Emazing Walking Tours

Emazing Walking Tours Fascinating walking tours of London’s history, delivered by a passionate and knowledgable guide. Currently available for Canary Wharf and The City of London.

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London History Snapshot: Westminster and Whitehall.- Westminster Palace (the Houses of Parliament) used to be on an isla...
20/01/2024

London History Snapshot: Westminster and Whitehall.
- Westminster Palace (the Houses of Parliament) used to be on an island (Thorney Island) cut off by tributaries of the river Tyburn.
- Parliament as it is today, was designed in the gothic style in 1834 because the then more fashionable classical design was associated with republicanism (hence the Whitehouse in the US).
- There is a Rodin sculpture right in the heart of London - one of 12 casts of the Burghers of Calais (which is the maximum amount under French law)
- The Tate Britain stands on the site of the former Millbank prison through which many ancestors of today's Australians began their journey down under. At one point 4000 prisoners a year were transported from there.
- Downing street is named after Sir George Downing (born 1623)- the 2nd ever graduate from Harvard, who was so untrustworthy that his name became synonymous for someone who betrays another's trust…And thats where our modern PMs live. hmm.

London History Snapshot: this raised area at the top of One Tree Hill was a gun emplacement built in 1916 to defend agai...
17/06/2023

London History Snapshot: this raised area at the top of One Tree Hill was a gun emplacement built in 1916 to defend against German zeppelins in WW1 (though it wasn’t hugely successful and likely damaged nearby Peckham tramlines instead of bothering the Zepplins). Queen Elizabeth the first was said to have rested below the forebear of the eponymous ‘one tree’ (since named ‘Honour Oak’) one fine May Day. There’s also a lovely viewing spot over London from the top.

London History Snapshot: The Church of St Magnus the Martyr, once stood by the entrance to the crowded and bustling Lond...
06/01/2023

London History Snapshot:

The Church of St Magnus the Martyr, once stood by the entrance to the crowded and bustling London Bridge before they moved it further along the river, but now it’s marooned next to a busy road and overlooked by most. Amidst the lovely interiors is a fun model of the vibrant bridge in it’s heyday. Outside is a column from the original Roman dock that stood near the site, where the Roman ships would have docked as they built up their city of Londinium.

London history snapshot:The ‘Four Percent Industrial Dwellings Company’ was founded by Nathaniel Rothschild to provide d...
26/12/2022

London history snapshot:

The ‘Four Percent Industrial Dwellings Company’ was founded by Nathaniel Rothschild to provide decent but affordable accommodation for Jewish refugees fleeing pogroms in Eastern Europe. They were built all around London, but this block in Peckham was built in 1900 and was known as Evelina Mansions , after Nathaniel’s sister. The company name comes from the expected return (4%) that investors might hope for.

London History Snapshot: Jappaning at Harding & SonsThis grade II listed building near Borough clearly showcases its for...
11/09/2022

London History Snapshot: Jappaning at Harding & Sons

This grade II listed building near Borough clearly showcases its former owners speciality at ‘Japanning’. Once a very popular process of varnishing objects, in imitation of East Asian lacquerwork. These alternative varnishes could be found on all sorts of furniture and accessories amid the gentry, including cabinets, tea-trays, powder boxes etc. It decreased in popularity as electroplating came along.

London History Snapshot: Lambeth WorkhouseNow housing the Cinema Museum, the original workhouse from the 1870s was inten...
11/09/2022

London History Snapshot: Lambeth Workhouse

Now housing the Cinema Museum, the original workhouse from the 1870s was intended to support the destitute in Lambeth. But life in the workhouse was degrading, miserable, and much hated. The intention was to discourage those who might be the ‘undeserving poor’. Charlie Chaplin stayed at the workhouse at age 8 and was separated from his mother as was the custom. One of Jack the Rippers victims: Mary Ann Nichols, also stayed here for a time.

Reminder of my titillating walking tour coming up on July 21st! Message or email to book your spot, and feel free to sha...
06/07/2022

Reminder of my titillating walking tour coming up on July 21st! Message or email to book your spot, and feel free to share with your friends!

History Snapshot: Durham Cathedral Sanctuary Knocker. Until 1623, the ‘sanctuary knocker’ on the door of Durham cathedra...
13/03/2022

History Snapshot: Durham Cathedral Sanctuary Knocker.
Until 1623, the ‘sanctuary knocker’ on the door of Durham cathedral could be touched by those who had ‘committed a great offense’ until a monk granted them access to the cathedral, and then be provided with the sanctuary protection of St. Cuthbert for 37 days. After which they could choose to stand trial, or be taken to the coast to go into exile.

London History Snapshot: Snob ScreensSome Victorian pubs had ‘snob screens’ which prevented the well-to-do drinker from ...
11/03/2022

London History Snapshot: Snob Screens
Some Victorian pubs had ‘snob screens’ which prevented the well-to-do drinker from having to see or mingle with common folks also drinking there. The Princess Louise pub still has these, in the form of screened off compartments all around the bar, which gives a (false) sense of privacy while surrounded by opulent Victorian etched glass and mahogany.

London History Snapshot: Eltham PalaceEltham Palace is a heady mix of medieval history and Art Deco opulence. Medieval r...
05/03/2022

London History Snapshot: Eltham Palace

Eltham Palace is a heady mix of medieval history and Art Deco opulence. Medieval royalty was born here, King Henry VIII grew up here as a boy, it was trashed by resident parliamentarians during the English Civil War, then great hall was used as a dilapidated barn for a while, before a glamorous couple, the Courtaulds, restored it in the 1930’s and decked it out in all the most glamorous global fashions and latest mod cons. Including a central vacuum cleaner that could be plugged into from any room of the house, underfloor heating, an internal telephone exchange, hidden speakers to play music, and hot running water in all the en suites- with the capacity for all the guests to have a bath before dinner at the same time (an incredibly luxurious prospect at a time where running up and down the stairs with jugs of hot water to fill baths would have been the norm).

History Snapshot: Did you know that there’s a grade II listed, windmill in Brixton? The only remaining windmill in inne...
22/01/2022

History Snapshot: Did you know that there’s a grade II listed, windmill in Brixton? The only remaining windmill in inner London, it was built in 1816, when all around it would have been open fields (hard to imagine in busy Brixton now). Formerly known as Ashby’s mill, it used the power of the wind to ground flour until the expansion of London meant that housing blocked the wind in the 1860’s (it literally took the wind from its sails). It eventually reopened using steam power in 1902, until it was finally shut down for good in 1935.

London History Snapshot: London’s ring-necked parakeetsThere are now more than 30,000 of these bright green, loudly squ...
11/12/2021

London History Snapshot: London’s ring-necked parakeets

There are now more than 30,000 of these bright green, loudly squalking birds across London and even into the Home Counties. But where they came from is a mystery surrounded by urban legend. Here are a few (probably untrue) contenders:
- Released by Jimi Hendrix
- Escaped from the film set of the African Queen in 1951
- Escaped from aviaries during the Great Storm of 1987
- Escaped from George Michael’s townhouse during a burglary
- Escaped from the livestock transportation area of Heathrow

But they’re been popular pets for hundreds of years, so it’s more likely that individual free parakeets just gathered over time and bred into the confident community they now are! Early sightings have been recorded in Dulwich in 1893 and in Epping forest in 1930. Well before hippies, pop stars or the African Queen. London is 47% green space, and their south Asian origin climate include the frosty foothills of the Himalayas, so these versatile green birds have thrived in Britain and don’t seem to have much of an adverse affect on local bird life. I’d call that successful migrant integration!

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