Clerkenwell Green

Islington have had various nefarious schemes for the redevelopment of Clerkenwell Green over the years. But partly thanks to the lobbying of the Clerkenwell Green Preservation Society, a few improvements have been made recently. There are still parked cars and traffic (it's a long time since it was "green"), but there are bollards which stop it being used a rat run, and there are fewer parking bays.

Several years ago, Islington got planning permission to convert the disused Victorian public conveniences in the middle of the "green" into a cafe and art gallery.  All that happened is that some black hoarding went up round the site. I was pleased to see this morning that some street art has been added to it which shows scenes from the local history.

This is one of the four sides and, starting from the left, seems to have, some Knights of St John of the Cross, who became the Knights of Malta and eventually St John's Ambulance, which is based at the other end of the square. Then there are a couple of nuns, possibly from the nunnery of St Mary, which owned this land in the 14th to 16th centuries. The figure sitting at the desk is Lenin, who stayed in this area when he was in London and frequented the Crown Tavern behind where I was standing. I guess the handcuffs and padlock refer to the Middlesex Sessions House, a courthouse and jail, on the west end of the green. The clock may refer to the important clock and watch trade in the area.  I don't recognise the black and white figure in the hat preaching to the masses, I need to do more research. The red flags on the right hand end probably refer to the fact that the London May Day rally has started on Clerkenwell Green (in front of the Marx Library) every year since 1890.

There are three more sides, equally interesting, which I will blip another day.