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THE TONY TRAIL - JUNE 2ND 2005 11:45am
by Jill and Carol
We started out at the Angel, Islington tube. Going in a southerly direction over Pentonville/City Road into St John Street, we made our way to Myddleton Square which is off Chadwell Street, a few yards down. Walking into the square takes you into a very quiet idyllic setting. With the trees all out in bloom the scene made a lovely setting. You could just imagine a wedding here. We walked round the grounds to the front of the church. (Unfortunately, there's no access through the park used only for walking dogs, ball games etc.)
The church is very imposing, no wonder Tony wanted to get married in this magnificent place just on his doorstep. We didn't venture inside but perhaps we should have. In the surrounding areas we noticed there were a lot of references to Myddleton: Myddleton Passage (which leads to the Shakespeare Pub and the Sadlers Wells Theatre) and even a school down by the Family Records Centre. Who was this Myddleton person? Looking up on Google it has since been discovered that Hugh Myddleton was the man who brought fresh water to north London in 1613 by using his own money to build a forty mile water course from the springs of Amwell and Chadwell. He was knighted by King James I in 1622 in recognition of the enterprise and engineering skills. He was a local hero of the 17th century, maybe Tony might be awarded such 21st century accolades in years to come too!!
Walking into Ebert Street and across Amwell Street into Great Percy Street, you go down hill towards Percy Circus. You pass by the local hostillery, the Percy Arms, which is closed, but only for refurb, we surmised as there was no 'for sale' sign outside. There might be hope for a reunion there one day. We must have walked around the central park, with its Victoria railings and lamposts several times, this way and that. On most of the circumference the architecture is of Victorian three storey town houses. In the gaps are newer structures, one being the back end of the Travelodge which, if you are lucky to be allocated, have rooms overlooking the Circus. There is a blue plaque which states that Lenin once stayed at 16 Percy Circus. Maybe there will be a plaque for Mr Hadley in the future on the other side of Percy Circus. It was very quiet but there were some local people milling about their own business. We had a chat with one man who knew that Tony lived in the Circus and that he still has local family connections. It was nice being there but you can only walk round it once or twice without the locals thinking you're a bit barmy (or you're doing it for a bet - as Tony would say!).
After this we walked down to the Kings Cross Road and turned left. Stopped at the Union Tavern for a bite of lunch and then jumped on the 63 bus which would have taken Tony towards the IPC buildings where he used to work the other side of Blackfriars Bridge on the Southbank. It only takes about 10 minutes, if that. We got off at the stop just over the bridge and walked past the top of Stamford Street, under the railway bridge, across The Cut (could this possibly be the inspiration for the third name of the band?) past the pub called The Ring - a good little watering hole - towards 79-80 Blackfriars Road. This is all closed up now but it is the annex where the IPC Business Press magazine Electrical Press used to be housed, and Tony used to work in there for a while, before he got the recording deal. It is a sorry sight, we didn't stay there long, not surprisingly. But it had memories for Jill because that's where her office used to be as well. If only she had known who the young guy, with the dark hair, who used to stop and ask her work colleagues how they were, etc., etc., she would have paid more attention.
Walking back to the Ring and turning left down The Cut, crossing over into Hatfields we walked towards Stamford Street. This takes you past what would have been the loading bay/warehouse/ pool car park where he worked, only now it is all new offices - tastefully done it has to be said. These join onto the back of Dorset House, where IPC Business Press used to be; a stately set of 30's looking offices, which are now occupied by HM Customs! Over the road from here is the IPC Magazines building, the Kings Reach Tower. It is a fantastically high 70's structure and it makes you dizzy to look up at it. Below this used to be all sorts of shops and coffee bars, frequented by the staff of both IPC offices. Many a cup of coffee must have been drunk by young Hadley there.
Making our way towards the river via the Oxo building we joined the walk on the Soutbank, going left along the pathway towards Waterloo Bridge, past all the cafes, bars and TV studios. (Remember the back drop to This Morning? This is their outlook.
Walking up the steps onto the Bridge and over to the northbank, we made our way across The Strand into The Aldwych and up Kingsway. Off Kingsway, about the fourth street on the left is Great Queen Street where we tried to find the location of the Blitz Club. By this time, we were in need of a coffee, and we stopped at the coffee bar on the corner. As The Blitz doesn't exist anymore it was like a needle in a haystack, it could have once been any of the little wine bars or cafes down there. Only those who used to frequent it in the late 70's early 80's would know. We asked in the Connaught Rooms, but they were all too young to remember. Great!
The road leads towards Covent Garden, where we got sucked into the hub-bub of London's tourist attractions. We stayed there for a while, sat in Leicester Square giving the sore feet a rest, made a few phone calls (other interested parties wondering how we got on ) and then realised it was getting on and time to think about getting home. It was 4:30pm.
It had been an enlightening walkabout and would be nice to do it again, perhaps taking in a few more pubs next time. But now the trail has been set (there is room for improvement and expansion granted) maybe we'll do it again next year. Same date, same place.
Jill and Carol June 2nd 2005
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