Roupell Street

I've known I was coming to London today for months and it's been a few weeks since we decided to combine this trip with the birthday surprise for Ash last night. However, a few days ago my mum told me that my brother would be passing through London, today, from California (which is where the company he works for is based) to Spain (where he lives).

I made a loose a arrangement to meet up with him but in the end it turned into a family affair, with my mum and dad coming along, too. Mum suggested we might meet at "Dad's club" although it was news to me that he had one. It turns out that his National Service in the RAF from 1958 to 1960 qualifies him to join the Union Jack Club just near Waterloo.

So the Minx and I travelled down from Golders Green to Waterloo and made our way up onto the concourse. Wol (my brother) said the club was near Roupell Street and, indeed, I was sure the name was familiar and that I could remember passing it when I used to walk from Waterloo to Upper Thames Street for work. I wanted to show the Minx Roupell Street, anyway, so that was all good.

A lot of this area was cleared when they built Waterloo Station and further annihilated during the Blitz, so Roupell Street is a bit of a rarity, an architectural time capsule from the early nineteenth century. Indeed, as a result of this, every few weeks I used to see film units recording down here. Gratifyingly, the Minx loved it and then we set about trying to find my family. It turned out that we'd walked past the club but Wol came to find us.

We had drinks and then lunch, chatting all the while. Wol did very well considering that his bodyclock was all over the place. And I liked the club, too. I'm pleased my folks have this basecamp for when they come up into town, even though, by train, it's only half an hour from their front door. 

All too soon, though, we had to get away. The Minx was meeting our friend Mark for a mooch around Tate Britain, while I went to a client's function at the House of Lords, which turned out to be rather nice, not least as I found myself standing on the terrace right next to the Thames, enjoying a cold drink on what was a rather warm day. As my (ex) mother-in-law says when I ask how she is, "No complaints".