978. The thumb is protected by three scales and the fingers by 6, 7, 7 and 6 scales respectively, a few of which may be original, all riveted to modern leathers. The main edges have plain inward turns with recessed borders containing modern brass lining rivets at the cuff edge, and original brass-capped iron rivets with washers, and a flush rivet at either end, retaining fragments of the original leather lining band on the wrist plate. Inside the gauntlet is sewn a modern leather cuff and a glove. The exterior is bright and slightly patinated. The cuff edge at the inner corner of the inside plate, and the wrist plate by the thumb, are damaged.

I.The left pauldron (K) is formed of five lames overlapping upwards. The main edges have roped inward turns, the roping symmetrical with two dots at the center, with recessed borders containing modern brass lining rivets, and the subsidiary edges are bordered by double incised lines. At the center front of the upper lame is an embossed bulge for the collar bone. The front and rear edges are fully rounded. The lames are articulated by three double width and one single width internal leathers of modern buff. A modern leather lining band and replica lining are fitted. At the lower edge is a modern strap and buckle for fastening round the vambrace. At the center of the upper edge is a large hole for the stud on the shoulder strap, and a modern bifurcated pin on a brown lace for securing it. The exterior is bright and rubbed.

J.The left vambrace (L) comprises an upper cannon and turner with three lames above, a bracelet couter with one articulating lame above and below, and two lames above and below the inside of the joint, and a lower cannon formed of two plates hinged at the outside and fastened by a sprung stud and swivel hook inside, with a separate articulated cuff plate on the front plate. The main edges have roped inward turns, the roping symmetrical with one dot at the center, with recessed borders. The subsidiary edges are bordered by double incised lines. The upper section has a modern buff leather tab and is articulated by dark modern leathers at the front and center, and by sliding rivets (replaced by nuts and bolts) at the rear. The couter has a pierced stud for attachment of a pasguard. The couter is made in two parts, the front section with its inner and outer winds attached by a brass capped iron rivet at the inside and outside. The exterior is bright and slightly patinated. At the front of the cuff is a hole, with an adjacent nick in the edge of the main plate.

K.The right cuisse (and poleyn, O) is formed of eight lames overlapping upwards, articulated by a modern black leather on pairs of rivets at the center, sliding rivets (all modern) at the outside and riveted solidly, entirely with modern rivets, at the inside, with additional restraining leathers at either edge. The poleyn has a main plate with a wing at the outside, and two articulating lames below. The lower of these has a flat main edge, with a keyhole slot at the outside and a large hole for a stud at the inside. All the elements are joined by original brass capped iron rivets with washers except for the outside rivet on the lower lame, which has a more modern but still old brass rivet and washer. The main edges have roped inward turns, symmetrical with central chevrons, and recessed borders, forming a heart-shaped center on the wing. The subsidiary edges are bordered by double incised lines, quite rubbed across the center. At the center top is a modern buff leather tab for pointing the cuisse, and at either side at the top and on the poleyn main plate are modern buff leather straps and buckles with modern brass figure-8 buckles. The exterior is bright and slightly patinated. The fifth lame has some damage to its edges in the recessed borders at either side.

L.The right greave (and sabaton, P) extends to the sole of the foot, with front and rear plates articulated at the ankle by three lames at the front and four at the rear, all overlapping upwards. The sabaton is of ten lames, overlapping towards the fifth lame. The toe plate is shaped into a waisted square end and is extended underneath to retain the shoe. The articulating lames on the greave and the sabaton lames are also joined by their original internal leathers, all on pairs of flush iron rivets, with pairs of brass capped iron rivets on the toe and heel plates. At the heel is a spur, lacking its rowel (a six-pointed piece of leather is in place) with a decoratively cusped scalloped and angled neck, and sides riveted to the rear heel plate. At either side of the heel plate, at the lower edge, is a rivet hole for an under-sole strap, now lost. The greave is hinged at the outside with three original hinges, all attached with brass capped iron rivets, and fastened by pierced studs and swivel hooks at the top and bottom, and by a sprung stud at the middle. The sabaton lames are articulated by brass capped iron rivets at either side. The main edges have roped inward turns, the upper edge of the rear plate of the greave with a recessed border. The subsidiary edges are bordered by double incised lines. The exterior is bright and slightly patinated. The stud at the inside of the upper edge is replaced and fitted on a riveted repair. At the lower rear of the heel is a crack and a soldered repair, now salting.

