Category Archives: Uncategorized

We are all aware of the growth and number of coffee shops around the world. Almost every high street can boast a Starbucks, Costa or Nero to name but a few. They may seem to be a modern phenomenon but coffee houses can trace their history back for hundreds of years. And they have alsoContinue reading “The curious tale of Old Slaughter’s Coffee House”

Cleopatra’s Needle has stood on the north bank of the Thames for over one hundred years. It matches another one that can be found in New York. However, all is not what it might seem. For a start, the edifice has little to do with Cleopatra. It is believed that it dates back to theContinue reading “Secrets of Cleopatra’s Needle”

If you had to name a fictional spy, it is likely that many of you would name the character created by the author Ian Fleming. This is Bond, James Bond or 007. A spy, licensed to kill, who has glamourous women all over the world and a host of high-tech gadgets to get him outContinue reading “The real man behind James Bond, 007”

The London Central Criminal Court is a famous landmark building better known as the Old Bailey. But in earlier times, the site it now stands on was home to the notorious Newgate Prison; a place where both public and private executions were carried out. Just across the road from the court is a church whichContinue reading “Where to find the Executioner’s Bell”

London has many landmarks which are recognised around the world. They include Trafalgar Square, Tower Bridge and Buckingham Palace to name but a few. Another iconic feature is the statue of Eros in the middle of Piccadilly Circus. But hold on a minute. Eros is not at all what it seems.     For a start,Continue reading “There’s something wrong with Eros”

Large cities all share one problem; what to do with the bodies of its dead citizens? Churchyards and cemeteries soon become full and over the centuries, plagues such as the Black Death in Europe killed off millions.     London was no exception and in the nineteenth century, after an outbreak of cholera killed over 14,500Continue reading “All Aboard the Train for the Dead”

“There are only two things required to fly a modern airliner – a pilot and a dog. It’s the pilot’s job to feed the dog. It’s the dog’s job to bite the pilot if he touches anything in the cockpit.” Anon The vast majority of commercial airliners today use jet engines to power them. ThereContinue reading “Technology – How a Jet Engine works”

London has always been in danger of being flooded by the River Thames overflowing. The main danger comes from tidal surges making their way up the river from the North Sea. It has only been since the construction of the Thames Barrier that the city has been able to breathe a sigh of relief.    Continue reading “History – Drowning Lions in the River Thames”

“There is an art to flying The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.” Douglas Adams Many people these days have taken a flight in an aircraft and if not, they have certainly seen them making their way across the sky. We fully accept that planes fly; after all,Continue reading “Technology – How an Aircraft Flies”

The idea of women buying or more correctly, renting men is a strange one. Of course, transactions in the other direction have been going on for time immemorial. But to understand how this other state of affairs came about in the early 1800s, we have to take a look at two London Royal Parks –Continue reading “History – How to Buy a Soldier”