Your guide to London's culture and transport news and events taking place across the city.

Your guide to London's culture and transport news and events taking place across the city.

History - Archive Articles

Latest news articles about London’s long history.

A London history festival that’s worth looking forward to
A London history festival that’s worth looking forward to

A London history festival that’s worth looking forward to

The City of London has outlined the details for a weekend of heritage based events around the Square Mile that is looking like a rather good mini Open House Weekend.

Mar
15
2012
Scanning Victorian newspapers
Scanning Victorian newspapers

Scanning Victorian newspapers

I’ve recently treated myself to a nice new toy, in the form of an A3 sized flat-bed document scanner. I say new – actually second hand from eBay otherwise I couldn’t have afforded it. However, it will finally let me

Feb
24
2012
The restoration of Clissold House in Hackney
The restoration of Clissold House in Hackney

The restoration of Clissold House in Hackney

The heart of Stoke Newington boasts a rather large front garden in the form of Clissold Park, which was formed as the front garden for the imposing Clissold House.

Feb
14
2012

The year that you could catch a Helicopter from Waterloo Station

In the days before the Piccadilly Line reached Heathrow Airport how would a person of means in Central London get to the airport if they didn't want to use the roads?

Feb
03
2012
Look out for the English Civil War march on Sunday
Look out for the English Civil War march on Sunday

Look out for the English Civil War march on Sunday

This Sunday, a spectacular sight will greet anyone in central London as roughly 500 members of the King’s Army of the English Civil War Society will march along The Mall and muster in Horseguards.

Jan
27
2012
Mummers, Maypoles and Milkmaids
Mummers, Maypoles and Milkmaids

Mummers, Maypoles and Milkmaids

An exhibition and a book all rolled into one – and the exhibition is basically excerpts from the book, so if feeling frugal, the exhibition is a cut-down version of the book to save you buying it. Book author and

Jan
25
2012
London’s Last Surviving Toll Gate
London’s Last Surviving Toll Gate

London’s Last Surviving Toll Gate

Dotted around London largely up to Victorian times, were a number of toll gates which charged people to use the road -- but one still exists, still charging people to drive up the road.

Jan
21
2012
The tale of the “Dead Body Train” at Whitechapel
The tale of the “Dead Body Train” at Whitechapel

The tale of the “Dead Body Train” at Whitechapel

There is a tale that is often repeated late at night in spooky surroundings that there was once a Dead Body Train that ran through a special tunnel and collected the dead from the Royal London Hospital and took them no one knows where.

Jan
11
2012
The story of the Golden Boy of Pye Corner
The story of the Golden Boy of Pye Corner

The story of the Golden Boy of Pye Corner

As I was by Cock Lane the other day, just had to take a few photos of “The Golden Boy of Pye Corner”, a small monument located on the corner with Giltspur Street (map link). It was erected where the

Jan
09
2012
It’s the 250th anniversary of the Cock Lane ghost
It’s the 250th anniversary of the Cock Lane ghost

It’s the 250th anniversary of the Cock Lane ghost

At some point in a January 250 years ago, in a rented apartment near Holborn, the ghost of a recently dead wife appeared to warn that she had been murdered by her husband.

Jan
04
2012
A Victorian Advent Calendar – Christmas Day
A Victorian Advent Calendar – Christmas Day

A Victorian Advent Calendar – Christmas Day

Last one! Considering the regular complaints about the commercialisation of the modern Christmas, I decided to have my own Advent Calendar this month – made from adverts that were printed in Victorian newspapers. Each day I will display an advert

Dec
25
2011
A Victorian Advent Calendar – 24th Dec
A Victorian Advent Calendar – 24th Dec

A Victorian Advent Calendar – 24th Dec

Considering the regular complaints about the commercialisation of the modern Christmas, I decided to have my own Advent Calendar this month – made from adverts that were printed in Victorian newspapers. Each day I will display an advert from my

Dec
24
2011
A Victorian Advent Calendar – 22nd Dec
A Victorian Advent Calendar – 22nd Dec

