Only two more London Monopoly Board posts after this one!
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| Exterior of Main entrance to Liverpool Street Station, London |
Liverpool Street station is one of the many central London railway termini. Located in the north-eastern corner of the City of London, it is the terminus for the West Anglia line to Cambridge and the much busier Great East Anglia main line to Norwich as well as many local commuter services to parts of east London, Essex and Hertfordshire and the Stansted Express, a fast link to London Stansted airport. There has been a station on the site since 1840 and the current building was greatly modernised in 1993. Liverpool Street was built as a dual-level station with an underground station opened in 1875. In World War One the station was the target of one of the first-ever daylight bombing raids by fixed-wing aircraft. The deadly German attack killed 162 people.
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| The busy interior of Liverpool Street Station |
The Wonderful Story of the Kindertransport
In Nazi Germany in 1938 the infamous Kristallnacht took place In the build-up to World War two. On that night swarms of SA Paramilitary forces destroyed thousands of Jewish homes, businesses and Synagogues in Germany and Austria. 30,000 people were rounded up and sent to concentration camps. Meanwhile non-Jewish civilians and German authorities looked on without intervening. Shock waves reverberated around the world. The Times of London wrote: "No foreign propagandist bent upon blackening Germany before the world could outdo the tale of burnings and beatings, of blackguardly assaults on defenceless and innocent people, which disgraced that country yesterday."
A delegation of British Jewish and Quaker leaders approached the UK Government who agreed to allow unaccompanied children to come to the UK as refugees. This was the start of the Kindertransport. In all 10,000 children, who would otherwise surely have perished in the Holocaust, came to the UK and were fostered here. Their arrival-point in London was Liverpool Street Station where there is a moving memorial to them. 2,000 of the children remained in England after the war and became valued members of society. Many of them joined the British Armed Forces. Four of them became Nobel prize-winners.
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| Frank Meisser's bronze memorial sculpture www.warmemorialphotos.co.uk My next post will be my 200th and I will be creating a review of my favourite posts over the last four years. |
14 comments:
I knew someone who was one of those children. Quite a story. Have to get back to London. . . .
By the way, did you know that Gabriel Maria Marquez died a few days ago? I liked his writing very much, the magic realism, interesting.
That was such an interesting story, Bazza. I always learn something when I come over for a visit.
Hello Natalia. My wife had an Uncle, who died just a few years ago, who came to the UK that way. Only his little sister and himself survived out of the whole extended family. Sadly, I did read about Marquez whose words, of course, provide the title of this Blog. He had a unique style.
Hi Arleen. That's a kind thing to say. Thank you. I always learn something myself while doing the research!
Gosh - what will you do when you run out of Monopoly posts? I gather there are other versions, apart from the London one, so maybe you could embark on one of those!
Very interesting, as ever. I have been via Liverpool Street, but didn't know of its history. Didn't see the statue either. Must have been in a rush for something. Catching a train, perhaps?!
Happy Easter.
Hi Bazza,
As usual, I have learned something new from you wonderful blog! Your Monopoly posts have put 'flesh on to the bones' of names that you normally see on a board!
J
Follow me at HEDGELAND TALES
Hi Joanne: Funnily enough I have been thinking about what, if anything, will follow in this mode. Apparently the original Monopoly board is based on Atlantic City.
That sculpture is in the side entrance which is actually in Liverpool Street itself at the side of the station. The main entrance is in Bishopsgate.
Happy Easter to you too Joanne!
Hello John. Oddly, I haven't played the game for long time. I suppose that, as my grandchildren grow up, it might come round again. That is only if they make an iPad version!
That's a beautiful station. I really like the bronze statue, too. Thanks for sharing the history of it.
Hi Sherry. I would have liked to show lots more pictures but I was short of time although it is a really lovely building.
Hi Bassa. When I click on the photo that goes with the comment you leave me, it goes to your blog. If I click on your photo in the "follower" photo, it goes to the "Google Friends/Circle" thing which I have never been able to understand exactly.
Hi bazza,
I have been to Liverpool Street Station on a number of occasions. I had no idea that there was such bloody history involved. You enlighten and I learn. Thank you, good sir.
Gary
Hello Natasha. I have noticed that too. I think Google are trying to encourage you to use their 'Circles' but I can't see the point of doing that!
Hi Gazza
Now you've made me feel like your teacher. Or, as you are enlightened, your Buddhist priest! I humbly accept that role......
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