A few shots ago I mentioned that the construction of the lake and islands in St James's Park contributed to an influx of waterbirds. This in turn led to the creation of a bird keeper's cottage on one of the islands.

Although buildings had existed in the vicinity previously, this one originally dates from around 1841 a proposal was submitted by the local Ornithological Society to the Commissioners of Woods and Forests proposing its construction. It was constructed in a vaguely Swiss cottage fashion as a counterpoint to the increasingly monolithic government buildings along Whitehall.

After only 17 years, the cottage was increasingly decaying. It was only restored in 1870 when the aforementioned commission took over the running of it from the society.

It was occupied by a single bird keeper (Thomas Hinton) between 1900 and 1953. It had been damaged in air raids in 1940 as well. When Thomas Hinton died the cottage was deemed unfit for human habitation. Let's assume that Hinton had been 20 when he started the job. He would therefore have been at least 73 when he was carted out of it. And all that time he lived by himself in a cottage in the middle of a lake with birds for company. I think we've all seen the condition of places that are maintained by someone in what most would consider to be a rather hermit like existence after half a century. Not good.

The cottage seemed doomed but somehow it was decided to keep it, and in 1959 it was extensively remodelled. Since 1994 it is served as the office for the London Historic Parks and Gardens Trust.

Now as for why that woman in the front is staring blankly at me... that I have no idea. Unless I inadvertently fired up my Jedi mind control tactic on her. "These aren't the ducks you are looking for. They can go about their business. Move along."