Author: Darrel Pratt

In another touching tribute, Tower Bridge in the centre of the capital was lit up in purple to honour Queen Elizabeth II. It marks a shift in Britain as the country says goodbye to one monarch, but welcomes a new King. Why is the London Bridge purple? The colour purple along with platinum played a […]

By 1715, London’s population reached an estimated 630,000 people, roughly equaling that of Europe’s largest city until that time, Paris. Within a few years London itself was the largest city in Europe, reaching 750,000 people by 1760 and 1 million by the end of the century. What was the population of London in the 17th […]

It became a favourite palace of the Tudors, partly because it was close to the royal shipyards on the River Thames. Greenwich Palace was Henry VIII’s principal London base until the Palace of Whitehall was built in the 1530s. What palace did the Tudors live in? Henry VIII’s most famous residence, Hampton Court Palace was […]

After the end of World War II, London was a city in desperate need of large-scale rebuilding. As ever after a period of destruction, architects and planners saw the opportunity for remodelling at the same time. And while all this was going on, the population reorganised and rejuvenated itself. How was London damaged after ww2? […]

Did you know that the first car was rumbling round London more than 200 years ago, and long before the Victorian era? When did people start driving cars in London? In 1895 the first man to own and drive a car in the UK was Evelyn Ellis. The vehicle was a Panhard et Levassor automobile. […]

During this time, London became the largest city of the world, taking the lead from Beijing. Domestic tensions ran high at the start of the decade, with the Peterloo Massacre (1819), the Cato Street Conspiracy (1820), and the Radical War (1820) in Scotland. What major event happened in 1820? Events. February 6 – 86 free […]

Most London theatres do not allow children below 3 or 2 years old to attend, although check below for details as some shows are specially staged for families and children of all ages. Can you take babies to the theatre UK? No Children under 5 will be admitted to the Venue except where it is […]

roughly 80,000. Trade and commerce In 1100 London’s population was little more than 15,000. By 1300 it had grown to roughly 80,000. How many people lived in London in the 1300s? By around 1300 London had become one of the largest cities in Europe. Its population is estimated to have been around 80,000. When did […]

The streets of London were narrow and dirty and the upper floors of the timber houses often overhung the roads. If a fire broke out, large areas of the city could be destroyed. If this happened the community worked together to rebuild lost buildings. The roads were not paved and became bogs when it rained. […]