London – a place you go to get bronchitis.
Fran Lebowitz, attributed, Dick Enberg’s Humorous Quotes for All Occasions
All posts by Gibson Square
London Trivia: The Great Smog
On 5 December 1952, the Great Smog of 1952, formed by a sharp cold snap, lack of wind and a combination of industrial and domestic smoke, engulfed London for four days, resulting in the death of upwards of 12,000 people.
On 5 December 1766 thirty-six-year-old James Christie held his first auction sale in London
Thief-Taker General Jonathan Wild sent more than 120 men to the gallows but was hanged at Tyburn for running gangs of thieves
When Camden’s Egyptian style cigarette factory opened in 1927 the road was filled with sand and opera singers performed Aida
In 1907 William Whiteley was shot dead in his Bayswater store by a young man claiming to be his illegitimate son
When Napoleon was thinking of invading England his failed attempt was mocked by an unusual ale house sign: ‘My Arse in a Bandbox’
The Grapes, Limehouse was the inspiration for Charles Dickens’ ‘Six Jolly Fellowship Porters’ in Our Mutual Friend
On 5 December 1863 at Freemasons Arms, Great Queen Street modern footy was codified, Freemasons Arms, Long Acre displays old football boots
Queen Victoria’s husband, Albert, saved the Oval cricket ground from closure only six years after it opened, desperate for funds they had considered adding poultry shows to the venue’s activities
Before CrossRail was named the Elizabeth line, Belsize Park was the only part of the London Underground to use a Z in its name
Wall’s Sausages used to be located at 113 Jermyn Street, where the meat for their products was ground by a donkey operating a treadmill
‘Hobson’s Choice’ comes from the livery stable owner Thomas Hobson who would drive from Cambridge to the Bull Inn, Bishopsgate Street
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.
Test Your Knowledge: December
As you might have expected, this month’s quiz has a festive theme. As before the correct answer will turn green when it’s clicked upon and expanded to give more information. The incorrect answers will turn red giving the correct explanation.
1. The first Christmas card was invented in London by Sir Henry Cole in 1843. What was the picture on it?
A family drinking wine
CORRECT Illustrated by John Callcott the central picture showed three generations of a family raising a toast to the card’s recipient, on either side were scenes of charity, with food and clothing being given to the poor.
A robin singing
WRONG Illustrated by John Callcott the central picture showed three generations of a family raising a toast to the card’s recipient, on either side were scenes of charity, with food and clothing being given to the poor.
A bobby apprehending a pickpocket
WRONG Illustrated by John Callcott the central picture showed three generations of a family raising a toast to the card’s recipient, on either side were scenes of charity, with food and clothing being given to the poor.
2. The demo of The Pogues’ Fairytale of New York was recorded in one London studio, the final cut in another London studio, and the orchestra in a third. Which of these studios had nothing to do with the song?
Abbey Road Studios in St John’s Wood
WRONG In the UK, “Fairytale of New York” is the most-played Christmas song of the 21st century. Stiff Records had a difficult time getting it published using these London studios Elephant; Sarm West; AIR; Abbey Road; RAK Studios, but NOT Eel Pie Studio.
Eel pie studio in Twickenham
CORRECTIn the UK, “Fairytale of New York” is the most-played Christmas song of the 21st century. Stiff Records had a difficult time getting it published using these London studios Elephant; Sarm West; AIR; Abbey Road; RAK Studios, but NOT Eel Pie Studio.
RAK Studios in St John’s Wood
WRONG In the UK, “Fairytale of New York” is the most-played Christmas song of the 21st century. Stiff Records had a difficult time getting it published using these London studios Elephant; Sarm West; AIR; Abbey Road; RAK Studios, but NOT Eel Pie Studio.
3. In A Christmas Carol, which form of poultry does Scrooge send a young lad off to fetch?
Turkey
CORRECT Scrooge asks if the big prize turkey has been sold at the poulterer’s shop. The boy tells him it is still there. Planning to give the turkey to Bob Cratchit, Scrooge orders the boy to have the man bring the turkey to his home, and if he does it in less than five minutes, he’ll give him a half-crown.
Chicken
WRONG Scrooge asks if the big prize turkey has been sold at the poulterer’s shop. The boy tells him it is still there. Planning to give the turkey to Bob Cratchit, Scrooge orders the boy to have the man bring the turkey to his home, and if he does it in less than five minutes, he’ll give him a half-crown.
Goose
WRONG Scrooge asks if the big prize turkey has been sold at the poulterer’s shop. The boy tells him it is still there. Planning to give the turkey to Bob Cratchit, Scrooge orders the boy to have the man bring the turkey to his home, and if he does it in less than five minutes, he’ll give him a half-crown.
