I’ve been sitting on the edge of the bed for an hour in a complete daze. I told him if I die tonight I’ll die happy, it’s all here, everything’s here. Helene Hanff (1916-1997), The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street ..read more

On 21 April 1955 a strike which had paralysed Fleet Street ended, the Electricians and Engineers Union, seeking a rise of £2 per week had stopped all publications from the famous newspaper street. The only unaffected paper was the Guardian produced in Manchester. Big news events the Fleet Street papers have missed included Sir Winston Churchill’s resignation and the announcement of a general election. On 21 April 1834 saw a meeting on Copenhagen Fields, Islington protesting against the deportation of the Tolpuddle Martyrs to Australia One for the Road and On the Waggon derive from condemned p ..read more

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. The A to Z of London – Parts 1 and 2 (18.03.11 and 25.03.11) I could have subtitled this 26 places to see in London before you die, OK it’s a bit dramatic but for tourists and Londoners alike the City should be explored but with so much choice can be a little bewildering. Covering an area of over 610 sq miiles and a population of ..read more

Because the fact is that Harry Potter is not American. He is British. Where is Diagon Alley, where they buy wands and stuff? It is in London, and if you want to get into the Ministry of Magic you disappear down a London telephone box. The train for Hogwarts goes from King’s Cross, not Grand Central Station, and what is Harry Potter all about? It is about the ritual and intrigue and dorm-feast excitement of a British boarding school of a kind that you just don’t find in America. Hogwarts is a place where children occasionally get cross with each other—not ‘mad’—and where the situation is usual ..read more

On 14 April 1471 the decisive battle of The Wars of the Roses was fought in Arkley, north of Barnet between Edward IV of the House of York and Henry VI who led the House of Lancaster. The battle lasted from two to three hours, most of it in thick fog. Contemporary sources say that at least 10,000 men died in the battle. The subsequent Battle of Tewkesbury would ensure the House of York was victorious. On 14 April 1913 The Royal Geographical Society opened their new premises at Kensington Gore. Now known as ‘Hot and Cold Corner’ for the Livingstone and Shackleton statues Magpie and Stump pub un ..read more

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. Bog standard (16.03.11) No matter how glum I may feel driving around London the sight of a Pimlico Plumbers’ van with their amusing number plates: W4TER, DRA1N, BOG 1 or my favourite 701LET is guaranteed to put a smile on my face, and if you want one for your home they have now even produced a diecast model of their iconic blue an ..read more

One of the the things she most liked about the city -apart from all its obvious attractions, the theatre, the galleries, the exhilarating walks by the river- was that so few people ever asked you personal questions. Julia Gregson (b.1947), East of the Sun ..read more

On 7 April 1903 a Polish barber, George Chapman was hanged at Wandsworth Prison for the murder, by poison, of his wife. His three other wives had died under suspicious circumstances. John Abberline, who headed up the Jack the Ripper investigation, thought Chapman was also The Ripper. He had closely interviewed his first ‘wife’, Lucie Badewski, and she had told him that her husband often used to go out during the night. On 7 April 1908 Herbert Henry Asquith’s Liberal Party won the General Election. Edward VIII was abroad, the only time the elected Prime Minister had the official ‘Kissing of the ..read more

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. Waste not, want not (08.03.11) I’ve always thought that Prêt à Manger is a rather pretentious name for what is, frankly, just a sandwich shop. The company would seem to now agree with me, for recently they have been referring to themselves simply as Prêt, whatever that might mean. But I can forgive them all the marketing hype when ..read more

On 31 March 1986 the Greater London Council was abolished, with thousands of people taking part in festivities to mark the historic final hours of 97 years of local rule in London. A throng of 250,000 people gathered on the South Bank in London, home to the Greater London Council, which ceased to exist at midnight, festivities ended with the largest display of fireworks ever seen in the city after a week of events costing £250,000. On 31 March 1986 Lady Gale died in her apartment at Hampton Court Palace, the result of a fire that caused millions of pounds damage In 1961 Elsie Batten was killed ..read more