On 25 March 1843 the first tunnel to have been constructed successfully underneath a navigable river was opened. Started in 1825 and beset with difficulties it was the only joint venture between father and son Marc and Isambard Brunel. Originally designed for horse drawn carriages it remains part of the Overground Railway. So well constructed was it that the first refurbishment needed was 150 years later.

On 25 March 1946 Heathrow was officially opened by Lord Winster, the Minister of Aviation, the first aircraft to use the new airport was a British South American Airways Avro Lancastrian named Star Light

Dead cats were a popular missile to hurl at criminals locked in the pillory for their crimes, sadly that entertainment was abolished in 1837

London Glass: The British Museum’s Great Court has 3,312 glass panes-no two are the same; the Gherkin’s 7,429 panes are all flat save one top curved panel

Queen Victoria called Buckingham Palace “so fatiguing” with its 19 state rooms 52 royal/guest rooms 188 staff rooms 92 offices 78 bathrooms

On 25 March 1975 members the National Front, flanked by 2,000 police, marched through Islington protesting against integration with Europe

Sir Francis Galton travelled around the country to devise what he called A Beauty Map of Britain concluding the loveliest came from London

Ye Old Cheshire Cheese were famous for their pies weighing 80lbs from beef, kidneys, oysters, larks and mushrooms could be smelt in the City

On 25 March 1950 on Hampstead Heath 25 Norwegian ski-jumpers made use of a newly erected ski jump blanketed in 45 tonnes of imported snow

Lord Kitchener had his Rolls-Royce painted bright yellow in order that he would be instantly recognised when driving around London

Founded 1672 Hoares Britain’s oldest private bank’s front door only locks from the inside as a director is always available for clients

In 1815 George Wilson the ‘Blackheath Pedestrian’ attempted to walk 1,000 miles in 20 days, a nervous authority called a halt on day sixteen

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.

On 18 March 1789 counterfeiter Catherine Murphy was burned at the stake outside Newgate Prison after first being strangled while tied to the stake. It was to be the last case of roasting a human being in London. She was brought out and made to stand on a foot high, 10-inch-square platform in front of the stake. In 1790 the law was changed, not for the condemned benefit, but law officers were offended by the stench of burning meat.

On 18 March 1932 Stuart Hibbard read the first BBC news bulletin from Broadcasting House in Langham Place

In the 18th century to reduce the cost of incarcerating prisoners new capital crimes where created including one that was impersonating a Chelsea Pensioner

Designed by Thomas Eddison the world’s first public electric generating station opened near Holborn Viaduct in 1882 to light the bridge lamps

On 18 March 1848 Queen Victoria gave birth to her 6th child and 4th daughter, Princess Louise, at Buckingham Palace

In 1957 after giving a speech on the importance of road safety the Duke of Edinburgh drove his Lagonda into another vehicle

Jeremy Lloyd while working in Simpsons of Piccadilly’s menswear department got the inspiration to write the comedy Are You Being Served?

When a special Buckingham Palace Brownie Pack was formed for Princess Anne one 9-year-old handpicked to join was a London cabbie’s daughter

In 1913 Arsenal moved 9.5 miles from Plumstead to Islington, further than any English club other than Wimbledon’s bizarre relocation to Milton Keynes

The London Transport Museum contains the world’s first and last spiral escalator. How it worked, no-one’s quite sure

On 18 March 1838 In the East End William Perkin, inventor of the 1st synthetic dye – mauve, later christened at St Paul’s Church Shadwell

On 18 March 1958 the ‘coming of age’ ceremony of debutants being presented to the Queen at Buckingham Palace took place for the last time

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.