#62 - Reflect on a crime of passion over a pint

Timeout says:
Ruth Ellis, the last woman to be hanged in Britain, shot David Blakely here on Easter Day in 1955, and two weathered bullet holes on the front wall outside mark the event. Today, the Magdala is a sedate spot; light pours in through the oversized, partly stained-glass windows, and chirpy young bar staff pull pints of London Pride and Greene King IPA

Dave did:

"Hang on" said John, "you should go and have a pint at a crime scene tonight!"

"Uh...okay John, are we about to witness a crime?"


Bearing in mind I had known John for all of 10 minutes over a game of London Skittles (not your normal every day kind of situation) I don't think this was such an unreasonable question!

"No, no, in you 1000 Things, the Magdala here, its just down the road, you can complete another of your things while your here tonight!"



And indeed he was right! In fact I had passed this crime scene on the way to the game of Skittles and had not even noticed it or registered its importance!

So on our way back home, I insisted Ian join me for a quick drink before the bar closed for the night. A quick glass of coke later (on a school night 2 pints was enough for me!) we made our way out the door in hunt of the infamous bullet holes.



I was tempted to pull a legendary death scene pose, but thought the better of it as the bullet holes still look quick fresh!

110 down...890 Things to go!

#45 - Play London Skittles

Timeout says:
Try to knock down nine pins with a 10lb 'cheese' (more of a wedge than a ball) in as few throws as possible. A rare 'floorer' is the apogee, when all the pins are downed with one throw. Three floorers on the trot will earn you a place in London skittles history (17 were recorded in 1934, but the feat hasn't been managed since 1960). Sadly, this historic London game is nearing extinction, but there is an alley at the Freemasons Arms. Play it to save it!

Dave did:

To: enquiries@londonskittles.co.uk
Subject: Skittles Enquiries

Hello,

I read about London Skittles in my Timeout 1000 Things to do in London. I am
currently trying to complete all 1000 things (see www.timeoutinlondon.co.uk)
and I was wondering if me and a friend could come and visit the Freemason
Arms this Tuesday night to try a game?

Thanks,

David


From: enquiries@londonskittles.co.uk
Sent: Sunday, August 17, 2008 9:25 PM
To: timeoutinlondon@gmail.com
Subject: RE: Skittles Enquiries

Hi David,

Yes, no problem. We start at about 8pm and play in order of arrival. You "stick" a game first (put the pins up for the players of that game), then you get to play. There's no charge for your first three visits. In the event that you decide to abandon the other 999 things and stick to skittles, the annual membership is £6 and games are 50p.

Regards,
Paul

Paul Robinson
Hampstead Lawn Billiard and Skittle Club


And so it was I found myself running out the office at 7pm to high tail it over to the north end of London. Fortunately I was not going to be flying solo for the evening as my old schoolfriend Ian agreed to come along.

We arrived at the Freemasons Arms to a very subdued and proper gastro-pub. A quick scout around confirmed that we may have found the wrong Freemasons Arms! But I had the quick-thinking to ask a member of the bar staff if they happened to play London skittles in the building, and fortunately they did...it was just downstairs and around the corner from the toilets!

I distinctly recall Ian suggesting it felt like we were heading for a bare knuckles underground boxing match...and the loud thumps and wooden grinds did not help dampen the though!

I peeped our heads around into a moderately sized room, with half the floor missing in the middle creating a gully that led to a diamond shaped platform where 9 pins stood in a diamond formation. Around this set were 3 proud members of the Hampstead Lawn Billiard and Skittle Club (they don't know why its a Lawn Billiard club...they only ever play skittles!)

We were quickly introduced to Steve, Tom and Paul, my contact from the earlier email exchange.

I had tried my best to read up a bit about the game before I had arrived (see www.londonskittles.co.uk) and understood that the game consisted of 9 skittles setup at one end of the room, and then the player was expected to throw a 'cheese' and knock down as many skittles as possible. Knocking all 9 skittles in 3 throws is considered the equivalent of a par in golf, knock them down in less than 3 throws is great, anything more you either score a 4 (if cleared in 4 throws) or a maximum of 5 (5 throws or more required to clear). With me so far? Me neither! When I originally read this my first thoughts were a) Thats alotta stinky cheese and b) Its gonna be very messy!

It's surprising how quickly you pick it the rules though (and rest assured the 'cheese' is actually a very dense circular plate of wood...denser than water I am reliably told!). Our entrance was welcomed with a rare event in London Skittles as one of these cheeses was broken in half after a throw!

A game consists of 7 frames (I think) and you play against 1 other player in turns. My first game was pretty solid, starting with a few 4's and 5's, and ending with a 3! I'm sorry to say my second game (after a few intervening ale's) was not so good and my 'technique' went out the window with a full set of 5's!


During play we discussed how I came across the club, and I explained about my 1000 Things. Luckily I had the book with me and the guys were ecstatic to find out they were #45...in the top 50! They did, however, object to Timeout's reference to the game heading for extinction...


All in all it was a brilliant night out, undoubtedly something a bit different, and hats off to Tom, Paul and Steve who were more than willing to teach us the game and let us play a few games with them. I would definitely place this in my top 5 things done so far!



109 down...891 Things to go!

#513 - Assess London's city squares: Lincoln's Inn Fields

Timeout says:
This 17th-century square, laid out by Inigo Jones, is now a favourite spot for lunching lawyers from the Inns of Court. Sir John Soane's Museum faces on to the square

Dave did:
Well I didn't see anyone resembling a lawyer (no funny wigs anyway!). Curiously there were plenty of stretch limo's about (white and pink ones..??), and there was a kids exercise class in the centre of the park.

My overall assessment? A reasonable get away from the hectic city life, but the buzz of the corporate life is only a 2 minute walk away...