M.The left gauntlet (U) has a cuff is of two pieces, joined by one rivet at either side, and slightly flaring. Inside the wrist is a single wrist plate shaped to the thumb. Outside are three metacarpal lames, a fourth which is extended to include the base of the thumb defense, and a fifth which is shaped to the knuckles. All these overlap upwards and are articulated by rivets at either side. The knuckle plate and the single carpal lame were restored in 1978. The thumb is protected by three scales and the fingers by 6, 7, 7 and 6 scales respectively, a few of which may be original, all riveted to modern leathers. The main edges have plain inward turns bordered by double incised lines and modern brass lining rivets at the cuff edge, and original iron rivets with washers, and a flush rivet at the thumb end on the wrist plate. Inside the gauntlet is sewn a modern leather cuff and a glove. The exterior is bright and slightly patinated. The wrist plate has a large riveted repair, as does the fourth metacarpal lame where it is extended for the thumb. The cuff edge has several areas of minor damage, and a suspension hole at the inner center.

N.The left cuisse (and poleyn, V) cuisse is formed of eight lames articulated by a modern black leather on pairs of rivets at the center, sliding rivets (all modern) at the outside and riveted solidly, entirely with modern rivets, at the inside, with additional restraining leathers at either edge. The poleyn has a main plate with a wing at the outside, and two articulating lames below. The lower of these has a flat main edge, with a keyhole slot at the outside and a large hole for a stud at the inside. All the elements are joined by original brass capped iron rivets with washers. The main edges have roped inward turns, symmetrical with central chevrons, and recessed borders, forming a heart-shaped center on the wing. The subsidiary edges are bordered by double incised lines. At the center top is a modern buff leather tab for pointing the cuisse, and at either side at the top and on the poleyn main plate are modern buff leather straps and buckles with modern brass figure-8 buckles. The exterior is bright and slightly patinated. The cuisse lames are numbered inside I-VIII.

O.The left greave (and sabaton, W) extends to the sole of the foot, with front and rear plates articulated at the ankle by three lames at the front and four at the rear, all overlapping upwards. The sabaton is of ten lames, overlapping towards the fifth lame. The toe plate is shaped into a waisted square end and is extended underneath to retain the shoe. The articulating lames on the greave and the sabaton lames are also joined by their original internal leathers, all on pairs of flush iron rivets, with pairs of brass capped iron rivets on the toe and heel plates. At the heel is a spur, lacking its rowel (a six-pointed piece of leather is in place) with a decoratively cusped scalloped and angled neck, and sides riveted to the rear heel plate. At either side of the heel plate, at the lower edge, is a rivet hole for an under-sole strap, now lost. The greave is hinged at the outside with three original hinges, all attached with brass capped iron rivets, and fastened by pierced studs and swivel hooks at the top and bottom, and by a sprung stud at the middle. The sabaton lames are articulated by brass capped iron rivets and washers at either side, with a modern rivet and washer on the fifth lame. The main edges have roped inward turns, the upper edge of the rear plate of the greave with a recessed border. The subsidiary edges are bordered by double incised lines. The exterior is bright and slightly patinated. The stud at the inside of the upper edge is replaced.

•Dimensions:

oDimensions: burgonet height 300 mm, width 224 mm, depth 330 mm, gorget height 185 mm, width 351 mm, depth 290 mm, right pauldron height 254 mm, width 270 mm, depth 310 mm, backplate height 398 mm, width 404 mm, depth 170 mm, breastplate height 560 mm, width 405 mm, tassets 320 x 200 mm, lance rest length 104 mm, height 70 mm, width 61 mm, right vambrace length 525 mm, right gauntlet length 354 mm, width 145 mm, left pauldron height 254 mm, width 270 mm, depth 345 mm, left vambrace length 506 mm, right cuisse and poleyn length 395 mm, width 182 mm, right greave and sabaton height 456 mm, foot length 275 mm, left gauntlet length 360 mm, width 135 mm, left cuisse and poleyn length 380 mm, width 182 mm, left greave and sabaton height 450 mm, foot length 275 mm, B,C,D,E,F,G,I,K,L,O,P,T,U,V,W as mounted overall height: 1795 mm; width: 870 mm; depth: 630 mm. Armor as mounted without helmet: c.1580 mm.

