History - Archive Articles

Bethnal Green Disaster Memorial gets £10k donation from TfL

The Bethnal Green Memorial fund, which you may recall has built half the memorial but still fund raising for the main piece has secured a £10,000 donation from TfL.

Remains of an WW2 Prisoner of War camp in Peckham Rye

It's a bit odd but when you think of prisoner of war camps from World War 2, it seems likely to think of the rural areas of England away from the populace, not right in the heart of London.

The City of London is seeking a new Recorder

There is a vacancy for the role of Recorder of London, a titular title that dates all the way back to a charter granted by King Henry VI in 1444, although the position itself can be reliably dated back to the year 1298.

150th anniversary party at Charing Cross this Saturday

It seems that Charing Cross railway station is having a bit of a birthday party this Saturday (12th April) to mark 150 years of operations.

What was the mystery obelisk alongside the Thames?

Around 1750, Canaletto painted a scene of London from Somerset House towards Westminster. It shows all the obvious things you would expect to see...

100th anniversary of the Charing Cross (Embankment) tube station

One hundred years ago a new tube station opened, a terminus to a tube line that was to last just 12 years before it was downgraded to a mere passing platform.

A relic of penal punishment in Dulwich village

On a side street in picturesque Dulwich village can be found a small memory of a dark past that haunts the memory of the place.

Crossrail skeletons confirmed to have died of the Black Death

The discovery by Crossrail workers of skeletons near to the Barbican last year have been confirmed as being victims of the Black Death.

The crazy plan to divert the Bakerloo Line to Bank Station

There has been a rumour, a dark legend of lore and myth, that one day, in some heavenly future, the Bakerloo line will be extended south of Elephant and Castle.

A new gallery opens at the British Museum

The British Museum has been refurbishing one of its galleries, and it has just opened to the public. Away with the tired old carpets and the gloomy oppressive cabinets cluttered up with as much as possible.

London Street Views from 1840

Long before Google drove around in camera wielding cars, or Charles Booth's poverty mapping, or Phyllis Pearsall (didn't) walk the streets of London, there was John Tallis.

Open days at the Transport Museum’s overflow warehouse

Next weekend will mark the occasional opening of the Transport Museum's overflow warehouse out in darkest Acton, and if you haven't been, then it is worth a trip.

A hidden oasis of calm next to Marble Arch

A quiet haven of peace sits on blood-stained land opposite Hyde Park. A living memorial to those who died for their beliefs in more troubled times.

Napoleon’s death and the 200th anniversary of the Great Stock Exchange Fraud

At about 1am, on this morning, exactly 200 years ago, a man claiming to be Colonel du Bourg, aide-du-camp to Lord Cathcart walked into the Ship Inn at Dover somewhat wet and and declared that he had just arrived from France by boat and had urgent news.

Fairly rare open day at Trinity House

In its 500th anniversary the usually closed to outsiders home of Trinity House will be open to the general public to have a look around.

Unbuilt London: The Victorian proposal for a railway to Westminster Abbey

Fairly recently, a chap called Moffat wrote a story about an underground railway in Westminster -- to the considerable fury of tube geeks who spent an inordinate time chewing over holes in the plot.

See the human skulls dug up by Crossrail

Although most of Crossrail lies deep below any previous human habitation, to get down there, some of their buildings and shafts have punched through the "archaeological layer", and some of the findings have been put on display.

200th anniversary of the destruction of Custom House

On the morning of the 12th February 1814, an explosion shook London that was so vast that the mighty Custom House in the City was utterly destroyed, and documents from the building were recovered from as far away as Hackney Marshes.

It’s the 50th anniversary of the Channel Tunnel Agreement

Today marks the 50th anniversary of an agreement between the French and British governments to build a tunnel under the English Channel to link the two countries.

Chance to help clean a rusting WW2 German bomber

Anyone with an interest in military history, or probably in history in general will be aware that last year the RAF Museum recovered the only known intact Dornier Do 17 bomber that had managed to crash land upside down just off the coast of Kent.

Silvertown’s derelict Tate Institute

Down in Silvertown opposite the mighty Tate & Lyle sugar factories sits a rather forlorn looking building. Run down and neglected, it has the appearance of a large pub, or maybe an old music hall.

The Queen Issues a New Commission of Lord Lieutenancy for the City of London

You should be informed that by Grace of God etc., our beloved Sovereign Lord, the Queen has issued Letters Patent that issue a new Commission of Lieutenancy for the City of London.

Date announced for a rare tour of a WW2 Bunker

Deep under a housing estate in North London lies one of WW2's greatest secrets, the reserve Cabinet War Rooms that lay hidden and waiting just in case the (now) more famous Westminster bunkers were attacked.

150th anniversary of Charing Cross Railway Station

Today marks the 150th anniversary of the grand -- well, actually not so grand -- opening of London Charing Cross railway station.