 
The Underground Map Added: 8 Dec 2020 00:24 GMT |
Othello takes a bow
On 1 November 1604, William Shakespeare’s tragedy Othello was presented for the first time, at The Palace of Whitehall. The palace was the main residence of the English monarchs in London from 1530 until 1698. Seven years to the day, Shakespeare’s romantic comedy The Tempest was also presented for the first time, and also at the Palace of Whitehall.
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Emma Seif Added: 25 Jan 2022 19:06 GMT |
Birth of the Bluestocking Society
In about 1750, Elizabeth Montagu began hosting literary breakfasts in her home at 23 (now 31) Hill Street. These are considered the first meetings of the Bluestocking society.
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Linda Webb Added: 27 Sep 2021 05:51 GMT |
Hungerford Stairs
In 1794 my ancestor, George Webb, Clay Pipe Maker, lived in Hungerford Stairs, Strand. Source: Wakefields Merchant & Tradesmens General Directory London Westminster 1794
Source: Hungerford Stairs
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Roy Batham Added: 7 Jan 2022 07:17 GMT |
Smithy in Longacre
John Burris 1802-1848 Listed 1841 census as Burroughs was a blacksmith, address just given as Longacre.
Source: Batham/Wiseman - Family Tree
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Scott Hatton Added: 11 Sep 2020 19:47 GMT |
Millions Of Rats In Busy London
The Daily Mail on 14 April 1903 reported "MILLIONS OF RATS IN BUSY LONDON"
A rat plague, unprecedented in the annals of London, has broken out on the north side of the Strand. The streets principally infested are Catherine street, Drury lane, Blackmore street, Clare Market and Russell street. Something akin to a reign of terror prevails among the inhabitants after nightfall. Women refuse to pass along Blackmore street and the lower parts of Stanhope street after dusk, for droves of rats perambulate the roadways and pavements, and may be seen running along the window ledges of the empty houses awaiting demolition by the County Council in the Strand to Holborn improvement scheme.
The rats, indeed, have appeared in almost-incredible numbers. "There are millions of them," said one shopkeeper, and his statement was supported by other residents. The unwelcome visitors have been evicted from their old haunts by the County Council housebreakers, and are now busily in search of new homes. The Gaiety Restaurant has been the greatest sufferer. Rats have invaded the premises in such force that the managers have had to close the large dining room on the first floor and the grill rooms on the ground floor and in the basement. Those three spacious halls which have witnessed many as semblages of theatre-goers are now qui:e deserted. Behind the wainscot of the bandstand in the grillroom is a large mound of linen shreds. This represents 1728 serviettes carried theee by the rats.
In the bar the removal of a panel disclosed the astonishing fact that the rats have dragged for a distance of seven or eight yards some thirty or forty beer and wine bottles and stacked them in such a fashion as to make comfortable sleeping places. Mr Williams. the manager of the restaurant, estimates that the rats have destroyed L200 worth of linen. Formerly the Gaiety Restaurant dined 2000 persons daily; no business whatever is now done in this direction.
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Bruce McTavish Added: 11 Mar 2021 11:37 GMT |
Kennington Road
Lambeth North station was opened as Kennington Road and then Westminster Bridge Road before settling on its final name. It has a wonderful Leslie Green design.
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Julian Added: 23 Mar 2021 10:11 GMT |
Dennis Potter
Author Dennis Potter lived in Collingwood House in the 1970’s
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Jessie Doring Added: 22 Feb 2021 04:33 GMT |
Tisbury Court Jazz Bar
Jazz Bar opened in Tisbury Court by 2 Australians. Situated in underground basement. Can not remember how long it opened for.
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Pauline jones Added: 16 Oct 2017 19:04 GMT |
Bessborough Place, SW1V
I grew up in bessborough place at the back of our house and Grosvenor road and bessborough gardens was a fantastic playground called trinity mews it had a paddling pool sandpit football area and various things to climb on, such as a train , slide also as Wendy house. There were plants surrounding this wonderful play area, two playground attendants ,also a shelter for when it rained. The children were constantly told off by the playground keepers for touching the plants or kicking the ball out of the permitted area, there was hopscotch as well, all these play items were brick apart from the slide. Pollock was the centre of my universe and I felt sorry and still do for anyone not being born there. To this day I miss it and constantly look for images of the streets around there, my sister and me often go back to take a clumped of our beloved London. The stucco houses were a feature and the backs of the houses enabled parents to see thier children playing.
