Everyone’s heard the story of London Bridge being shipped off to Arizona, but London has another great disappearing‑bridge tale — one that began at Millbank and ended up in Africa. It sounds like urban myth, but it’s entirely true Back in 1940, with the Blitz underway and the Luftwaffe targeting key Thames crossings, the government… Continue reading The Thames Bridge That Went To Africa
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Five Years of Wandering: Why Self‑Guided Audio Tours Still Win
It’s a strange thing to realise, but it’s now been five years since I published my very first self‑guided audio tour. Five years of wandering streets, poking around corners, chasing down odd bits of local history, and trying to capture that quiet thrill of discovering something most people walk straight past. When I released that… Continue reading Five Years of Wandering: Why Self‑Guided Audio Tours Still Win
Washing History
Back in 2020 the UK saw a spate of statue removals throughout the UK. Characters no longer deemed to be politically correct were consigned to the storeroom or in one case the dockside of history. I recently came across this empty plinth in Cavendish Square, and wondered who it was that had upset public opinion.… Continue reading Washing History
What did you get for Christmas Sam?
The Sam in question being Samuel Pepys, the answer is obviously a new diary. I decided that this year I’ll try and read each of his diary entries on the day he wrote them over three hundred and sixty years ago. Luckily his first ever entry is January 1st 1660, so I can start right… Continue reading What did you get for Christmas Sam?
“Bah, humbug!”
I don’t normally go in for re-posts, but I thought with the impending festivities I’d climb into the loft and dust it off with the tangle of Christmas tree lights and tree decorations and slightly tatty angel (which can never be thrown away) to bring some seasonal reflections. I give you the finest portrayal of… Continue reading “Bah, humbug!”
Christmas is coming, the goose is getting…..stolen!
I came across a seasonal tale recently, one that Charles Dickens if he’d been alive at the time might have woven into one of his stories about the metropolis. It’s a tale with a lesson, one that warns against greed during the festive season. It also goes to show that as today Christmas to some… Continue reading Christmas is coming, the goose is getting…..stolen!
London’s Christmas Curiosities
Did you know Christmas crackers were invented back in the 1840s by Tom Smith, a confectioner on Goswell Road? His factory near Finsbury Square churned out the novelties, and if you look closely, a memorial fountain there still hides a cracker motif. It might look a little more convincing after a few pre‑Christmas dinner drinks…… Continue reading London’s Christmas Curiosities
Ham Yard, an apt setting
Philanthropy at Christmas comes in many forms whether it is sending money to an appeal, donating to a food bank or possibly even volunteering to serve Christmas dinner to those who find themselves homeless. I’m afraid I can only own up to one of these and its not the last one. I came across a… Continue reading Ham Yard, an apt setting
Ticket To Ride
I thought I’d start off the countdown to Christmas a bit earlier than normal and interweave some new stories with reposts from a few years ago. On Christmas Day these days, Britain’s transport network more or less nods off. Trains, tubes, buses all take a break, leaving the streets unusually quiet. But it wasn’t always… Continue reading Ticket To Ride
The Fatal Vespers
I shudder for using the much vaunted term “Hidden Gem” so beloved of social media influencers. No, I’ll stop there or this piece will just become a diatribe of scorn and derision. Everyone’s entitled to their opinion. However when I wanted a short phrase to some up the building I want to describe I couldn’t… Continue reading The Fatal Vespers
A LONDON MISCELLANY 