Famous and Infamous Londoners


Book Description

A compilation of thoroughly researched true stories of Londoners through the ages, well known and little known alike - their lives, loves, pastimes and crimes. Their stories weave a tapestry of London through the ages.




Dirty Old London


Book Description

In Victorian London, filth was everywhere: horse traffic filled the streets with dung, household rubbish went uncollected, cesspools brimmed with "night soil," graveyards teemed with rotting corpses, the air itself was choked with smoke. In this intimately visceral book, Lee Jackson guides us through the underbelly of the Victorian metropolis, introducing us to the men and women who struggled to stem a rising tide of pollution and dirt, and the forces that opposed them. Through thematic chapters, Jackson describes how Victorian reformers met with both triumph and disaster. Full of individual stories and overlooked details--from the dustmen who grew rich from recycling, to the peculiar history of the public toilet--this riveting book gives us a fresh insight into the minutiae of daily life and the wider challenges posed by the unprecedented growth of the Victorian capital.




London’s Notorious Covent Garden Revisited


Book Description

Covent Garden, the cultural heart of London, is notorious for its history, ghosts, and the Old Market. Discover the special places unique to this area. It would be interesting to read about the latest fashionable shops, popular pubs and hotels that existed in Covent Garden a hundred years ago but there is no accurate record as far as I know. This book, therefore, may be of interest in 100 years hence when we are all gone. There are biographies of the people who lived and worked here of course, and some of the restaurants and theatres they visited are still in existence, but in 100 years time, they may be all gone, too. While doing research for this book I came across the writings of theatre people, who had lived and worked in Covent Garden, when I was a student, and who had inspired me, although they were a little before my time. They have a chapter in this book. Clemence Dane, (Winifred Ashton) Alan Dent, Angus McBean, James Agate all wrote about the area and their stories make fascinating reading.




The Very Bloody History Of London


Book Description

When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life... - Samuel Johnson Let John Farman, author of the mega-bestselling title The Very Bloody History of Britain, guide you round one of the world's most famous cities, London. Packed with multitudes of facts to entertain and amaze you, The Very Bloody History of London will take you on a tour you will never forget. Sometime's grisley, but always fascinating, this is history as it should be - loads of fun!




Michael Brein's Guide to London by the Underground


Book Description

This is the ‘full’ expanded PDF desktop version of MIchael Brein's Travel Guide to London which includes an ultra-large, zoomable official map of London's subway (Underground) system with embedded links to visitor attractions. This version of the London guide is optimized for desktops and tablets. A 'lite' version ($3.99) for mobile devices is also available but without these special features of the 'full' expanded edition. Michael Brein’s London Travel Guide helps you get to the city's top 50 visitor attractions easily and cheaply using London's excellent Underground system. From the British Museum to the London Eye, with this ultra simple guide you can discover and get to London’s 50 top points of interest, or London’s top 10 "Must See" attractions if you have limited time; find the nearest Underground station and which lines to take; see how to exit the station and walk to the attraction; note other nearby points of interest; view the attraction's location on the official London Underground map; get to attractions without needing wireless internet access. Michael Brein’s London Travel Guide is compact, concise and comprehensive and is so simple and convenient to use--it is really all you need on your mobile device to get to all of London’s top sights. And since it's based on Michael Brein’s acclaimed travel guide series to sightseeing by public transportation, it's the simplest way to get around the world's big cities. Similar guides to Paris, Honolulu, Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington, DC, and Madrid are also available, and others are planned.




London Urban Legends


Book Description

How long has a corpse been staring out at passengers on the tube? Was London Bridge really shipped abroad by an American thinking he’d bought Tower Bridge? Did the Queen really mix with the crowds as a princess on VE Day? And did Hitler actually want to live in Balham? Urban legends are the funny, frightening and fierce folklore people share. Just like the early folk tales that came before them, these tales are formed from reactions to spectacular events in the world, and reflect our current values. From royal rumours to subterranean legends, Scott Wood has researched and written about them with a sense of wonder, humour and a keen eye. He finds the truth, the myth and the lies amongst these tales.







A Londoner's Calendar


Book Description




National Geographic Traveler - Great Britain


Book Description

Presents information about the history and culture of Great Britain and its various regions and provides practical travel advice, listings of hotels and restaurants, and discusses shopping and entertainment available. Includes maps, photographs, and illustrations and suggests unique experiences.




London: The Executioner's City


Book Description

Tyburn Fields is the best known site of execution in London, but London may be aptly named the executioner's city, so many were the places where executions could and did occur. This book reveals the capital as a place where the bodies of criminals defined the boundaries of the city and heads on poles greeted patrons on London Bridge.