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Stories, snapshots and sneak peeks of life in and around the streets of London.
Browsing All Posts filed under »Plaques«
In search of…Thomas Harriot (c.1560-1621)
The scientist and adventurer Thomas Harriot (c.1560–1621) caught our eye back in the 2009 Year of Astronomy, when his telescope observations of the Moon – pre-dating those of Galileo by several months – were celebrated. At the time, we visited the Bank of England‘s foyer plaque, which marks the approximate site of Harriot’s original burial place. Now Harriot is on […]
History of science mini-marathon
April 26, 2012
Coming to London for the 2012 Olympics? Keen to see more than back-to-back sporting events? Grab your camera and walking shoes, and check out these history of science hot spots, all within a short distance of Piccadilly Circus. If you’re really keen, you can get this mini-marathon done in a single day. Be sure to […]
Plaque spotting: Vincent van Gogh (1853 – 1890)
March 29, 2012
Earlier this week, we took advantage of the stunning spring weather and walked from Bloomsbury to the Kennington/Stockwell area in south London. Here, at 87 Hackford Rd SW9, is a blue plaque to the artist who surely needs no introduction, Vincent van Gogh (1853 – 1890). The house is currently for sale for over £400,000, but is […]
Plaque spotting: Bram Stoker (1847 – 1912)
December 23, 2011
John Polidori (1795 – 1821) might have written the first English language vampire story, but the Irish-born Bram Stoker (1847 – 1912) is surely responsible for developing the Gothic monster into the manifestation we all know and love – Dracula. The fanged phantom transcends genres and infuses popular culture to this day, inhabiting forms ranging from Bela Lugosi’s […]
On the trail of Douglas Adams
December 17, 2011
If you’re a Douglas Adams (1952 – 2001) fan – and let’s face it, who isn’t? – here are some London locations you can visit. A low-cost, sci-fi literary pilgrimage, if you will. Don’t forget your towel. And, above all: Stop 1 – Hotblack Desiato Trading since 1979, the Hotblack Desiato real estate agent has offices in […]
Plaque spotting & “A Conversation”: Oscar Wilde (1854 – 1900)
December 6, 2011
Following on from news that the tomb of Oscar Wilde (1854 – 1900) and Robbie Ross (1869 – 1918) in Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris (below) has been cleaned and reopened to the public, with a new protective shield in place over sculptor Jacob Epstein’s (1880 – 1959) distinctive angel headstone, this might be a good time to shine a light on some more accessible London monuments […]
Plaque spotting: Alfred Hitchcock (1899 – 1980) & Leytonstone mosaics
November 16, 2011
Alfred Hitchcock (1899 – 1980), celluloid icon and film-maker extraordinaire, had his beginnings in Leytonstone, north London. (Image from Wikipedia) A blue plaque commemorating his childhood home is fixed to the exterior of a service station at 517 Leytonstone High Road, at the corner of Lynn Road. Beware – if you type “517 Leytonstone High […]
Plaque spotting: Canaletto (1697 – 1768)
October 25, 2011
The artist Giovanni Antonio Canal (1697 – 1768), better known as Canaletto, is most famous for the delightful scenes he painted of his birthplace, Venice. A plaque to Canaletto can be seen at 41 Beak Street W1, his former residence, in the area between Soho and Mayfair (see map below). As a boy, Canaletto helped […]
Plaque spotting: John Logie Baird (1888 – 1946)
October 7, 2011
John Logie Baird (1888 – 1946) was a Scottish engineer and inventor who perhaps deserves the same iconic pioneer status given to Tim Berners-Lee. Both men invented a new form of communication that literally changed the world. In the case of Berners-Lee, it was the world wide web. In the case of John Logie Baird, it […]
Bloomsbury Bytes
- Dirty Wars: Jeremy Scahill @ Doughty St May 16, 2013
- In Search of Classical Greece April 3, 2013
- View of the week: UCL’s Institute of Making March 16, 2013
July 26, 2012
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