I walked to Kensington Gardens yesterday morning to meet a friend before lunch at Ognisko.
Our RV was at the wooden shelters to the east of the statue of Queen Victoria on the east side of Kensington Palace. He is more observant than me pointing out the inscriptions on what looked to me like bus shelters – he said they are for the convenience of Kensington nannies and their prams when the weather is inclement.
The Silver Thimble Fund was founded in 1915 by Miss Hope Elizabeth Hope-Clarke (her parents optimists, I suppose), a spinster living in Wimbledon. She appealed for silver thimbles to melt down for the war effort. You will remember all the railings in London and elsewhere destroyed for the same purpose to no avail as they were the wrong sort of iron for re-use. The idea of collecting something as small as a thimble seems ludicrous. She collected 60,000. What do 60,000 thimbles buy (and quite a few other items made from precious metals)?
“The Fund acquired 15 ambulances, 5 motor hospital launches, 2 dental surgery cars and a disinfector, and 160 collecting centres were established across the Commonwealth.” (Wiki) A remarkable achievement; it was one of the most successful WW I charities. In 1919 the fund commissioned the shelters, now Grade II Listed.
After a walk in the park where, to my surprise, my friend showed me a small run with five chickens, we repaired to Exhibition Road for lunch. Not having a silver thimble about me but wanting to help the war (in Ukraine) I ordered a Zelinsky cocktail.
You can argue among yourselves whether it is better through a straw or stirred. It might help the debate if you know the ingredients.
Gratifying that I contributed in a thimble-sized way to help Ukraine. I wonder who the beneficiaries of a Pornstar Mimosa are?