The Cutty Sark.....what a disaster!

London had some terrible news this week. It would seem that arsonists (still to be confirmed) have started a gigantic fire aboard this wonderful tea clipper. The Cutty Sark was in the middle of restorations to restore it back to how it would have been when built back in 1869.

I have visited the Cutty Sark many times and have to admit to being rather sad about the fire. London is so rich in all it's treasures and the reason why approximately 15 million tourists have been aboard to visit it. Thankfully all our treasures survived the Blitz and then someone comes along and sets fire to the Cutty Sark. It just does not make sense. I had an email from a friend, saying she was really sad as she she remembers visiting London and visiting the Cutty Sark as a child. The vessel is at the gateway to the World Heritage Site at Greenwich. The ship was launched from Dumbarton on the river Leven on 22nd November 1869 before sailing to collect the tea from China.

The sight in the early hours of the flames must have been horrendous!

Here you can see the chared remains. I am really hoping something will be done to rebuild the Cutty Sark but I dread to think how much that will cost! I am sure someone somewhere will have a few spare pennies to put in the collection box to help pay for the restoration.

Blustons...the oldest womens clothing shop ever???

Blustons has been on Kentish Town road for more years than I care to remember. My mum and even my nan said it had been there for longer than they could remember too! I would think that Blustons has been in the same place for getting on for 70 years if not more. Every well to do "mature" lady would go there to get an "outfit" for some special event. As a child I can remember my neighbour going there to buy all her clothes. When I met up with the said neighbour about 4 years ago at a funeral she was still wearing her "Blustons" look and it amused me no end.

As you can see the clothes are set out in a very special way and the window must take hours and hours to dress to get the look right. There are special wire dummies that are used to stand the clothes on and they have always have pointed boobs that would always amuse me as a small child. As I got older they still amused me and my teenage friends on the way to school. Who ever had boobs that pointed!

The clothes are now all very dated and I doubt there are many ladies around who would wear them now. I think they still sell stockings and the old fashioned "under garment" as worn in the 30's probably. I imagine the shop does very little business nowdays but isn't it a complete gem here in Kentish Town and so near to the centre of London.