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Robert smitherman Added: 23 Aug 2017 11:01 GMT |
Saunders Street, SE11
I was born in a prefab on Saunders street SE11 in the 60’s, when I lived there, the road consisted of a few prefab houses, the road originally ran from Lollard street all the way thru to Fitzalan street. I went back there to have a look back in the early 90’s but all that is left of the road is about 20m of road and the road sign.
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Richard Roques Added: 21 Jan 2021 16:53 GMT |
Buckingham Street residents
Here in Buckingham Street lived Samuel Pepys the diarist, Charles Dickens and Rudyard Kipling
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Jude Allen Added: 29 Jul 2021 07:53 GMT |
Bra top
I jave a jewelled item of clothong worn by a revie girl.
It is red with diamante straps. Inside it jas a label Bermans Revue 16 Orange Street but I cannot find any info online about the revue only that 16 Orange Street used to be a theatre. Does any one know about the revue. I would be intesrested to imagine the wearer of the article and her London life.
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sam Added: 31 Dec 2021 00:54 GMT |
Burdett Street, SE1
I was on 2nd July 1952, in Burdett chambers (which is also known as Burdett buildings)on Burdett street
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| LATEST LONDON-WIDE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE PROJECT |
Bob Land Added: 29 Jun 2022 13:20 GMT |
Map legends
Question, I have been looking at quite a few maps dated 1950 and 1900, and there are many abbreviations on the maps, where can I find the lists to unravel these ?
Regards
Bob Land
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Alison Added: 26 Jun 2022 18:20 GMT |
On the dole in north London
When I worked at the dole office in Medina Road in the 1980s, "Archway" meant the social security offices which were in Archway Tower at the top of the Holloway Road. By all accounts it was a nightmare location for staff and claimants alike. This was when Margaret Thatcher’s government forced unemployment to rise to over 3 million (to keep wages down) and computerised records where still a thing of the future. Our job went from ensuring that unemployed people got the right sort and amount of benefits at the right time, to stopping as many people as possible from getting any sort of benefit at all. Britain changed irrevocably during this period and has never really recovered. We lost the "all in it together" frame of mind that had been born during the second world war and became the dog-eat-dog society where 1% have 95% of the wealth and many people can’t afford to feed their children. For me, the word Archway symbolises the land of lost content.
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Jack Wilson Added: 21 Jun 2022 21:40 GMT |
Penfold Printers
I am seeking the location of Penfold Printers Offices in Dt Albans place - probably about 1870 or so
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Added: 19 Jun 2022 16:58 GMT |
Runcorn Place, W11
Runcorn place
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Added: 30 May 2022 19:03 GMT |
The Three Magpies
Row of houses (centre) was on Heathrow Rd....Ben’s Cafe shack ( foreground ) and the Three Magpies pub (far right) were on the Bath Rd
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Watts Added: 17 May 2022 20:29 GMT |
Baeethoven St School, also an Annex for Paddington College of FE.
In the early 70’s I took a two year science course at Paddington CFE. The science classes were held on weekday evenings at Beethoven Street school, overseen by chemistry teacher, Mr Tattershall.
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Added: 25 Apr 2022 22:11 GMT |
Southover, N12
Everyone knows Central Woodside is the place to be. Ever since kdog moved from finchtown, Woodside has been thriving.
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Bernard Miller Added: 12 Apr 2022 17:36 GMT |
My mother and her sister were born at 9 Windsor Terrace
My mother, Millie Haring (later Miller) and her sister Yetta Haring (later Freedman) were born here in 1922 and 1923. With their parents and older brother and sister, they lived in two rooms until they moved to Stoke Newington in 1929. She always said there were six rooms, six families, a shared sink on the first floor landing and a toilet in the backyard.
