The Story of London, Richard BrasseyOrion books2004

EARLY HISTORY

• In prehistoric times, woolly mammoths, hippos, elephants and lions roamed the London area.The land was marshy and the river much wider.
• Before the arrival of the Romans, there were only scattered settlements.

ROMAN LONDON

• AD 43 The Romans arrived and founded Londinium.
• In 60AD, tribal queen Boudica burned London to the ground in retaliation against Roman rape of her daughters and taking over of her lands. London was rebuilt.
• By 200 AD it had a wall and was approximately the size of the City. The first London bridge was built across to Southwark, and remained the only bridge spanning the Thames until 1750.
• 410 The Romans abandoned London due to attacks on their Empire.

THE MIDDLE AGES

• AD 410-886 London appears to have been largely deserted. The Anglo Saxons built the town of Lundenwic to the west where the Strand is now.
• AD 886 Under attack from Vikings and Danes, Saxon king Alfred the Great moved back within the walls.
• 9th century the first St Paul’s Cathedral was built after missionaries converted the saxons to Christanity. The last Saxon king Edward the Confessor built Westminster Abbey. When he died,
• 1066 William the Conqueror overcame London and had himself crowned in Westminster Abbey. He built the White Tower, which became the Tower of London. His son built the great Hall at Westminster and began work on the first stone St Paul’s Cathedral.
• 1348 The Black Death
• 1358-1453 “Dick” Whittington Lord Mayor of London
• 1381 The Peasants’ Revolt.

CHAUCER’S LONDON

• City Guilds
• London had over 100 churches and several great monastries
• The spire of St Paul’s was half as tall again as the current dome
• 1176 Stone London bridge started. At its zenith it had 138 shops, a chapel and a drawbridge. Narrow arches.

TUDORS

• During Tudor period London city was joined to Westminster and there were four times as many inhabitants.
• Dissolution/destruction of the monasteries by Henry VIII. Rush of new buildings.
• Theatre golden age. Theatres not allowed in city so built in Southwark

STUARTS

• Civil War
• Execution of Charles I
• 1605 Gunpowder Plot. Failed Catholic attempt to blow up the King in Parliament led by Guy Fawkes who wa tortured and hanged.
• Huge growth during this period. By end 17th century, London was the biggest city in the world. Slums around city walls. Most drank from Thames. Rich moved West.
• 1573-1652 Inigo Jones: designed Queens House Greenwich, Banqueting House and St Paul’s Church Covent Garden built in new classical style.
• Great Plague much worse than previous plagues and killed twice as many. If one person became ill, all were locked in. A cart came by to collect the dead. Large burial grounds in ** Cats and dogs killed, Bonfires lit to purify air. 80,000 dead in a year.
• Charles II created St James’s Park. Played pall mall on the mall. Russian ambassador presented him with pelicans
• 1633-1703 Samuel Peyps
• 1666 Great Fire of London. 1000,000 homeless. Within 5 years 3/4 of houses rebuilt. Charles II king, and he and Christopher Wren rebuilt. He also encouraged the Royal Society and reformed the navy to protect merchant ships making London rich.

18TH CENTURY

• London first city since Ancient Rome to have over 1 million people.
• Bustling chaos. Drunkenness major problem. Business deals done in coffee houses and street everywhere. Foreigners astonished.
• 1697-1764 Hogarth, London’s greatest painter.
• People could wander into St James palace in time of king George II.
• George Frederick Handel 1685-1759 wrote the messiah from his house in Mayfair. 
• Docks easily busiest in world and Thames “almost hidden by merchant vessels from every country”.
• This trade led to banks and insurance companies and dealers in shares setting up stock exchange.
• Fine new squares in Mayfair, Bloomsbury and Belgravia. Houses rich left behind became slums. Acres of cheap housing built in east by docks. Disease rife but population replenished by Scot’s Irish french Protestants, Jews, all sorts on east India ships, 10,000 of African descent. By 1750 only one in twenty Londoners born there.
• 1729-1780 Ignatius Sancho. Came as slave but wrote music and letters, acted and campaigned against slavery and was first black person to vote in an election. Ran grocery shop in Charing Cross 
• 1750 bishop of London  said earthquake so everyone left London but there wasn’t one
• 1709-1784 Dr Johnson

REGENCY LONDON 1795 – 1837

• Period encompasses last third of Georgian era.
• Industrial Revolution taking place – factories, esp. in rest of country.
• Transport system – coming of railways.
• Romanticism. Major artists, poets, musicians of movement were regency figures like Austen, Blake, Byron, constable, Keats, John Nash, Ann Radcliffe Walter Scott Mary Shelley, Percy Shelley, Wordsworth jmw turner.
• Prince regent great patron of arts. Great spending on arts alongside rampant poverty.
• 1824 National Gallery.
• Napoleonic Wars cast shadow during first 20 years.
• Many famous west end shops opened. Jane Austen shopped in Bond Street. Madame Tussaud’s opened near Baker Street, heads cast from victims of guillotine featured. Regent’s Park, Burlington arcade, regents street, Piccadilly, there was Duke of wellingtons house 1 London Hyde park the mall Buckingham palace, Marble Arch was originally a grand entrance to Buckingham Palace. Oxford Street
• Hangings at Tyburn drew crowds of 200000.
• Parliament burnt down in 1834.
• 1753 British Museum established (present building 1821))
• 1760 Westminster Bridge built, first new bridge over the Thames.
• George III went mad and his son, later George IV took his place as prince regent. He completely reshaped the west end with John Nash.
• John Nash 1752-1835.
• 1815 Defeat of Napoleon at waterloo made London most wealthy and populous in world.
• 1760 Hamleys was opened
• 1821 Horner’s Panorama – during repairs to st pauls in 1821, Thomas Horner painted the city while living in a hut on top of the dome.
• St Katherines Docks dug out beside the Thames – one of many docks so thousands of ships could land their cargoes.
• Trafalgar Square,
• London Bridge rebuilt 1831,

