British Museum July 2016
Tag Archives: UK
Street action
A bit of street art and entertainment, as seen from above, utilising the phone box (July 2016, Canary Wharf, London).
Uplifting story about a phone box
Woman left in phone box as a baby is reunited with the man who found her
Kiran outside the phone box in Forest Gate, where she was found. Credit: SWNS
A woman abandoned in a phone box as a baby has been reunited with the man who found her. Kiran Sheikh was just two hours old when her mother dumped her in the middle of the night on April 30, 1994.
Her rescuer Joe Campbell said at first he thought the baby – who he named April – was an empty chip wrapper as he approached the phone box. He told Good Morning Britain:
“When I saw it was a little baby I called 999 and the police came and the ambulance came and that’s when I found out she was just about two hours old.”
Joe said he felt an “instant connection” with the baby and even asked if he could adopt her, but was told it wasn’t possible as he wasn’t married at the time.
“I asked if I could keep in contact, I was told no, that’s not possible. I asked if I could find out how she was doing, and I was told no, that’s not possible.”
In the end Joe had to cut all contact with Kiran but said he never gave up hope of finding her one day. Kiran went searching for him after discovering who he was in her adoption file.
“He had done so much for me. It said in my file he gave me presents, he sent me cards and I never received anything, but he did. I needed to thank him somehow,” she said. And it wasn’t long before they were reunited.
Joe said: “It was one of the happiest days of my life because I never stopped looking for her. I was always hopeful that someday, somehow I would find her before I finally part this world.”
After the emotional reunion, the pair said it was like finding a family member.
“She is my family. I told her you’ve got siblings. Ok, we’re not blood related but it’s like we are,” Joe said.
For the full story with images – go to the ITV News website.
Box marks the spot
BT installed its 100,000th payphone at Dunsop Bridge, Lancashire in 1992 and included a plaque to explain its significance. It reads:
“You are calling from the BT payphone that marks the centre of Great Britain.”
In fact, the phone is 4.2 miles (6.8 km) from the true centre. Postmaster and shop owner Phil Woodhead said the town did not capitalise on its status.
“There is only that payphone really… we haven’t put up big signs or anything like that. If this was a bigger town with more shops, then maybe we would do something. But because we are so small, there is really no-one to push it.”
Goose tribute
Local phone box is a place to lay tribute to a much loved village goose.
Photo supplied by SWNS.
Villagers have been left devastated after a goose which had been a much loved part of their community for over a decade was shot dead.
Residents were outraged after learning their feathered friend had been killed in a “spineless” attack, shot close to his left eye with what is thought to have been an air rifle, just yards from the pond where it hatched 11 years ago.”
(Full story on the Telegraph website)
Current TV favourite
I’ve become very fond of Father Brown. He’s a follow up to Miss Marple so what’s not to love. This scene cracked me up – another fab use for a phone box. Make a phone call to a cross-dressing club and when you give the right code phrase the door in the wall behind the phone box will open and let you into the club.
Climate effects
There has recently been much flooding across areas of the UK. Here is a photo relevant to this blog:
Recent viewing
I don’t actually know this programme but couldn’t ignore the ad, for obvious reasons;
This shot is from the penultimate episode of ‘Humans‘:
From the recent adaptation of Jekyl and Hyde:
The iconic red box even turns up on a US highway in ‘Austin Powers: the spy who shagged me’.
Phone for fish
A Mayfair phone box will be transformed into a glowing aquarium and trees will be hung with lights when the Lumiere festival come to Lndon next month. Neon balloon dogs will set up home in the Strand, while angel-like figures, by Cedric Le Borgne, will appear around St James. The French artist is one of more than 20 who will use light shows and special effects to brighten up streets from Kings Cross to the West End from January 14 to 17. Curator Helen Marriage said:
“Lumiere London is a free event, accessible to all.”
Norfolk, UK
Recently spent a weekend in Norfolk and came across these:
Great Yarmouth
Holkham