These buildings weren't here 52 years ago. In fact I don't think they were here two years ago.
There is a space between them which has existed for over 200 years but has only recently been opened up for the travelers on City Road to see-
City Road Basin of the Regent's Canal
With the sun shining, a tune came into my mind (and has still not gone a week later!)
It is a nursery rhyme:
Half a pound of tuppeny rice
Half a pound of treacle
Mix it up and make it nice
Pop goes the weasel
Up and down the City Road
In and out of The Eagle
That's the way the money goes
Pop goes the weasel
Every night when I go out
The weasel's sitting on the table
I take a stick and knock it off
Pop goes the weasel
There are various claims for the origin of the rhyme but all agree on the last line. It refers to the habit popular since the 1700s, of East End workers popping or pawning their best coat (weasel and stoat is Cockney rhyming slang for coat) in order to enjoy some luxury.
Almost adjacent to these new apartments is -
The Eagle pub.
With great self control, I resisted the temptation to pawn my coat and spend the proceeds on beer.
Of course you have spotted that this building is not 18th century. It was built around 1900
and replaced a music hall of the same name.
Whatever your view on the merit or otherwise of these changes I have experienced one change which has not been an improvement. With all the new technology and medical research it takes twice as long to carry out the same checks that I had 52 years ago. Such is progress!
Those of you unfamiliar with the rhyme might like to listen to Anthony Newley's rendition from the 1960s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Opr_7f0Z0os