oWeight: burgonet 2485 g, gorget 1875 g, right pauldron 1860 g, backplate 3160 g, breastplate and tassets 7950 g, lance rest 296 g, right vambrace 1835 g, right gauntlet 810 g, left pauldron 2360 g, left vambrace 1805 g, right cuisse and poleyn 1155 g, right greave and sabaton 1575 g, left gauntlet 790 g, left cuisse and poleyn 1300 g, left greave and sabaton 1570 g, total as mounted 25501g (25.5 kg, 56 lb. 6 oz)

•Component Parts:

oRight cuisse and poleyn

oGorget

oGauntlet

oLeft pauldron

oKnuckle plate

oLeft greave and sabaton

oLeft vambrace

oBackplate

oLeft cuisse and poleyn

oRight vambrace

oKnuckle plate

oGauntlet linings

oRight gauntlet

oKnuckle plate

oLeft gauntlet

oRight tasset plate

oBreastplate and tassets

oArmet

oLance rest

oRight greave and sabaton

oRight pauldron

oLeft tasset plate

oBurgonet

•Inscriptions and Marks: No marks, other than constriction marks cited above.

•Associations:

oPlaces: England, Greenwich

•Bibliographic References

oA.R. Dufty and W. Reid, European Armor in the Tower of London, 1968, plate XLVI.

oC. Paggiarino, The Royal Armories, masterpieces of medieval and renaissance arms and armor, Milan, 2011 volume 2

•Notes:

oThe so-called “William the Conqueror” armor, from its use in the Line of Kings at the Tower.

The annual party for disadvantaged children which heads upstream to the Pool of London and back, with an ice cream van and cheesy music on board.

See Last Photo...They Do Fried Wings In There!.....

The Import and Export buildings

An unused dock in Limehouse. After looking at old maps and internet research, I cannot find a name for this old dock.

I can say for certain that it smelt bad!

Bridge House was built in 1819-20 by John Rennie for the residence of the Principal Dockmaster at the West India Docks next to Bridge House Quay overlooking the entrance to the docks to Blackwall Basin. The house has been converted into flats, and although the exterior was retained apparently the interior is extensively remodelled. Although the house still looks much the same, its surroundings are now very different.

This entrance to the docks is now closed, and the swing bridge across Preston's Road was removed and the road straightened and widened a few years after I took this picture; there is now housing along the side of the lock just past where I was standing.

Patriot Square, Bethnal Green, London E2.

On the left one day soon: Bow River Village

On the right one day: Strand East

Trinity Buoy Wharf is tucked into the end of a small peninsula at the point where the River Lea flows into the Thames, and for many years this was an isolated and forgotten part of London. Until 1988, this was where Trinity House built and maintained the buys and lightships that were used to aid navigation around the Kent, Essex and Suffolk coasts.

Trinity House was originally a voluntary organisation of shipmen and mariners, and was granted a Charter in 1514 by King Henry VIII, becoming "The Guild or Fraternity of the most glorious and undividable Trinity of St Clement". It gained its Coat of Arms in 1573, and with it the authority to erect beacons and other markers to aid navigation around the coasts of England; these evolved into the buoys, lightships and lighthouses for which Trinity House is still responsible around the United Kingdom.

Trinity Buoy Wharf was established in 1803 for the construction of wooden sea buoys, and over the years has adapted and expanded with the development of cast iron buoys in the 1860s. An experimental lighthouse was built in 1864 to test equipment and train lighthouse keepers; it still stands today.

Trinity Buoy Wharf was closed in December 1988 and acquired by the London Docklands Development Corporation, who decided to turn it into a centre for creative enterprises. In 1996 a long lease was granted to Urban Space Management, a company with a track record of regenerating former industrial locations.

www.trinitybuoywharf.com

In 1649 Parliament seized the jewels, plate and part of the royal regalia stored at the Tower of London. The crowns were broken up and sent to the Mint to be made into coinage, with the remaining items sold to private individuals.

After the restoration of Charles II new regalia had to be made, as the only objects recovered after 1660 were the 12th-century spoon, the ampulla, ceremonial swords and some of the original gemstones. The original coronation spoon and ampulla, used for anointing the monarch at the coronation ceremony, are today displayed in the Jewel House.

[Tower of London]

CT Plus DAS1, a short-wheelbase Enviro200 Dart, turns from Pritchards Road into Hackney Road on Monday 9th March 2009. This is not its usual route, but it was diverted this way as Whiston Road was closed.