A Victorian Advent Calendar – 22nd Dec

Considering the regular complaints about the commercialisation of the modern Christmas, I decided to have my own Advent Calendar this month – made from adverts that were printed in Victorian newspapers. Each day I will display an advert from my

Dec
22
2011
A Victorian Advent Calendar – 21st Dec
A Victorian Advent Calendar – 21st Dec

A Victorian Advent Calendar – 21st Dec

Considering the regular complaints about the commercialisation of the modern Christmas, I decided to have my own Advent Calendar this month – made from adverts that were printed in Victorian newspapers. Each day I will display an advert from my

Dec
21
2011
A Victorian Advent Calendar – 20th Dec
A Victorian Advent Calendar – 20th Dec

A Victorian Advent Calendar – 20th Dec

Considering the regular complaints about the commercialisation of the modern Christmas, I decided to have my own Advent Calendar this month – made from adverts that were printed in Victorian newspapers. Each day I will display an advert from my

Dec
20
2011
A Victorian Advent Calendar – 18th Dec
A Victorian Advent Calendar – 18th Dec

A Victorian Advent Calendar – 18th Dec

Considering the regular complaints about the commercialisation of the modern Christmas, I decided to have my own Advent Calendar this month – made from adverts that were printed in Victorian newspapers. Each day I will display an advert from my

Dec
18
2011
A Victorian Advent Calendar – 17th Dec
A Victorian Advent Calendar – 17th Dec

A Victorian Advent Calendar – 17th Dec

Considering the regular complaints about the commercialisation of the modern Christmas, I decided to have my own Advent Calendar this month – made from adverts that were printed in Victorian newspapers. Each day I will display an advert from my

Dec
17
2011
A Victorian Advent Calendar – 16th Dec
A Victorian Advent Calendar – 16th Dec

A Victorian Advent Calendar – 16th Dec

Considering the regular complaints about the commercialisation of the modern Christmas, I decided to have my own Advent Calendar this month – made from adverts that were printed in Victorian newspapers. Each day I will display an advert from my

Dec
16
2011
A Victorian Advent Calendar – 15th Dec
A Victorian Advent Calendar – 15th Dec

A Victorian Advent Calendar – 15th Dec

Considering the regular complaints about the commercialisation of the modern Christmas, I decided to have my own Advent Calendar this month – made from adverts that were printed in Victorian newspapers. Each day I will display an advert from my

Dec
15
2011
A Victorian Advent Calendar – 14th Dec
A Victorian Advent Calendar – 14th Dec

A Victorian Advent Calendar – 14th Dec

Considering the regular complaints about the commercialisation of the modern Christmas, I decided to have my own Advent Calendar this month – made from adverts that were printed in Victorian newspapers. Each day I will display an advert from my

Dec
14
2011
A Victorian Advent Calendar – 12th Dec
A Victorian Advent Calendar – 12th Dec

A Victorian Advent Calendar – 12th Dec

Considering the regular complaints about the commercialisation of the modern Christmas, I decided to have my own Advent Calendar this month – made from adverts that were printed in Victorian newspapers. Each day I will display an advert from my

Dec
12
2011
A Victorian Advent Calendar – 11th Dec
A Victorian Advent Calendar – 11th Dec

A Victorian Advent Calendar – 11th Dec

Considering the regular complaints about the commercialisation of the modern Christmas, I decided to have my own Advent Calendar this month – made from adverts that were printed in Victorian newspapers. Each day I will display an advert from my

Dec
11
2011
A Victorian Advent Calendar – 10th Dec
A Victorian Advent Calendar – 10th Dec

A Victorian Advent Calendar – 10th Dec

Considering the regular complaints about the commercialisation of the modern Christmas, I decided to have my own Advent Calendar this month – made from adverts that were printed in Victorian newspapers. Each day I will display an advert from my

Dec
10
2011
A Victorian Advent Calendar – 9th Dec
A Victorian Advent Calendar – 9th Dec

A Victorian Advent Calendar – 9th Dec

Considering the regular complaints about the commercialisation of the modern Christmas, I decided to have my own Advent Calendar this month – made from adverts that were printed in Victorian newspapers. Each day I will display an advert from my

Dec
09
2011