In 18th century thieves could be hanged for stealing a few pennies. Sometimes people survived the haning and were revived by friends. Bow Street runners in covent garden area 1829 London-wide police Metropolitan Police forcebased at Scotland Yard known as bobbies or Peelers. Characters Like Fagin in Oliver Twist gave children food and lodgings in return for picking pockets. In 19th century, londonspopulation exploded from 1 to six million. Terrible poverty, crime, huge pollution, horrendous traffic jams. Dickens had to leave school suddenly at 12 and work in factory when his father was imprisoned for debt. He became by far the best selling author of his age. Until 1829 children were used to crawl up inside chimneys. Mudlarks searched for things to sell. cockney rhyming slang. There was tossing the pieman. if you called correctly you got pie and money back, if not, you got nothing. Penny Gaff – hundreds of samll theatres. They had dancing and very rude songs. Punch and judy men were common on street corners. People collected dog dirt to cure leather, crossing sweepers swpt road hoping for a tip. Costermongers or street sellers used back to front language for look out theres a policeman.

r John Snow 1813-1858

1858 the Great Stink was when Parliament buildings were newly rebuilt.Late 1850s massive scheme begun for sewers

1829 first horse-drawn omnibuses. Between 1838 and 1864 all todays main lines and stations were built. In 1863 the first underground opened. When Metropolitan Line opened passengers sat in open carriages pulled by steam trains. Electrification in 1890s made deep tunnels possible.Oscar Wilde “all londoners look as if they’re running for a train.

Wilde: “london is too full of fogs and serious people.” Orwell: “London has the most sordid, filthiest slums in the world. The houses are coming to pieces, the drains are bad, there is hardly a window without broken panes, the wind whistling through it in winter.”

Better off moved to suburbs. 100,000 people had homes pulled down to make way for the railways. Whole families crammed in one room, ragged schools started in 1854 specially for poor children. Often had 1 teacher for 200 children most left at age 10 to work. Sherlock Holmes, Jack the Ripper horrible murders in slums of east end. 600 policeman didn’t catch him. For growing number of educated people with money, London was cultural centre of world. Beatrix Potter’s childhood home backed onto Brompton Cemetery. she used names on gravestones for characteras. American painter whistler often painted the Thames at chelsea. French painter monet came over to paint effect of smoke on light. Many of today’s theatres were built during 19th century. Oscar Wilde, Bernard Shaw and Gilbert and Sulivan. Profits from Great Exhibition used to build Victoria and Albert, Natural History Museum and Science Museum. The idea for Peter Pan came to J M Barrie in Kensington Gardens. Great Exhibition 1851. Show new inventions, Crystal Palace had 900,000 panes. Six million people visited. Queen and prince albert went 42 times. Albert was one of main organisers.

By 1911 London had 7 million people and was capital of biggest empire world has ever known. Lows governing 1/4 of world population were decided in Parliament.Buckingham Palace front with balcony completed just before ww1.Big ben is the bell anmed after man who was in charge of the building. Cleopatra’s Needle put up in 1878. Time capsule buried underneath containing photos of 12 most beautiful women of day, some raxzor blades etc. Its from Egypt and 1000 years older than London. Statue of Boudica took sculptor so long he died before he could finish it. 1918 women’s suffrage.

By end WW1, New York rivalled London as largest city in world, but London still growing.in 1860s Whiteleys then Harrods. In 1909 Selfridges. Set up new standard of luxury so the others were quickly rebuilt to. look like palaces. Tower Bridge built i 1894 medieval style to match Tower.Air raids killed 700 in WW1 in London

WW2 Blitz began a year after start of war. Worst bombing May 1941, especially in East End. Every night, wardens watched roof of St Pauls to put out fires. Surrounding area almost completely destroyed but cathedral survived. Winston Churchill familiar figure inspecting bomb sites. Children sent to countryside. Everyone carried gas masks. Londoners with shelters dug a hole for an Anderson shelter, a tunnel of corrugated steel covered with earth. May slept and lived in underground stations. Several babies born there. Cabinet underground war rooms.

1944 doodlebugs, followed by rocket bombs sent which were enormously destructive. By end of war nearly half of London’s houses had been damaged. 1948 olympic games, 1951 Festival of Britain and the queens coronation cheered them up. Festival had futuristic dome and skylon, Tower beach – sand was brought here for poor children until 19602 but Thames was very dirty.In 1956 burning of coal was restricted, air got better and buildings stopped turning black. London Particular, pea souper.

1948 Windrush arrived carrying 492 Afro-arribean immigrants. Temporarily housed in air raid shelter under Clapham Common.

Docklands In 1960s the once mighty docks nearly all closed for more efficient ones nearer the sea. In 1980s Canary Wharf built and since bustling new area of city arrived. Channel Tunnel . Tower blocks built everywhere in 60s. Efforst made to save old buildings. After the war, the green belt stopped more building. Hundreds of thousands newcomers arrived, mainly from countries once part of Empire. Swinging London in 60s was most exciting city in the world Beetles, mini skirt, explosion in art, theatre, music and fashion. Heathrow air port opened in 1946 a magnet for businesses and jobs. The busiest in the wprld. The new London Bridge.300 different first languages spoken in London schools.

Postwar

New ballet and theatre companies, and national orchestras, now 50 theatres in west end, hundreds of different entertainments each night. Millenium saw burst in public building like footbridge, dome. National TheatreA hundred miles of once open rivers now flow through many underground tunnels. Pigeos sometimes travel by underground.

A Short History of the Greatest city in the western world, Robert Bucholz, The Great Courses.

Chaucer’s London

London bridge had shops and a drawbridge. River dotted with ships, there were a series of docks on the northbank around the bridge which gave London its wealth. There was a haze of smoke from wood fires which drifted East, as did the current carrying sewerage. East of Tower were fields, jousting, archery

Spire of St Pauls 550′ 200′ higher than current dome! Over 100 further church spires and towers crowding within wall. Tower of London, narrow track known as strand lined with great inns and palaces belonging to bishops and abbotts, some rented out to lawyers and law students. Leads to impressive complex of buildings at Westminster, Abbey, minus towers erected end 17th century, Westminster Hall and Westminster Palace.

There were 8 gates in the wall. Shut at night and to stop invasion, 8pm/9pm. Each had guardhouse. Newgate’s developed into notorious prison. Heads of criminals displayed on top. 12 years Chacuer lived in Aldgate tower.

Wall was 18′ high and 6-9′ deep with battlements. Within was official city. Developed haphazardly so Roman grid pattern of roads was distorted. Thames Street, Cannon Street/Eastcheap, Vintry Street ran parallel to it and perpendicular were Fish Street, Gracechurch St, Bishopsgate St,

Southwark was outside city control, brothels owned and regulated by the bishop of winchester! there were rules and opening hours and proceeds used for good works of church. Prostitutes were called Winchester geese! Closed down by Henry VIII. Also had Winchester House and Lambeth Palace, Bishop of Winchester and Archbishop of Canterbury, and St Mary Ovarie. 25 inns on Southwark High Street alone.

Old Kent Road was there, A2, road to Dover

Chaucer

Romance of Rose

1343-1400 Lived through Black Death and Peasant’s Revolt. Peasants revolt was attempt to throw off serfdom. 1381 Came to London to access government ministers. thousands came from countryside and maybe Londoners. 40,000 population of London at this time. John Ball was a radical preacher. Wat Tyler craftsman, wanted higher wages and be allowed to move about to work. Serfs were bound to land and wages capped despite labour shortages after the plague. King also imposed poll tax. They arrived at Blackheath south of London Bridge and negotiated their way in across the river. Richard II was king aged 14. King decides to meet rebels at Mile End. They sack Savoy Palace of John of Gaunt v unpopulaar. They burn it but don’t loot. Lambeth Palace, they burn the records of serfdom and taxation. They got into the tower and chop off the heads of a couple of ministers. King makes promises including freedom from serfdom but they ask for a further meeting in Smithfield. Only some of the rebels dispersed after this, so Richard goes to meet Tyler at Smithfield. Tyler makes more radical demands. Richard agrees. London the city had been invaded and they got fighting men present there too. Tyler rides over, makes demands, a scuffle breaks out between Tyler and king’s attendance. Knives are drawn and Tyler is struck by knife and falls wounded telling his followers to attack. Richard says follow me, I will be your leader and the rebels follow him away to Clerkenwell fields. Richard then breaks all his promises, and knights and men at arms and judges are sent out to execute anyone involved. Hundreds were executed. Serfdom was declining of its own accord anyway. They achieved abolition of poll taxes and showed they could revolt on that scale.

Courtier and high government official rising to become controller of the customs and master of the works, so port and capital

Houses were very narrow to street and 5-6 storeys high, overhanging to almost touch. Blocked sun and fire hazard. Night soil was thrown out into the street gardez l’eau. Houses were timber framed and wattle and daub or plaster. Sometimes collapsed. The Tower built by William the Conqueror, only White Tower with 4 turrets, storehouse, later dungeon, 4′ sq the little ease cell!, barracks, dining hall and chapel with accommodation for nobles, top floor King’s bed and counsel chamber. Subsequent kings extended. Bell Tower, Wardrobe Tower, Moat and Outer wall 15′ thick at base and 90′ high. In 1235 King’s Menagerie started with 3 leapards by Holy Roman Emporer. There was a polar bear Later open to the public. 1830s animals donated to London zoo. 1303 crown jewels kept there. 13th-17th monarchs spent last night before coronation there. From Tudor period, Tower was fortress and infamous prison of Roger Mortimer, James 1 Scotland, Richard II and Henry Vi both murdered here and the two princes. Skeletons found under a staircase and buried in Westminster Abbey. Commoners also imprisoned there. Executions took place here. One of few surviving Medieval buildings.

Docks named for goods, Fish wharf, by fish street, haywharf, wine wharf, Queenhilthe goods from southern france, Billingsgate later became freat fish market, and Wood quay timber. Fishy, lyme, timber, cloth unloaded from ships, raw wool, England’s chief export, loaded ont them. Hammering and sawing of carpenters and shipwrights, speech middle english, flemish, french, german, stitching of sailmakers. Custom duty collected from merchant ships was mainstay of royal revenue, very impt. for king to know which shis were docking. Between bridge and tower was the medieval customs house, first major building rebuilt after great fire of London. Eastcheap “market” Shopkeepers in same business tended to congregate in same part of town as no competition – the Livery Companies set prices and wages as well as what could be produced. This was London’s meat market. Butchers, terrible smells and sights. Offal dumped in Fleet, eventually sewer. Lombard, Cornhill and Threadneedle economic heart of city then too. Cornhill was where grainfactors meet. Theadneedle home to tailors. Lombard was most interesting then as here the Italian bankers the Lombards settled. Remains London’s banking centre. T that time, bankers transacted business in open air in street, or sheltered in shops. They only moved indoors in reign of Elizabeth I. 3 streets meet at Poultry, London’s market for fowl, pigs and rabbits, smelly. Old Jewry, site of Jewish ghetto from 12th century to their expulsion by Edward I in 1291, their possessions confiscated by the crown. Jewish merchants had been persecuted before that. The area was destroyed 1264 and 500 jew murdered. One of Widest and most impressive thoroughfares Cheapside. Main shopping street. Lined with shops with stalls in centre. These were workshops which made what you ordered. Proprietors lived above shop. Aprentices were aged 14-21 and had been bought place 7 years learning a trade. They were not known for their hard work see chaucer “he loved the tavern better than the shop”. Street used for tournaments and civic processions like the Lord Mayors Procession. Conduits at either end of the street would run with wine. Taverns 354 in square mile.

Pillories and place of execution also, esp. commercial crimes like selling rotten food. Streets running off Cheapside like milk street and bread street named for what they sold. Goldsmiths Row, Grocers Lane, Ironmonger Alley, shoemakers on Cordwain Street, Sopers and Mercers on Soper’s Lane.

There were 50 Livery companies, one for each trade (most towns had 1). Livery Halls used to hold feasts and meetings, stopping people getting to rich or cheating. Different trades had different liveries or clothes. You had to be a member to trade within the walls. Only members voted in elections. Charitable also for members, and often endowed schools, almshouses and hospitals. Each guild had its own parish church and they vied with each other to make them grand.Economic life was organised around these companies to a declining extent well into the 19th century.

Guilds were subject to the Guildhall, first mentioned in early 12th century. Current hall built in 1311 would survive fire and bomb hit in 1940. Seat of Lord Mayor where legislative of london meet. Aldermen also elected. Elections and procesion annually. Also other dignitaries worked for mayor were ordinary people. There were 25 Aldermen, usually wealthy merchants, each representing a ward. They had lots of power e.g. regulating markets, lighting, licensing etc. Could veto any piece of legislation!

Each ward was divided into precincts of 50-100 houses, and parishes too, which also ordinary people. 3/4 men could elect members of parliament. Needed to be “Freemen”, or people who had paid to become members of a guild. v. democratic

Guildhall was also a court, Thomas Cranmer heresay, Lady Jane Grey treason.

Black death probably bubonic plague. 664 first outbreak. 1348 Black Death arrived. Carried by fleas on rats. Could die within hours. One in 4 survived. Fires burned to try and cleanse air. Cemetaries overwhelmed 200/day buried at Smithfield and Southwark. 15,000 died, 33 percent of city. It took a century for population to recover. there where many other diseases like smallpox.

Religion hugely important. St Pauls huge. Site of Roman temple to Diana. Bell Towers were used as prisons, with Westminster Abbey great national church corpses of Richard II and Henry VI exhibited, Henry V had celebration after Agincourt. Paul’s Cross was times newspaper of Medieval England, e.g. kings announced. Folk moot here 3 times a year. Influential Sermons were given here outdoors. Printing developed in 14th century and churchyard home to stationers, booksellers and printers. Commerce also in nave. Scribes, lawyers and even tradesmen set up shop in nave. There was a pillar where prospective servants would stand to be hired. It was a social and cultural centre.

Going along ludgate you’d go through the actual gate onto Fleet Street, named for river which flowed over Hampstead Heath crossing Holborn and Fleet Street to Thames. Cutlers butchers and tanners disposed of waste there. It was on Western border and used of a sewer.. It was cleaned out but even in 1365 was more of a ditch. Fleet Street was staging area for apprentice riots and gangs into 18th century. Area also developed law schools, the Inns of court. In Middle ages There were already a series of Inns of Chancery, Bernards Court, Cliffords Inn, later feeder schools. Inhabitants were also apprentices. Temple Bar built 1351 with prison attached separated Fleet Street from the Strand and represented the outermost reaches of legal london. To Temple Bar you were still under aegis of guildhall.

Westminster about government and religion. Most people got there by boat as Strand unpaved dirt track or bridle path. Palaces called Inns stretched all the way alson the strand: the Outer Temple, various inns of bishops, the Savoy Palace owened by John of Gaunt, here Chaucer married sister of Katherine Swynford, York place, inn of archbishop of york. These inns represented power and wealth of church. They lived in London. All Inns confiscated by Henry VIII. On right, there were a few shops, but then open countryside. Then mid 14th there was Convent Garden and Lincolns Inn. At end Charing cross where there was a village called Charing. Elaborate cross last in series erected by Edward 1 wh in 1290 crosses arected on route of deceased queen’s Eleanor procession. Royal stables stood where Trafalgare Sq is now. then more fields. Whitehall (then King street) had york place, which later became Whitehall Palace. Westminster not part of City of London. Administered by monks. Religious settlement since 7th century. Built on 10th century abbey expanded. William Conqueror crowned here. Most crowned here. The old building was pulled down in 1245 and rebuilt as current building. Purbeck marble. Subsequent kings added to it. Tallest nave in England. English kings all buried here. Poets corner started when Chaucer buried here. 1245 chapter house where House of commons met here until 1547. Outside were lots of shops, and beggers and thieves. It was a liberty, or sanctuary where king and city power didn’t necessarily operate. 1476 Caxton had his shop, england;s first print shop. Westminster hall 1047. Largest in England. Add-on to Westminster palace which was built by William the conqueror as his palace. Was home to the court until 1512. South were more fields. Totthill Fields was marshy land betwee abbey and its mill, millbank!. Tournaments and fairs held here. North and west were fields associated with Lepers Hospital which later became St James’ Park.

Shakespeare’s London

1525-1600 50,000 to 200000 population growth. It was new people coming in 6,000 migrants per year for economic reasons

Thousands of chimneys so smoke made air dirtier. Ships more crowding burgeoning trade. Still only one bridge. Three main buildings still there but spire gone off st pauls. City limits have gone further east. It was built up with market gardens and cattle fields where Whitechapel, stepney Hackney Poplar and Bethnal Green now stand but by 1590, fields east of tower filled in with houses, workshops and docks. Inns provided accommodatin, food, drink, sometimes plays. Many were old and formerly bishops palaces. The George in Southwark, for example, still there today, at terminal travel. Innkeepers were often from area where people came in from. Important places to meet.Shoreditch was where prostitutes went after southwark shut down. Also place where Burbidge built first purpose built theatre, The Theatre 1576. The Curtain built 1577. St Katherine’s docks was there. Raw wool loaded, wine and goods loaded. Much more organised now. 17 docks between bridge and tower, but now crept east to Wapping, Shadwell, East end already regarded as poorest. Also colourful and industrious.Tower given over to animals and prisoners. lions, leapards, eagles, owls, moutain lions a jackall.Thomas Moore, Anne Bolyn Katherine Howard, Sir Walter Raleigh, Jane Grey. Royalty executed inside walls, others before huge crowds on Tower Hill. Street cries, commercial area around london. Main meat market had moved to Smithfield. Billingsgate Fish market. Bankers have now moved indoors. The royal exchange was built. Like in Antwerp. Shops, meeting place for hundreds of merchants, buying, selling, hearing news, making deals, but also shopping for normal people.Could see new luxury goods. Cheapside still lined with magnificent shops with the roads off them. In 1590 livery companies were declining a bit because reformation had cut down religion so they weren’t giving charity in the same way, and people were just setting up businesses outside the walls. There were 12 great companies, Mercers, grocers, drapers, fishmongers goldsmiths, skinners, merchant tailors, haberdashers, salters, ironmongers, vintners and clothmakers.

St Mary Le Bow. History of collapse. Tower bells rang out curfew. true cockneys…All retail trades doing better than crafts trade as they had more say in the council.

St Pauls had lost its spire to lightning, most of land had been confiscated, stautes and stained glass and alter had been destroyed. They didn’t have money to upkeep building. Building became a borse. Gardens full of printers. Nave used as throughway. Sermons were still delivered from St Pauls Cross but it was destroyed in 1600s. Charles 1 commissioned Inigo Jones to do it up, he did classical portico. During civil war, building was used as barracks. The roof fell in!

Georgian Londo so it was in terrible state when the great fire came.

