Knee-deep in trollops and liquor

I spent some of May digging about in the history of Southwark for a new client, Land Securities. They've asked me to write a quarterly newsletter for the people and businesses around their development at Bankside 123.

These impressive new buildings will bring a new commuity centre to Bankside, with shops and recreation as well as thousands of feet of office space. They'll be vital to Southwark's ongoing regeneration, of which the Tate Modern, Globe and Millennium Bridge are only the most obvious examples.

Southwark, I've discovered during my research, hasn't always been the cultural mecca it is today. It was once the dirty side of London, filled with brothels (or "stews"), drinking dens and miscreants ejected by the City of London.

Each issue of the quarterly (designed by Radford Wallis) features the history of a particular street near the site. I've kicked off with Southwark Street, which, while relatively new, still proved to be brimming with stories.

If you're interested, you can read an extended version of my article. (Click below to download a PDF.) Lack of space in the newsletter meant I had to cut a fair bit, so I'm indulging myself by offering you this sort of 12-inch remix version. (Don't worry, it's still less than an A4 page.) Hope you enjoy it.

Read my history of Southwark Street

Mike Reed: The Sequel

As many of you know, I have a new project scheduled for July that's even more exciting than the poster exhibition: a baby boy.

It's a rather open brief: "create a happy, healthy, decent human being over the next 18 to 21 years". But it's one that, once accepted, is a bit difficult to duck out of.

This is all extremely exciting, of course, but it makes planning work a little dicey. My long-suffering wife Wendy will be officially ready to give birth in just three weeks, although the due date's not until July 20. So I thought I should warn (or remind) you of this impending bombshell. If I suddenly stop replying to emails or phone messages, you'll know why.

Naturally, I'll be slowing down a bit after the birth, but I'll do everything I can to make sure people's jobs get done (or, at the very worst, get passed to equally talented people). Apologies in advance for any turmoil at the time. I'll keep you posted.

Finally, my work in a library

I've just started work on a very exciting project indeed. 26, the writers' collective of which I'm a member, is helping to create a poster exhibition as part of this year's London Design Festival.

26 writers are joining 26 members of the International Society of Typographical Designers to create 26 posters, each built around a letter of the alphabet. As of September, the posters will be exhibited for three months in the British Library. There will also be an accompanying book, with an article by each of the teams.

I've teamed up with Thomas Manss, of Thomas Manss & Company, to do X. (Which is clearly the best letter to do.) And we're in excellent company. Other writers involved include business writing guru John Simmons, Dan Germain of Innocent Drinks and Will Awdry of BMP DDB. The list of designers is just as impressive, including names like Vince Frost, Alan Fletcher and Michael Johnson.

Many of you have been helping with this project, by sending me your own thoughts on the meanings and associations of X. Thanks to everyone who responded to my email request. (If you didn't get it, or just haven't got around to replying, I'd be very grateful for any ruminations about X. It's all fuel to the fire, or grist to the mill, or something.)

No doubt you'll be itching to see what Thomas and I come up with, so I'll bring you more details of the exhibition as I get them.

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