History Archive

History

New books about Crossrail archeology released

Five new books about the archeology uncovered during the Crossrail project have been published, to add to two previous books that were released earlier this year.

A memorial to over 500 unmarked children’s graves in Tower Hamlets

Over a 50 year period, at least 500 children were buried in unmarked graves in Tower Hamlets cemetery. Now a new monument to them has been unveiled in the cemetery park.

WW2 film shows London commuters during the Blitz

How did London’s commuters get to work during the blitz? A propaganda film from 1941 says, blitz? What blitz? Everything’s normal down here.

Just days to save the UK’s last WW1 submarine hunter from being scrapped

We have but a few days to prevent the last remaining submarine hunter of WW1 from being scrapped. HMS President has been moored by Blackfriars Bridge since 1922, as a training base and visitor centre.

Exhibition looks at how WW1 supported independence activists

A modest, but historically fascinating view of an often unseen aspect of WW1 has gone on display in the sumptuous Maughan Library.

Walking the route of Roman London’s Wall

In 1984, the Museum of London installed twenty-one ceramic plaques around the City of London marking the line of the Roman wall, but in 2016, how many of them remain?

The Silver Swan automaton flies south to London

For nearly 250 years, the silver swan has astonished audiences, and next year it will come to London for the first time in over 150 years.

Commemoration of the Unknown Warrior at Victoria Station

Yesterday evening, Victoria railway station saw a commemoration to the Unknown Warrior, whose body rested overnight in the station in 1920 prior to burial in Westminster Abbey.

Hidden tunnel under Shakespeare’s Shoreditch theater

A three-month excavation in Shoreditch, of Shakespeare’s Curtain Theatre has revealed details of a stage that is much longer than originally thought with evidence of a passageway running beneath it.

Lawrence of Arabia’s Dagger to remain in the UK

A dagger and the famous robes worn by T.E Lawrence while in the Middle-East have been saved for the nation.

A day of humiliation and fasting

On this day, 350 years ago the entire country was engaged in a national day of fasting and prayer in repentance for the cause of the Great Fire of London.

A new heritage railway for South-East London

There could be a new heritage railway built in South-East London, if plans by the Crossness steam pumping station are realised.

The time when Routemaster buses came with luggage trailers

When airports were young, and terminal buildings younger, there was an experiment with airport terminals being built in the centre of London.

Meet the team restoring a London Underground signal box

Twenty years ago, a signal cabin controlled its last trains on the London Underground, but now a team of enthusiasts are attempting to restore this lost piece of tube history to working order.

Largest blue topaz gemstone going on display in London

The Natural History Museum is to display the largest blue topaz gemstone of its kind from later this month.

New museum opening in central London

Hidden from common sight behind high stone walls on the edge of the City of London lies the Charterhouse, a private historical site which has rarely been open to the public.