London History

If you have ever walked along the Southbank between Shakespeare's Globe and Borough Market then you would have walked under Southwark Bridge. In the pedestrian underpass you may have noticed five large pieces of slate along the southern wall. The slates have been engraved by Richard Kindersley and shows a scene of a long lost London event; the Frost Fair.  Learn things about London that most...

Even after 671 years the Black Death has left its mark on London reminding us of the devastation that disease can inflict on communities. With the help of my colleague Ian McDiarmid we are going to investigate London during the Black Death which wiped out half of the population within nine months. We will look at how the Black Death got its name, how it spread, what people thought was causing it a...

Bridgerton is the latest Netflix original series produced by Grey's anatomy, Shonda Rhimes. This period drama is based on Julia Quinn's novels set in Regency London. Even if you haven't read the books or even like the idea of a love child of Nanny McPhee and a wedding decorator, the true stars of the series are the filming locations themselves, many of them in London. Hazel shares with you and lit...

We all know Brexit means Brexit... Putting politics aside, what does Brexit mean for the City of London? Join your host Hazel Baker as she speaks with City of London tour guide Ian McDiarmid who tells us more about the history being made today and the effects that will have on the City of London and the UK as a whole.  Learn things about London that most Londoners don't even know in a 20 minu...

Join Hazel as we are going back to a Christmas before industrialisation, even before the reformation and Puritan rule, before Christmas trees, Christmas crackers and yes, even Santa Claus.  Learn things about London that most Londoners don't even know in a 20 minute espresso shot episode of London history with a splash of personality. There's so much we can't fit into our tours, no matter how...

Did you know there are shops in London that are over 300 years old? Join Hazel as she shares her favourite old shops for food and drink. Learn things about London that most Londoners don't even know in a 20 minute espresso shot episode of London history with a splash of personality.  Learn things about London that most Londoners don't even know in a 20 minute espresso shot episode of Lon...

Pillar boxes are a symbol of Britain, a national design icon. Something we pass by on the street everyday but they have a long and interesting history which we can journey through today…. Joanna Espin, Curator of the Postal Museum is going to be giving us a run down of three pillar boxes you can get out and see in London and take you on a whistle stop tour of London’s post box history.  Learn...

The economic role played by London was became more and more significant for the royal government in Medieval times. They set national standards in aspects of commercial activity as well as for the supplying essential goods such as food and textiles. There are strongly held notions of corporate history among London’s livery companies, where connections with the crown and the monarch feature pro...

Join us as we discuss London’s disused underground stations with London Transport Museum’s Siddy Holloway as she shares the hidden London underneath our feet.  Learn things about London that most Londoners don't even know in a 20 minute espresso shot episode of London history with a splash of personality. There's so much we can't fit into our tours, no matter how hard we try. This London hist...

What do Benjamin Franklin, John Milton and Samuel Johnson have in common?  Find out on our latest episode where Hazel talks about the street Little Britain in the City of London.  Learn things about London that most Londoners don't even know in a 20 minute espresso shot episode of London history with a splash of personality. There's so much we can't fit into our tours, no matter how hard...

What do Jamie Oliver, Queen Victoria and harps have in common? Find out on our latest episode where Moira Bonnington talks with Hazel about her investigation into four generations of harp makers in Fitzrovia. Learn things about London that most Londoners don't even know in a 20 minute espresso shot episode of London history with a splash of personality. There's so much we can't fit into our tours,...

Have you heard of The Ghost of Cock Lane? Join London Tour Guide, Hazel Baker as she share this rather unusual Georgian ghost story in London History Podcast's Halloween Special Episode. Learn things about London that most Londoners don't even know in a 20 minute espresso shot episode of London history with a splash of personality. There's so much we can't fit into our tours, no matter how hard we...

London's history has been punctuated by financial crises such as the dot com bubble and the 2008 Crash. But perhaps one of the most famous crisis in London was The South Sea Bubble in 1720. Let's get to the bottom of this early 18th century crises with City of London Tour Guide, Ian McDiarmid and London Tour Guide, Hazel Baker.  Learn things about London that most Londoners don't even know in...

