With regard to how discussion comes from the diary.... i have learned many diverse things from the entries, looking them and other related issues up as they appear. For example, i can bore the heck out of people by telling them Victoria Station used to be a basin 
It's fascinating how the area has changed over the years. One thing I bought recently as a result of taking more interest in Victorian London due to Nat's diary is a second hand copy of this brilliant book:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Liquid-History-Thames-Through-Time/dp/0713488344It's basically the story of the Thames from West through to East, and how it's changed over the years, but the main appeal is the beautiful photographs (one per page, reproduced in really nice quality.) A few of them are modern photos, but the majority date from the second half of the 19th century and the first half of the last one. There's no photos of the Ecclestone Wharf area (possibly because it was on Grosvenor Canal rather than the Thames itself), but there
are lots of photos of other wharfs on the river itself dating from around the same time. I know books of Victorian photos aren't particularly unusual, but this one is a bit different because it concentrates solely on the river. And therefore the pictures give a real feel for the kind of working environment Nat would have been used to. I wish I could scan a few shots for here, but that's probably a big no-no. Also there's so many cool photos that I wouldn't know where to start. But it's well worth getting, especially if you can snag a copy on eBay for 99p (!) like I did.
Anyway one of the fascinating things for me is seeing how much the Thames Embankment through central London has drastically altered the locations beyond recognition. Before this was built in the late 19th Century most of central London had houses and buildings going down to the edges of the Thames itself, but obviously these locations were changed beyond recognition once they built the massive embankment on either side, with vast amounts of buildings and even whole streets disappearing. And seeing photos of familiar locations from before its construction really emphasises that.
Anyway Sunday today, so I look forward to Nat's usual sex, stalking and graveyard update tomorrow
