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.
Latest news articles about London’s long history.
One hundred and fourty years of London Underground complaints
I have a small (and slowly growing) collection of old issues of the wondrous Illustrated London News. I originally started collecting them as sources for research, but I actually find they are quite wonderful to read (although sometimes I think…
In the early part of the 20th century, domestic clocks were still not hugely reliable and regular resetting was generally needed. People who owned a telegraph line or one of the modern radio could listen for the time pips, but…
750th Anniversary of the Provisions of Oxford
In just a few weeks time, it will be the 750th anniversary of one of the most important events in English legal history. On the 7th April 1258, there was a confrontation between King Henry III and his barons in…
Marylebone Passage – of religion, printers and workhouses
Just along Margaret Street from the awesome
I was in the Surrey Quays shopping centre yesterday while visiting an estate agent, and just outside the toilets is a sign which shows some of the history of the area. It sometimes surprises people that the “docklands area” isn’t…
If you walk down Rathbone Place, which leads off from Oxford Street you might notice a rather fine old fashioned looking pub on the right hand side – The Black Horse. Take a closer look and notice the alleyway next…
A drinking fountain on Holborn Viaduct
I have wandered along Holborn for many years and only recently started paying attention to the odd little things that line London’s streets. Right at the very Eastern end of Holborn Viaduct, opposite the Old Bailey is a church, and…
British Rail and the Flying Saucer
I was reading this week’s issue of The Economist and there was an article about commercial space flight, and how in the hype of the early NASA successes – companies were planning passenger flights into space. Naturally, the PanAm flight…
Of Carrots, World War 2 and School Dinners
I have recently rediscovered carrots. To me, they have always been a rather bland vegetable that arrives in thin slices on the plate next to the vastly more interesting vegetables and meat dish. A few weeks ago though, feeling lazy…
As part of this weekend’s Temple Open Weekend – it turned out that the Royal Courts of Justice – just on the other side of the road – were also opened up, as it was here that they were holding…
An Egyptian God pays a visit to my flat
A slightly freaky sight this morning. Following an accident last night with the cooking and a bad case of negligence on my part, quite a bit of muck was on the hob – so I applied a liberal coating of…
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…
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…
