hammersmith | Flickering Lamps

Hammersmith Bridge: tales of bombs, boat races and Bazalgette

Posted on February 13, 2016 by Caroline

Of the many bridges that span the River Thames in London, Hammersmith Bridge must certainly rank as one of the most picturesque. Each year it is seen by spectators of the famous University Boat Race, which passes beneath it, and its striking design makes it a favourite with photographers. The bridge has, however, had rather a dramatic history, ranging from alarming incidents of overcrowding to IRA bombs and daring rescues.

Fallen comrades: Caroline of Brunswick’s life and death in Hammersmith

Posted on July 9, 2014 by Caroline

Hammersmith, with its riverside factories and wharves, was badly bombed during the Second World War – but that’s a story for another blog post. Amongst the postwar concrete of the immediate area around Hammersmith tube station, a few older buildings and facades remain: a Georgian building that now houses a Chinese restaurant, rows of 19th Century villas leading down towards the river, and the splendid Gothic church of St Paul, built from a distinctive pinkish stone.

St Paul’s Church, Hammersmith