A notorious water pump at Aldgate was once praised for its clean clear water yet killed hundreds of Londoners – is currently being restored.
Not to its former murderous reputation, but to its glorious appearance, which is of late rather shabby and uncared for.
This water pump looks old and has that look of something that has suffered the rigours of pollution and time, but even setting aside the damage from age, it was also once a much grander affair with a huge lantern on top.
The lantern was probably lost when the pump was hit by a bus in 1927 and broken into pieces, and after being put back together, has been largely untouched since then.
The City of London, assisted by the Heritage of London Trust is now restoring the pump, with a huge 1.5 metre high lantern similar to the one that used to be on top, although it wont be gas lit this time, being a modern low-energy light bulb.
A heritage plaque will be added to the back of the pump to explain it’s long and at times, notorious history.
But probably more significant than simply conserving a lump of history, the pump will come back into life. Modern plumbing and a motion-sensitive tap will be fitted to the pump.
Soon water will flow once more from the wolf’s mouth. And wont that be marvelous.
Drinking water, I hope!
IT’S very tempting for those of us afflicted by the simple wish that grammatical errors and stylistic slips be banished, but I WON’T go on. Because (never start a sentence with “because”) your œuvre is capaciously captivating as it is, without those of us simply receiving it with time on our hands, picking hooes in it.
holes.
So glad it is being restored. When i saw the hoardings I was afraid it was being removed completely.