London

How London Became the Oligarchical Cesspool of "Londongrad"

by Geoffrey Wheatcroft

From football to real estate to politics, British institutions have been willing to welcome Russian cash for decades without regard for its potential moral taint. 

A Walk Around the "Wood that Built London"

by C.J. Schüler

The remnants of the North Wood outside London posed a mystery of cartographical history to the author: how to reconstruct the forest that was timbered to build the metropolis.

Britain's Financial Hub Confronts its Involvement with Slavery

"Lloyd's and the Bank of England have each hired a historian to delve into their roles in the slave trade and are planning on publicizing the results in the next year."

Who Owns the Legacy of a Notorious Women's Prison?

Caitlin Davies' "Bad Girls" tells the history of London's Holloway Prison, which is now in jeopardy from a pending redevelopment plan. 

Mudlarking: Searching for Lost Treasure – and History – on the Banks of the Thames

by Jason Sandy and Nick Stevens

The Thames River's silty bottom and tidal patterns make its banks a repository of historical artifacts. Today's "mudlarks" have turned the old tradition of scavenging the banks for subsistence into a public archaeology project. 

'Slavery and the City' Tour Sheds Light on London's Dark Past

An organization advocating for the teaching of Black history in British schools has organized walking tours demonstrating the degree to which the city's financial and political institutions were tied to slavery. 

The Proud City: Patrick Abercrombie's Unfulfilled Plan for Rebuilding London

by Simon Jenkins

In 1942, the British government endorsed a plan that turned the Blitz into an opportunity for massive centrally-planned rebuilding of London. This was a break from the previous anarchic pattern of development, and, for better or worse, today's eclectic metropolis owes its form to the failure of the plan. 

Lloyd's of London to Pay for 'Shameful' Atlantic Slave Trade Role

The Lloyd’s of London insurance market apologised on Thursday for its “shameful” role in the 18th and 19th Century Atlantic slave trade and pledged to fund opportunities for black and ethnic minority people.

How the ‘Father of Epidemiology’ Made the Connection Between Disease and Geography

by Deirdre Mask

“The poor were dying in disproportionate numbers not because they suffered from moral failings,” Steven Johnson writes. “They were dying because they were being poisoned.”

Defoe’s Journal of the Plague Year and the Year of COVID-19

by Frank Palmeri

Defoe's accomplishment as a work of history lies not so much in the accuracy of its numbers or facts as in its power as a work of fiction, in the observing eye and skeptical intelligence of H.F., and in the stories he tells, which convey through common language and the details of common life what it was like to live through the plague. 

Shakespeare’s London Home Where He Wrote ‘Romeo and Juliet’ Identified by Historian

Theater historian Geoffrey Marsh spent a decade meticulously researching the home of the English dramatist and poet by cross-referencing official records to pinpoint where exactly Shakespeare lived during the 1590s.

London at War, 1941, and a New Alice in Wonderland

by Bruce Chadwick

Can you really spend a better evening than chasing a white rabbit trotting through the forest with a pocket watch in his hand? A review of Alice By Heart. 

Parliament Square in London Is Closer to Having First Female Statue

London officials announced in April that they would rectify the omission of women in Parliament Square by placing a statue of Millicent Garrett Fawcett (1847-1929), who campaigned for women’s right to vote, on the square. Now we can see the statue.

8,000 Years of London History Discovered Underground

The underground Crossrail project to connect Heathrow airport to the financial district has unearthed over 10,000 artifacts.

London skyline rising but the history below ground is far more fascinating

As the skyline changes at a head-spinning clip, archaeologists, by law, are digging down, uncovering fascinating artifacts.

For History-Minded Tourists, London Marks Blitz Anniversary

This September marks the 75th anniversary of the Blitz. London’s robust tourism industry will commemorate the capital’s time under siege.

Museum billed as celebration of London women opens as Jack the Ripper exhibit

Museum branded a ‘sick joke’ after obtaining planning permission by promising ‘the only dedicated resource in the East End to women’s history’

New Video Beautifully Blends Old And New London

Simon Smith, who last year produced a staggering side-by-side comparison of London in 1927 and 2013, is back.

Smithsonian working to finalize deal for new site in London

The Smithsonian Institution, the world's largest museum and research complex, is working to establish its first international museum outpost in London as that city redevelops its Olympic park, officials said Tuesday.

It’s the 200th anniversary of the London Beer Flood of 1814

A bizarre industrial accident resulted in the release of a beer tsunami onto the streets around Tottenham Court Road.