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Charing Cross Charing Cross denotes the junction of the Strand, Whitehall and Cockspur Street, just south of Trafalgar Square Embankment Embankment underground station has been known by various names during its long history - including, indeed, ’Embankment’. Garrick Yard Garrick Yard, together with the more familiar Garrick Street to the northeast of here, both took their names from the Garrick Club which commemorates the famous 18th century actor, David Garrick. Hungerford Stairs The Hungerford Stairs were the entrance point to Hungerford Market from the River Thames. They are now the site of Charing Cross railway Station. Leicester Square Leicester Square, while indeed a square, is also the name for a tube station. Northumberland House Northumberland House was a large Jacobean townhouse in London, which was the London residence of the Percy family, the Dukes of Northumberland. Piccadilly Circus Piccadilly Circus was built in 1819 to connect Regent Street with the major shopping street of Piccadilly. Pickering Place, SW1Y Thought to be the smallest public open space in London, Pickering Place is perhaps most famous for being the location of the last public duel in England. Royal Society The Royal Society is a self-governing Fellowship of many of the world’s most distinguished scientists drawn from all areas of science, engineering and medicine. St James’s St James’s is an exclusive area in the West End of London. Wyld’s Great Globe Wyld’s Great Globe was an attraction situated in Leicester Square between 1851 and 1862. Agar Street, WC2N Agar Street is named after George Agar, who built the street in the 1830s with John Ponsonby, Earl of Bessborough Air Street, W1B Air Street’s name is believed to be a corruption of ‘Ayres’, after Thomas Ayre, a local brewer and resident in the 17th century. Air Street, W1B Air Street was the most westerly street in London when newly built in 1658. Albany Courtyard, SW1Y The courtyard is named after Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany, who in 1791 purchased Melbourne House which stood on this site. Archer Street, W1D Archer Street was Arch Street in 1675, Orchard Street in 1720 and Archer Street by 1746. Bedfordbury, WC2N Bedfordbury is one of the streets of London in the WC2N postal area. Bridle Lane, W1F Bridle Lane is one of the streets of London in the W1F postal area. Brydges Place, WC2N Brydges Place replaced Taylor’s Buildings in 1904 when the Colloseum was built. Buckingham Street, WC2N Buckingham Street is named after George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham, 17th century courtier, who acquired York House which formerly stood on this site; his son sold the area to developers on condition that his father and titles were commemorated on the new streets. Bury Street, SW1Y Bury Street runs north-to-south from Jermyn Street to King Street, crossing Ryder Street. Carlton House Terrace, SW1Y Carlton House Terrace consists of a pair of terraces - white stucco-faced houses on the south side of the street overlooking St James’s Park. Charing Cross, SW1A Charing Cross, long regarded as London’s central point, as an address is an enigma. Church Place, SW1Y Church Place was named after the adjacent St James’s Church, Piccadilly. Cockspur Street, SW1A Cockspur Street is possibly after the cock fighting that formerly occurred here, cocks often having spurs attached to their feet during fights. Covent Garden, WC2E Covent Garden, is the name of a district, but also the name of the central square which formerly hosted a fruit-and-vegetable market. Coventry Street, W1D Coventry Street is a short street connecting Piccadilly Circus to Leicester Square. On the London Monopoly board, it was named after the politician Henry Coventry, secretary of state to Charles II. Cranbourn Street, WC2H Cranbourne Street was named after local landowner the Earl of Salisbury, Viscount Cranbourn (Cranbourne) after the town in Dorset. Craven Passage, WC2N Craven Passage is named after William Craven, 3rd Baron Craven, who owned the land when the street was built in the 1730s. Craven Street, WC2N Craven Street is named after William Craven, 3rd Baron Craven, who owned the land when the street was built in the 1730s. Dansey Place, W1D Dansey Place is one of the streets of London in the W1D postal area. Duke Street St James’s, SW1Y Duke Street St James’s is named after James II, Duke of York when the street was built and brother to Charles II, king at the time. Durham House Street, WC2N Durham House Street was the former site of a palace belonging to the bishops of Durham in medieval times.
Great Windmill Street, W1F Great Windmill Street has had a long association with music and entertainment, most notably the Windmill Theatre. Ham Yard, W1D Ham Yard is one of the streets of London in the W1D postal area. Haymarket, SW1Y Haymarket – site of a former market selling hay until the 1830s. Hobhouse Court, WC2H Hobhouse Court is named after Sir John Cam Hobhouse, Victorian MP and arts patron. Hop Gardens, WC2N Hop Gardens is one of the streets of London in the WC2N postal area. John Adam Street, WC2N John Adam Street is named after John Adam, who built the Adelphi development with his brother Robert in the 1760s. King Street, WC2E King Street is one of the streets of London in the WC2E postal area. Maiden Lane, WC2E Maiden Lane runs from Bedford Street in the west to Southampton Street in the east. Marlborough Road, SW1Y Marlborough Road was named after the adjacent Marlborough House, built for Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough in 1711. Masons Yard, SW1Y Mason’s Yard was named for the local 18th century victualler Henry Mason. New Row, WC2E New Row is one of the streets of London in the WC2N postal area. Newport Court, WC2H Newport Court was laid out approximately on the site of the courtyard of Newport House. Newport Place, W1D Newport Place was named after Mountjoy Blount, Earl of Newport (Isle of Wight), who owned a house on Newport Street in the 17th century. Norris Street, SW1Y Norris Street – after Godfrye Norris, local leaseholder in the 17th century. Northumberland Street, WC2N Northumberland Street commemorates the former Northumberland House, built originally in the early 17th century for the earls of Northampton and later acquired by the earls of Northumberland.
