Victorian and Edwardian reconstructions
Shad Thames in the Victorian period. I first did a reconstruction of this when I was at university in 2009, but I didn't realise until I looked at old photos how many more walkways there were between the warehouses than there are today! So I redid my reconstruction, and here it is. The walkways were for easy access and rolling barrels between riverside wharfs and warehouses. This picture is in watercolours, acrylics, inks and pencil on pastel paper.
These aren't really reconstructions, more 'impressions' based on London slums - these in particular were based on Jacob's Island in Bermondsey, which is just beyond Shad Thames, the other side of St Saviour's Dock. This is where Fagin's den in Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist is said to have been based. Inks, acrylic and watercolours on watercolour paper.
Here is St Saviour's Dock in Bermondsey - shown as it looked in the Victorian period, and pretty much as it looks today (apart from the odd modern balcony). Inks, acrylic, watercolours, pencils and chalk on brown paper.
Some more slum textures, and to the right a couple of gentlemen that I did for my book about the history of Southwark Cathedral for my final degree project in 2009. They are not necessarily strictly Victorian or fixed in time - a bit like Southwark Cathedral they seem to be constructed from a few different time periods!! Watercolour, acrylics, ink and pencil on watercolour paper.
A reconstruction of an alley off Borough High Street in the Edwardian period. I didn't realise how many walkways went across the smaller streets in Lambeth, Southwark, Borough and Bermondsey - especially near the river. I used acrylics, watercolour and pencil on pastel paper for this image.
