The interesting thing about London is that there are always stylish surprises around every corner.
Natalie Massenet (b.1965)
London Trivia: Bandleader announces war
On 4 August 1914 whilst enjoying an open-air concert given by a German band at the Earl’s Court Exhibition Centre, the conductor stopped the music declaring “Ladies and Gentlemen, war has been declared”. With that the musicians filed out silently. It is not recorded if the concert goers received a refund. By the time the war more than 16 million people were dead – and presumably some of the band.
On 4 August 2011 gang member Mark Duggan was shot dead by police in Tottenham, his death would cause riots to break out
At the Old Bailey in 1468 jurors who returned a verdict unacceptable to the trial judge were forced to wear dunces’ caps
Tins holding Old Holborn rolling tobacco featured a drawing of the front of Staple Inn, Holborn. It still exists poorly restored
On 4 August 2000 40,000 well-wishers gathered in the Mall to celebrate the Queen Mother’s 100th birthday she received a telegram from the Queen
Parliament’s jail was last used in 1880 imprisoning atheist Charles Bradlaugh for refusing taking oath of allegiance to the Queen on a Bible
Wimpole Street was once home to poet Elizabeth Barrett, author Arthur Conan Doyle and Paul McCartney who wrote Yesterday there
Alexander Pope planted the first Willow Tree in England in his garden at Twickenham. All the willows in Britain are related to this tree
When David Walliams swam 140 miles of the Thames for charity raising £2m he also found time to save a dog that had joined him in the water
The District Line opened on Xmas Eve 1868. River Westbourne had to be channelled over track at Sloane Sq in a metal pipe (still there today)
Henry Harrod’s first grocery store was in Stepney before he moved to Eastcheap in 1835 and Belgravia in 1849
McVitie’s make their chocolate Hobnobs in Harlesden, but for some reason the plain Hobnobs are made in Glasgow
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.
Previously Posted: Paris Syndrome
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.
Paris Syndrome (01.07.11)
For some Japanese tourists, their first taste of Europe has proved overwhelming. Coming from a culture that espouses civility and respect, they had expected European capitals to have the same degree of controlled manners as that of Tokyo’s 33 million inhabitants.
For someone who drives daily on London’s roads, experiencing the rude and aggressive attitudes of my fellow road users and some of my passengers, it came as a surprise to learn that some Japanese have been hospitalised by this culture shock.
It was a Japanese psychiatrist working in France, Professor Hiroaki Ota, who first identified the syndrome some 20 years ago. Named the Paris Syndrome from where this condition first surfaced, presumably after a Japanese tourist took a ride in one of its capital’s famously grumpy cabbie’s vehicles, Japanese tourists are now being forewarned before embarking on a European tour.
Paris Syndrome affects around 20 tourists a year, mainly women in their 30s with high expectations of what may be their first trip abroad. The Japanese embassy has a 24-hour hotline for those suffering from severe culture shock and can help find hospital treatment for anyone in need. This year alone, the Japanese embassy in Paris has had to repatriate four people with a doctor or nurse on board the plane to help them get over the shock.
It appears to spring from the shock of the disparity between the popular image of Paris – of accordions, flowers and cobbled streets are seen in the film Amélie– they do not realise that within our lifetimes, those cobblestones have been prised up and thrown in anger.
Around a million Japanese travel to France every year. However, the only permanent cure is to go back to Japan – never to return to Paris – next time visit London where cabbies are courtesy personified.
London in Quotations: Ben Okri
I went to London because, for me, it was the home of literature. I went there because of Dickens and Shakespeare.
Ben Okri (b.1959)
London Trivia: In the swim
On 28 July 1906 the Tooting Lido, at 50 metres England’s largest public swimming pool, opened, with the catchy title of The Tooting Bathing Lake. It still holds the record as the UK’s largest fresh water swimming pool by surface area and contains a million gallons of unheated water. The alternating bright red, yellow and Green changing room doors are a popular film location. Brad Pitt’s boxing ‘pool’ scene in Snatch was filmed at the Lido.
In 28 July 1866 Beatrix Potter was born at 2 Bolton Gardens, she was looked after by a nanny, spending most of her time in the big nursery at the top of the house only seeing her parents at bedtime
On 28 July 1879 Kate Webster was hanged for murder of Julia Thomas whose skull was later found in Sir David Attenborough’s garden in 2010
From the early 19th century to the late 20th century Holborn/Clerkenwell was home to London’s Italian community and known as “Little Italy”
1769 – St Katharine Cree Church – man wins bet he can dig grave 10ft deep – but as climbs out to collect winnings it collapses and kills him
On 28 July 1964 Winston Churchill awoke at his London home to find himself no longer a Member of Parliament for the first time since 1901
The Phoenix, East Finchley is London’s oldest continuously working cinema. Opening in 1910 and restyled to it’s Art Deco glory in 1928
The Naval and Military Club known as the ‘In and Out’ refers to its previous home in Piccadilly with the in and out painted on the gateposts
As the boat race is taking place Spitalfields City Farm raise funds for animal feed by racing three goats: ‘Oxford’, ‘&’, ‘Cambridge’
In 1633 the Horse Ferry sank in the Thames with the weight of Archbishop Laud’s possessions en route to Lambeth Palace
Finchley Central on the Northern line was the local station of Harry Beck, who designed the Underground Map, it displays an original copy
The Great Fire of London 1666 raged for 5 days despite Mayor Thomas Bloodworth’s doubts when he declared, “Pish! A woman might piss it out!”
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.
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