Route 394 started as a half-hourly community minibus service running between Islington Angel and Broadway Market via the back streets of Hoxton. In 2003 it was extended via London Fields and Hackney central to Homerton Hospital, doubled in frequency and an evening and Sunday service was added. Nine unusual short-wheelbase Darts with slimline Caetano bodies were purchased for the route; these were ideal due to the many narrow streets and tight corners encountered on the route. The route is popular as it provides an east-west link through many areas where the predominant links are north-south, and another frequency increase in early 2008 saw two additional vehicles, DAS1 and DAS2, join the CT Plus fleet.

Pools Playground, Victoria Park, Tower Hamlets, London

Chinese restaurant full of bicycles for sale.

Wakefield Tower, traditionally where Henry VI died.

The former Police Station on Bethnal Green Road. The building is now occupied by Providence Row Housing Association, a Registered Social Landlord, and the cells and other buildings at the back have been converted into flats which are occupied by some of the Association's tenants.

The writer George Orwell (at the time still known by his real name of Eric Blair) spent a night here in late 1931 after being arrested in Mile End Road for being drunk and disorderly - a situation he had deliberately engineered. The cells here were the inspiration for the cells in the Ministry of Love in his novel 'Nineteen Eighty-Four'.

With super-stacked balconies

Captain John Smith set sail for the Colonies from here in December 1606

The 388 bus route started in January 2003. Its purpose was twofold: to provide additional bus capacity before the introduction of the Congestion Charge in February 2003; and to provide a much-requested link from the Victoria Park area to the City. The bus is seen in Victoria Park Road on the northern edge of Victoria Park heading towards the City; this road did not have a bus service before the 388 was introduced. As Victoria Park Road is one-way, buses towards Hackney Wick serve Well Street and Cassland Road.

HTP3 is a Plaxton President-bodied Dennis Trident and was previously in service with London General; it is one of two on loan from Ensignbus as the 388 has a temporary extension to Embankment whilst Blackfriars Underground Station is closed. Prior to this two similar buses were on loan from Metroline but these have now returned off loan. CT Plus started a new contract for the 388 on 23rd January, so presumably the Metroline buses were only hired until the end of the old contract.

Tuesday 10th February 2015 - a topical one for today.

Tower Hamlets Council has recently announced that it has bought the old Royal London Hospital Buildings on Whitechapel Road for £9million. These buildings are listed, but became redundant when the Royal London Hospital moved into its new state-of-the-art facilities during 2011/2012; it had been intended to move NHS Trust offices here, but funding is not available. Tower Hamlets is to move its Town Hall here, as its existing premises in Leamouth, Poplar are rented and the lease is due to expire.

The new Town Hall is just one of a number of regeneration projects that have been proposed for Whitechapel, in anticipation of the arrival of Crossrail in 2018. Whitechapel is still something of a deprived and down-at-heel area, and one that many outsiders still regard with suspicion - after all, it is only 127 years since Jack The Ripper conducted his murderous reign of terror around here, and a mere forty-nine since Ronnie Kray shot George Cornell in front of dozens of witnesses, none of whom saw a thing. The Blind Beggar now does gourmet burgers for £6.95.

In the late 1980s, this grade I listed former warehouse was converted into a shopping centre. Unfortunatly this was unsuccesful, and most of the shops were closed. A few shops hung on until recent years. Recently there was a plan for it to be turned into a factory outlet. There are now discussions about turning it into a luxury hotel.

Surprisingly, despite no shops being located here, the shopping centre is still open to the general public to walk through. It certainly has a very eerie feel to it, as it is still in very good condition but there is no one around.

Due to Crossrail work at the junction of Cambridge Heath Road and Whitechapel Road, routes 106 and 254 have been on diversion since 26th October.

The diversionary route was originally from Bethnal Green Station via Roman Road, Grove Road and Mile End Road to Whitechapel. However from 20th November the 254 was altered to run via Bethnal Green Road and Commercial Street to Aldgate, missing out Whitechapel completely - apparently passengers can travel between Shoreditch High Street and Whitechapel by London Overground, and the train fare will be automatically credited back to their Oyster Card if they use/have used a 254! Or they can use the 106, which is still following the original diversion.

Arriva London North VLW140, a Wright Gemini-bodied Volvo B7TL allocated to Ash Grove Garage, is seen in Bethnal Green Road during the afternoon of Saturday 15th December.

The diversion is scheduled to finish on 22nd December.