Bells Go Down, The

"Down beside the docks in the East End of London. They say London isn't a town, it's a group of villages. This is the story of one of those villages . . ." Looking along Catherine Wheel Alley from Middlesex Street in E1 where the buildings to the right still stand.

To the right, elements of the past survive. PW

". . . A community bounded by a few streets with its own market place, its shops, its church, its police station and its fire brigade. It's the story of the men that joined that fire brigade and how they and the people of the village stood together through the flames and destruction of the September Blitz." Middlesex Street with the corner of Strype Street to the top centre.

Forgive the off angle view from ground level, the market was in full swing. PW

A week later, war is declared. "Down by the docks everything looks peaceful, unchanged. To these folk who's lives are being turned upside down it seems strange and unreal. Around them, everything is the same and yet nothing is the same. None of them knows what the future will bring." Looking towards the entrance to St. Katharine Docks in London E1 with St. Katharine Wharf on the left and the British & Foreign Wharf in the background.

Bob Matthews (Philip Friend) walks downheartedly along the quays and through the wharves. Outside St. Katharine Wharf with the River Thames to the right.

The newcomer to the East End has just postponed his wedding to Nan Harper. Looking across the River Thames from St. Katharine Wharf towards the Anchor Brewhouse in SE1.

Seth Belson took this view of the restored and reconstructed building from the river bus.

Along with small time crook Sam, Bob Matthews and Tommy Turk sign up for the Auxiliary Fire Service and join Ted Robbins' 21-Q squad where they are taken to Friars Road School for training. Ray Glenister has found this to be Ackmar Road Primary School, Ackmar Road, Parsons Green, London SW6. The school has now been demolished and re-developed. The houses in the background have all been 'done up' and depending on the number of bedrooms would set you back up to £1.7m (RL)

The south-east side of Ackmar Road, viewed from roughly where the entrance was. SJ

While Eastchapel Fire Brigade are dealing with a blaze at Wilson's Garage, AFS crew are sent to a fire at Mr. Vanetti's premises on the High Street. Ackmar Road Primary School, Ackmar Road, Parsons Green, London SW6 once again as found by Ray. (RL)

This is looking east from inside St. Mark's Close which replaced the school buildings. SJ

21-Q's vehicles speed from the former school's playground. With the vehicle access gates open at Ackmar Road Primary School, Ackmar Road, Parsons Green, London SW6 the houses in Novello Street can be seen. Thanks Ray. (RL)

New building in the close now obscures the surviving houses in Novello Road. SJ

Tommy's girlfriend June (Lesley Brook) waves the boys off as they leave. Part of the now demolished Ackmar Road Primary School, Ackmar Road, Parsons Green, London SW6 found by Ray Glenister. (RL)

The replacement building as seen from inside St. Mark's Close. SJ

Driven by Sam, Ted, Tommy and Bob's adapted taxi and pump trailer turns onto the street. The same building seen in the previous capture that is confirmed by London Metropolitan Archives 205786. Ray also brings to our attention an interesting short documentary at https://www.londonsscreenarchives.org.uk/title/15413/ highlighting the 'Deaf School' within that same school. (RL)

This shows the curve of Ackmar Road as it turns south-east from the corner with St. Mark's Close as well as the replacement building's road side. SJ

Looking back. Tommy sees his greyhound, Short Head, following them. Dating from 1929, this is the bridge taking the roadway over the entrance to the South Dock of the West India Docks with Preston's Road in the left background and the roof tops of houses on Coldharbour to the right. The bridge can be seen in 'Policeman's Holiday' while the 1960s replacement features in '4D Special Agents'.

Phil Evans (PE) took this comparison facing north over the 'Blue Bridge' at the entrance to the South Dock, West India Dock. "This bridge replaced the one seen in the film in 1969. The older bridge, constructed in 1929, was apparently both very loud and unreliable."

The camera pans with the cab as it races towards the High Street. Looking south along Manchester Road E14 with the Queen's Hotel at the corner of East Ferry Road to the bottom right.

Looking south along Manchester Road. The Queen of the Isles, at the junction with Marsh Road and East Ferry Road, was demolished in 2004, having closed two years earlier. No barrage balloons visible today, thankfully. PE

Urged on by Tommy, Sam overtakes two other crews as the greyhound is put through its paces ready for Saturday's race. Looking north-west on West Ferry Road with the corner of Mast House Terrace left of centre and the roof of St. Edmund's church to the top right.

