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mudlarking

Mudlarking - 37 - Ginger beer and uranium glass

I had the foreshore to myself at Blackfriars, but the tide was coming in.

I found a sherd that said “Hooper” on it. Possibly from “Hooper Struve” that made stoneware ginger beer bottles, late Victorian.

I found a sherd that has a speckled appearance, which looks like there are tinier sherds on the sherd.

But the most exciting thing I found that day - a piece of uranium glass! It glows when a UV light is shone on it!

(You need a permit to search or mudlark on the Thames foreshore.)

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mudlarking

Mudlarking - 36 - A Wapping jar of marmalade

I arrived in Wapping hungry, so ate a vegan cinnamon bun and a blueberry croissant and coffee from Cinnamon.

There seemed to be a group gathering outside the station. I often avoid going to Wapping as the Thames Explorer Trust organises tours there frequently, but I checked and one didn't seem to be happening today.

Then down to the foreshore, on a hot and sunny day. People had put out their deckchairs and were basking in the sun.

I walked to the right when I went down the New Crane Stairs. A man was peering into pools of water, and wearing gloves, so definitely mudlarking.

I walked onwards, towards Hermitage Moorings.

Canada Geese swam past.

Past the moorings, by where the police are, I came across a group who were mudlarking, so turned back the other way. I later looked up who they were and it seems they were the group who gathered outside the station - seems to be a Meetup group - “The London Cultureseekers Group”.

I watched swans pecking at algae on wooden posts.

Today’s finds were all pottery sherds and pieces of glass. The glass shimmered beautifully in the sun and I can never resist combware.

The large piece in the top left is likely to be part of a Victorian marmalade jar, made by Maling, who were based in Newcastle. I didn’t lick it to see if you could still taste the marmalade.

In the bottom left is a delicate elaborate handle, probably from a cup.

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mudlarking

Mudlarking 35 - Near Custom House

A few groups of people walked down onto the foreshore briefly before leaving again and leaving me alone with the river. This section tends to be popular with tourists as it is near the Tower of London, and people were taking photos of each other, posing by the river.

Another dead eel, always sad, and some legs of a crab.

I found 3 unusually shaped pieces of glass, some flint, Staffordshire slipware sherds, Westerwald sherds, Metropolitan slipware sherds, part of what might have been a handle, a piece of pipe with maker’s initials, and a pipe stem that looks like it has been squashed.

It was so hot by the river, but I didn't want to leave.

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mudlarking

The Thames Doorbell

I wired up the doorbell I found on the foreshore so that when you press it, it plays sounds of the River Thames I recorded from the foreshore.

Video on Flickr:

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mudlarking

Mudlarking 34 - Sound recording

The tide was up high at Blackfriars with not much foreshore visible. I decided instead to focus on recording the sounds of the foreshore, the waves splashing, the seagulls and crows fighting over the remains of something, the buskers playing music, and the sounds of trains going across Blackfriars railway bridge.

The sun turned a beautiful shade of pinky red and I could see it underneath Blackfriars Bridge.

I picked up very little, two pottery sherds and two pieces of glass.

I bought a UV torch as I like the idea of finding a piece of uranium glass. So far, none of my pieces of glass seem to glow enough but the red pieces look particular pretty with the light on them.

Mudlarking - 32

The tide was already coming in and I had decided I am going to try to collect less and not pick up all the pottery sherds.

People asked if there were steps further on and I told them there were but the tide was coming in so they might not be able to get to them.

I found another square black tile, like the ones I already have.

I found a pipe bowl with a maker’s initials on - AC, my father’s initials. One day I’ll find a pipe bowl with my initials!

My shoes got messy. I am not sure what I stood in but that and the rain and the incoming tide and my ankles hurting meant I didn't stay long on the foreshore that evening.

I did pick up a piece of rather damaged combware and a few other sherds though.