A few days ago I was fortunate to be invited on a private behind the scenes tour of the Guildhall in the City of London. Imagine that, me on a tour! It’s one of a handful of buildings I’ve always wanted to look around that I’ve never properly been in. I did once get a… Continue reading Standing under the shoulders of giants
Month: September 2023
Looking for the River Fleet
A week or so ago I was fortunate to have a special invitation in the City of London and unusually found myself with time to spare and no tourists with me. I decided to hunt down the River Fleet. The River Fleet is perhaps the second most important river in the formation and history of… Continue reading Looking for the River Fleet
Thomas Dagger – The Man who discovered The Great Fire of London
By the time it was extinguished, an area about a mile-and-a-half (2.4km) wide along the River Thames was devastated, with 13,200 houses, 87 churches and the old St Paul’s Cathedral destroyed. The huge fire left some 100,000 people homeless but led to widespread changes in the city, many of which still resonate to this very… Continue reading Thomas Dagger – The Man who discovered The Great Fire of London
RIP Yours Sincerely
About 8 years ago I wrote a blog post entitled https://stephenliddell.co.uk/2015/06/13/yours-sincerely-the-story-of-valedictions/ Even though it was partly hinted at all those years ago, a new study into workplace emails suggests that starting with ‘Dear’ will also soon become thing of the past. Phrases such as ‘Yours sincerely’ will die out in the next ten years as… Continue reading RIP Yours Sincerely
How London bus drivers changed the health of the world
It can’t be easy being a bus driver. The incessant traffic, protests, rude and miserable people, the odd terrorist, heatwaves in the summer, freaky rain, wind or snow in the winter. I guess it is much like being a tour guide except we also have to put up with transport strikes! I think the behaviour… Continue reading How London bus drivers changed the health of the world
Charles Pearson – The Radical Reformer behind London Underground
There aren’t many things I like to write about more in my blog than little known people of the past who either made a big impact on life or were very forward thinking. Perhaps Jeremy Bentham might be my favourite though I admit I may be a little biased as I kind of count him… Continue reading Charles Pearson – The Radical Reformer behind London Underground
I’ve got soul but I’m not a SEOldier
I don’t often put real life bits on my blog, well unless I’m on the national and international news in which case I figure I may as well! The last two months however I’ve been updating my company website for Ye Olde England Tours. I’ve not really updated it since 2012 when I became the… Continue reading I’ve got soul but I’m not a SEOldier
Billy Waters – The King of the beggars
Just before I met with some tourists embarking on a London Pub Tour a few weeks ago, I caught sight of this poster near St Pauls. Part of a temporary exhibition in the yard outside. I didn’t expect to see the King of the Beggars here as he isn’t well known, obviously part of the… Continue reading Billy Waters – The King of the beggars
Stephen Liddell 