History - Archive Articles

Early Electricity Supplies in London

I was doing a visit to Ely Place in the City of London and will write about that later as it is an interesting tale, but this posting is about a “manhole cover” I saw in the pavement on that…

Temple Open Weekend – Visit the home of the Da Vinci Code

This year is the 400th anniversary of the founding of Temple in Fleet Street as a center for the legal profession – when in 1608, King James 1 granted land and buildings in The Temple, including the church to the…

The world’s second oldest underground railway?

London Underground is famously the world’s oldest underground railway – but which one came second? Well, that accolade goes to the Tünel, in Turkey’s Istanbul. It is also arguably the world’s shortest underground railway, being just 571 meters in length…

Of Roman Baths, Body Snatchers and Australian Convicts

Hidden away in central London is a historic bathhouse - originally credited as being built by Romans, although that is frankly, a rather dubious heritage.

Humanity and the Geological Record

Some while ago I was half watching yet another documentary about the meteorite impact which caused significant problems for the dinosaurs some 65 million years ago. One of the big scientific clues is the layer of iridium in the rocks,…

The World’s Oldest Clock Museum

I spent a rather pleasant 45 minutes at a small museum in the City of London devoted to the history of clock (and watch) making in London. The collection was begun in 1814 by the Clockmakers guild and is said…

100th Anniversary of the Ice Skating Disaster

As we approach the annual ice skating season in London, it is worth recalling that ice skating has been going on in London for many years – indeed, most people will recall the stories of the River Thames freezing over…

The One Million Pound Note

For the average person, the largest denomination UK bank note that we would see is the £50 note – and even that is moderatly rare with the £20 being the normal largest note in day-2-day usage. However, little known about…

Hangmans Gallows on the River Thames

I am starting a bit of history research as background material for a group social walk along the Greenwich Peninsula I am organising next month for Thingbox members. There is tons of history in the area, and thanks to a…

All Saint’s Church – Margaret Street, London

Yesterday, I made my long planned return trip to the incredible All Saints Church in central London for a photo session with my tripod. I had been there before, but the lighting is so dark that it is not possible…