The Angel, a nearby Thameside wateringhole, has a sandwich board outside advertising its lunches. The "come on" is a poorly phrased historical reference inviting those contemplating a tummy time visit that they can enjoy the same view as Samuel Pepys had of the Great Fire of London.
Except that they can't. It is certainly possible to see The Monument and St Paul's from the downstairs balcony and upstairs bar, but neither of them were there until after the fire, and nor indeed was there a pub in the exact same position. In any case, the diaries make no reference to his being in the area at the time - too busy burying his cheese and his money I should think. He would certainly have known the riverbank here, having been to nearby Jamaica House at the Cherry Gardens pleasure ground - now brick and tile council maisonettes - in 1664 and making occasional mentions of Redriff (Sir Compton's own dear Rotherhithe) where there were many boat yards and maritime repairers.
Anyway, bloody cheeky buggers. Not only semi literate but misleading too. I despair. It might be possible, I suppose, to see something like the scene in the painting, but one would have first to demolish Tower Bridge. Just not practical really, is it?
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