Looking Up

I'm always reminding myself to look up when walking around London. Today I noticed this beautiful relief sculpture of a pelican and its offspring above the entrance to No. 8 Cavendish Square. Built in the 1930's as the London branch of Manchester-based textile firm Tootal, who were famous for their paisley pattern and polka dot fabrics, the architect of No. 8 was W.A. Lewis, who also created the standard Marks & Spencer branch in that era. There are three other bas reliefs of birds along the building's facade - a swan, a barnyard cockerel and an eagle. My favourite is the pelican, perhaps because it reminds me a bit of a lovely brooch given to me by my late sister, but they are all beautiful. I haven't found any information on the designs or who might have carved them, but W.A. Lewis employed the London firm of architectural sculptors A.T. Bradford on the nearby flaghip emporium of M&S in Oxford Street at around the same time, so the carvings may have been their work.

Things are looking up for me this week, as I attended a pensions seminar yesterday which I found really helpful in making my plans for early retirement next spring. I've been worrying about the financial side of things a great deal but now, armed with much more information and understanding on pension, tax and investment matters, I feel confident in taking the next steps foward with my big decision.