“Sorry I forgot your Newsletter”: In Praise of the London Topographical Society

In the hallway about an hour ago I found a parcel in a clear plastic bag. With it was a hand-written note, in pencil, on a scrap of paper. It read: Mr Paterson. Sorry I forgot your Newsletter. I shall post it. Ric. This item had been hand-delivered. The contents were Seven lovely plans of [...]

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The Age of Aquarius

Forty three years ago today, the musical HAIR opened at the Shaftsbury Theatre. The producers had to wait for theatrical censorship to be abolished the previous day. It must have been long expected for surely  they would not have made that kind of investment in cast, scenery etc. without knowing it was coming, and precisely [...]

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Mr Punch in London Town V

Time for some  more funnies from the early 20th Century, cartoons published in Mr Punch in London Town from the New Punch Library. I was in the Red Lion in Crown Passage, St James’s on Saturday evening and noticed they had framed cartoons on the wall. Closer inspection showed that they were not originals but [...]

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Remembering Lancelot Andrewes

Today marks the death in 1626 of the formidable church scholar Lancelot Andrewes (1555-1626) who reached the highest echelons of the Church of England during the reigns of Elizabeth I, James I and Charles I. He is possibly the most learned, brilliant and influential theologian in the history of the church. A lad from Essex, [...]

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Convivial: History in the Pub.

Last night’s event. I think I shall just try and let the pictures do the talking, but they will be mumbling, not sure what’s gone wrong with my camera. Also, no pictures of Lucy or me, neither of us particularly camera-shy, I think, just a case of me running around a lot sorting stuff out. [...]

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Best of Recent Blogs #29

I haven’t done one of these for a while, so there are too many to list. I shall just cite my favourites from each blogger and leave it to you, dear reader, to check out their other recent posts. A hidden gem of a Georgian public house in Hatton Garden by Georgian Gentleman, prolific as [...]

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Meet the De Morgans

When I went to the preview of the HMP Wandsworth exhibition last week at the Wandsworth Museum, it was an unexpected treat to discover the De Morgan Centre in the same building. Never heard of it? Nor me. It so happened that it re-opened last Thursday after a complete two year re-fit. It houses a [...]

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Before we go to Paradise by way of Kensal Green.

The words of GK Chesterton – penned in 1914 - about the most fashionable of London cemeteries during the Victorian era and early 20th century . Kensal Green Cemetery, one of London’s so-called Magnificent Seven, opened for business in 1833 on 48 acres of land (now 72 acres) along the Harrow Road to the north of [...]

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Open House London

Well, I’ve spent over a week agonising over what to visit tomorrow for Open House London. I suspect many of you are in the same boat. I have decided I shall try and get to as many as possible of the following: In Westminster: 55 Broadway Horse Guards Marlborough House In the City: 120 Fleet [...]

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Separation and Silence: HMP Wandsworth

A new exhibition on the history of HMP Wandworth opens at the Wandsworth Museum this Friday, commemorating the 160th anniversary of the former Surrey House of Correction. Now an imposing and grim Victorian edifice, in 1851 the gaol was the acme of modern theory on incarceration and rehibilitation, incorporating the ideas of Jeremy Bentham and [...]

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