READ THIS FIRST

 

This weblog isn't a diary or a diatribe. Rather, it is a scrolling collection of notes, in no particular order, on offbeat places, real and imagined, and the events and people that shaped them. The content wanders but has a London & South Eastern bias. My gaff, my rules. It is formatted for reading on a phone, so I try to keep the word count in the 2000-3000 range.  

To see if there is anything that interests you, check the 'Contents' index above; all the posts are linked from there.   

A note on methodology. I read a lot, and spend a lot of time in the British Library. I use online material, especially original research, when it is available, and AI only usually comes into it when I want to check facts like dates etc.  If there are conflicting theories, I usually go with the most popular or credible one, as the word count does not allow me to explore alternatives. I try to incorporate new evidence when it becomes available.  

Why Oil Drum Lane? The boomers among you might recall the TV comedy 'Steptoe & Son'.  They were Rag & Bone men, living and working in an imagined scrapyard in West London. Just the place to go looking for gems in the dust! 

If you are looking for my bike routes with their detailed notes on places to go & see, go to  Pootler

If you are looking for the reliquary of my former professional involvement in planning and development, focusing on the economics of making things happen, but also some moaning about it, go to urbanspaceman 

If you want to get in touch, use mail(at)mickbeaman.co.uk