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0 No 24 Newham: The Stratford Martyrs
In this, the final instalment of this 10-month Olympic Borough Folk Olympics tour, Ruairidh Anderson visits Newham to explore the tale of the Stratford Martyrs.
“Today, speaking out against the church can bring the reward of a bestselling book and a series on the BBC, but in the 1500s the work of Richard Dawkins woud have been met with more than just a warm reception”
Watch the video and enjoy the London song inspired by this tale, ‘For Sweetest Lord’.
NOTE: Some of the instalments listed in ‘The Five Boroughs’ are also included in the ‘Songs From The Howling Sea – East End’ series. As such these songs are not included in the FREE album download.
0 No 23 Newham: Elizabeth Fry
As the final week of our Olympic Borough Folk Olympics tour approaches, may I present the third instalment for the Borough of Newham, the life of Elizabeth Fry.
‘The idea of waking up in our own filth and in very close proximity to someone of questionable looks and an equally low level level of personal hygiene is for many of us simply a fond memory of university days, but for many Londoners it was a very grim reality. That was before the arrival of a shy girl forever linked to the borough of Newham.’
Watch the video and enjoy the London song inspired by this tale, ‘Into The Dark’. Available to download soon! In the meantime download more London songs here!
0 No.22 Newham: The Royal Docks
Continuing to chronicle the history of the Olympic borough of Newham in song, this week, I explore the underbelly of the Royal Docks.
“Employment was largely concentrated on the docks, the largest of which was Newham’s Royal Docks. Not just the greatest in Britain but the largest enclosed docks in the world. And of the employees that worked on the docks an estimated 30% were criminals…”
Watch the video and enjoy the London song inspired by this tale, ‘The Thames’. Available to download soon! In the meantime download more London songs here!
0 No.21 Newham: S.S. Princess Alice Disaster
This week, I start on the final leg of this 10-month project to chronicle the history of the Olympic boroughs in song. In the first tale from Newham, the worst London disaster of the industrial age: the sinking of the SS Princess Alice.
“It was a beautiful autumn evening in September 1878 when James Read Bilton left his house in West Ham, Newham with his family, for a relaxing moonlit cruise aboard the SS Princess Alice…”
Watch the video and enjoy the London song inspired by this tale, ‘Three Words.’
Available to download soon! In the meantime download more London songs here!
Lyrics can be found here.
0 SFTHS Guest Post at ’100 Great Things About London’
This week I was featured as part of the ’100 Great Things About London’ series. My offering was an episode on the East End (no surprises there!). You can visit the project here
0 No.20 Waltham Forest: Walthamstow Avenue FC
This week, the final tale from the borough of Waltham Forest & that of the mighty Walthamstow Avenue FC.
“In a few short weeks many will join together to enjoy watching others groan, grunt and sweat for their viewing pleasure. I’m not talking about the annual meet of the Rotherham Swingers Alliance; of course, I’m referring to the London 2012 Olympics. But one Borough who won’t be getting too carried away is Waltham Forest. Because they’ve seen it all before…”
Watch the video and enjoy the London song inspired by this tale, ‘Blue.’
Available to download soon! In the meantime download more London songs here!
Lyrics can be found here.
0 No.19 Waltham Forest: The Suicide Pool
This week, the tale of Epping Forest’s mysterious suicide pool .
“Scandinavia, famous the world over for beautiful blondes, the Northern lights and suicide. No one knows why but I’m sure Ikea has something to do with it. But this area doesn’t hold the monopoly on self-extermination. There’s also a place deep in the heart of Waltham Forest.”
Watch the video and enjoy the London song inspired by this tale, ‘The Call Of Her Song.’
Available to download soon! In the meantime download more London songs here!
Lyrics can be found here.
0 No.18 Waltham Forest: Frederick Bremer
This week, another Waltham Forest tale. That of Frederick Bremer, the original boy racer.
“London is one one of the richest cities in the world and with that wealth comes the power of the status symbol; the house we own, the clothes we wear and of course the car we drive. But for some a motor is more than an interest but an obsession.”
Watch the video and enjoy the London song inspired by this tale, ‘The Breaking Dawn’. Available to download soon! In the meantime download more London songs here!
0 No.17 Waltham Forest: Plague Pits
In this latest ‘Folk Olympics’ instalment, Ruairidh Anderson pens the song ‘Shed Leaves & Fading Steps’ as he begins the journey through the Borough of Waltham Forest with a trip to a forgotten plague pit.
“Many would like to claim they live in the city’s worst areas, but only the residents of Walthamstow can truly state that they reside in London’s original dumping ground.”
Watch the video and enjoy the London song inspired by this tale,’Shed Leaves, Fading Steps’. Available to download soon! In the meantime download more London songs here!
Lyrics can be found here.
