Tuesday 19 April 2011

London - Freemasons Hall and MI-5

I just cannot stop thinking about the lovely time in London and have to continue a bit longer about my discoveries:

A quite interesting comment about the Spooks-setting of MI-5 headquarters in Thames House is on the M-5 website here:
MI-5 reference to Spooks-setting
[Edited (27.10.2012): The original link has changed and now MI-5 has a short note regarding Spooks at the end of this page: MI-5 new reference to Spooks-setting.]

The Freemasons Hall was a 'must see' for me, as it had been on my first visit to London, years ago. Freemasonry was a major topic of research during my history studies, so I took the photo without reference to Lucas North, but it just gets much more purpose and effect with him there, expecting him to come round the corner at any minute.

Freemasons Hall, London (Spooks - MI-5 headquarters)

This is, contrary to what one could expect, not the main entrance. The entrance of the building is at the left side street. The museum and main temple are well worth a visit, even without Spooks and MI-5 background, so if you come to London, try to get in there. The district around also is very lovely and Seven Dials has a nice shopping area with a delicious cheese shop. Mhhhh.... what a lovely lunch that had been at a bench on the Victoria embankment ;o)

Here some more Spooks-related impressions from London. I think no further explanation is needed:

Waterloo Station, in Spooks mostly shown from bird view





London Eye




As Ingrid kindly pointed out, Thames House is the hidden building at the dark spot at the right side of the following picture. Thames House in Spooks got the entrance from Freemasons Hall.


The nearly hidden "Gurkin".
Once again the Exhibition Hall with the London Eye at the right side.

And what is London without the Houses of Parliament and its national anthem.

6 comments:

  1. Did you take all those pictures? They're really very good! I especially like the mood of the London Eye photo. Did you take a "flight?" I went on it twice last year!

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  2. Love that picture of the Freemason Hall. I was looking for that building when I was in London and no one on at the Concierge desk had even heard of "Spooks". Can you believe it?!! So they sent me to the MI-6 building instead! Sheesh!

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  3. @bccmee
    Thank you, bccmee. The photos are all mine and I very much cherish your praise. I love the town and that perhaps shows in the photos.
    I did not take a 'flight' with the London eye. This would really have been lovely. But I took a boat tour, unfortunately it had been too late in the day, so I only could do the short tour from the Houses of Parliament to the Tower and back, not the long one up to Greenwich. (But I had to work a bit too ;o)

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  4. @phylly3
    Thank you, Phylly3. Not knowing Spooks, how can that be? But I must admit, my contact told me, they know Spooks but don't watch it. But they have small children, so I at least can understand that.
    The Freemasons Hall is near Covent Garden in Great Queen Street. I tried to get to Holborn by bus and though it should be a bus stop, missed it twice, so I am quite sure they do not announce it. But by this chance found the lovely Seven Dials district. Also quite lovely is the 'legal' district around the Temple church.
    So now you just have a reason to go back to London again ;o)

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  5. These are beautiful, thanks for sharing.

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  6. @Avalon
    Thank you very much, Avalon!

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