Monthly Archives: January 2016

Palace of Westminster by Brewer

Posted on 29 January 2016 by

Above: The amazingly detailed drawing by Brewer of the Palace of Westminster, showing how it would have looked about 1500. Henry William Brewer (1836-1903) was a London based architectural illustrator active in the late 19th century. Brewer is little known … Continue reading →

Posted in /Wes-Westminster | 8 Comments

Baird and Ninety Years of Television

Posted on 27 January 2016 by

The 26th of January 2016 marked the 90th anniversary of the first ever demonstration of television. It was given by John Logie Baird. Remarkably, the demonstration was with a large mechanical machine acting as the ‘television camera’. It was connected … Continue reading →

Posted in /Baird, John (c3), /Soho (c5), /Wes-Piccadilly | Leave a comment

Spring Gardens

Posted on 25 January 2016 by

Above: Spring Gardens (shaded yellow) shown on Morden and Lea’s map of 1682. Trafalgar Square was laid out (after the famous battle in 1805) where the large number ‘4’ is shown on the map. Towards the SW of Trafalgar Square … Continue reading →

Posted in /Wes-Strand | Leave a comment

Exeter Change

Posted on 22 January 2016 by

Above: An unusual map of part of the Strand – mainly plan but also showing the fronts of some buildings – published by Strype in 1720. It shows Exeter Change jutting out onto the pavement on the north side the … Continue reading →

Posted in /Wes-Strand | Leave a comment

Bull Inn Court, Strand

Posted on 20 January 2016 by

Those of you who came on the last walk around this area will realise that two points made on the walk need to be corrected. (1) The Corps of Commissionaires in Exchange Court is still in existence but it does not … Continue reading →

Posted in /Wes-Strand | Leave a comment

Exchange Court, Strand

Posted on 18 January 2016 by

Above: View in Exchange Court looking south to the Strand. Exchange Court is one of the last remaining alleyways in the Strand area. It is a pedestrian turning off the north side of the Strand that leads up to Maiden … Continue reading →

Posted in /Wes-Strand | Leave a comment

Temple Bar

Posted on 15 January 2016 by

Above: Modern map showing the original site of Temple Bar, now a monument (in red). While the City boundary has moved over the centuries, the two streets called Strand and Fleet Street have not altered in their positions or boundaries. … Continue reading →

Posted in /City-Fleet Street, /Common Items (c1), /Wes-Strand | Leave a comment

Westminster – The Three Names

Posted on 13 January 2016 by

Above: Outline map of the boundary of today’s City of Westminster (red line). Two Roman roads (brown lines) are shown. Parts of those two roads are known today as Oxford Street and Edgware Road. Towards the bottom right corner of … Continue reading →

Posted in /Wes-City of, /Wes-Paddington, /Wes-St Marylebone, /Wes-Westminster | 2 Comments

Westminster (Year 5)

Posted on 11 January 2016 by

Above: Map showing the outline of the City of Westminster. The four-letter codes represent PICC — Piccadilly; STJJ — St James’s; STRA — Strand; WEST — Westminster; WHIT — Whitehall. Along the top are PADD — Paddington; and STMM — … Continue reading →

Posted in /Comment (c4), /Wes-City of, /Wes-Strand | Leave a comment

Sherlock Holmes in the 21st Century

Posted on 8 January 2016 by

Above: The black door of ‘221b Baker Street’ and sandwich shop in North Gower Street. If you are familiar with the Sherlock Holmes stories then you will know that Holmes rented rooms on the first floor of 221b Baker Street. … Continue reading →

Posted in /Cam-St Pancras | 2 Comments