2023-12-02 00:01
Click here order a signed copy of The Gentle Author’s ON CHRISTMAS DAY for £10
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Daniel Lewis & Son Ltd, Hackney Rd
As you can see, illustrator Eleanor Crow shares my love… Read More
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Spitalfields Life | In The Midst Of Life I Woke To Blog
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in the midst of life i woke and found myself living in an old house beside brick lane in the east end of london.
2023-12-01 00:01
I am reading my short story ON CHRISTMAS DAY this Saturday 2nd December at 11am as part of the BLOOMSBURY JAMBOREE at the Art Workers’ Guild in Queens Square, WC1N 3AT.
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CLICK HERE FO… Read More
2023-11-30 00:01
I am reading my short story ON CHRISTMAS DAY next Saturday 2nd December at 11am as part of the BLOOMSBURY JAMBOREE at the Art Workers’ Guild in Queens Square, WC1N 3AT.
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CLICK HERE F… Read More
2023-11-27 00:01
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I am reading my short story ON CHRISTMAS DAY next Saturday 2nd December at 11am as part of the BLOOMSBURY JAMBOREE at the Art Workers’ Guild in Queens Square, WC1N 3AT.
CLICK HERE F… Read More
2023-11-26 00:01
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You are invited to our annual BLOOMSBURY JAMBOREE which runs from 11am-5pm on Saturday 2nd & Sunday 3rd December at Art Workers’ Guild, 6 Queen Sq, WC1N 3AT.
We are showing the… Read More
2023-11-25 00:01
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In gleeful collaboration with Tim Mainstone of Mainstone Press and Joe Pearson of Design for Today, I am hosting our annual BLOOMSBURY JAMBOREE, a festival of books and print, illustratio… Read More
2023-11-24 00:01
CLICK HERE TO ORDER A SIGNED COPY OF ‘ON CHRISTMAS DAY’ FOR £10
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Born in Clerkenwell in 1813 as the eldest son of a bookseller, Thomas Onwhyn created a series of cheap… Read More
2023-11-22 00:01
Jonathan Pryce will read my short story ‘On Christmas Day’ at the launch at Burley Fisher Books in Haggerston this Thursday 23rd November at 6:30pm.
CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS
CLICK… Read More
2023-11-20 00:01
Jonathan Pryce will read my short story ‘On Christmas Day’ at the launch at Burley Fisher Books in Haggerston this Thursday 23rd November at 6:30pm.
CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS
CLICK… Read More
2023-11-16 00:01
Jonathan Pryce will read my short story ‘On Christmas Day’ at the launch at Burley Fisher Books in Haggerston on Thursday 23rd November at 6:30pm.
CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS
CLICK HE… Read More
2023-11-14 00:01
Jonathan Pryce will read my short story ‘On Christmas Day’ at the launch at Burley Fisher Books in Haggerston on Thursday 23rd November at 6:30pm.
CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS
CLICK HE… Read More
2023-11-12 00:01
On Armistice Sunday, we remember the eighty-three men whose names are commemorated upon the war memorial in the churchyard at Christ Church. Vicky Stewart researched their lives and designer… Read More
2023-11-09 00:01
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I am thrilled to announce that Jonathan Pryce will read my short story ‘On Christmas Day’ at the launch at Burley Fisher Books in Haggerston on Thursday 23rd November at 6:3… Read More
2023-11-08 00:01
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It was my great delight to come across this precious scrapbook of playbills from the Eagle Theatre & Pleasure Gardens in the City Rd at the Bishopsgate Institute.
Old playbills h… Read More
2023-11-07 00:01
Please come to our SAVE LIVERPOOL ST STATION campaign event at 7pm tonight, Tuesday 7th November at Hanbury Hall, 22 Hanbury St, E1 6QR. Speakers include Griff Rhys Jones, Eric Reynolds and… Read More
2023-11-06 00:01
John Betjeman on Liverpool St Station, c1961, photograph by David Sim
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Please come to our SAVE LIVERPOOL ST STATION campaign event at 7pm on Tuesday 7th November at Hanbury Hall, 22 Hanbur… Read More
2023-11-05 00:01
I am delighted to announce publication of my short story ‘On Christmas Day’ in collaboration with Burley Fisher Books
CLICK HERE TO ORDER A SIGNED COPY FOR £10
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The Gentle… Read More
2023-11-04 00:01
I am delighted to announce publication of my short story ‘On Christmas Day’ in collaboration with Burley Fisher Books
CLICK HERE TO ORDER A SIGNED COPY FOR £10
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The Gentle… Read More
2023-11-02 00:01
Rhondda Grove resident Naman Chaudhary has written this history of the street in celebration of two centuries of a cherished East End backwater, constructed in 1823
Rhondda Grove was origin… Read More
2023-11-01 00:01
Blue Gate
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A Walk in Stoke Newington is an exhibition of new oil paintings by Marie Lenclos opening on Monday 6th November. Marie walked for days exploring the streets, enjoying the shortc… Read More
2023-10-28 23:01
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In the foreground of the developers’ visualisation, you can see how their nightmareish scheme for Liverpool St Station will look if built. Note the eleven storey tower block on top… Read More
2023-10-27 23:01
Viscountess Boudica consults her crystal ball
Halloween is a very important festival for Viscountess Boudica, formerly the wise woman of Bethnal Green before she was banished to Uttoxeter… Read More
2023-10-26 23:01
Click here to book for my last Spitalfields tour of the year
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The Altar and Pulpit at St George’s German Lutheran Church, Alie St
In Aldgate, caught between the thunder of the tra… Read More
2023-10-25 23:01
Click here to book for my last Spitalfields tour of the year
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St. Martin, Ludgate with St. Paul’s Cathedral, c. 1900
At this time of year, when dusk gathers in the mid-afternoon… Read More
2023-10-24 23:01
Click here to book for my last Spitalfields tour of the year
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“The attention of our readers is now directed to the history of the rise and progress of leading business houses of Lo… Read More
2023-10-22 23:01
Click here to book for my last Spitalfields tour of the year
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Feeling in need of exercise and refreshment, I set out on a walk to visit some favourite pubs along the way and I took my ca… Read More
2023-10-21 23:01
Click here to book for my last Spitalfields tour of the year
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I am proud to present these extracts from PLANTING DIARIES, Gardens, planting styles and their origins by Siân Rees, a… Read More
2023-10-20 23:01
Thank you to our over 300 donors who contributed £35,000 to relaunch Spitalfields Life Books. We will be in touch with patrons, supporters and friends to arrange delivery of rewards in… Read More
2023-10-19 23:01
We are getting very close to our target now after raised an astonishing £33,960 to relaunch Spitalfields Life Books. The crowdfund page remains open until we reach £35,000… Read More
2023-10-17 23:01
We are within £2,000 of our target after raised an astonishing £33,093 to relaunch Spitalfields Life Books. The crowdfund page remains open until we reach £35,000.
YOU CAN… Read More
2023-10-16 23:01
We may not have quite hit our target, but we have raised an astonishing £32,1113 to relaunch Spitalfields Life Books. Meanwhile, our crowdfund page will remain open until we reach… Read More
2023-10-15 23:01
We may not have quite hit our target, but we have raised an astonishing £32,033 to relaunch Spitalfields Life Books. Meanwhile, our crowdfund page will remain open until we reach… Read More
2023-10-14 23:01
We may not have quite hit our target, but we have raised an astonishing £31,703 to relaunch Spitalfields Life Books. Meanwhile, our crowdfund page will remain open until we reach… Read More
2023-10-13 23:01
We may not have quite hit our target, but – thanks to 265 donors – we raised an astonishing £29,100 which is enough for us to work with creatively and relaunch Spitalfield… Read More
2023-10-12 23:01
We have raised £27,000 to RELAUNCH SPITALFIELDS LIFE BOOKS and we have UNTIL MIDNIGHT to reach our target of £35,000.
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CLICK HERE TO VISIT OUR CROWDFUND PAGE & CONTRIBUTE
… Read More
2023-10-11 23:01
We have now raised nearly £26,000 to RELAUNCH SPITALFIELDS LIFE BOOKS and we have 2 DAYS LEFT. We can reach our target of £35,000 if 9 readers step forward to support us as… Read More
2023-10-09 23:01
We have raised nearly £23,000 to RELAUNCH SPITALFIELDS LIFE BOOKS and now we have 4 DAYS LEFT! With your help, I am hoping we can reach the target of £35,000 by next Saturda… Read More
2023-10-07 23:01
We have raised over HALF of our target to RELAUNCH SPITALFIELDS LIFE BOOKS and now we have SIX DAYS LEFT! With your help, I am hoping we can reach the target by next Saturday 14th October.
C… Read More
2023-10-06 23:01
In the final week of our crowdfund to relaunch Spitalfields Life Books, let me introduce the authors of the three books speaking in their own words.
THANKYOU to the 164 people who have… Read More
2023-10-03 23:01
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We are in the third week of our month’s crowdfund campaign and I am grateful to the 139 people who have contributed so far, and touched by your messages of encouragement. I am… Read More
2023-10-03 15:31
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We are in the third week of our month’s crowdfund campaign and I am grateful to the 132 people who have contributed so far, and touched by your messages of encouragement. I am… Read More
2023-10-01 23:01
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We are in the third week of our month’s crowdfund campaign and I am grateful to the 108 people who have contributed so far, and touched by your messages of encouragement. I am… Read More
2023-09-30 23:01
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Yesterday, we passed the midway point of our month’s crowdfund campaign and I am grateful to the 99 people who have contributed £10,755, and touched by your messages of encour… Read More
2023-09-29 23:01
CLICK HERE TO VISIT OUR CROWDFUND PAGE & CONTRIBUTE
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After two weeks, we have now reached the midway point of our month’s crowdfund campaign and I am grateful to the 84 people wh… Read More
2023-09-27 23:01
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Starting in 2013, Spitalfields Life Books published 15 books over 6 years until the pandemic shut us down. Now we are ready to begin again and are crowdfunding to raise enough money to co… Read More
2023-09-25 23:01
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Starting in 2013, Spitalfields Life Books published 15 books over 6 years until the pandemic shut us down. Now we are ready to begin again and are crowdfunding to raise enough money to co… Read More
2023-09-24 23:01
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Starting in 2013, Spitalfields Life Books published 15 books over 6 years until the pandemic shut us down. Now we are ready to begin again and are crowdfunding to raise enough money to co… Read More
2023-09-22 23:01
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Starting in 2013, Spitalfields Life Books published 15 books over 6 years until the pandemic shut us down. Now we are ready to begin again and are crowdfunding to raise enough money to co… Read More
2023-09-21 23:01
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Starting in 2013, Spitalfields Life Books published 15 books over 6 years until the pandemic shut us down. Now we are ready to begin again and are crowdfunding to raise enough money to co… Read More
2023-09-20 23:01
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Starting in 2013, Spitalfields Life Books published 15 books over 6 years until the pandemic shut us down. Now we are ready to begin again and we are inspired by a string of new titles th… Read More
2023-09-19 23:01
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Starting in 2013, Spitalfields Life Books published 15 books over 6 years until the pandemic shut us down. Now we are ready to begin again and we are inspired by a string of new titles th… Read More
2023-09-17 23:01
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Starting in 2013, Spitalfields Life Books published 15 books over 6 years until the pandemic shut us down. Now we are ready to begin again and we are inspired by a string of new titles th… Read More
2023-09-15 23:01
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Starting in 2013 with The Gentle Author’s London Album, Spitalfields Life Books published 15 books over 6 years until the pandemic shut us down. Now we are ready to begin aga… Read More
2023-09-13 23:01
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Click here to book for my tour through September and October
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As part of this year’s Bartholomew Fair in Smithfield, I shall be giving an illustrated lecture in St Bartholomew&rsqu&helli…Read More
2023-09-09 23:01
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Click here to book for my tour through September and October
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In the churchyard of St Dunstan’s in the East, Idol Lane
If ever I should require a peaceful walk when the crowds are… Read More
2023-09-08 23:01
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Click here to book for my tour through September and October
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Tomorrow, Sunday 10th September, I am having a bookstall in Limehouse Town Hall from 12-6pm as part of Limehouse Creates. Pl… Read More
2023-09-07 23:01
Click here to book for my tour through September and October
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As part of this year’s Bartholomew Fair in Smithfield, I shall be giving an illustrated lecture in St Bartholomew’… Read More
2023-09-06 23:01
Click here to book for my tour through September and October
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Click here to discover more about this autumn’s blog course
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Who can resist the lure of the forest? Since Epping Fo… Read More
2023-09-04 23:01
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Click here to book for my tour through September and October
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Click here to discover more about this autumn’s blog course
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Bryan Stutter brandishes his Stutter scissors