4. In festive musical The Ghosts of Oxford Street, who features as an all-singing, all-dancing Harry Gordon Selfridge?
Tom Jones
CORRECT Malcolm McLaren charts the extraordinary history of London’s famous shopping street in a musical film that features Sir Tom Jones, Sinead O’Connor, The Pogues, and Kirsty MacColl. Perversely Tom Jones played the lead of Harry Gordon Selfridge.
Malcolm McLaren
WRONG Malcolm McLaren charts the extraordinary history of London’s famous shopping street in a musical film that features Sir Tom Jones, Sinead O’Connor, The Pogues, and Kirsty MacColl. Perversely Tom Jones played the lead of Harry Gordon Selfridge.
Brian Blessed
WRONG Malcolm McLaren charts the extraordinary history of London’s famous shopping street in a musical film that features Sir Tom Jones, Sinead O’Connor, The Pogues, and Kirsty MacColl. Perversely Tom Jones played the lead of Harry Gordon Selfridge.
5. Which of these does NOT normally open in London on Christmas Day?
Fortnum & Mason
CORRECT Believe it or not, Ripley’s normally opens on Christmas Day. Hardly surprising for their employees Fortnum & Mason keep their door firmly closed.
St Paul’s Cathedral
WRONG Believe it or not, Ripley’s normally opens on Christmas Day. Hardly surprising for their employees Fortnum & Mason keep their door firmly closed.
Ripley’s Believe It Or Not?
WRONG Believe it or not, Ripley’s normally opens on Christmas Day. Hardly surprising for their employees Fortnum & Mason keep their door firmly closed.
6. The Trafalgar Square tree has been donated every Christmas since 1947 by which city?
Reykjavik
WRONG The Trafalgar Square Christmas tree is a Christmas tree donated to the people of Britain by the city of Oslo. The first Tree was cut down by Mons Urangsvåg in 1942 during a raid on the Norwegian Island called Hisøy. Hisøy Island is located on the west coast between Bergen and Haugesund. After it was cut down, the tree was then transported to England where The Norwegian King was hiding, and given to him as a gift.
Oslo
CORRECT The Trafalgar Square Christmas tree is a Christmas tree donated to the people of Britain by the city of Oslo. The first Tree was cut down by Mons Urangsvåg in 1942 during a raid on the Norwegian Island called Hisøy. Hisøy Island is located on the west coast between Bergen and Haugesund. After it was cut down, the tree was then transported to England where The Norwegian King was hiding, and given to him as a gift.
Stockholm
WRONG The Trafalgar Square Christmas tree is a Christmas tree donated to the people of Britain by the city of Oslo. The first Tree was cut down by Mons Urangsvåg in 1942 during a raid on the Norwegian Island called Hisøy. Hisøy Island is located on the west coast between Bergen and Haugesund. After it was cut down, the tree was then transported to England where The Norwegian King was hiding, and given to him as a gift.
7. Which of these is NOT a Christmas Day extract from Samuel Pepy’s diary?
“…taking occasion from some fault in the meat to complain of my maid’s sluttery, my wife and I fell out…”
WRONG While Pepys wrote his diary for own his consumption, Roy Wood and Wizzard in 1973 had no such reservations and inflicted us with “I wish it could be Christmas every day” forevermore.
“Captain Cock came to us half-drunk…”
WRONG While Pepys wrote his diary for own his consumption, Roy Wood and Wizzard in 1973 had no such reservations and inflicted us with “I wish it could be Christmas every day” forevermore.
“For indeed, I wish it could be Christmas every day…”
CORRECT While Pepys wrote his diary for own his consumption, Roy Wood and Wizzard in 1973 had no such reservations and inflicted us with “I wish it could be Christmas every day” forevermore.
8. Noel Edmonds’s 1984 Christmas Day TV show was broadcast from the top of which lofty London landmark?
The Monument
WRONG For 90 minutes on 25 December 1984 “nothing less than one of the greatest communications projects ever put forward” as Noel modestly described proceedings from the top of the Post Office Tower, as it was then known. Featuring Rila Lenska and Dennis Waterman drinking a can of lager in Australia and the Krankies play host to the highest Christmas party on a jumbo jet flying over Britain.
Centre Point
WRONG For 90 minutes on 25 December 1984 “nothing less than one of the greatest communications projects ever put forward” as Noel modestly described proceedings from the top of the Post Office Tower, as it was then known. Featuring Rila Lenska and Dennis Waterman drinking a can of lager in Australia and the Krankies play host to the highest Christmas party on a jumbo jet flying over Britain.