Beyond ludgate is legal london. Old Bailey next to Newgate prison. only debtors were sent to prison. Others were waiting for sentence. Great overcrowding and disease. Bridewell Prison. It was a palace 1515, but next to smelly fleet. In 1553 given to city. Henry VII dissolved almshouses and schools too so poor in much worse position.

Once in strand, see growth. Enven monarch must ask to visit city from temple bar. On state occasions, still ask permission of mayor who submits city swaor as mark of loyalty. Done since Elizabeth I’s procession to celebrate defeat of Armada.

Strand

Paved in 1532, full of pits, smelly, horse and cart traffic Same series of stately parishes, but now for aristocrats. icl. Somerset House, Whitehall palace and savoy house. Lots of history was connected with these houses because of influential people who lived there. Somerset House was traditionally home of queen’s consort. Watergate is only relic of these palaces. To right, shops, royal mews (stables, open fields. 1600-1750 west end was all filled in. Began with dissolution. Russell family got a lot of land. Vast estate incl. covent garden. Inigo Jones 1627 asked to create grand houses in convent garden. First planned housing development and square, with church on one side and three sides houses. Market added 1650.

Palace of whitehall on site of york place. Henry VIII added a tilt yard now horseguard’s parade, and other buildings. Stuart’s added banquetig Hall. St James Palace on other side. Park was used by royalty for hunting. Chaucer, Spencer, Johnson in poet’s corner. Cromwelll used abbey as barracks as didn’t value church. Westminster Hall is collection of courts and some shops. Anne Bolyn, guy fawlks and king charles tried here. 1590 Westminster Palace used for Parliament. This is the one guy fawks tried to blow up. Hanged drawn and quartered. Commons didn’t have space so very crowded and hothouse atmospere. Not regular, periodic and brief meetings of parliament. Also full of lodgings for coutiers and lots of poverty. Southwark had 5 manors forming one ward. It was outside the city, so not subject to same rules. The rose theatre, later also the globe. Bridge still medieval one. So many ships looked like a wood. 19 arches dangerous to shoot, and usually not attempted. End 16th century, heads of traitors on pike Southwark, including Sir Thomas Moore and Thomas Cromwell. Terrible conjestion. Lots of stairs and watergates fown to river. Most aristocrats and royalty had magnificent barges. Many ferries. 2000 wherries. Swans personal property of queen, death if you injure them. International. Pretty much raw sewerage. 100 acres Paris Garden bowling and gambling. Developed into first pleasure Garden. Bankside bear garden where bears and dogs tormented. horses and boars also. Outdoor theatres 1587, 1597, 1598 three outdoor theatres. 3000 could watch plays in afternoon. 3 storeys. Thatched.nGlobe once burned to the ground. Trap door to Hell, above stage was Heaven raised balcony. 3 doors at back of stage. Actors wrote too and were shareholders in theatre.

STUARTS 1603-1714

The city of london was particularly dependent on the monarchy at this time to grant them charters guaranteeing them governmental power and trading privileges. Kings depended on London to provide 10 percent of soldiers, and for loans. James I and Charles I spendthrifts, they were a bit close to catholicism. He ruled without parliament f By 1600, 200000, by end of century 500000. Rapid growth of city. Foreign refugees, youth seeking work, Death rate was still higher than its birth rate. This meant market economy and transportation and shipping had to expand and become more efficient to supply London.Different companies sprung up to trade with different countires through 16th century, incl. East India Company in 1600.

“In every street, cars and coaches make such a thundering as if the world ran upon wheels At every corner, men women and children meet in such shoals that posts are set up of purpose to strengthen the houses lest with jostling one another they should shoulder them down. Besides, hammers are beating in one place, tubs whooping in a third, pots clinking in a third, water tankards running a tilt in a fourth.” 1606 Thomas Deckard.

End of Elizabeth’s reign was economic crisis and endless war with France……

Pepys’s London 17th Century 1633 born in London

Restoration of Monarchy In 1654 looked like Shakespeares city but had expanded to include east Shadwell, Radcliffe, whitechapel, Deptford Rotherhilthe (“redrith) north and Bermondsey south.West beginning to fill in between temple bar and whitehall, covent garden and lincolns Inn fields. 400,000 people. Sewerage and air quality problems. Through family he got job as clerk to exchequor (state’s bank in effect). He then got an important job under Charles II, 1673 secretary of the admiralty and was an MP, also fellow and president of Royal Society. 1660-69 his diary, written in shorthand. He worked at the docks in pre-industrial England. Over 100 ships. A lot of business done at inns, taverns nearly as grand, offering drink and food and private rooms to rent. alehouses offered home-brewed beer and lower class. prostitutes and fences and criminal purposes. Ordinaries like Chantelles were like restaurants. George Inn survives. The coffehouses were new, levant trade. coffee introduced 1652. Newspapers distributed there and very mixed classes there. 1675 tried to shut them down, and alseshouses but without success. Wills was a great coffeehouse in covent garden near theatres. Dryden held court by the fire (poet laureate). Certain cofeehouses associated with businesses like Lloyds and Garroways. Clubs were also new. Whites began as coffeehouse, then aristocratic gambling house. Grecian started to accommodate people after Gresham College free lectures, and from talks there grew the royal society.Scientists mixing with gentleman amateurs. Barges were still popular. Court at Whitehall was centre of world. Anyone could walk in if they looked like a gentleman.. Social and cultural centre as well as just palace. Writers, painters, scientists needed patronage and could get this by going to court. Fabulous interiors, music, poetry, preachers, fantastic art collections, politics. People could in theory approach the monarch outdoors still in St James’s and Hyde Park. There were porters at the gates who were meant to keep unsuitables out. “Drawing Rooms were gatherings a few times a week held by the queen for important people where the royal family could be seen. You could ask for a private consultation with the king too. Plays were held in the Cockpit Theatre in Whitehall. Charles II reopened theatres and granted charters for the kings and the dukes company. Drury Lane, Lincolns Inn and Haymarket were indoors. It was expensive so not for grounlings like in Elizabethan times. He was known as the Merry Monarch. In 1661 ordered women should be allowed on stage. Nell Gwynne was his mistress. Vauxhall Pleasure Garden amusement park for adults, manicured gardens, walkways, listen music, eat, mazes, amorous opportunities. Great plague 1665 and great fire 1666. Explosion science, foreign and colonial trade just beginning, puritanism sent packing, music, christmas celebrations, theatres back.

