Islington, London N1

 Many thanks to my undercover Spurs-supporting agent in the heart of Goonerland who spotted these fine covers including 3 by new foundries Joseph Samuel, Alfred Syer and John Ashton. Interesting to see a Haywards so far north of the river.

Every Phoenix foundry, Lewes

To Lewes, for a dip in the wonderful Pells Pool. And what a bonus - in nearby St Johns Terrace, this cover from one of the 9 foundries that used to operate in the town. Excuse my toes.

Third Avenue, Hove

Ahh, the B14 - 0.27 of one of my favourite bands, the B52s.
Good to see some square glazed panels instead of the usual round ones.

St James Avenue, Kemptown, Brighton

These lovely covers are from my old stomping ground of the St James Street area of Kemptown. The area has changed a lot for the better (no doubt connected to my departure) but St James Avenue remains one is its most attractive residential streets.

The Clark and Hunt design is one of my favourites and the other one with a surround is a rare original.

Wonderful, wonderful Copenhagen

From our roving Hove ambassador, Emma, who appreciates a good manhole as well as a coalhole, comes this:

"Check out these beauties from Denmark. Spotted these whilst over there on a recent trip. The top left and top right are to be found in Europe's oldest theme park in Tivoli. I think my favourite is the bottom centre from one of the main shopping streets in Kobenhavn (that's Copenhagen you know). It's contemporary and really eye catching- if you happen to be looking out for metal utilities covers..."

Thanks, Emma!

The Drive, Hove

A fine Every and Newman with 5 previously glazed windows set in a handsome surround in one of the grandest thoroughfares in Hove. What's not to like?

Celebrity coalhole cover #2

This well worn Phoenix cover is in front of 32 Hamilton Road, Brighton. On the front of the house is a plaque commemorating the fact that Eric Gill,  inventor of the Gills sans font, fine sculptor and sexual deviant, was born and lived at the house and would have trod upon the coal hole cover. (Although  Wikipedia says he was born in Steyning).

In the neighbouring Brigden St there were several covers like this and also from Every and Newman.

Cadogan Hotel, Sloane Street, London

This monstrous extravantly glazed Haywards No3 is outside the hotel famous for being the place that Oscar Wilde was arrested. Many thanks to Graham, one of my surfing friends who also likes a good coal hole. The hotel is closed for refurbishment so I hope this is on the list.

Chinese water 'torture'

It's torture that our own utilities don't use some of their millions of £ profit to pay artists to design utility inspection covers.

Our globe-trotting ambassador Lucy recently spotted this water manhole cover in Beijing. The pattern apparently shows the map of the water system.

'Manhole' summit in Japan

Prompted by an article in Private Eye's Funny Old World column I've discovered that in Japan there's recently been a 'manhole' summit attended by hundreds of inspection cover fans. I'm not sure a coal hole cover event would attract quote so many but it's worth a thought.  More details here: http://japanistas.com/en/archives/63510

Splendours of Hove

A long overdue welcome to our Hove Ambassador, Emma, who has sent me these fine montages of covers around the Palmeira / Brunswick Square hood. The one in the middle stopped Emma in her tracks, such was its enormity. It is also interesting because it's the only Haywards coalhole cover I've seen which lists their address as 96 Blackfriars Road, as opposed to the more normal Union St. Thank you Emma, keep sleuthing.

Upper and Lower Belgrave St, London SW1

Hayward Bros

Hayward Bros

William Pryor and Co, Dalston Junction

Hayward Bros

C Heap and Co, Leicester St

These ornate and beautiful beasts are in the heart of London's diplomatic quarter, littered with embassies and High Commissions. They included new Haywards designs and two new foundries or ironmongers in Heap and Pryor.

Outer Circle, Regents Park, London NW1

Some of the most expensive property in the world overlooks Regents Park so I was going for some seriously fancy coal hole covers.  Unfortunately,  most are modern  replacements except for this well preserved T Sampson cover from the nearby Euston Road.

York Square, London E14

I was recently in the Limehouse area of East London and straying a few yards north of the busy Commercial Road, stumbled across the Georgian oasis of the York Square Conservation Area and its surrounding streets including a Saxon church.

The buildings were nearly all handsome 2 storey brick homes, directly fronting onto York stone pavements. York Square itself has 2 pubs fronting onto it. I even saw a family of song thrushes in the churchyard. As you'd expect this close to the City, gentrification has set in and houses in York Sq sell for over £700,000.

There were some lovely coal hole covers around which were mainly not marked with the maker or suppliers name but I did find a CM McCarthy of 284 Mile End Road and another from Stepney. The area is mainly in Tower Hamlets and the Council has published a guide, although it doesn't specifically refer to coal hole covers.

North Gower Street, London NW1

Up in London for beer and curry,  I found these 2 beauties just off the Euston Road. They're from Thomas Sampson 394-398 Euston Road, an ironmongers or foundry I've not encountered before.

Ahoy there. .HMS Warrior, Portsmouth

This is the most unusual place I've seen a coal hole cover. .. on board a ship.

I visited the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard on Saturday and went aboard the fantastically restored HMS Warrior which was built in just 2 years between 1859 &1861. It was an ironclad sail and steamship so had to have coal delivered.  The coal came in through the gun ports and was then put down chutes to the engine room below. The ship was constructed at the Thames Ironworks but I don't know if these are the original coal hole covers over the chutes or replacements when the ship was restored in Hartlepool.

The ship was obsolete within a decade and never fired a gun in anger.
It's well worth a visit. More info here: hmswarrior.org

New finds in Euston

I was visiting a different part of London to normal yesterday and was hoping to find some interesting new covers. I wasn't disappointed.  Just outside Euston station on Euston Square I saw this Dudley and Dowell cover from Warley in Worcestershire. Perhaps it came in a train to Euston.  In Tavistock Place in the yard of Mary Sumner House there were 3 double sized Winser and Co (London) covers. They were notable because they had places for an iron ring to help lift them.

Portland Place, Brighton

One of the few bonuses of visiting the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton is mooching around the backstreets looking for coal hole covers. This one is in the fine wide avenue of Portland Place and is  the first Every and Newman plate I've seen featuring anything but circles.

Paston Place, Brighton

Another exciting recent find was this Darby & Co of Clapham Junction cover near the hospital in Kemptown. The star design is very similar to many others, but this is the first time I've seen a Darby cover. Darby is one of the manufacturers listed on the Faded London blog.

Dean Trent Street, London SW1

No, not a geezer called Dean, but presumably an ex Dean of Westminster Abbey as this is near the place. This is a monster size Haywards cover.