I hope everyone had a nice Christmas and New Year. Maybe like myself you managed to squeeze in your 50th birthday on the 28th December. Whilst on my way to work a few days ago I found this wonderful old photo which caught my eye. This is the only known photograph of James Sharman. He was… Continue reading James Sharman – Photo of a man who fought with Lord Nelson
Tag: Greenwich
The protected views of London
Before continuing with my series on London canalscanals, I thought it best to write a brief post on something not very well known but that nonetheless has played an important role in the modern development of London, namely protected views. London is far from the only city in Britain to have protected views, namely views… Continue reading The protected views of London
The Great Stink of 1858
If like me, you suffered through the blazing London summer of 2018 with seemingly wall to wall sunshine heat and humidity from Easter to the end of September, squashed on your commute in airless tube trains and wondering how you’d ever get to sleep in a bedroom that rarely fell under 30 degrees (90 F)… Continue reading The Great Stink of 1858
Up Close and Personal with the Greenwich Painted Hall Ceiling
Two weeks ago you may have seen my post on the Painted Hall in Greenwich which is often referred to as the Sistine Chapel of England. The artwork is 300 years old however and due to age, wear and tear and earlier attempts at preservation, the imagery had become very dark and rather indistinguishable from… Continue reading Up Close and Personal with the Greenwich Painted Hall Ceiling
The Painted Hall of Greenwich – Englands Sistine Chapel
Said by many to be the English equivalent of the Sistine Chapel, The Painted Hall at the Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich is one of the most spectacular and important baroque interiors in Europe. You might get some idea what awaits when you first arrive at the Cutty Sark station or as I prefer to… Continue reading The Painted Hall of Greenwich – Englands Sistine Chapel
Crossing The River Thames By Cable Car
Sometimes when I am running tours, I get to do new things even in my home city. Of course, that isn’t too hard when you live in London as not only is there a 2,000 year old back catalogue of things to do and see but there are new attractions cropping up by the day,… Continue reading Crossing The River Thames By Cable Car
The Terrible Tale of Ælfheah – Archbishop of Canterbury
Being the Archbishop of Canterbury is probably not the easiest job in the world. You might have a nice palace in London and an entourage of officials around you but there is no doubt lots of travelling, meetings to have and near constant flak from big business, the media, government and the population at large.… Continue reading The Terrible Tale of Ælfheah – Archbishop of Canterbury
A brief history of time(zones) or why do we keep changing the clocks?
Some of us have just done it and others are about to do it but this week sees many of us changing our clocks to go onto winter time but why do we do this often quite annoying ritual. In the old days every town and village in effect had its own time-zone. When the… Continue reading A brief history of time(zones) or why do we keep changing the clocks?
Stephen Liddell 