Learn about the varied history behind some of the best of Soho's architecture along with artistic facial features in an ever-changing community. Join Hazel Baker, London Tour Guide, in A Nosey Around Soho.  Learn things about London that most Londoners don't even know in a 20 minute espresso shot episode of London history with a splash of personality. There's so much we can't fit into our tou...

The British Museum has re-opened. With a new one way route, Ian McDiarmid (City of London Tour Guide) and Hazel Baker (London Tour Guide) have visited twice and now share the best bits in this week's episode.  Learn things about London that most Londoners don't even know in a 20 minute espresso shot episode of London history with a splash of personality. There's so much we can't fit into our...

"The river Walbrook is the shortest but one of the most important of London's lost rivers. This Roman London water source is now entirely hidden and has largely been forgotten. Join London tour guides Hazel Baker and Ian McDiarmid as they take you back to Londinium, when the Walbrook was more than a street name." Learn things about London that most Londoners don't even know in a 20 minute espresso...

With over 3,000 pubs in London, we have handpicked some of the most interesting places and unique facts for you to start adding these pubs on your ‘Places to Visit’ list.  Learn things about London that most Londoners don't even know in a 20 minute espresso shot episode of London history with a splash of personality. There's so much we can't fit into our tours, no matter how hard we try. This...

Did you know about The Havering Hoard? Join Hazel Baker and Ian McDiarmid as they give you the full visitor experience review about the Havering Hoard: A Bronze Age Mystery from the Museum of London, Docklands.  Learn things about London that most Londoners don't even know in a 20 minute espresso shot episode of London history with a splash of personality. There's so much we can't fit into ou...

What’s in a name? Join London tour guides Hazel Baker and Ian McDiarmid as they discuss the animal-related names of parts of London.  Learn things about London that most Londoners don't even know in a 20 minute espresso shot episode of London history with a splash of personality. There's so much we can't fit into our tours, no matter how hard we try. This London history podcast is where we ca...

Join Hazel Baker and Ian McDiarmid as they revisit the story of how The Great Fire of London began and how it shaped the face of the new City of London.  Learn things about London that most Londoners don't even know in a 20 minute espresso shot episode of London history with a splash of personality. There's so much we can't fit into our tours, no matter how hard we try. This London history po...

Ever wondered how the coffee tasted before in London’s old coffeehouses? Is it similar to Starbucks, Costa Coffee, or Caffe Nero? Join Hazel Baker and Ian McDiarmid in this episode where they talk about all things coffee and its main role in the 17th century. Learn things about London that most Londoners don't even know in a 20 minute espresso shot episode of London history with a splash of person...

With the invention of photography, who knew it would revolutionise culture and communication? Images of real life could be captured for prosperity and sent across the world. Portraits of royalty and other celebrities, far more accurate than paintings, allowed members of the public to feel that they were viewing these people in the flesh. In this episode, we are with guest Colin Webb , who helps ma...

The Proms is a classical music festival held every summer at the Royal Albert Hall in London. Its aim is to bring the best in classical music to the widest possible audience. Join Hazel as she shares stories of how the proms began, where it gets its name, how politics has sometimes clashed with the event and how a stag was released from Door 1 at the Last Night of the Proms. Learn things about Lon...

What was it like to be a woman in 1920s London? Rubbing shoulders with big names such a Winston Churchill and George Bernard Shaw and having friends such as Lady Astor and Emmeline Pankhurst. Listen to this weeks episode and find out more. Learn things about London that most Londoners don't even know in a 20 minute espresso shot episode of London history with a splash of personality. There's so mu...

In this episode, we'll have a look at how the world's greatest city has been portrayed on film, taking in everything from the glory days of Ealing to the use of the modern metropolis as the background for blockbusters. Join Hazel Baker (Qualified London Tour Guide) and Richard Luck (Feature writer, critic and author) as they discuss movies that are filmed in London. Learn things about London that...