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Bry… Read More
2023-09-02 23:01
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Click here to book for my tour through September and October
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Click here to discover more about this autumn’s blog course
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195 Mare St
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I remember the moment I first caught a g… Read More
2023-09-01 23:01
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Click here to book for my tour through September and October
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Click here to discover more about this autumn’s blog course
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Drawing of 37 Spital Sq by Joanna Moore
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What could… Read More
2023-08-30 23:01
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Click here to book for my tour through September and October
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Click here to discover more about this autumn’s blog course
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Contributing Photographer Lucinda Douglas Menzies kin… Read More
2023-08-29 23:01
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Click here to book for tour through September and October
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Richard Ince, 11th generation umbrella maker
The factory of James Ince & Sons, the oldest established umbrella makers in t… Read More
2023-08-28 23:01
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Next ticket availability Saturday 2nd September
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We join Constable Lew Tassell on a night patrol in the City of London on Tuesday December 12th 1972
Police Constable Lew Tassell of the… Read More
2023-08-25 23:01
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Next ticket availability Saturday 2nd September
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Next weekend, Pollock’s Toy Theatres return to their roots with a two day pop up at House of Annetta in Spitalfields including perf… Read More
2023-08-24 23:01
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Next ticket availability Saturday 2nd September
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Fourteen years ago this week I began publishing daily in these pages with the ambition of reaching at least ten thousand posts, which… Read More
2023-08-22 23:01
Click here to book for my tours through September and October
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Inspired by a brochure given to me by Gary Arber, I decided to go for a day trip to Canvey Island. Printed by W.F.Arber &&helli…Read More
2023-08-20 23:01
Click here to book for my tours through August, September and October
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What could be a nicer way to spend a lazy late summer afternoon than slouching around the pubs of Smithfield, Newgate… Read More
2023-08-12 23:01
Click here to book for my tours through August, September and October
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Traditionally, this was the time when East Enders headed down to the Hop Farms of Kent & Sussex, embracing the op… Read More
2023-08-07 23:01
Click here to book for my tours through August, September and October
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Click here to buy tour gift vouchers for your family and friends
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Excerpts from ‘This is London‘ produce… Read More
2023-08-05 23:01
Click here to book for my tours through August, September and October
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Click here to buy tour gift vouchers for your family and friends
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I discovered a curiosity to view the garden of re… Read More
2023-08-04 23:01
Click here to book for my tours through August, September and October
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Click here to buy tour gift vouchers for your family and friends
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It is my pleasure to present these extracts from t… Read More
2023-08-02 23:01
Click here to book for my tours through August, September and October
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Click here to buy tour gift vouchers for your family and friends
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Dan Cruickshank took these photographs between 196… Read More
2023-07-30 23:01
Click here to book for my tours through August, September and October
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Click here to buy tour gift vouchers for your family and friends
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If you want to know the story of the splendid pai… Read More
2023-07-29 23:01
Click here to book for my tours through July, August and September
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Click here to buy tour gift vouchers for your family and friends
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This extravagant domed orientalist edifice topped… Read More
2023-07-27 23:01
Click here to book for my tours through July, August and September
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Click here to buy tour gift vouchers for your family and friends
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Jack London took photographs alongside his work as a… Read More
2023-07-26 23:01
Click here to book for my tours through July, August and September
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Click here to buy tour gift vouchers for your family and friends
