ADMIRALTY ARCH (n.) Edifice similar to purveyor’s logo whose produck is meat inside a bread bun, the building being now repurposed as an expensive hostelry
Dr. Johnson’s London Dictionary for publick consumption in the twenty-first century avail yourself on Twitter @JohnsonsLondon
Last week I was contacted by a journalist tasked with writing for inews about people’s occupations, and this week’s contribution was about the London cabbie.
Here I describe how Tony Blair’s head ended up in the back of my cab, how to deal with awkward customers and what I think of cyclists (you might be surprised at that one).
I urge you to check out Nick Duerden’s piece here.
Behind everything in London is something else, and, behind that, is something else still; and so on through the centuries, so that London as we see her is only the latest manifestation of other Londons, and to lover her is to plunge into ancestor-worship.
H. V. Morton (1892-1979), In Search of London
On 8 May 1854, The Times reported of a rebellion at the Athenaeum Club in Pall Mall, who boasted among its luminaries the Duke of Wellington, the price of meals would rise to 1/- and be served by an official carverer. The dissenters would win a small victory: dinner rose to 1/- but lunch remained at 6d and would be carved by an amateur.
On 8 May 1984 the Thames Flood Barrier, the northern bank is in Silvertown and the southern is in the New Charlton area
At the end of the 19th century George Brown was given 7 days’ hard labour after treading on a constable’s foot and corn on Poplar High Street
Putney is named after the Anglo-Saxon chief, Putta. It means ‘Putta’s landing’
Nelson’s coffin is made of wood taken from a captured French ship. He used to keep the coffin in his cabin
In 1798 Prime Minister William Pitt the Younger and George Tierney MP fought a duel with pistols on Putney Heath, neither were injured
The Oscar winning movie Chariots of Fire was filmed in Hurlingham Park, Fulham
Frith Street, Soho was referred to as Froth Street due to the number of milk bars and cafes located there in the 1950s
India is 5.5 hours ahead of GMT. This means to get the time there you turn your (non-digital) watch upside down. (One for the cricket fans)
Harry Beck designed the Tube map while working as an engineering draughtsman at London Underground’s Signals Office. He was only paid £10.50
Whilst studying law Mahatma Ghandi lived at 20 Baron’s Court Road, West Kensington
In 1790 Upminster Rev. William Derham measured the speed of sound accurately by watching a gun fired 2 miles distant and timing the delay
Trivial Matter: London in 140 characters is taken from the daily Twitter feed @cabbieblog.
A guide to the symbols used here and source material can be found on the Trivial Matter page.
For those new to CabbieBlog or readers who are slightly forgetful, on Saturdays I’m republishing posts, many going back over a decade. Some will still be very relevant while others have become dated over time. Just think of this post as your weekend paper supplement.
The Savoy, one of London’s best-known hotels, opens soon after a £100 million refit although only 160 rooms will open while work continues on the remaining 100. The hotel, which overlooks the River Thames, first opened its doors to guests in 1889.
Apparently the building with its distinct Art Deco style is to be restored to combine its former glory with modern amenities. Under the new plans the hotel will be divided into Art Deco and Edwardian areas and the style in each will be distinct. In 1910 the external balconies were enclosed in order to add bathrooms to each room. Many felt the best views in the building were lost, including the view that Claude Monet painted when staying there.
The dry martini is thought by some to have been invented in the American Bar and a murder took place in the Savoy’s corridors back in 1923.
Much of the original internal fittings have been sold including 200 beds, curtains, a large oak parquet dance floor and an early 20th Century mahogany and gilt metal bureau from the Monet suite in addition the signature pink and white Savoy china. So CabbieBlog will be interested if this is an improvement, or some tacky expensive makeover.
Savoy Court is the only street in the United Kingdom where vehicles are required to drive on the right, and in addition the small roundabout needs a turning circle of 25 feet, this is still the legally required turning circle for all London cabs. For more than 100 years now vehicles, be they horse drawn or mechanical, have entered and left Savoy Court on the right-hand side of the road. When approaching and leaving the hotel it is easier to do so while driving on the right-hand side of the road. Savoy Court is privately owned property. It is not a public thoroughfare as it leads only to the hotel itself. Therefore driving on the right-hand side of the road does not contravene British traffic regulations. Finally, it may be of interest to note that when being chauffeured in a horse-drawn carriage the lady or dignitary would traditionally sit behind the driver. By approaching the hotel on the right-hand side of the road, either the chauffeur or the hotel’s doorman was able to open the door without walking around the car. This would allow the lady to alight from the carriage and walk straight into the hotel.
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