The BT Tower
CORRECT For 90 minutes on 25 December 1984 “nothing less than one of the greatest communications projects ever put forward” as Noel modestly described proceedings from the top of the Post Office Tower, as it was then known. Featuring Rila Lenska and Dennis Waterman drinking a can of lager in Australia and the Krankies play host to the highest Christmas party on a jumbo jet flying over Britain.
9. In 1963 the switching on of Oxford Street’s Christmas lights was postponed. Why?
In tribute to the recently assassinated JFK
CORRECT The lighting up of London was postponed as a mark of respect to the recently assassinated John F Kennedy. And in 1989, the great switch on in Oxford Street bowed to the power of pop celebrity, waiting several weeks past its usual mid-November date for Kylie Minogue to make a window in her hectic schedule.
There was a major power cut in central London
WRONG The lighting up of London was postponed as a mark of respect to the recently assassinated John F Kennedy. And in 1989, the great switch on in Oxford Street bowed to the power of pop celebrity, waiting several weeks past its usual mid-November date for Kylie Minogue to make a window in her hectic schedule.
The Beatles cancelled an appearance at the last minute
WRONG The lighting up of London was postponed as a mark of respect to the recently assassinated John F Kennedy. And in 1989, the great switch on in Oxford Street bowed to the power of pop celebrity, waiting several weeks past its usual mid-November date for Kylie Minogue to make a window in her hectic schedule.
10. In 2015 a box of six luxury Christmas crackers from Fortnum & Mason set you back £1,000. Which of these items was NOT inside?
Scarf
WRONG The cracker included that essential: a rose gold-plated heart tea infuser, plus a scarf and a tie, but no diamond earrings.
Diamond earrings
CORRECT The cracker included that essential: a rose gold-plated heart tea infuser, plus a scarf and a tie, but no diamond earrings.
Tie
WRONG The cracker included that essential: a rose gold-plated heart tea infuser, plus a scarf and a tie, but no diamond earrings.
Johnson’s London Dictionary: Congestion Charge
CONGESTION CHARGE (v.t.) A tallage made upon a costermonger to drive his cart into the metropolis centre, that suffers heavy traffik doth caus’d by bycicle lanes
Dr. Johnson’s London Dictionary for publick consumption in the twenty-first century avail yourself on Twitter @JohnsonsLondon
“Busy night?”
Contrary to the popular perception that all cabbies like to chat, punters are also guilty of asking, well, some pretty banal questions.
“Busy Night?”
The problem for the driver here is two-fold: if he answers in the affirmative the punter might be weighing up the opportunity of mugging him; conversely, if he says it’s quiet the passenger queries the reason why it took so long to catch a cab or thinks the cabbie just wants to moan and soon the conversation will turn to the shortcomings of the current Government/England manager/or London’s Mayor.
“What do you do for a living?”
Passengers sometimes enquire politely about what we do for a living. This is not, as you might expect, a unique occurrence on long, late-night journeys, and sometimes asked more than once by the same passenger.
“What time are you on ‘til?”
Many cabbies work the more lucrative evening shift, so the punter probably feels a degree of sympathy as he clocked off work at five. The supplementary inquiry “Can you pick me up?” at a time and place to get me home like we are going to drive halfway across London helping you get the last train home.
“Where do you live? Or live far?”
Why on earth should that be a topic of conversation with a stranger unless, of course, you want a lift home – see the previous inquiry.
“What chance is there of me getting a cab?”
Ditto.
In Ireland one private hire driver, after being repeatedly asked these futile questions has stuck onto the vehicle’s partition screen a notice reading:
Please Don’t ask futile personal quizzes. I am from Ghana, now an Irish citizen. Yes I like it here. I have a Master’s Degree (MBA) UK. Please show due esteem.
The message went viral on Twitter, at the time of writing had received over 166,000 likes and had been shared more than 12,500 times.
However with over 1,000 replies, inevitably some thought the message was a ‘bit rude’. One comment read:
It’s a bit rude, to be honest. What’s wrong with asking him where he is from originally (presuming he doesn’t have an Irish accent) and whether he likes it here. Having a bit of futile chat is part of what we are.
Another response from Eion Dunning read:
Man in customer service hates customers. Best of luck to him.
John Parsons response was:
As an Irishman living in England for thirty years, I often get asked where I’m from . . . hell, even Irish people ask me where I’m from, they also often ask me if I like England. It’s called fu#king small talk.
Ride-hailing app Uber backed up the driver’s actions saying:
Getting straight to the point is a highly underrated attribute these days.
Others joked that the driver needs a second sign displaying whether he has been busy and what time he finishes.
I know those questions well.
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