Letter: Youth in shadow of pre-war St Paul's
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Sir: I read Jonathan Glancey's 'The Second Blitz of St Paul's' (5 August) with great interest. In my youth I worked within the shadow of St Paul's, and recall with pleasure the lunchtimes my friends and I spent browsing in Nicholson's, the large draper's on the corner of Paternoster Row, and when pay-day arrived went off to purchase new clothes from its numerous departments. We saved up for special occasion presents from the jeweller's (Jones, I think), next door, where good costume jewellery and real leather handbags could be purchased at a reasonable price; we chose real leather fashion shoes from the large Dolcis stores at no more than a guinea.
On winter days we browsed through the bookshops, and regularly spent part of our lunchtime strolling in St Paul's or pausing to gaze with wonder at the painting The Light of the World. On one occasion a woman artist began copying this masterpiece, and I watched its progress with rapt attention. Always, just to sit awhile in the cathedral's peaceful atmosphere helped one to regain a sense of proportion about the busy life we led and some of its problems.
I revisited the area after its post-war 'restoration', and left feeling a sense of horror at its empty, lonely, and remote atmosphere. Mr Glancey's solution is the real one: allowing public and private enterprise to redevelop the site on a piecemeal basis, as was done in the past, to what it was before 1939.
Yours faithfully,
E. G. PHILLIPS
Denham, Buckinghamshire
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments