Kent’s Cuttings

Kent’s Cuttings – Riverwatch returns a plethora of press cuttings which brightened our extended lockdown.

This illuminated scroll prepared by the Stationers Company was delivered by a crew from the Ahoy Sailing Centre, conveyed from the Terrace of the House of Commons by the trim ‘Edwardian’ with her open deck providing a great view of the ceremony ashore and also a cruise downstream to historic Rotherhithe from where the great trans-Atlantic originally sailed. This leaflet tells the tale devised by the late Peter Warwick who dreamt up such historic re-enactments, God bless his soul.

I was invited to witness this occasion but, suffering from a gammy leg joint, enjoyed this all by a well-timed return trip up to Battersea and back, taking note of the newly opened US Embassy, and travelling on the recently restyled Uber Boat by Thames Clippers with its airline-type seating.

Another ‘world first’ was the sight of a vast global inflated world suspended amidst the ORNC Painted Hall’s spacious grandeur – another GDIF triumph in mounting so many occasions in our ever-changing neck of the woods. Bravo to Bradley Hemmings for this year’s 25th anniversary of the
Greenwich & Docklands International Festival.

Just as I was turning into bed, I was woken by the steady beat of a powerful ship’s engine as it glided past the house. A large red lion was painted on to the hull. This was one of the few Royal Navy patrol ships which guard our coasts attempting to keep the number of illegal immigrants at bay. She
was steaming up to the Pool to show off the government’s intent.