Shift 17 Group 1 C154
Tuesday 14th August 2012
My final shift. My final day in London, so I decided to start early with some sightseeing. First up was Paternoster
Square, which is close to St. Paul's Cathedral. The plaza includes the 75ft tall Paternoster
Square Column, which serves as a ventilation shaft for a service road that runs beneath the square, the bronze Paternoster (also known as
Shepherd and Sheep), Temple Bar Gate, a Wren-designed stone archway constructed
between 1669 and 1672 on Fleet Street at Temple Bar (the historic western ceremonial entrance to the City), and relocated at a cost of £3m, plus
the Angel's Wings sculpture.
From there I wandered past a telephone box Wenlock,
Paul's Cross Memorial Statue in St Paul's Churchyard, St.Paul's Cathedral and
St Augustine Watling Street. I headed down Peter's Hill towards the river and the
Millenium Bridge, where I passed a Mandeville. I crossed the Thames over the
Millenium Bridge, from which you can see
Tower Bridge (with its rings), The Shard and the Globe Theatre.
Back on the St. Paul's side of the river, I headed towards The Royal Exchange with
the War Memorial outside and
The Bank of England. From there I came across Leadenhall Market, which was used
as Diagon Alley in the Harry Potter films. Next stop was down towards the Tower, and I actually went into the
All Hallows by the Tower Church rather than sitting outside it to have lunch. Tubby Clayton, the Anglican clergyman who founded the Toc H
movement in WW1 was the Vicar here for 40 years. The Toc H Lamp of Maintenance
is in the Lady Chapel, and there is a lovely embroidered seat cushion. I also took
the time to look at the Merchant Navy & Fishing Fleets Tower Hill Memorial that I
have walked past so often.
Up in the Aldgate area, I came across a wooden structure close to
St Botoph without Aldgate that had been erected with materials and sponsorship by BSW. I was in uniform as I was off later to my last shift, and a member of
the public stopped to ask me "Can you still wear that?". Came across a Cockney Wenlock
and a Punk Mandeville, as I headed towards 30 St. Mary Axe, otherwise known as The Gherkin.
Before I got there I went through Great St. Helen's where there was some modern art
on display. It was described as triffid-like.
Checking in for my shift, and it was weird seeing the Olympic Park so quiet.
Despatcher John was in de-mob mode. I only had one job on my last shift. Two of us
were sent to the Marriott Grosvenor Square to take a couple from Rio to Heathrow Terminal 1. Came across another
Wenlock. I had all the luggage in my car, whilst mt collegue had the people. We
traveled in convoy and didn't get lost. The couple wanted to know where the porters were. My fellow driver and I became the porters, getting
the luggage trolleys and pushing them into the terminal to the first class check-in desk. They were very grateful, kisses all round. A bit of
research revealed our important passenger was Coaracy Nunes Filho, President of the Brazilian SwimmingConfederation and a FINA Bureau member.