Orange Street, WC2H Orange Street gets its name from William III, Prince of Orange - the reigning king when the street was built. Ormond Yard, SW1Y Ormond Yard was named after James Butler, 1st Duke of Ormonde, who owned a house next to this yard in the 17th century. Oxendon Street, W1D Oxendon Street, after Sir Henry Oxendon, husband of Mary Baker, daughter of Robert Baker who built the former Piccadilly House nearby. Pall Mall, SW1Y Pall Mall was laid out as grounds for playing pall mall in the 17th century. Panton Street, W1D Panton Street was named after Colonel Thomas Panton, local property dealer of the 17th century. Princes Arcade, SW1Y Princes Arcade, built 1929–33, was named after the former Prince’s Hotel, which stood here. Rose Street, WC2N Rose Street is one of the streets of London in the WC2E postal area. Rupert Court, W1D Rupert Court was named for Prince Rupert of the Rhine, the First Lord of the Admiralty when the court was built in 1676. Rupert Street, W1D Rupert Street – after Prince Rupert of the Rhine, noted 17th century general and son of Elizabeth Stuart, daughter of King James I. Smiths Court, W1D Smiths Court is one of the streets of London in the W1D postal area. Spring Gardens, WC2N Spring Gardens derives its name from the Spring Garden, formed in the 16th century as an addition to the pleasure grounds of Whitehall Palace. St Albans Street, SW1Y St Albans Street was named after Henry Jermyn, 1st Earl of Saint Albans, 17th century politician and local landowner. St James’s Market, SW1Y St James’s Market was part of the site of St James’s leper hospital in the Middle Ages, named after James, son of Zebedee. St Martins Place, WC2N St Martin’s Place is a short stretch connecting Trafalgar Square to the bottom of Charing Cross Road. Strand, WC2E Strand (or the Strand) runs just over 3⁄4 mile from Trafalgar Square eastwards to Temple Bar, where the road becomes Fleet Street inside the City of London. Strand, WC2N Strand begins its journey east at Trafalgar Square. Suffolk Place, SW1Y The Earl of Suffolk (Thomas Howard) was the reason for the naming of Suffolk Place. Suffolk Street, SW1Y Suffolk Street was named after Thomas Howard, Earl of Suffolk, who owned a stable yard attached to Northumberland House which lay on this site. Swallow Street, W1B Swallow Street honours Thomas Swallow, lessee in 1540 of the pastures on which the road was built. The Arches, WC2N The Arches is one of the streets of London in the WC2N postal area. Trafalgar Square, WC2N Trafalgar Square commemorates Horatio Nelson’s 1805 victory at the Battle of Trafalgar. Wardour Street, W1D The W1D part of Wardour Street south of Shaftesbury Avenue runs through London’s Chinatown. Warwick House Street, SW1A Warwick House Street formerly approached Warwick House, built in the 17th century for Sir Philip Warwick. Watergate Walk, WC2N Watergate Walk is named after a former watergate built in 1626 for George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham as an entrance for the former York House. Waterloo Place, SW1Y Waterloo Place, an extension of Regent Street, is awash with statues and monuments that honour heroes of the British Empire. Whitcomb Street, WC2H Whitcomb Street - named after William Whitcomb, 17th century brewer and property developer. Whitehall, SW1A Whitehall is recognised as the centre of the government of the United Kingdom. York Buildings, WC2N York Buildings marks a house was built on this site in the 14th century for the bishops of Norwich. Be@One This pub existed immediately prior to the 2020 global pandemic and may still do so. Duke Of Argyll This pub existed immediately prior to the 2020 global pandemic and may still do so. Glasshouse Stores This pub existed immediately prior to the 2020 global pandemic and may still do so. Jamies Italian This pub existed immediately prior to the 2020 global pandemic and may still do so. Leicester Arms This pub existed immediately prior to the 2020 global pandemic and may still do so. Lyric This pub existed immediately prior to the 2020 global pandemic and may still do so. O’Neills This pub existed immediately prior to the 2020 global pandemic and may still do so. St James’ Tavern This pub existed immediately prior to the 2020 global pandemic and may still do so. The Blue Posts This pub existed immediately prior to the 2020 global pandemic and may still do so. The Glassblower This pub existed immediately prior to the 2020 global pandemic and may still do so. The Queen’s Head This pub existed immediately prior to the 2020 global pandemic and may still do so. Waxy O’Connors This pub existed immediately prior to the 2020 global pandemic and may still do so. Waxy’s Little Sister This pub existed immediately prior to the 2020 global pandemic and may still do so. West Harrow This pub existed immediately prior to the 2020 global pandemic and may still do so. White Horse This pub existed immediately prior to the 2020 global pandemic and may still do so.
