Admiral Horatio Nelson sits atop his column 169 feet 3 inches (51.59 m) above the concourse of Trafalgar Square and has gazed down over it since 1843. The square predates the column by three years, built to commemorate the victory over the Spanish and the French at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. The Lions guarding the column… Continue reading Nelson and a bowl of porridge
Category: Uncategorized
Seeing Stars
Continuing on the pub theme, one of my favourites in the “Slightly Strange” category is the Seven Stars in Carey Street just behind the Royal Courts Of Justice. From the outside it looks old, and that’s because parts of it are. Its thought to originally date to 1602 the penultimate year of the reign of… Continue reading Seeing Stars
Vive la différence
The French House in Dean Street Soho, was formally known as the York Minster, opened in 1820s. The first Landlord was Thomas Dinsdale, who plied his trade there for over twenty years. During WW2 the pub under the stewardship of Mr Victor Berlemont became a meeting place for the Free French. Charles de Gaulle was… Continue reading Vive la différence
Burye, Berry, Bury
Next time you’re in the City, walk past the Gherkin along Bury Street and at the end of Holland House and you will see the relief of a ship. This dates to when the offices were owned by Wm. H. Müller who were a Dutch shipping company and commissioned the building in 1916. In itself… Continue reading Burye, Berry, Bury
“Bah, humbug!”
Either too late for last Christmas, or incredibly early for this coming festive season I give you the finest portrayal of Ebenezer Scrooge on stage or screen, silver or small. Unlike the second best version by the Muppets, this one can be watched at any time of the year. Alastair Sim’s portrayal of the odious… Continue reading “Bah, humbug!”
What’s it all about then?
When I first started this site as a portal for A London Miscellany Tours and began to write about some of the history of London, like everyone I had no idea of how the Global Pandemic would affect my unusual walking tours of London. With tours curtailed for much of 2020 and things looking bleak… Continue reading What’s it all about then?
Who?
Stephen Geary? ……………………………. Anyone? No, I must admit it wasn’t a name that I was familiar with, but Mr Geary definitely left his mark on both the advancement of mankind and also London, although probably more so for the latter. Over 160 years after his death, Geary is tucked away right at the back of… Continue reading Who?
The Downfall Of A Victorian Fraudster
If today you stand on the confluence of Cannon Street, Walbrook and Bloomberg Arcade, you’d be roughly inside The Coopers Arms. In the 1890s when Samuel Heibuth was Mine Host, the Pub stood at 19 Budge Row EC4N now buried under steel and glass, a result of the devastation caused during the Blitz. Budge Row… Continue reading The Downfall Of A Victorian Fraudster
The Wheel Turns Full Circle
The London Eye has dominated the skyline of Lambeth for over twenty years. This 135 metres (443 ft) tall wheel has a diameter of 120 metres (394 ft). When it opened to the public in 2000 it was the world’s tallest Ferris wheel until it was surpassed by the 160-metre (525 ft) Star of Nanchang in 2006, and has subsequently been… Continue reading The Wheel Turns Full Circle
Amongst these dark Satanic Mills
Do you ever get a feeling about a location? It doesn’t have to be something outwardly disturbing, just a vague notion that something historic at some time in the past might have happened on this spot. I know that sound a bit vague, but there is a certain piece of central London that has always… Continue reading Amongst these dark Satanic Mills
A LONDON MISCELLANY 