Many devastating outbreaks of plague. Streets became empty. Shops shut up, large gatherings avoided, deserted. Trade became impossible.

Fire lost 1/4 of population. 463 acres 13.200 houses. 87 churches, 44 livery houses burnt down.

Plans submitted iwthin a few weeks by Wren and others to rebuild. Grids radiating from central plazas. Plots were irregular for centuries and owned by various, so built according to medieval street plan. 1667 rebuilding Act, 2 storeys in side roads, 3 along river and 4 in high streets. Rebuilt in stone and brick, wider streets, no houses at docks.

After Fire before death of Charles II in 1685 Whigs emerged to try and stop Catholic James I from taking throne, then Tories who supported him. Charles II time of Restoration, court, high times, culture and fun. Rebuilding of London by Wren and others. Rebuilt 50 of 85 odd churches burnt down. Centrepiece St Pauls on “resurgam” stone. As London was being rebuilt, so was the West End being laid out by speculators and landowners with court connections. e.g. russells laid out a series of west end squares. Earl of Southampton developed bloomsbury. Sir Christopher Wren was professor of astronomy at Oxford. He was in charge of rebuilding customs house and neo classical churches with natural light and St Pauls. Pipe system and pumps built and private insurance companies protected their clients from fire.

18th Century

London more or less self governing. World wide trading network. South sea bubble 1720s stick market crash, gin craze 1730s and 40s. Poverty, crime, riot. Samuel Johnson. Moved to London 1737.

700,000 people. Docks advanced to blackwall and isle of Dogs. West end completely filled in to grosvenor square and hyde park corner, though notting hill and knightsbridge still rural. South of river a half-mile strip. North to shorditch, lamb’s condiot fields and tottenham court road. Suburban London had grown as commuting by coach was possible. The cirty was much changed. Only Tower was unchanged. Westminster abbey now has towers added by Hawkesmoor mid century. Westminster Palace had burnt down in 1698 so royal family moved into st James’s palace. Pall of smoke sits over city. Coal fires made terrible air quality. French visitor described black rain. Printers row just off fleet street.He wrote dictionary 1755 in garrett at gough square. St Paul’s Cathedral is there now. Here he entertained lots of famous there. St Clements was his parish church. There was a free press. Newspapers were read out in coffee houses. Late 17th out like investors, went to Johnson and garroways, grecian for lawyers and scholars, Wills then Buttons for writers, then the Bedford, frequented by very many literary men , Tories at one and whigs at another. Some went to taverns instead. More nnoisy and relaxed. Served dinner (lunchtime). Most fashionable establishments were Frence. Alehouses could be opened in people’s houses and were cheap, attracting lower classes and locals. Gin shops and Doss houses. Gin no license at first readily available and cheap led to gin craze causing huge problems including deaths GIN lane and beer street – all good on beer street. Dangerous to drink water. Arts no longer dominated by court. Artists aristocrats developed west london covent garden, tavistock square, russell square, they went to coffee houses and theatres. The started going to private clubs instead of coffee houses. Begin 18th century. The commisioned art as well as drinking an d gambling. Kit Kat Club most famous. They commissioned paintings of members. Individuals Lord Summers and others like James Bridges who supported Handel. Aristocrats patronised artists in return for good reference. NEw wealth of merchant classes, so artists patronised by general public, e.g. paying audiences at theatres.Concert life moved out of church and court in 1670s and into other venues for paying public.There were several concernt halls by 1714, plus the pleasure gardens. Painters also increasingly were paid by middle classes commisioning portraits etc. New wealth also supported writers who a century before wuld have had to work fr the church or the court. People would pay subscriptions to writers’ work which came out in episodes.

English and Amsterdam had freest press in Europe. Artists started featuring London instead of places like Rome.

Problems in Johnson’s London (18th century)

Sondheim described in song as great black pit.

Overcrowding, disease, poverty crime, street paving, lighting, sewerage. 1700 200000 to 1800 1 million people. East end houses often still wattle and daub, and wood, falling houses, fires. Homes overcrowded. Smallpox, malaria, typhus, influenza, tuberculosis. Bad water 40 percent of children died in first 2 years in 18th century. 9,000 arrived in London per year in 18th century from Europe (English had reputation for giving asylum. Also from Britain for entertainment/work/ apprenticeships, poor laborours. Parish system had previous ly looked after poor, but overwhelmed. Poor Law. Workhouses, terrible conditions. So bad no-one would want to go there, many died. Especially bad for children and single mothers. Babies abandoned routinely. Thomas Coram stepped in and got Royal charter for the foundling hospital 1741, first charity. Mothers had to pick a ball from a bag. White in, black out, red waiting list. If they got in they were trained to be maids or apprenticeships. 30 percent died anyway but relatively a success. Gainsborough, Hogarth, Handel patrons. Hospitals were for looking after the poor, rather than ill. Royalty gave back some previously confiscated monastries/charitable Brideweell for vagrants st thomases for old and lame, St Bartholemews diseased beggars, Bethlehem /Bedlam for mentally ill. In middle ages it was form early 1700s people would attract people who wanted to gawp.

Famous london criminals like Jack Shepherd were folk heroes. Public hangings were audience. Death was deterrent because There was no police force, just volunteers, no standing army, so 200 crimes in 1800 were punishable by death (it was 50 in tudor england. Included petty theft or pickpocketing of small amounts. Increasing numbers through century like 500 in one year. 2 hour procession from horrific Newgate prison to tyburn tree – intimidating theatre of the law. Monday was execution day. Prisoners were accompanied by their own coffins. People lined the street. Procession stopped at taverns for prisoners to drink. 30,000 onlookers not uncommon. Record 80000. Clergyman accompanied in cart. There waould be a speech, and there might be a royal pardon. The condemned stood on horse carts.

19th century

Problems nearly overwhelmed city by 1850. 2 million people. Infrastructure basically medieval.

