I stumbled on this wonderful installation of images, by the artist EVEWRIGHT, dedicated to people of the Windrush Generation. They are displayed on the windows of the Tilbury Bridge Walkway, just a few metres from the Gravesend-Tilbury ferry.

I was reading about the history of The Waterloo pub when it occurred to me - this being census day - the first record of many pubs is when they show on a census.

Fill in your census if you haven’t already, you’re making history and when pubs reopen, pop to your local and buy a pint, we’ll miss them when they’re gone.

Are you looking forward to pubs reopening? Here’s what is hoped will happen.

On April 12 - Restaurants and pub gardens will be allowed to serve customers sitting outdoors - including alcohol.

Pubs across the country have had a torrid year. The square mile of central Gravesend had 29 trading pubs and bars as we entered the first lockdown. Sadly it seems inevitable that not all of those would reopen when restrictions are partially lifted on April 12.

We’re told we are a living through the strangest of times. Yet, it’s surprising how quickly sights that a few months ago would have seemed entirely alien become ordinary.

At some point, these things will become history, so it seems only fitting to record some of them.

This production of Rapunzel could be just another casualty of a dreadful pandemic that continues to kill thousands worldwide. Maybe it’s nothing more than that.

The Gravesend to Tilbury ferry, currently the most easterly Thames crossing, heads to Tilbury with no passengers on it’s 1 pm sailing.

Operated by JetStream the ferry runs Monday-Saturday.

The riverside outdoor gym closed inline with Government COVID-19 restrictions.

A small boy looking at the ships on Thames at Gravesend.

The MV Columbus was partway into a 120-night world cruise when owners Cruise and Maritime Voyages went into administration.
Since 14th April 2020, she has sat patiently waiting across the river from Gravesend.

The Darnley Pharmacy now dispenses prescriptions from a window. This saves patients needing to enter the shop, reducing the risk to them and the staff.

Another in my series documenting Gravesend pubs that have recently closed. I’ve generally been trying to photograph the pubs at night, that seems the time when a pub should look most alive, highlighting those that are no longer. But a found myself walking past The Old Sun camera in hand, and it seemed too good an opportunity to miss. I might still come back one evening.

The New Inn can be traced back to 1780. The pub with the shops adjoining had previously been the home of the Holker family where, in April 1734, Dr Holker entertained the Prince and Princess of Orange (daughter of George II) after their marriage when they were weather-bound on their return to Holland.

On Thursday last, four well-dressed men arrived at the Globe Tavern, Gravesend, by a London Steam Packet. At their request they were accommodated with a bedroom and a sumptuous dinner, for which they paid and left for London the same afternoon. After they were gone, Mr. Lott, the proprietor, discovered that his bedroom had been broken into, and the bureau plundered of a pocket book containing £160.

The Call Boy was built in 1953, replacing the demolished Assembly Rooms pub that was on this site before it. In 2008 the brewery Shepherd Neame closed The Call Boy along with many other pubs in the area.

There have, at some time, been sixteen pubs in Gravesend with the suffix ‘Shades’ to their name. Manor Shades was the last when it closed on 31st December 2012. There were also ‘Shades’ pubs across south-east London and Kent.

The Railway Tavern opened in 1881 and was tied to the Meux’s Brewery, it still features the original Meux glazed tiles. After 129 years of trading, it closed in 2010 and then reopened in 2011 as D-Ream. D-Ream lasted just over a year, closing in October 2012.

The Terrace Tavern and Hotel was present in records from 1837. It was tied to the Russell’s Brewery of Gravesend and the exterior of the still features the beautiful green tiles advertising Russell’s ‘Shrimp Brand’ beers, dating from around 1913. At one time the pub had its own football team, indoor cricket team, darts and pool teams; a real community hub.

The building that was once the City of London is in a great location high above the river Thames. The original pub was founded here in 1839. Unfortunately, that building was destroyed by fire in 1893. The rebuilt City of London traded until 2002, in 2009 it was converted to a b&b.

In 2012 when The Pilot Tavern closed the Gravesend Messenger reported: Its former landlady Susan Newman remained there and rather than tear it down is now hoping to bring the building, which is in dire need of some repair, back to its former glory.