An approaching truck has to swerve to miss the AFS vehicles. West Ferry Road with the swing bridge at the entrance to Millwall Outer Dock visible in the left background and the last property on Pier Head Cottages to the right. The bus stop remains at the location and there's a Police Call Box standing to the right of centre on what was once the original line of the road.

Short Head keeps up as corner is taken in the docks. Ray Glenister locates the AFS van at West India Docks,specifically the South Dock, north side, looking west. (RL)

The view of the South Dock from the Blue Bridge by Phil Evans (PE).

Tommy continues to encourage Short Head. Looking north on Blackwall Way E14 with Albert House on the left and the Brunswick Arms public house to the centre. The pub closed in 2007 and was demolished the following year but the tall pump house with the pointed roof in the right distance survives. The building can also be seen from the other direction in 'Pool of London'.

Looking north up Blackwall Way. The Midland Railway hydraulic pumping station remains in situ. PE

21-Q catch up with a fire engine on its way to Wilson's Garage. Looking south from Preston's Road across the bridge over the entrance to the South Dock of the West India Docks towards Manchester Road in E14.

Looking south over the Blue Bridge, the span of which is noticeably more arched than the bridge it replaced. I think you can just about see the terrace visible here on Manchester Road through the structure of the old bridge. PE

Sam accelerates and gains on the appliance. Preston's Road at the junction with Coldharbour.

The view up Preston's Road. The southern entrance of Coldharbour on the right has been blocked off. PE

Facing north-west on West Ferry Road with the Magnet & Dewdrop public house at number 216 on the corner of Mast House Terrace to the left. The pub closed in 1995 and was demolished in 2001.

A Fireman signals the turn as the fire engine reaches a corner. West Ferry Road with the Great Eastern public house at the corner of Harbinger Road on the right. The pub had closed in 1940.

21-Q overtake the appliance at the corner. Poplar High Street at the corner of Robin Hood Lane in Poplar E14 with a pilaster above the Blackwall Tunnel entrance on the extreme left.

Facing south on Robin Hood Lane, the red granite parapet of the Blackwall Tunnel remains though the lamps atop it have gone. PE

Panning with the taxi we get a blurred view of a Charrington's public house on a corner. Facing the White Hart public house on the corner of Robin Hood Lane and Poplar High Street. The pub is also seen in 'Saturday Night Out' and 'Pool of London'.

Hoardings covering the demolition of what remains of Robin Hood Gardens at the junction of Robin Hood Lane and Poplar High Street. PE

Sam speeds onwards, past other 21-Q cars.

Tommy tells Sam they've found a champion after seeing that that Short Head is still keeping up. Looking south along Robin Hood Lane with the distant chimneys belonging to the London County Council estate often referred to as the 'Canadian Estate' on Preston's Road.

Discovering that the fire at Vanetti's had been put out, Ted Robbins (James Mason) is called over by District Officer MacFarlane (Finlay Currie) and praised about his crew's turn out.

Ted and his crew are transferred to the London Fire Brigade super-station where they learn discipline and undergo intense training. LFB Headquarters on Albert Embankment SE1. The parade ground can also be seen in ‘I Was a Fireman’.

Bob, Tommy and Sam learn how to go up ladders just as easily as if they were walking across a road. The drill tower at LFB Headquarters on Albert Embankment.

Without access, this may be the best shot possible taken from the Albert Embankment. SJ

Despite all of the training, Short Head comes last in yet another race.

August 1940. "Through winter and spring London stayed unharmed. Norway fell, Holland, Belgium and then France. The Battle of Britain was almost over and still the men of the fire service had not been called on. Still they waited." Looking across the Thames from the Metropolitan Wharf Pier with the gasometers of Rotherhithe Gasworks in the right distance, which is confirmed by Ray Glenister and Richard Lovejoy.

Shortly after the air-raid sirens start to wail, the fire station's bells begin to ring sending appliances towards the sound of bombing. Brunswick Road Fire Station on Brunswick Road in Poplar E14. Now Grade II listed, the building has been converted into flats.

The same building, with the road that runs alongside and into the A12 now renamed Gillender Street. PE

As the all clear sounds, the full extent of the damage is revealed the following morning.

Emerging from their shelters, Eastchapel residents walk through the remains of their homes.