As late as 1750 there was one medieval bridge Thames sewer no uniform lighting, unpaved roads, volunteer police. So

1850-1890 this changed – London wide boards were established e.g. to regulate traffic, sewerage

Westminster bridge. More bridges in 1800s. Railroads built from 1836. – 1868 St Pancras. Mid century 1863 tube lines starting for Metropolitan line. Travel by water was unpleasant. People, horses

There were springs at sadlers wells, Clerkenwell etc in 1600s, but these were built over by 1700s. Thames water began to be used and pumped. by 1800s piped into peoples houses. Thames was also sewer.Industrial waste and rubbish also went into the thames. Most houses had cisterns in basement which would be cleaned out by nightsoil workers. Often found its way back into thames. By early 1800s you could see sewerage in Thames. People drank beer. Merchant ships brought Cholera. through century. Jon Snow 1854. 1858 the Great Stink. River traffic stopped Thames purification act. Joseph Basilgate. Brick-lined sewers, 1300 miles of sewers. In 1887 they started treating sewerage. It was greatest in world. 1868-74 the embankments built.

Paving was left to individula inhabitants for their streets. 1862 paved. Lighting. In past people had been require to put candles in windows and hang lights. There 1685 there were some lights. Gaslights 1804, 1807 one side of pallmall, by 1840s most lit by gaslamps. By 1880 gaslamps in people’s homes and shops. 1858 firstelectric lighting. 1880s much more electric street lighting. Londons policing was in hands of citizens and volunteers because they didnt want state control. theyd raise hue and cry. yu were duty bound to intervene. late 1700s people given rewards for catching criminals. Mid century 6 bow street runners established by fielding. 1829 sir robert peel salaried police forcec established. blue uniform and top hat. they didnt have jurisdiction in City. very unpopular.

assumed right of londoners to riot/protest as long as they behaved and had a just cause.

1583 Lord Burleigh “

Londoners tended to be xenophobic and protectionist

Also ca

Riot act 1715, became crime if riot act read out to crowd to tell them they were mob. This restricted ancient right to march and demonstrate. Gordon Riots during American war. It was against Catholics being allowed to join army. March to present petition. Rioted and attacked property. killed, 

Dickens London 

Charm, snow, hustle, quaintness, pleasant, eccentric. London wasn’t like this. Squealer, dark, ragged, Dickens was reformer

1850 Wellingtons victory had made Britain was greatest power of Europe

Splendid isolation – concentrate on trade and not get involved w Europe. Trade huge wealth, much through London ports although increasingly through other ports like Liverpool too. 

Industrial Revolution cities of north for last 100 years had made Britain the workshop of the world. Exports. London drove demand and provided investment, although not much Manufacturing itself. The great exhibition was first in world it showcased British manufacturing Crystal Palace was right next to abject poverty. 

Dickens born 1812. Moved to London 1822. Blackened dome St Paul’s, coaching inns hospitals, lots of ships, stench of Thames unendurable. Shops on London Bridge had been knocked down. Horses everywhere, carts, omnibuses, sellers with sandwich boards. 

1831 old London Bridge replaced

David copper field sat on it. Corn hill

Nancy died on the steps of London Bridge,  royal exchange where ebanezar Scrooge would spend his mornings cheapside crosskeys inn on cheapside is where pip arrived in great expectations. “ I was scared by the immensity of London I think I may have had some faint doubts whether or not it was rather ugly crooked narrow and dirty. Bob scratcher lived. Family lived in marshalcy prison because of failed business. This is where little sort was born. 1833 eye witness: 170 persons have been confined at one time within these walls making an average of more than 4 persons in each room, which are not 10’ square. 1842 prison closed. Only gate remains in Southwark. Charles put to work in blacking factory where Charing Cross station is. He worked 12 hours a day. He used to walk London . 1840s became journalist. He mainly concentrated on the area of the city, financial and shopping district.

City no longer has wall but looks like 18th century. Dominated by royal exchange. Cornell rebuilt after fire. New bank building, threatened by Gordon rioters in barnaby rudge Guildhall, which saw trial of Pickwick. Tower where David copperfield a tourist. St Paul’s and Newgate. Latter featured much more in his work. Executions in latter part of century moved to Newgate and here was Fagin’s final delirium. City still arranged in narrow courts and alleys black with soot. Becoming commercial. People moving out. Fleet Street still centre of publishing and legal London. Dickens worked as clerk here. Old curiosity shop. Magic confronts Pip in the middle temple. Pickwick was imprisoned for debt in the fleet prison. Dickens early to middle life concentrated in this area.he wrote Pickwick papers in furnival inn.  1878 temple bar removed but now still causing traffic jams. Somerset house took place of many of old palaces along strand. 1775 new building replaced old Somerset house. Was registry birth and death and inland revenue in in 20th century. Now coultoaud gallery. Further west theatre. Many survive. St Mary le strand where dickens parents wed. copper field buys flowers for Dora in Covent Garden which was now just a flower market. Aristocrats and prostitutes were gone. 1847 beginnings royal opera house. of Except Dury lane gin shops, pawn brokers prostitutes, On Whitehall there was a muddle of houses now replaced by grand offices. Westminster palace still medieval building. And pariament here Small and cramped. Dickens worked here a while. Exchequer was here. It burnt down when little. New Westminster palace designed by competition to take place. Moved to Bloomsbury. Open fields to north still. 1657 Southampton house and square built. Became Bloomsbury square in 18th century. Filled with houses. 

17th century rothsleys combined with russles creating vast estate. Bloomsbury filled up, then Soho sq, Leicester st James, cavendish sq, Silas wegg has stall on st James sq. there were poor living in area to service rich. 

Infamous 7 dials slum inhabited by Irish

“Streets s and courts dart in all directions until they are lost in the unwholesome vapour which hangs over the housetops and renders the dirty prospective uncertain and confined” dickens. Belgravia square a few steps away. 

Improvements in his lifetime

LCC central organisation making improvements. Transportation tube, railway, etc. allowed people to live outside centre. 

Prisons like marshalcy and fleet and 7 dials demolished but it and east end remained squalid. By late 19th century magnificent and well run imperial capital but there were still extremes of wealth and poverty.

