Jenny O'Neill decided to investigate the history of The Queen's Walk, an avenue of trees planted in the 1970s to memorialise the Civilian Dead killed in aerial bombardment during WWII. The story of this avenue is itself the story of development on the South Bank, as revealed by Jenny in this abridged version of the study.
In 1988 I moved into what was once called Princes Meadows – the part of Waterloo around what is now Hatfields and Stamford Street. There was still the remnant of the print trade existing with Mirror newspaper paper lorries leaving what is now the Gym building on the corner of Cornwall Road.
'Return to Waterloo' (1984), Ray Davies of ‘The Kinks’ departure into directing, establishes itself as a musical drama that questions the thoughts of a seemingly average commuter (Ken Colley) on his daily, mundane train journey from Guildford to Waterloo.
This pleasure garden was situated approximately where Pearman Street now is. It was established by Crispus Claggett who later went on to run the Pantheon Entertainment Hall in Oxford Street. Initially there was only a “Great Room” or Assembly Room where the first concerts were given in the autumn of 1787.
Following the tragic sinking of the RMS Titanic in 1912, the Board of Trade conducted an inquiry that highlighted the need for better seamanship training. As a result, several nautical training schools were established, including the London Nautical School.
You could argue that the centre of the cinema experience in London today, even England, is at Waterloo with the British Film Institute (BFI) and the imposing IMAX Cinema. But what are the area’s previous links with the then new and up and coming entertainment of the 1900s?