If you've ever wandered through Spitalfields market in east London, no doubt dapper hat seller Colin will have caught your eye. With his trademark top hat, three piece suit, shiny shoes and sparkling ear studs, it's difficult not to notice him. However, just over a decade ago, Colin was homeless ...and has a fascinating story to tell.
#london #funfact #funfacts #trivia #hat #hats #tophat #spitalfields #spitalfieldsmarket #colin #ymca #homelessness #homelesscharity #victoria #sleepingrough #hatseller #market #oldspitalfieldsmarket
The epic untold tale of how the original Trafalgar Square fountains ended up in Canada.
#london #canada #trafalgarsquare #fountains #ottawa #regina #history #ww2
Where did the National Gallery hide their collection during WW2?
During World War Two, almost the entire collection of the National Gallery was packed up and taken to Wales, along with the library and lots of other stuff and hidden in a slate Quarry in Manod. The constant temperature and humidity meant that when the paintings were returned, they were in better condition than when they left, leading the gallery to ensure the paintings have been kept in the correct conditions ever since.
Archive Images courtesy of the National Gallery, London.
#london #funfact #funfacts #trivia #art #wales #nationalgallery #painting #ww2 #bombing #war #warzone #manod #quarry #slate #winstonchurchill #churchill #NG200
Oasis's second album (What's The Story) Morning Glory? came out in 1995. The cover featuring two men walking past each other on a street was actually photographed on Berwick Street in London's Soho.
#funfact #funfacts #trivia #london #soho #albumcover #oasis #oasisband #whatsthestorymorningglory #1990s #music #rocknroll #guitar #berwickstreet #liamgallagher #noelgallagher #walkingtour #londonmusic #iconic #oasisreunion
Here's how a particularly handsome chemist lead to London's first one way street.
#london #history #funfact #funfacts #trivia #chemistry #royalinstitution #onewaystreet #mayfair #lecture #lectures #handsome #handsomeman #science #scientific #laughinggas #nitrousoxide #ri #experiment
An Unscheduled Guest
Today’s Londony story also involves Berlin, so I have enlisted the help of ace Berlin tour guide Jonny Whitlam to help tell it.
If you are planning a trip to Berlin, look Jonny up. His tours are called Whitlam's Berlin Tours.
#walkingtour #tourguide #berlintour #londontour #walkingtourlondon #berlin #london #history #walkingtourberlin #rudolfhess #spandauprison #germany #uk #toweroflondon #thetower #prisoner #londonhistory #ww2
'Nancy's Steps' can be found at the south end, Borough side of London Bridge, famous for being the location of the murder of Nancy at the hands of Bill Sikes in Charles Dickens' novel Oliver Twist. A plaque at the bottom of the steps tells us exactly this.
However, in Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist, Nancy's murder does not happen here at all, but is precipated by a meeting that takes place here between Nancy and a couple, witnessed by one of Fagin's gang and reported to Sikes.
It would seem that in Lionel Bart's 1968 film musical 'Oliver', the murder gets transported to these steps ...hence the confusion.
Either way, they will always be Nancy's Steps and although the murder does not occur there, they do feature alongside Nancy in the novel.
#londonwalkingtours #londontour #walkingtour #london #charlesdickens #dickens #olivertwist #oliver #nancy #literature #londonbridge #murder #fiction #musical #19thcentury #novel #dickenslondon
Banksy in City of London.
On yesterdays 'Around St Paul's cathedral' tour we checked out one of the new Banksy's at Guildhall. Unless they move it, it'll be a regular feature on that tour.
#banksy #banksyart #streetart #cityoflondon
Do you know what they found underneath the house where Benjamin Franklin lived in London for 16 years?
#london #walkingtour #tourguide #funfacts #funfact #trivia #benfranklin #benjaminfranklin #londonmuseums #franklin #usa #america #museum #anatomy
The only view in England protected by an act if parliament.
#london #views #view #richmond #richmonduponthames #mickjagger #parliament #walkingtour #tourguide Aurora's Online Language Lessons
