Christine Keeler photo-shoot location, Soho

Recently The Trial Of Christine Keeler was aired on television. Even if you don't know much about her or The Profumo Affair you must know of the famous photograph showing Christine sitting sat astride an Arne Jacobsen chair. Here I am outside the building where it was taken at the height of The Profumo Affair. The photographer Lewis Morley had a studio on the first floor above what was Peter Cook's famous Establishment Club.

Just one photograph is famous but quite a lot were taken. Lewis - who died in 2013 aged 88 - said: ‘During the session three rolls of 120 film were shot. The first two rolls had Christine sitting in various positions on the chair and on the floor, dressed in a small leather jerkin." The photographs were taken to publicize a film that was never released. In attendance at the shoot were the film producers and they demanded Christine strip nude for some shots. She refused to take her knickers off though but used the chair to hide them.

I had stroll up and down Beak Street and decided Soho was generally a more vibrant place in the sixties. Nowadays it's a bit bland and has lost some of its dirtiness. Peter Cook had liked the seediness of Soho, the only place in England where sex was visibly on sale in cinemas, peep shows and strip joints. Nowadays the building is a “Zebrano” cocktail bar. There's a plaque on the wall remembering the Establishment Club but there's no mention of the famous photograph. I sat down on a step opposite and slurped a coffee from the flask wondering how many famous folk had crossed the door's threshold. People from all over the country and the world came to visit (or appeared at) the Establishment Club. After a enjoying a Wispa bar I got up, did a salute and left.

The Zebrano is on the right...

From The Trial Of Christine Keeler...

Christine in later years...