The Postman’s Garden

On Saturday, I went on a free walk with Walk London, sponsored by the Mayor, good old Boris.
I highly recommend one of these walks to any visitor to the city, but even more so for those who have lived here forever.  I honestly believe that you could live in London for years and not discover all it’s secrets!
For example, thanks to this walk, yesterday I discovered possibly the greatest secret viewing platform of the London skyline, completely free! (Take THAT13 quid to get into St Pauls and goodness knows how much to get into the London Eye).
But even more so, I discovered an incredible, tranquil garden hidden away in the busy Square Mile. The Postman’s Gardens, is not high up on the list of people’s must-see’s when they visit the city, despite it having been featured in the movie Closer (the one where Natalie Portman is a stripper), but it has easily become one of my favourite places in the capital.

The garden, maintained by the Corporation of London, opened in 1880 and is a quaint green space and features the Watts Memorial. Funded out of a private citizens pocket, it is there to commemorate heroic self sacrifice.
Featuring simple tiled plaques, I was astonished at the number of children on there, who died trying to save their parents, sibling or school mates. Or strangers who jumped into swollen rivers to try and save someone from drowning. I’d say that half of these plaques, were to commemorate people laying down their own lives to save complete and utter strangers. The  romantic in me was particularly struck by a Gentleman who lost his life in 1869 trying to save a Lady whose horse carriage had become unmanageable.

Some memorials (not mentioning any marble statues of Steve Irwin in Mooloolaba) can be tacky, or too melancholy, this however was positively uplifting and heart-warming, reminding me that even in such a busy city, that there is still some good in the world.

PS. And no, I’m not going to reveal my new secret viewing spot. Just in case TOO many people find out about it. But I’ll give you a clue, it’s closest tube is St Pauls, there are free clean toilets, and it involves a lot of glass.