King Charles I in Westminster: His life, execution and survival beyond death.
As I write this blog post we have just passed the 372nd anniversary of the execution of Charles I, outside the Palace of Whitehall in the heart of ‘royal’ Westminster. His death marked an end to what is always referred to as ‘The English Civil War’. Various English monarchs have met a bloody ending, perhaps…
February 15, 2021
The Beatles (and Hendrix and Bowie) in London: Part 2 – Mayfair (including Ziggy Stardust record cover key facts).
Posh Mayfair, upmarket Mayfair, moneyed Mayfair, you get the picture; it’s nice in Mayfair. Mayfair is in the West End of central London, which is not one district but a patchwork of neighbouring areas that developed through the 17th and 18th centuries (St James’s, Covent Garden and Soho were others). The West End formed the mainly…
January 26, 2021
The Beatles in London: Part 1 – St John’s Wood (including Abbey Road record cover key facts).
St John’s Wood is a residential, mainly well-to-do, area on the north west edge of central London. It’s fair to say that St John’s Wood is best known for two world famous locations: Lord’s Cricket Ground and Abbey Road Studios (of which more later). Like many parts of London, this area has a history stretching…
January 9, 2021
American Heritage in London: St James’s – Pt. 2
The West End of central London is not one district but a patchwork of neighbouring areas that developed through the 17th and 18th centuries (Soho and Mayfair are others). They formed the mainly well-to-do areas developing west of the ancient City of London and, you could say, were the launch pads for the suburbanisation of…
December 20, 2020
American Heritage in London: St. James’s – Pt. 1
The West End of central London is not one district but a patchwork of neighbouring areas that developed through the 17th and 18th centuries (Soho and Mayfair are others). They formed the mainly well-to-do areas developing west of the ancient City of London and, you could say, were the launch pads for the suburbanisation of…
December 14, 2020
Lockdown London: Summer 2020 – Pt. 2.
Lockdown London: Summer 2020 – Pt. 2. I’m going back in time for my first two blogs. Back in time to the ‘lockdown’ summer of 2020 when I drove around central London taking photos of big things from empty streets. If you’re reading this in 2120 and wondering why London is so deserted all I…
November 17, 2020
Lockdown London: Summer 2020 – Pt. 1.
Lockdown London: Summer 2020 – Pt. 1. I’m going back in time for my first two blogs. Back in time to the ‘lockdown’ summer of 2020 when I drove around central London taking photos of big things from empty streets. If you’re reading this in 2120 and wondering why London is so deserted all I…
November 17, 2020