The Little Book of London

Anti-Smoking Campaign:

The classic London black cab is the Austin FX-4. It was introduced in 1958 and remained in production until 1996, a record for a British vehicle and unrivalled except by the Mini. In 1989 a version of the FX-4 went on sale in Japan badged as the ‘Big Ben Novelty Car’

MINOR ARCHITECTURAL ODDITIES
NOBODY NOTICES

On 6 January 1928 a depression moving down the North Sea caused a storm surge which travelled up the Thames, overwhelming the embankments and flooding the Tate Gallery to the top of the ground floor doors. Scores of paintings were destroyed, fourteen people were drowned and 4,000 Londoners made homeless

The statue of Charles I

TEN STRANGE THINGS ABOUT ST PAUL’S

The first official London plaque was installed in 1867 by the Royal Society of Arts.

SECRET GARDENS WORTH SEEKING OUT

London’s Camden Square has twice returned the highest maximum monthly temperatures ever recorded in Britain: for May (29.4°C in 1949) and June (35.6°C in 1957)

FOURTEEN FORGOTTEN LONDON FIRSTS