Cross River Traffic
The new book by Chris Roberts
August 2005
Chris Roberts is a part-time librarian at our Clapham Centre. He is also the author of a new book which hits the bookshops this summer entitled ‘Cross River Traffic’.
Cross River Traffic tells the history of the current seventeen bridges, and their predecessors, which can be strolled across the River Thames in Central London. The book details how and why they were built and the incidents that have occurred on them, from ghost stories to terrorist plots, sexual antics to suicides. It explores why the crossings are situated where they are and their effects on the communities they link. It also answers such crucial questions as: why do London’s bikers meet on Chelsea Bridge; who was assassinated on Waterloo; and how did a poet protect the Albert Bridge and a hairdresser save the Hammersmith?
The book is illustrated with stunning photographs by a selection of London-based photographers, including Ben Amure who also works at our Clapham Centre.
Cross River Traffic is in bookshops now.
Chris is also the author of ‘Heavy Words Lightly Thrown’, a history of nursery rhymes and their underlying significance.
Related news story – Literary Celeb (2004)
Listen to a BBC London 94.9 FM radio interview with Chris on the Robert Elms Show (Monday 19th September 2005). The interview lasts for 11 minutes and 37 seconds. Please load down the attached MP3 (5MB) to your desktop.
Chris Roberts on London Bridges.mp3
