So THAT'S what all those people were doing, I saw them from the Millennium Bridge and thought "clams? on the banks of the Thames? surely not!" but then a tour guide distracted me talking about the artist that paints pictures on wads of chewing gum in the grate, and my little squirrel mind was off and running... :)
Gosh Jill! This is just so so amazingly heartfelt and beautiful. You’re writing just keeps on getting better and better. Thank you for this gift of your words to start my day 💕
🥹 thank you Matt, you never know how things will hit do you? Confess to some trepidation about this one. ❤️ Thanks for the gentle words, as ever. You’re one in a million.
Such a stunningly multi-layered post, Jill. An absolutely wonderful read. I'm very behind on my reading, and I am so glad to have found this treat in my inbox. 🙌
I really enjoyed Lara Maiklem’s book but have never mudlarked myself! Also I think the Robert MacFarlane book you’re referencing is The Old Ways but I could be wrong. In any case, excellent taste in literature :)
Ah you’re so right, it’s alongside the essay about Sula Sgeir and the annual gannet slaughter isn’t it. Due a re-read I think... have you read Underland? I think that might be my favourite, I think about his Catacombs journey every time I go to Paris and that conversation with the particle physicist 🙌 perfect word magic.
Oh yes Underland is my favorite of his! And the catacombs chapter is absolutely bewitching. I haven’t visited the catacombs but I live in France now so maybe I’ll make it there.
We’re in Wales, curled up on the sofa by the fire after a days hiking and this pairing couldn’t have been more perfect. I used to live on Shad Thames and did a little larking myself, and would hear similar whispers. That silt is dense with stories… Such a gorgeous piece, Jill. Thank you so much for it ❤️
Shad Thames, hey neighbour. 🙋🏻♀️ I used to walk through there twice a day from house to office. Not surprised you heard the whispers too, Joel was like “you know it’s not because you can actually feel past people, just because you have an imagination, right?” And I was like “ok rationalist”. 😂
Just knew you'd get to mudlarking (after generously putting me on to that book), and how connective it becomes in your hands... Hard to write about exes, pasts, and you do so with such touch. Bravo.
I've been watching a good British show called "Gold" about a bank heist in the 1960s. There's a scene about the difference in what mudlarkers find in the poor part of London (back then)–––teeth, bones, pottery shards vs. mudlarkers in Chelsea who sometimes find jewelry, etc.
There's only three episodes out in America. I really like the show.
Sounds cool, will have to check it out, thanks! I always wanted to find an old coin when I was larking but never did. It’ll be because my efforts focused on the docklands, I need to go to more monied west London 😂🤝
My best find is a bone domino carved with ring and dot markings. It’s got to be three hundred years and some I think. Pulled from under a brick on the tide line near Queenhithe.
Awesome 🙌 lucky you. Seems the tales are true then that there are rich pickings at Queenhithe. That’s where Lara Maiklem found the 17th century ear cleaning spoon isn’t it ... ? Ground zero for people fleeing the Great Fire, with all their bits and pieces. I frequented Rotherhithe beach the most. Not sure what my best find is. The dildo surely is a contender. Maybe a polished marble (stone or maybe bone? Not sure) with a flat stripe round the middle. It’s really tactile but have no idea what it is, other than very definitely a marble. Also have a soft spot for a particular 17th century clay pipe I found whole, mostly buried in the mud under the back of the Mayflower. The bowl of it still smells like smoke to me.
Love it. The pipe bowls are always amazing to smell. With Queenhithe it’s out of bounds but you can look on the tide line without going up into the old dock. You should go up. Good line of old pins and bits there. I haven’t been for a while but miss the smell and the crunch underfoot. I fell on my arse in the undercut along there once. Such a wonderful way to spend a few hours.
Yes I thought it was forbidden so never went! Tide line makes sense though. Will have to remedy that next time I have a free afternoon in London - that coincides with the tides. My worst larking injury was slicing my thumb on that bowl. By evening, I had gone a bit feverish and figured a tetanus shot was in order 😬
Ha!! Remain and Leave most certainly *not* the same, touché. Listening now to that tune, I’ve never heard it! Thanks for listening John 🙏 from one Transatlantic Transplant to another
We're just pithy monkeys made of singing particles! Love it!
I love that too!! Thanks Richard ❤️🤝
So THAT'S what all those people were doing, I saw them from the Millennium Bridge and thought "clams? on the banks of the Thames? surely not!" but then a tour guide distracted me talking about the artist that paints pictures on wads of chewing gum in the grate, and my little squirrel mind was off and running... :)
Clams 😂 ok that made me snort. Wouldn’t eat anything from that foreshore 😬 did you see the dildo 🤣
what is a "dildo"...? 🤣
A very rare and elusive find on the foreshore... Collector’s item for sure
Prob not so rare - but I would be curious to meet the collector of mudlark dildoes ::))
🤢🫠 I’ll pass
Gosh Jill! This is just so so amazingly heartfelt and beautiful. You’re writing just keeps on getting better and better. Thank you for this gift of your words to start my day 💕
🥹 thank you Matt, you never know how things will hit do you? Confess to some trepidation about this one. ❤️ Thanks for the gentle words, as ever. You’re one in a million.
