Vents and Other Stories: Hidden Heroes of Vauxhall’s Riverside, with Judy Ovens
Have you ever noticed the Brutalist ventilation shaft at Vauxhall, or wondered about the former London Fire Brigade HQ on Albert Embankment? Join Judy Ovens, Lambeth tour guide and co-author of two books about ventilation shafts, on a walk from an underground railway to a wartime underground agent.
On the way, you’ll discover why vents, often overlooked, are crucial to our modern world. Start with a big Brutalist welcome from the Victoria Line ventilation shaft at Vauxhall’s famous transport hub – a great introduction to the world of vents – before making your way along Albert Embankment. You’ll encounter some of London’s newest vents and hear how the engineer, Joseph Bazalgette, changed everything.
After taking a good look at the splendid former London Fire Brigade HQ, soon to be renovated to its former glory as a working fire station, the walk finishes with the sad but inspiring story of local wartime heroine, Violette Szabo.
Meet at Exit 4 of Vauxhall Underground station, street level, outside St George Wharf.
The walk ends at 1:55pm at the Violette Szabo memorial, 1 Lambeth Palace Road, SE1 7LB
