Rich Pickings, Kensington (part 1) and Red 111

The weather got worse.

If it hadn't been for the awful weather I'd have even more to document regarding part 1 of the City Lit Summer walking tour looking at bits of West London.

The group started off from High Street Kensington tube station and it was evident from our first step that the course leader knew a good deal about the residents and history of the area - on the Main road we looked at what were the departmental stores of Barker's of Kensington  Derry & Toms  from the times when shopping was an occasion and retail staff  were not simply marking time until 'something better' turned up.

Much in evidence on the buildings were fine details that related to the businesses.

The detail at Derry & Toms shows busy bees working together

The clock on Barker's of Kensington

Surprisingly just a few steps away from the busy High Street the roads were quieter and residential properties with a mixture of people living there, notable people include the Comic Actress Joan Sims famous for her many Carry On appearances who lived at Esmond Court in Thackeray Street for much of her life.  

I was interested to see a retail outlet of Anello and Davide who found fame in the swinging 60's by providing the Beatles at the start of their careers with customized 'Beatle Boots'.

Beatle's Boots outlet

Joan Sims lived at Esmond Court

Nearby we saw the street (Hyde Park Gate) where Virginia Woolf,  Jacob Epstein and the (perhaps) most important UK Prime Minister  of the 20th Century Sir Winston Churchill - it's also the street where Robert Baden-Powell (who started  the Scout movement) lived and where Lord Lawson now lives.

And Head man.

Head Scout,

Head sculptor

We also saw artists and writers commemorated - more to come on my twitter (#tjbourne) in the next few days  but here (below) is the home used by the famous actress Mrs Patrick Campbell (for whom the role of Pygmalion was created).

Mrs Campbell lived at 33, Kensington Square

Red 111

I got my 'Red' Photo at Bill's just by Kensington High Street Tube station.

Looking a bit forlorn