108 down...892 Things to go!

#849 - Take a peek at Strand Lane's 'Roman Bath'

Timeout says:
Neither Roman nor really a bath, this splendid little curio at 5 Strand Lane can be glimpsed through a murky barred window down a cruddy side alley off Surrey Street. The red-brick plunge pool is first mentioned in records towards the end of the 18th century and Dickens wrote about it in David Copperfield, but archaeologists have found no evidence to confirm it has Roman origins.

Dave did:
Today wasn't my lucky day. An hour long walk to get to the Inns fields, and on my way home I decided to seek out this little gem.

The dark alley was gated and locked, and the sign informed me that it was around the corner at the end of the alley...



so my best shot of it was this:



First impressions count, and I don't think I'd consider a swim down there!

107 down...893 Things to go!

#34 - Nose around the Inns of Court

Timeout says:
The Inns of Court - four self-contained precincts where barristers traditionally train and practice - are an oasis of calm in the middle of the city. The Inns - Lincoln's Inn, Gray's Inn, Inner Temple, Middle Temple - meander in a broad zig-zag from Holborn down through Chancery Lane to Blackgriars and Embankment. They trace their history back to the 14th century, when the old manor house belonging to Sir Reginald de Grey, Chief Justice of Chester, was converted into a 'hostelry' for law students fleeing the disarray of King Edward's court (hence Inns).

Dave did:
Have you ever had one of those days where you go off in search of some site around town...you have your printed map and know exactly where your going. And an hour later you realise you didn't know exactly where you were going at all!

Well that was the story of my evening in London tonight! I've suddenly had the wind in my sales of late, and keen to crack on with my 1000 Things I noticed that the Inns of Court gardens were not that far away from my office...unfortunately I decided to take a circular route, reaching my target in ever decreasing circles! A 10 minute walk from my office turned into a 1 hour hike!

Got there in the end though! I did some research on wikipedia beforehand and apparently the Lincoln Inn Fields inspired the creation of Central Park in New York. I'll be honest and say I've never been to Central Park, but if its anything like this one then I think I'll give it a miss...nothing that special if you ask me!



106 down...894 Things to go!

#944 - Watch the London Triathlon

Timeout says:
It can seem like sadism to watch athletes putting themselves through such torture. The London Triathlon involves a swimming, bike and running race. The races are important fundraisers for charity.


Dave did:
A few months ago I arranged a primary school reunion through facebook, trying to get together some old schoolmates who grew up with me out in the middle-east and now so happen to live in and around London. To cut a long story short, only 2 people showed up...and 1 of them was 2 hours late so I never actually saw them!

However, I met up with the late-comer a few weeks later for a drink, and she announced she was taking part in the London Triathlon later in the year. At this point a small lightbulb went off in the back of my mind (1000 Things, I am ashamed to say wasn't at the forefront of my mind back then), but I couldn't recall why at the time.

Then this weekend I was reading through my 1000 Things bible and realised I was meant to watch it. I quickly went online to check out the dates only to realise that it was this weekend! My old schoolfriend hadn't even reminded me she was doing it!

Unfortunately I didn't get out in time to see her perform the swimming leg for her team, and I had to resort to checking out the Olympic-standard triathletes the following day.

Got down to Embankment where my research reliably informed me that the cycling leg would pass through. Was there any cyclists rushing past? Not one! The barriers were setup, the police presence was felt, but nothing else was really happening.

I looked left...



...two tourists walking straight over the cyclists path.


I looked right...



...oh hang on...



...finally a cyclist!



So there you go...I saw the London Triathlon!


105 down..895 Things to go!

#786 - Visit the Thames Barrier

Timeout says:
The key player in London's flood defence system and an arresting piece of modern architecture.

Dave did:
As part of my work's grand cruise down the Thames we did not only see the Thames Barrier, we cruised THROUGH the Thames Barrier! Unfortunately it was not in action while we passed through it (well maybe not so unfortunate as it would be difficult for us to about turn and come back through it again!), but Gillian (my partner for the evening) could see how excited I was by what we achieved that evening! It was very very cool! (and yes I am very very sad!)





104 down...896 Things to go!

#995 - Go on a Thames River boat trip

Celebrity Favourite Thing - Christian O'Connell (Radio DJ)

Timeout/Christian says:
My daughter is transfixed by the Thames - the sheer size of it. We're going on a boat trip this summer - a good one that goes from Kingston, past Putney and on to Westminster

Dave did:
Well as explained in my last post, I did go on a lovely Thames cruise for a work's event, but unfortunately it didn't take in the pleasant sights of London. I did see the O2 Centre (nee the Millennium Dome), Canary Wharf, and the Thames Barrier...but still would have liked to have seen London city, rather than London scrubs!

Never turn down a free lunch though...I cruised the Thames with free food and booze and thats NEVER a bad thing!

103 down...897 Things to go!

#279 - Actually use river transport

Timeout says:
Have a gander at any Ole London picture of the Thames and the first thing that'll strike you is the amount of river traffice there used to be. These days most boats on the river are used by tourists - and perfectly nice they are too, taking you about the many sights of the Thames...an excellent way to get from east to west - or just to see the river's landmarks

Dave did:
Work announced that they were to hold a Charity Ball on a boat, which would cruise down the river Thames.

Perfect, I thought, maybe I'll get to see Tower Bridge open while I sail under it, maybe I'll see the London Eye and Westminster and see the sights of London from the one place very few people do see them from!


Unfortunately none of the above happened (although we did go under Tower Bridge, it did not open up for us!). We actually travelled from Tower Bridge east-wards, towards Canary Wharf, and then on to the Thames Barrier. Not the nicest of routes in London (lots of warehouses, ship yards and other pretty worn down areas of London), but it was still a great night out!

102 down...898 Things to go!