I'm expecting a pair of Lee101 relaxed fit jeans. RM delivery.
Got an email from O'Connell's.
Yesterday received 'Estuary' by Rachel Lichtenstein a book I have been meaning to read for some time. I once had a plan to write something similar. I have many connections with the River Thames from Tower Bridge to the sea.

I lived the first year of my life in Silvertown. I had strong connections with the Royal Docks areas. No  family living anywhere near London now.

Thanks, Robbie.  I'll check that out.  Have you seen those great 60s/70s films of Manhattan on Youtube?  Excellent.

Staxfan - respect to your Dad. A Thames Lighterman was a highly skilled job. I worked on the Thames Barrier and went backwards and forwards on the river using the Watermen. I think Lightermen were involved as well especially when we towed out the sills that were then positioned on the river bed. It was a good number for the guys working on the river as their traditional work was coming to an end by that time

Robbie - my Dad took redundancy in 1968, best thing he ever did, he'd had some very lean years before that working just a couple of days a week,sometimes less, it was a 7 year apprenticeship , he rowed in the 'Doggetts Coat & Badge' race which you may know is still open to Lightermen & Watermen apprentices, there was a BBC documentary on the race a few years ago,
Probably wouldn't have had my plain cap royals from the Ivy Shop Christmas '68 if he hadn't got his redundancy , good old Mum & Dad hehe,

Fantastic story Stax and a nice link to the Ivy Shop.
We had an annual rowing competition with the water guys and our foremen. The race ended at Poplar, Blackwall rowing club. Can't remember much except the watermen always won, both on the river and in the bar afterwards. HaHa.

Last edited by RobbieB (2021-11-19 11:29:47)

Sperry Topsiders.  £8.50 on Ebay.

Another pair of USA-made Levis just turned up in the post.

Also - forgot to mention - the original Italian poster for 'Annie Hall': also left outside.

My new Jamiesons ' Thistledown' shetland crew neck from End clothing, I looked at the ' Shetland Wooollen Co's Shaggy Dog style shetlands but I thought my 2 shaggy dogs at home would object to another in the house !,  took advantage of the 20% black friday discount,
Thought it was a sensible way to spend my 'winter fuel allowance' , anyone over 60 will know what I mean !

Also a book, 'Fins And Chrome'.  Classic American cars of the 1950s.  Plenty of people posing in the photographs.  The slightly older women look fabulous in that kind of Betty Draper/Elizabeth Taylor kind of way.  Some of the younger men are in loafers, white bucks or sneakers.  There's a variety of looks with the older men, including one of Edsel Ford in a soft plaid jacket, rather fitted, but with good shoulders and flap pockets.  Nice width of lapel, too.  Cuffed flannels and white bucks.

Levi Vintage Clothing 1954
Love these jeans so much that when an offer comes up I’m always tempted