Regent's Canal: that was then

This is by far from being my first walk along the canal. I first got to know it in the 1970s, having found my first post-graduation job (which I hated) in London. Weekdays involved the daily trudge from Chelsea to Holborn, wearing a suit for 5 days a week and proof-reading international scientific patents.

Weekends were a blissful escape to explore what was then a very run-down city but in a good way, or so I felt. My weapon of choice was a Rolleicord twin-lens reflex, using medium-format 6 x 6 cm. film. In black & white of course, to enhance the grittiness.

While Little Venice in the first image was always upmarket, most points east of there didn't seem to have changed since 1945. Any damage from the Blitz was heightened by the running down of Britain's waterways. The docks became redundant and boating for recreation was unheard of then. Image 2 shows Camden Lock; 3 & 4 move east to Islington, and 5 is where the canal empties into the Thames. 6 is not strictly the canal but sums up the general dereliction of docklands in those days.Read more