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These are letters I found in the archive at the Socie… Read More
2023-07-24 23:01
Click here to book your ticket for THE GENTLE AUTHOR’S TOUR OF SPITALFIELDS
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Since before records began, Swan Upping has taken place on the River Thames in the third week of July &nd&hell…Read More
2023-07-22 23:01
Click here to book for my tours through July, August and September
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As London’s oldest market prepares to move out of the City, Photographer Orlando Gili has been down at Smithfiel… Read More
2023-07-21 23:01
HOW TO WRITE A BLOG THAT PEOPLE WILL WANT TO READ: 25th-26th November 2023
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Spend a weekend in an eighteenth century weaver’s house in Spitalfields and learn how to write a blog… Read More
2023-07-14 23:01
Click here to book for my tours through July, August and September
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William Palin recalls the lost wonders of the once coherent and distinctive neighbourhood of Haggerston
Tudor Gothic… Read More
2023-07-13 23:01
Click here to book for my tours through July, August and September
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Five Christmases ago, I received the most extraordinary present I ever expect to receive. It is Charles Dickens&rsquo&helli…Read More
2023-07-12 23:01
Click here to book for my tours through July, August and September
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When Libby Hall (1941-2023) was a press photographer in the sixties, based in Clerkenwell and travelling back and fort… Read More
2023-07-11 23:01
Tickets are available for my tours throughout July, August & September
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Commemorating Libby Hall (1941-2023), Photographer & Collector of Dog Photography
Click to enlarge
Sometim… Read More
2023-07-10 23:01
Libby Hall (1941-2023), Photographer & Collector of Photography, died last Thursday
Libby Hall
Between 1966 and 2006, Libby Hall collected old photographs of dogs, amassing many thousan… Read More
2023-07-07 23:01
Tickets are available for my tour throughout July, August & September
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A beano from Stepney in the twenties (courtesy Irene Sheath)
We have reached that time of year again when a ce… Read More
2023-07-06 23:01
Click here to book THE GENTLE AUTHOR’S TOURS for July & August
The plethora of bicycle shops around Spitalfields today is not a new phenomenon as confirmed by this 1896 catalogue f… Read More
2023-07-05 23:01
Click here to book THE GENTLE AUTHOR’S TOURS for July & August
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Dan Jones’ painting of Malcolm Johnson at Botolph’s, Aldgate 1982
These days, with his gentle blue e… Read More
2023-07-04 23:01
Click here to book THE GENTLE AUTHOR’S TOURS for July & August
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It is my delight to publish these old Whitechapel letterheads and receipts from Philip Mernick‘s astonishi… Read More
2023-07-02 23:01
Click here to book THE GENTLE AUTHOR’S TOURS for July & August
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“Curious leaden figures discovered at Shadwell” read the shameless announcement published in the &lsq&hell…Read More
2023-07-01 23:01
Our walks have been awarded a Travellers’ Choice award by Trip Advisor after an unbroken run of over eighty five star reviews
Click here to book THE GENTLE AUTHOR’S TOURS for Ju… Read More
2023-06-30 23:01
A new exhibition CONDITIONS OF LIVING, at Four Corners until 2nd September, explores how photographers have represented housing and homelessness in East London over the last century.
Spital… Read More
2023-06-27 23:01
Click here to book THE GENTLE AUTHOR’S TOURS for June & July
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On my tour, we visit some of the locations of C A Mathew‘s photographs to discover how Spitalfields has change… Read More
2023-06-25 23:01
Click here to book THE GENTLE AUTHOR’S TOURS for June & July
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Beattie Orwell died last Thursday at the fine age of one hundred and five
Portrait of Beattie Orwell by Phil Maxw… Read More
2023-06-24 23:01
Click here to book THE GENTLE AUTHOR’S TOURS for June & July
One of my favourite gardens in London is at Fulham Palace. So it was a great delight to cycle over from Spitalfields t… Read More
2023-06-23 23:01
What is this curious architectural excrescence and why is it at the rear of the Bank of England? Join my City of London tour next weekend to find out. There are only two left this summer &n&helli…Read More
2023-06-21 23:01
Let me take you underground and show you this lost fragment of the Roman Wall marooned in a subterranean car park. There are only two left this summer – Sunday 2nd July and Sunda… Read More
2023-06-20 23:01
Architects and engineers puzzle over what to do with a poor lonely facade in the City of London yesterday. Join my walk through the Square Mile and learn more about facadism. There are only… Read More
2023-06-20 07:18
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Let me show you this 18th century graffiti on St Paul’s Cathedral…join my walk through the City of London. There are only two left this summer – Sunday 2nd July and Sun… Read More
2023-06-17 23:01
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Click here to book your tour tickets for next Saturday and beyond
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My father
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On Sunday – when I was a child – my father always took me out for the morning. It was a routin… Read More
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