The Map House

The Swan Whisperer has just started two weeks' jury service - at his age, he could have refused, but he so enjoyed it last time he did it, many years ago, that he was really looking forward to it.  However, this means I shall have two weeks - well, ten working days, anyway - on my own, and I determined I wasn't just going to sit around feeling sorry for myself!  I already had plans for tomorrow, Wednesday and Thursday, so I decided that today I would make a point of going out.

I decided to be thoroughly greedy and treated myself to breakfast at McDonald's.  I have a shaming taste for their sausage and egg McMuffin, and it was as delicious as usual.

Then the day's main event, which was a trip to the exhibition at the Map House (link),  which I had learnt about from both IanVisits (link) and Londonist (link).  I braved the Underworlds, changing to the Piccadilly Line at Green Park and getting off at Knightsbridge.  Goodness, but it's years since I was last there!  I have been past in a bus, going to the South Kensington Museums, but I don't think I've used Knightsbridge Station for at least 50 years!  When I worshipped at Holy Trinity Brompton, all those years ago, I was living in Fulham, so came from the opposite direction.

So anyway, it's not a long walk to Beauchamp Place from there - it was my grandmother's local Tube station when she lived in Ovington Gardens - and I arrived at the Map House with about 5 minutes to spare before it opened.

The exhibition was fabulous! The Beck diagram in all its itinerations - including the map that inspired him, and some preliminary sketches.  And almost all the folding maps from 1932 right up to the present day.  Lots of photos on Facebook, but the one here is of the very nerdish (but I do rather love) gadget that shows you where all the trains are, either on all lines or on an individual line (the District, in this case).  As I said, I'm not that nerdish, but - well - it would be nice!

Then I walked down to Sloane Square, and got a 137 bus to Sainsbury's in Clapham, and then another bus home.  Since starting this blog post, I gather the Swan Whisperer is not actually wanted - they are expecting a long trial, and so called more jurors than they would need, as so many would have commitments after the end of the fortnight (as, indeed, we do!).  And also my tomorrow night's meeting is to be on Zoom, not, thankfully, in Westminster.  So I'm glad I went today and didn't wait until Friday!