“The only agency for providing free supplies of water for man and beast in the streets of London.” – Samuel Gurney MP and Edward Wakefield.

When I say that you can trip over history here in London I’m not kidding! You can be walking through the streets and be passing places where a Nazi bomb landed or where Jack the ripper walked the streets. Me and Rachael are wandering through looking for a very small thing on a wall. No it’s not one of the seven doses of Soho – it’s a public drinking fountain. Yeah I know it’s not like we are in junior high, it’s more interesting than that.

The public fountain that I’m speaking of is more interesting than your average grade school fountain. It’s the oldest public fountain in London. Me and Rachael are wandering through the streets as she keeps her nose close to Google, hoping to find it. We eventually make it to the street corner and we can’t find anything, it’s a little dark by this time. The sun tends to be setting a lot sooner than normal being in the middle of winter.

It doesn’t feel like it’s the middle of winter… the wind does cut through you when it is cold but there’s no snow, only rain…lots and lots of rain. But it does lend a beauty to the streets of London. After looking aimlessly on the street corners we eventually find it.

I’m excited and I let out a little scream as I run and pick up one of the common cops. I start asking her to take photos and as she’s taking photos I start to remember the history of this place. So many people wasn’t using it as a tourist destination back then. I wonder how many hands have used these cups just to get a drink of water to survive. It was built in 1859 which by my calculations is a fucking long time ago comparatively speaking, and it has stood the test of time. It no longer serves water, it’s just an interesting little statue with two common cups hanging by a chain just like back in the day. I can only imagine how many people got diseases from this fountain. But hey that’s just like back then but it was a wonderful idea where people have a right to drink water, breathe air and enjoy their surroundings.

But I like this as a representation, showing people doing their best to try and make a situation that bit better. 89 more were built after they realized how popular this one became. Philanthropy is real that’s for sure but I do hope you guys get a chance to see stuff like that or come to London and check out that common cup.

Thank you for letting me talk to you about this small bucket list item. It’s absolutely beautiful stuff like that that I have on my bucket list, and I’m just as excited to cross them off, little by little like bread crumbs of history that lead you down a rabbit hole… oops I just crossed two stories but you know it’s beautiful, I find more indepth meaning in this world we live in.

I love you all and I hope you enjoy the post!

Yours truly, Dane