It’s strange, you think you know somewhere and then out of the blue a fact turns up and the location takes on a different vibe. Take the area in the middle of the map above. Whitfield Gardens is a small communal space bordering Tottenham Court Road and Tottenham Street and I know it well. However,… Continue reading The church, the rocket and Round the Horne
Tag: History
“Whether they be in need of a clean or not”
I recently came across a story while I was researching a new audio tour set in the area of Clerkenwell. I’ve included it here as there were a couple of things that made me chuckle. When it comes to a pint I’m definitely in the straight or sleeve glass camp, not for me the chunky… Continue reading “Whether they be in need of a clean or not”
Bacon Mania
Bacon, I’m lead to believe was invented by the Chinese, who salted pork belly to aid it’s keeping around 1500 BCE. Before the Industrial Revolution, Britain’s bacon was generally produced on local farms and in domestic kitchens, pigs were routinely kept in basements and cellars until a law was passed outlawing the practice in the 1930s.… Continue reading Bacon Mania
Pre(sise)ly the place for Royalty
On a roll with this terrible punning (if that’s the proper term for it?) In the last post I possibly hinted at my dislike of a horrendous late 1980s redevelopment in the area of Poultry and Queen Victoria Street, but let’s not get sidetracked or we’ll be here all day. Rather negatively I’ve never looked… Continue reading Pre(sise)ly the place for Royalty
An In(k)spiring Story
Apologies, the terrible pun will be revealed as you read this post. If there’s one part of the City which I personally despise, and I’ve written about it before, it’s the block of hideous late twentieth century buildings that erupted like a huge boil on the area around Cheapside and Poultry Back in the 18th… Continue reading An In(k)spiring Story
It’s not so difficult (possibly)
For the last two weeks spare waking hours, which have been at a premium have been taken up with the overhaul of my A London Miscellany website. For those who hadn’t seen it’s predecessor, how can I describe it? Think convivial evening in your favourite pub. Think of the number of drinks you can consume… Continue reading It’s not so difficult (possibly)
Rotten Luck
It seems to me that it’s a repeated trait of Londoners from the past to corrupt words or places and to put the worse spin possible on them. One name that is said to be a corruption has always puzzled me, and that is Rotten Row. Rotten Row is a broad track which runs along… Continue reading Rotten Luck
Two stories, but which to tell?
Story 1: Too much information It often happens, while researching for my tours sometimes a glut of information turns up for for a location and you find yourself having to make the call about what to use and what to discard. Recently I had this quandary while writing a tour called The Planners Dream Goes… Continue reading Two stories, but which to tell?
Keeping in with the In Laws
Always a must for matrimonial harmony I believe. Life could be rather difficult should you fall foul of your partners parents, here’s a story of marital discord. Today Hind Court is a smallish alleyway, but back in the 1660s this part of Hind Court ran straight down to Fleet Street and was lined with several… Continue reading Keeping in with the In Laws
One lump or two
Looking back at my ramblings I do seem to have written a fair few regarding drinks, whether they be alcoholic or just restorative and this post seems to add to the list. Exmouth Market near Sadlers Wells theatre and a stones throw from Mount Pleasant sorting office has for a long time been a favourite… Continue reading One lump or two
A LONDON MISCELLANY 