Janeslondon

LATEST ARTICLES ( 694 )

• The Eyes of March

  

  Yes, you read that title correctly – this is about Horseguards' Parade (where they march) and some intriguing markers I have espied during this month of March.... Read more

  Posted on 10 March 2025 CULTURE, DESTINATIONS

• Small Remnants of Wood Block Road Surface in Shoreditch, EC2

  

  Oooh... I've found +100year-old wood still embedded in our streets.Well, your honour, I was wandering along Scrutton Street, London EC2, heading in a... Read more

  Posted on 26 February 2025 CULTURE, DESTINATIONS

• Calthorpe Terrace – Ghosts of Bygone Shops in Gray's Inn Road

  

  When I travel along Grays Inn Road on a No17 bus I like to admire this west-facing terrace between Calthorpe Street and Wren Street. Read more

  Posted on 04 February 2025 CULTURE, DESTINATIONS

• Join The Conversation at St Martin-in-the-Fields. Robert Macfarlane and the...

  

  Last night I sat within one of London's gorgeous churches to listen to hear Robert Macfarlane in conversation with Peter Florence. This forms part of a series o... Read more

  Posted on 29 January 2025 CULTURE, DESTINATIONS

• Not Bog Standard – Central London's Public Conveniences

  

  We often read that there are hardly any public conveniences in London these days. Campaigners complain that there are scant facilities available to us. We've... Read more

  Posted on 24 January 2025 CULTURE, DESTINATIONS

• Ringing in the Changes

  

  Brr-ring Brr-ring! Unlike the example shown above in Carey Street at the back of the Law Courts, most of the old red telephone boxes on our streets are no longe... Read more

  Posted on 22 January 2025 CULTURE, DESTINATIONS

• Gray's Inn Road – Strange Backward-facing Houses, a Water Trough and Another...

  

  I was walking from Russell Square to Kings Cross today and, as I passed by these houses that end at Heathcote Street, I thought it was high time that I shared m... Read more

  Posted on 17 January 2025 CULTURE, DESTINATIONS

• Sir William Atherton at Kensal Green Cemetery – He's Got Plums!

  

  I do love a wander in a cemetery. I visited all of London's 'Magnificent Seven' last year, some for the first time, others were repeat visits because there's... Read more

  Posted on 13 January 2025 CULTURE, DESTINATIONS

• The Blue Tiled Laundry Shops of Sunlight, Westerns and Loud & Westerns

  

  I've written a few times about shops that used to be laundries/dry cleaners, evident by their blue tiled exteriors, often featuring and promoting Lever Bros'... Read more

  Posted on 06 January 2025 CULTURE, DESTINATIONS

• Who is Removing the Old Metal Telephone and Telegraph Signs?

  

  Last week, as I wandered along the eastern section of Lillie Road, between North End Road and the vast open space where Earls Court Exhibition Centre used to be... Read more

  Posted on 02 January 2025 CULTURE, DESTINATIONS

• Wishing You Long Life, Health and Happiness - a Celebration of Longevity

  

  A few days ago, ex-US president Jimmy Carter passed away, having only recently celebrated his 100th birthday on 1st October, and it got me thinking... Read more

  Posted on 31 December 2024 CULTURE, DESTINATIONS

• Department of National Heritage – Two Blue Plaques in Holloway, N7*

  

  (Edited from my Substack feed): At the southern end of Tufnell Park Road, N7, almost opposite the Odeon cinema, there are some of Holloway’s oldest houses. Read more

  Posted on 30 December 2024 CULTURE, DESTINATIONS

• This Wall Has Artistic Importance – Waithman Street, EC4

  

  If you venture up the stairs at the side of 100 New Bridge Street, EC4 (heading for Carter Lane) turn immdiately right at the top into Waithman Street. Read more

  Posted on 11 December 2024 CULTURE, DESTINATIONS

• Brixton Bovril to Bovril Castle

  

  In central Brixton, near the library and facing the Town Hall, there is a huge ghostsign advertising Bovril*, a beef extract product that is still available... Read more

  Posted on 26 November 2024 CULTURE, DESTINATIONS

• Mapping the Tube 1863-2023 – A Chronology of Harry Beck's (and Others') London...

  

  One for fellow map nerds and London Transport fans. There is an excellent exhibition at The Map House showing the evolution of the tube map, the like of which... Read more

  Posted on 23 November 2024 CULTURE, DESTINATIONS

• Stanley Arts, Norwood Junction... Plus an Ironmonger, a Clocktower, a Ghostsign...

  

  There are are areas of London I don't know so well including the South east corner that forms part of Croydon. A guided tour of Stanley Arts afforded me the... Read more

  Posted on 22 November 2024 CULTURE, DESTINATIONS

• Tirzah Garwood: Beyond Ravilious at Dulwich Picture Gallery – a Very Talented...

  

  Dulwich Gallery as done it again... yet another excellent exhibition .This is the first major exhibition of Tirzah Garwood's work, ever, since her death... Read more

  Posted on 21 November 2024 CULTURE, DESTINATIONS

• HMV, Oxford Street – Art Deco, Glass Bricks, Vitrolite and Curved Glass

  

  A while ago I pulled together this collection of shops that still retain horizontal curved glass. I mused that there must have been other businesses making use... Read more

  Posted on 07 November 2024 CULTURE, DESTINATIONS

• Voila! Theatre Festival – 4th–24th November 2024

  

  Whoops, I should have posted this last week. Support your local theatre and see amazing and thought-provoking innovative theatre created and performed by new... Read more

  Posted on 06 November 2024 CULTURE, DESTINATIONS

• Happy Hallowe'en (whatever That Means!)

  

  Last week I wrote on here about the mythogical beasts on the columns that support the portico leading into Burlington House courtyard. Read more

  Posted on 31 October 2024 CULTURE, DESTINATIONS