London and family stuff and new friends...

Tuesday, 7th June - (Catch-up)

We had been to London before on our last trip in 2007, and loved it. If I was rich I would go back (by boat), and live in London for a year, and see everything I could.

Today we decided we'd go into London and go to the Guildhall Library and Shoreditch to see if we could find out any more about Gordon's side of the family, back to Robert and Mary Christmas, etc.

We had also planned to contact cousin Andrew and his wife Veronica, and our new friends from the small cruise around Mull, Barry and Judy. We were not sure of Andrew's number so emailed him, and left a phone message with Barry.

Got a cab down to Woking station as it was further than we had thought when we arranged this accommodation, and got Off-Peak tickets which allows you to travel more cheaply if you go after 9.30am.

Also found a map book at a local shop, as without it we'd never find the places we wanted.

The train fares, at 38 Pounds for two all day train tickets, which allowed us to transfer to Underground etc., was good value.

Back at the station the train was late, (see later story about Norwegian trains), and three trains all arrived together, and we initially thought we'd have to stand all the way to London, but got seats, tho not together.

Waterloo was almost overwhelming, as we weren't sure which way we had to proceed and so Lee consulted the map book we bought, (whilst we had coffee), and we thought we were then OK, but on asking a railway attendant, he said we'd have to use two underground trains to get to Moorgate, which we needed for the Guildhall Library. Once there, you can use what they call "high walks" which are a series of linked walkways over several streets, thus avoiding the traffic etc., at street level.
Lee is so good with this library thing, and we registered and filled in the forms for the documents we thought would cover the period(s) we wanted. They are very security minded and you have to use a locker to stow bags, etc., and you can only use pencil. The attendant who brought us the books, was very helpful and proivided incline rests to use the books at the table. Whilst Lee was checking out the Christmases, etc., I had a look along the shelves, and did my usual thing of trying to find any form of the Bezear surname in any of the indexes. 
Unfortunately we didn't find any of the references we'd hoped for, and by this time it was nearing luchtime, and in this part of the city, everyone seems to spill out of all the offices at the same time! We found yet another "Pret a Manger" (ready to eat) shop and they do great fresh sandwiches and juices.


We had to go just one more station on the underground to Liverpool St., which is a much larger station than Moorgate, and up at street level, tried to orientate ourselves amidst all the chaos which is London at lunchtime! A very helpful young lady with a cockney accent offered to help us and showed us in which  direction we should head.

We eventually found Holywell Row, where Thomas and Robert Christmas had lived in the 19thC, but it is now all newer buildings, but we did manage to find the actual street signs, both old and new.
After this sleuthing, we had thought we might do some shopping, but by this time were so tired and it would have involved wending our way back via undergrounds, etc.,and we really didn't have any idea where we should go for "shopping", so went back to Waterloo and 'home' to Woking. Having left so early, we didn't get back until 3.30pm and had a nap.


Tiring of hotel food, we decided to walk down to the town centre for dinner, and it wasn't that far for just a quiet stroll, and found two pizza restaurants, and opted for one called Pizza Express, which ended up being quite a nice meal, with some Peroni Beer (italian). As with most places like this, it was only spoilt by the presence of loud younger people and kids.

We had heard back from Barry and Judy, and they said they would come up from Godalming, (not far) in Surrey and meet us tomorrow night for drinks.