You’re so welcome and so sweet! No it’s always a step into the unknown when you post something personal. You’re the loveliest one for sure 💕
Such a stunningly multi-layered post, Jill. An absolutely wonderful read. I'm very behind on my reading, and I am so glad to have found this treat in my inbox. 🙌
I really enjoyed Lara Maiklem’s book but have never mudlarked myself! Also I think the Robert MacFarlane book you’re referencing is The Old Ways but I could be wrong. In any case, excellent taste in literature :)
Ah you’re so right, it’s alongside the essay about Sula Sgeir and the annual gannet slaughter isn’t it. Due a re-read I think... have you read Underland? I think that might be my favourite, I think about his Catacombs journey every time I go to Paris and that conversation with the particle physicist 🙌 perfect word magic.
Oh yes Underland is my favorite of his! And the catacombs chapter is absolutely bewitching. I haven’t visited the catacombs but I live in France now so maybe I’ll make it there.
I’m too afraid to go down there! 🫣 But I enjoy the daydream at every grate or manhole
I would likely just end up in the touristy part 😅
We’re in Wales, curled up on the sofa by the fire after a days hiking and this pairing couldn’t have been more perfect. I used to live on Shad Thames and did a little larking myself, and would hear similar whispers. That silt is dense with stories… Such a gorgeous piece, Jill. Thank you so much for it ❤️
Shad Thames, hey neighbour. 🙋🏻♀️ I used to walk through there twice a day from house to office. Not surprised you heard the whispers too, Joel was like “you know it’s not because you can actually feel past people, just because you have an imagination, right?” And I was like “ok rationalist”. 😂
😂 Don’t you dare come for our larking whispers, Joel!!
Hands off 🙅🏻♀️😷
Just knew you'd get to mudlarking (after generously putting me on to that book), and how connective it becomes in your hands... Hard to write about exes, pasts, and you do so with such touch. Bravo.
And there’s still so much left to say ... thank you Kenneth, hope your trip is going well and the priests aren’t being too obstructive!
Really loved this post.
I've been watching a good British show called "Gold" about a bank heist in the 1960s. There's a scene about the difference in what mudlarkers find in the poor part of London (back then)–––teeth, bones, pottery shards vs. mudlarkers in Chelsea who sometimes find jewelry, etc.
There's only three episodes out in America. I really like the show.
Sounds cool, will have to check it out, thanks! I always wanted to find an old coin when I was larking but never did. It’ll be because my efforts focused on the docklands, I need to go to more monied west London 😂🤝
My best find is a bone domino carved with ring and dot markings. It’s got to be three hundred years and some I think. Pulled from under a brick on the tide line near Queenhithe.
Awesome 🙌 lucky you. Seems the tales are true then that there are rich pickings at Queenhithe. That’s where Lara Maiklem found the 17th century ear cleaning spoon isn’t it ... ? Ground zero for people fleeing the Great Fire, with all their bits and pieces. I frequented Rotherhithe beach the most. Not sure what my best find is. The dildo surely is a contender. Maybe a polished marble (stone or maybe bone? Not sure) with a flat stripe round the middle. It’s really tactile but have no idea what it is, other than very definitely a marble. Also have a soft spot for a particular 17th century clay pipe I found whole, mostly buried in the mud under the back of the Mayflower. The bowl of it still smells like smoke to me.
Love it. The pipe bowls are always amazing to smell. With Queenhithe it’s out of bounds but you can look on the tide line without going up into the old dock. You should go up. Good line of old pins and bits there. I haven’t been for a while but miss the smell and the crunch underfoot. I fell on my arse in the undercut along there once. Such a wonderful way to spend a few hours.
Yes I thought it was forbidden so never went! Tide line makes sense though. Will have to remedy that next time I have a free afternoon in London - that coincides with the tides. My worst larking injury was slicing my thumb on that bowl. By evening, I had gone a bit feverish and figured a tetanus shot was in order 😬
Oops.
What a gorgeous, thoughtful piece. Relics of life, all around us.
Ah, Jill, this was wonderful. I listened to the audio. As a Brit living in the US, I too have an accent whenever I go.
Remain and Leave are the same?
I should do more crosswords.
Your love of the word "Rangoon" had me dig this up: https://spotify.link/FYY4yoU6qDb
Enjoy!
Ha!! Remain and Leave most certainly *not* the same, touché. Listening now to that tune, I’ve never heard it! Thanks for listening John 🙏 from one Transatlantic Transplant to another
I really enjoyed this - especially the passages about mudlarking! Looking forward to more.
Thank you Jeffrey, very kind 🙏 Mudlarking is just so magic, it writes itself