Westminster Walks

07/08/2025

In January 1886 residents of Burying Ground Passage in St appealed to the vestry to change the 'melancholy' name of their street as it was most detrimental to the letting of property. It was changed in July that year to Ashland Place.

Did the Marylebone Mercury have a short memory?

Only two months earlier in November 1885 the paper had reported that residents of that same road had been carrying off skulls and bones from old parishioners which had come to the surface in the conversion of the burial ground into Paddington Street Garden. They had then been selling them!

Find out more on my 'Pepys Pubs, Graves and a Grotto' this Saturday 9th August at 2pm. Walk includes a pub stop at a pub with an unusual interior.

Snip from the 1886 story in the comments. Both stories found via the excellent The British Newspaper Archive

27/07/2025

This afternoon at 2pm. . “From Monoux and Morris to Beer and Bacon Jam” https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/walking-tour-from-monoux-and-morris-to-beer-and-bacon-jam-tickets-1391498923739?aff=erelexpmlt

24/07/2025

. My research conundrum https://westminsterwalks.london/waltham_forest_town_hall_a_research_conundrum/

24/07/2025

In the past few months I have been doing a lot of research about the bas reliefs on the front of Waltham Forest Town Hall. Read about my findings here https://westminsterwalks.london/waltham_forest_town_hall_a_research_conundrum/

23/07/2025

Are you looking for something to do this weekend? Why not join me on a tour of the fabulous building that is Waltham Forest Town Hall in this Saturday?

The building was refurbished and restored just a couple of years ago and it is well worth visiting. Researched by me but all tours are in conjunction with London Borough of Waltham Forest It's about 20 minutes' walk from either Walthamstow Central or Wood Street Station but on or close to numerous bus routes.

📍 Waltham Forest Town Hall, Forest Road E17 4JF

🗓️Saturday 26th July at 10am, 12pm and 2pm (other dates too)

🎟️https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/waltham-forest-town-hall-guided-tour-tickets-931951220187?aff=oddtdtcreator

05/07/2025

I'm doing some research into Louisa Aldrich-Blake the first British woman to obtain a Master of Surgery degree. She was born in Chingford in 1865, daughter of a curate at what is now known locally as Chingford Old Church. Her family moved to Welsh Bicknor in Herefordshire in 1866 when she was around 1. The family were only in Chingford from 1862-66, previously her father was curate at St Martin-in-the-Fields.

I have however been surprised to discover another local but rather tenuous connection in that she lived for some time at 17 Nottingham Place, Marylebone with Rosamund Edith Spencer Wigram, grand-daughter of Octavius Wigram - the twelfth (definitely!) son of Robert Wigram of Walthamstow House! Louisa and Rosamund were both daughters of curates. Fascinating! https://blog.sciencemuseum.org.uk/dame-louisa-aldrich-blake-britains-first-female-surgeon/

02/07/2025

It was so good to finally meet earlier at the .uk women’s writing workshop in . I need to buy both these books esp vol 2 which has new research on Agnes Marshall’s beginnings. FYI

23/06/2025

I was so pleased to find today in Newman St W1. I will be back soon!

17/06/2025

This plaque in the foyer of contains so much information including where the wood came from - Moones Farm and the old Town Hall on Orford Road. Fascinating! My next town hall tours are this Saturday 21st June. Link on bio too https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/waltham-forest-town-hall-guided-tour-tickets-931951220187?aff=ebdsoporgprofile

15/06/2025

My next tours of Town Hall are this coming Saturday. Why not join me to discover this fascinating building.

Guided Tours of Waltham Forest Town Hall led by qualified guide Joanna Moncrieff.

26/05/2025

Knowing that Croydon's name means valley of the crocuses I immediately knew where the Saffron Line would have been. (This has come up in a number of Matt from Londonist quizzes over the years!) https://www.londoncentric.media/p/the-rejected-london-overground-line?open=false #§winton-lovers-rock-and-moonshot-the-london-overground-lines-that-almost-existed

Exclusive: Want to catch the Saffron down to Croydon, then hop on the Galtymore up to Willesden via the Polari?

26/04/2025

I've just spotted that Pewterers' Hall is open for drop-in visits 13-15 May during London Craft Week. This is one livery hall I haven't yet been to so will see if I can get there! There are 211 events on their programme to look through so I'm sure there are other gems!

A chance to visit Pewterers’ Hall, who have supported and maintained their craft for centuries. Pewter remains at the heart of English craftsmanship. Pewter pieces historically graced the tables of homes and taverns all over the country. Today the craft flourishes, with an emphasis on jewellery an...