Westminster - heart of government.
While the underground station dates from 1868, Westminster itself is almost as old as London itself. It has a large concentration of London’s historic and prestigious landmarks and visitor attractions, including the Palace of Westminster, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey and Westminster Cathedral.
Historically part of the parish of St Margaret in the City and Liberty of Westminster and the county of Middlesex, the name Westminster was the ancient description for the area around Westminster Abbey – the West Minster, or monastery church, that gave the area its name – which has been the seat of the government of England (and later the British government) for almost a thousand years.
Westminster is the location of the Palace of Westminster, a UNESCO World Heritage Site which houses the Parliament of the United Kingdom.
The area has been the seat of the government of England for almost a thousand years. Westminster is thus often used as a metonym for Parliament and the political community of the United Kingdom generally. The civil service is similarly referred to by the area it inhabits, Whitehall, and Westminster is consequently also used in reference to the ’Westminster System’, the parliamentary model of democratic government that has evolved in the United Kingdom.
The historic core of Westminster is the former Thorney Island on which Westminster Abbey was built. The Abbey became the traditional venue of the coronation of the kings and queens of England. The nearby Palace of Westminster came to be the principal royal residence after the Norman conquest of England in 1066, and later housed the developing Parliament and law courts of England. It can be said that London thus has developed two distinct focal points: an economic one in the City of London; and a political and cultural one in Westminster, where the Royal Court had its home. This division is still very apparent today.
The monarchy later moved to the Palace of Whitehall a little towards the north-east. The law courts have since moved to the Royal Courts of Justice, close to the border of the City of London.
The Westminster area formed part of the City and Liberty of Westminster and the county of Middlesex. The ancient parish was St Margaret; after 1727 split into the parishes of St Margaret and St John. The area around Westminster Abbey formed the extra-parochial Close of the Collegiate Church of St Peter surrounded by—but not part of—either parish. Until 1900 the local authority was the combined vestry of St Margaret and St John (also known as the Westminster District Board of Works from 1855 to 1887), which was based at Westminster City Hall on Caxton Street from 1883. The Liberty of Westminster, governed by the Westminster Court of Burgesses, also included St Martin in the Fields and several other parishes and places. Westminster had its own quarter sessions, but the Middlesex sessions also had jurisdiction. The area was transferred from Middlesex to the County of London in 1889 and the local government of Westminster was reformed in 1900 when the court of burgesses and parish vestries were abolished, to be replaced with a metropolitan borough council. The council was given city status, allowing it to be known as Westminster City Council.
The underground station was opened as Westminster Bridge on 24 December 1868 by the steam-operated Metropolitan District Railway (MDR) (now the District line) when the railway opened the first section of its line from South Kensington. It was originally the eastern terminus of the MDR and the station cutting ended at a concrete wall buffered by timber sleepers. The approach to the station from the west runs in cut and cover tunnel under the roadway of Broad Sanctuary and diagonally under Parliament Square. In Broad Sanctuary the tunnel is close to Westminster Abbey and St Margaret’s church and care was required to avoid undermining their foundations when excavating in the poor ground found there.
The station was completely rebuilt to incorporate new deep-level platforms for the Jubilee line when it was extended to the London Docklands in the 1990s. During the works, the level of the sub-surface platforms was lowered to enable ground level access to Portcullis House. This was achieved in small increments carried out when the line was closed at night.
Residential block
