Who lives in the tallest house in the City of London? The answer to that is I don’t know, but it matters little who lives there, the more interesting part is where is it and why.Let’s just rewind. We’re looking for the tallest house, not loft apartment, penthouse or block of flats but a house… Continue reading A Room With A View
Tag: London
Being for the benefit of Mr Kite
One of the most visited performance venues of the late eighteenth century was Astley’s Amphitheatre. It was situated close to Westminster bridge on the south side of the River Thames. Today its site is buried under the gardens of St Thomas’ Hospital. The Amphitheatre was opened by Philip & Patty Astley in 1768 and had… Continue reading Being for the benefit of Mr Kite
“The Corrector”
Sounds a bit like a 70s TV crime drama, starring Edward Woodward, but this is no self styled vigilante. I had never heard of the person who went by this sobriquet and it was only one of those chance happenings that took me into his world. I had alighted at Angel underground station and before… Continue reading “The Corrector”
Hiding in plain sight
Things of interest don’t always come with a label or a sign saying “Look at me”. I’m not sure how many times I’ve walked past this building on the Strand and never given it a moments thought. The building in question was erected in 1625, so was middle aged by the time of the Great… Continue reading Hiding in plain sight
…and now to travel news
….due to an incident. Next there are around 20 minute delays on the A2 Old Kent Road in both directions due to a large volume of cattle, police are advising ….. Well, you might have heard that had there been travel news and radios to hear it on in the 18th and early 19th centuries.… Continue reading …and now to travel news
The odd post
I like oddities. I like finding out why they are odd, perhaps that makes me a little odd too? There’s this lamp post that’s sort of fascinated me, just across from the Royal Courts of Justice. It sits quite happily on the island bordered by Aldwych and Strand that is home to St Clement Danes… Continue reading The odd post
The one and ninepenny’s
As a small child, no trip into central London would be complete without a visit to what for me at the time was the most magical place on earth, the Victoria Station Cartoon Cinema. I have many fond memories of sitting in the slightly dilapidated and grubby seats, a haze of cigarette smoke billowing all… Continue reading The one and ninepenny’s
Flour and Dough and a DSO
I’d never come across the sculptor Phillip Lindsay-Clark before, not until I found his signature on a great piece of public art. This piece differs from his usual creations, which tended to be mainly ecclesiastical or memorials. Lindsay-Clark was a Londoner born in 1889, his Father, Robert was also a sculptor. Phillip studied at the… Continue reading Flour and Dough and a DSO
The Doctor will see you now
At a time when we are rightfully lauding the efforts of all NHS staff for their work during the pandemic I’d like to take you back to a time when the medical profession was not quite as caring and helpful as today. Let’s focus on Dr. William Butler, born in Ipswich around 1535. He attended… Continue reading The Doctor will see you now
Station to Station (Part 2)
Continuing with the toponyms while travelling the Northern Line eastern section. Stockwell: Recorded as Stokewell in 1188. The name can be interpreted as “The stream with a footbridge consisting of a tree trunk” from the Old English Stock (trunk) and Wella (Stream) Up until the 1860s Stockwell was still a small rural village. The station… Continue reading Station to Station (Part 2)
A LONDON MISCELLANY 