London History

The Rise and Fall of the Crystal Palace: London’s Forgotten Marvel

London has no shortage of architectural wonders, but few structures in its history have matched the sheer audacity and spectacle…

1 year ago

The Surprising London Origins of Instant Coffee

While we often credit the 20th century for popularising instant coffee, its roots trace back to late 18th century London,…

1 year ago

Dick Turpin: London’s Most Notorious Highwayman

Dick Turpin. The name conjures up images of a dashing rogue on horseback, galloping through the night with a pistol…

1 year ago

Chuny the Elephant: A Tragic Tale

In the early 19th century, London was a city captivated by exotic animals. Zoos, travelling menageries, and exotic creatures in…

1 year ago

The Exotic Animals of Georgian London

Roaring Lions, Royal Zebras, and Camels In the 18th century, Londoners didn’t need David Attenborough documentaries to experience the wonders…

1 year ago

The Tragic Story of Robert Hubert: The Man Who Was Hanged for Starting the Great Fire of London

The Strange tale of Robert Hubert—the man who didn’t start the Great Fire, but was hanged for it anyway.

1 year ago

The Wife Auctions of Smithfield Market

In the grand annals of London’s rich and often eccentric history, few traditions are as bizarre, misunderstood, or as steeped…

1 year ago

The London Necropolis Railway

Like something out of a horror movie, the London Necropolis Railway, used to be a railway line that transported the…

1 year ago

London’s Knocker-Uppers: The Forgotten Human Alarm Clocks

Before the days of smartphones, loud alarm clocks, and snooze buttons, there existed an unlikely profession that guaranteed people in…

1 year ago

Dirty Dicks: The London pub that wasn’t cleaned for 200 years… with dead cats and dogs left on the floor

Dirty Dicks is one of Londons strangest pubs. The pub's name might appear rather cheeky, but there's a tragic reason…

2 years ago

This website uses cookies.