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The Relentless Rise Of Facadism
I am giving an illustrated lecture, telling the stories behind THE CREEPING PLAGUE OF GHASTLY FACADISM for the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings on Thursday 30th January in St Botolph’s...
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Piotr Frac’s New Window
Contributing Photographer Sarah Ainslie went along to St John of Jerusalem in Hackney to record stained glass artist Piotr Frac installing his new window in commemoration of parishioner June Pipe who...
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At Barts’ Great Hall
Yesterday’s clear January sunshine offered the ideal light for a visit to the Great Hall at St Bartholomew’s Hospital in Smithfield. This North Wing was the first part rebuilt by James Gibbs in his...
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A Public Inquiry For The Bell Foundry
. I am overjoyed to publish the news that – further to the Holding Order that he issued in December – yesterday Robert Jenrick, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities & Local Government...
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Public Homes On Public Land
Stop the Monster! . Readers may recall that five years ago there was a plan to built a line of towers of luxury investment flats for the international market along the Bishopsgate Goodsyard which...
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At Newmans Stationery
Qusai & Hafiz Jafferji Barely a week passes without at least one visit to Newmans Stationery, a magnificent shop in Bethnal Green devoted to pristine displays of more pens, envelopes, folders and...
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Sandle Brothers, Manufacturing Stationers
Not so long ago, there were a multitude of long-established Manufacturing Stationers in and around the City of London. Sandle Brothers opened in one small shop in Paternoster Row on November 1st 1893,...
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Bud Flanagan’s Spitalfields
Bud Flanagan was born above his family’s fish & chip shop in Hanbury St Today I publish reminiscences of Spitalfields written in 1961 by Bud Flanagan, the celebrated Music Hall comedian, part of...
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Along The Regent’s Canal
The Regent’s Canal is two hundred years old this year so I thought I would take advantage of yesterday’s January sunshine to enjoy a ramble along the towpath with my camera, tracing its arc which...
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The Language Of Printing
My portrait of Gary Arber, the legendary East End printer In celebration of the current exhibition at Nunnery Gallery of the history of printing in the East End, LIGHTBOXES & LETTERING, I have...
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The Guardians Of London’s Lost Rivers
London is situated upon a river basin and owes its origin to the Thames. Yet once upon a time many other rivers flowed through the city which have been ‘lost,’ mostly absorbed into the modern drainage...
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The Magnificent Old Ladies Of Whitechapel
Photographing daily on the streets of Spitalfields and Whitechapel for the last thirty years, Phil Maxwell has taken hundreds of pictures of old ladies – of which I publish a selection of favourites...
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Gram Hilleard’s Postcards From London
It is my delight to publish these postcards designed and conceived by comic genius Gram Hilleard “The idea behind these postcard provocations is simple. London loves to sell the world its history while...
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The Wyvern Bindery Is Moving
The Wyvern Bindery has been a fond landmark on the Clerkenwell Rd for as long as I can remember, but now it is moving east on 13th March to 187 Hoxton St, N1 6RA “We’re inspired by William Morris and...
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Further Along The Regent’s Canal
The towpath fiddler in Camden Taking advantage of the crystalline February sunlight on Thursday, I continued my ramble along the towpath of the Regent’s Canal which is two hundred years old this year....
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Wencelaus Hollar At Old St Pauls
Contributing Writer Gillian Tindall sent me her account of the role of Wencelaus Hollar in creating the historical record of old St Pauls Wenceslaus Hollar by Jan Meyssens As all readers interested in...
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Eleanor Crow At Leila’s Shop
. Illustrator Eleanor Crow is giving an illustrated lecture at Leila’s Cafe, showing her watercolours and telling the stories of the shopkeepers from her book SHOPFRONTS OF LONDON, IN PRAISE OF SMALL...
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The Division Bells Of Westminster
There were once as many as four hundred Division Bells in the pubs and restaurants of Westminster, summoning MPs back to parliament to vote, but when Contributing Cartographer Adam Dant & I set out...
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The Silent Traveller
When I encountered the work of Chiang Yee (1903-77) writing as ‘The Silent Traveller’ I knew I had discovered a kindred spirit in self-effacement. These fine illustrations are from his book ‘The Silent...
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Peta Bridle’s New Etchings
Since 2013, I have been regularly publishing Peta Bridle’s splendid drypoint etchings of London and it my pleasure to present this selection of recent works, many seen publicly for the first time here...
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