Virtual Walk – Saturday 6th March

On Saturday 6th March we again gathered on a Zoom call to be entertained by Blue Badge Guide Antony Robbins, for our virtual walk.  Word must have spread as double the number of Freemen logged on to hear the tour of Clerkenwell and Smithfield, entitled ‘In Sickness and in Health’. Quite an appropriate topic for nurses during a pandemic.

Antony (also known as Mr Londoner of https://mrlondoner.com/) was again very entertaining, selecting unusual and bizarre stories to set alongside the historical facts.

We were regaled with a number of tales including those concerning Charterhouse where we are due to visit for a ‘covid-rescheduled’ live tour during 2022, the history of Barts Hospital and the neighbouring beautiful Church of St Bartholomew the Great, Karl Marx’s manifesto and his links with the area which are retained in his memorial library on Clerkenwell Green.  Finally, the gruesome execution methods which were used in Smithfield.  The 1000 year old meat market is due to relocate east to Dagenham and the Museum of London to West Smithfield.

Calls for “more of these please” concluded our Zoom call and I can happily inform you that Antony has kindly agreed to oblige us with his presence again.

On the evening of Wednesday 9th June he will provide us with a bespoke virtual tour based around the River Thames. If you enjoyed his last one or this has whetted your appetite, please save the date and more details will be announced soon.

Vicki Garratt