Victorian London
1887 Queen golden jubilee 
Mark Twain “the procession stretched to the limit of sight in both directions” Lots of princess from India, queen hadn’t been seen for 25 years. 
Royal ceremony had been relatively quiet since Charles 2, some kings being quite reclusive. Shows considered wasteful in early Victorian age. Buck palace built to take place of low and mean St James’s palace. 1820’s John Nash added to an existing house building wings. Square was completed by adding what is now the front! Victoria moved in when she came to throne. It’s lavishly decorated in Victorian style red and gilt. No longer possible for commoners to walk in.at jubilee, pretty much made up traditions. Revived state opening of parliament, birthdays, jubilees, etc. 
upsurge in Victorias popularity caused boost economy, London became royal city again after long period of ascendency of parliament 
Aug to November 1888 Jack the Ripper struck in east end. Fascinating and romanticised because of time and place same period as sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Criminal London immortalised. Images in his books Thick pea soup fog, caused by industry and coal fires, raucous music halls, Bobby on his beat, with his shrill whistle when discovers something amiss, Holmes embodies everything we want to believe about Victorian London, rational, 
1840 mall. During napoleonic war, many men were at war so women and unskilled workers brought in for starvation wages. This finally led to guilds demise though they still owned lots of land they no longer had control. Women often ended up vulnerable. Music halls bawdy, audience joined in chorus.atmosphere thick with smoke, drink.opium. 
Expansionist imperialism was very strong in this period. Darwinism used to justify colonialism. Slavs and semites at bottom of ladder. Anti semitism very strong and London very xenophobic . Jews and foreigners blamed. Newsboys stood at corners selling fresh news every hour of day. Newspapers were cheap 6-7 million population actually little crime. Avid speculation continues to this day.
City of contrasts. Imperial city, mass media created pride and fear. Victorian women idealised but reality for poor women ver different. Women started to protest.

Turn of the century

London visited by Monet who painted around 100 pictures, mainly of the fogs over the Thames. London was the most populous city in the world at that time.

The Great War
1912 groups of well dressed women smashed new department store windows. Suffragettes. Piccadilly Bond Street, Oxford street. Pankhurst 4 million £ damage. Begin 19th century many men didn’t have vote. People’s charter Kennington common 1848 demonstration for men’s suffrage. Chartists.
End 19th century there were peaceful and violent strand of suffrage. 250000women demonstrated in Hyde park in 1908. Over next few years, chained to gates of buck palace, burnt down buildings, slashed pictures in galleries, hunger strikes, kings horse incident. Charles booth 1903estimated 30 percent poverty rate. The poor just wanted a decent wage. They were exploited. by 1910 Labour Party had seats on parliament. Ragtime and roller skating popular. 1914, crowds gathered in Trafalgar Square when war declared. National pride, rule Britannia. Breakdown in class, sweated labour, Irish question – these problems were postponed by war. Munitions industry based around London, zeplin raids on London they could drop much bigger loads than bombers. 1915 May London bombed. Esp Docks and around guildhall. 77 of 117 zeplins were shot down so stopped by 1917. Air raids  also sent. East end target. Wounded and soldiers on leave filled London. Women worked in hospitals and munition factories. London parks and gardens turned into vegetable plots. Rationing introduced. When war ended, London became “city of flags” on armistice day. Dense crowds, singing songs of war, dancing, cheering, crowds in Trafalgar Square and the mall. The war led to enfranchisement of women over 30. There was a planned second celebration the following summer. Many men maimed. 1 million killed. 10 percent of young London men died. Many maimed. Britain never fully recovered economically.

The Georgian period ran from 1714 to 1847 and encompassed the reigns of Hanovarian kings George I, II, III and IV, and William

500-750,00 (growth over century) Next biggest was Bristol 30,000

Provided employment

Immensely wealthy

Provided a market for goods

Centre of world trade and shipping, the empire,

Me monarchs

Anne 1702-14

George I 1714-27

George IiI 1727-60

George III 1760-1820

London had become the largest city in the world following rapid expansion after the great fire of London. At the beginning of the century it encompassed the City as far as Limehouse in the East as far as Tottenham Road Westminster in the West with continuous housing a mile deep stretching between the two along the river. This was predominantly workers district.The 600 year old London Bridge connected Southwark on the south bank. it was 2 hours walk deep and 3 hours long

Divided into City, Westminster and Southwark.

Southwark – trade and manufacturing

East London both sides of river a seafarer’s town part poor part extreme wealth

City moneyma

Westminster had the area of the law court Westminster Hall, the Abbey and the Houses of Parliament.

Range of building styles but also combination of styles

Post fire building restrictions flat fronts, windows recessed from front wall, wall hiding attic sash rather than casements

Terraces: First floor Drawing room floor had big windows with smaller windows anbove and below. Sometimes terrace built to look like one mansion

Grid like layout where possible (not former fields

Still lots of variety for different buyers and building methods

Some streets took decades to complete

Grosvenor estate 100 acres in Mayfair n 20s

South and north was countryside

Great square largest in London apart from Lincoln’s in foelds

It was built as a self contained new town and was very socially mixed. News and courts, north of g square downmarket and shops encroached Mayfair covered by 1750

Most building west. North quieter. Clerkenwell and St Luke’s barely grew

There was a lot of infilling or building on gardens and feels

East more dynamic

Shoreditch and Hoxton high class

East more likely to be wooden frames. Many one room deep and tenanted

War and peace periods interrupted building.

current Greater London was built on by the rich wanting country housing, including Clapham, Putney, Richmond, Acton, Hackney etc. brought difficulties in transport. Roads were terrible.main roads improved and travellers paid tolls at turnpikes

Because of difficulties of transport, and changes in building fashion change.

Fire threats esp in poor industrial warehouses were quite frequent. They wiped out tens of houses at a time and better buildings often built instead.

Westminster bridge 1750

Robert Adam dominated architecture in second half of century. Revolution in style, eclectic, eccentric, called neoclassical. Antique references. Famous for reliefs. 1760s to end century. Did many interiors. Staterooms in Isleworth and Osterley house Harley/portland estate developed land north of Oxford street in 1770s onwards. Prior to this countryside above Oxford Street apart from a bit into Marylebone to cavendish square. Portland place was widest street in London at time and attracted aristocratic tenants. Baker Street and Portland square also 1770s. 20 Portman square survives. Deity lane theatre, the Adelphi,

1778 end of American war

1790s he designed Fitzroy square and surrounds. Them war with France. Other bridges built.

Old wall removed as. Nouse and gates removed in ‘60s

Iconic style of central London is Georgian

Pattern – this enables me to stay objective and you don’t have to see ads

The rest is History

The Peasant’s Revolt