http://www.londonrevolution.net/blog Just another WordPress weblog Fri, 17 Jul 2009 16:24:42 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en © Will Pearson 2009 Remembrance Day 2003 saw the opening ceremony for the Australian War Memorial in London. The unveiling was by Her Majesty the Queen, Tony Blair and the Australian Prime Minister John Howard in front of a huge crowd of Australians, including 25 Australian war veterans. The memorial serves ... http://www.londonrevolution.net/blog/london-virtual-tours/the-australian-war-memorial-london.html © Will Pearson London used to be regarded as a bit of a gastronomic desert. The French in particular would mock our 1970's attempts at epicurean endeavour (remember the ubiquitous prawn cocktail in a glass, sat on top of a piece of wilted lettuce? Perhaps it's better to forget...). Over the ... http://www.londonrevolution.net/blog/london-virtual-tours/london-markets-londons-food-markets.html If asked to name a Sir Christopher Wren building - most of us would get as far as St Paul's cathedral and then be stumped. It's astounding quite how prolific Wren was - more than 89 buildings are attributed to him, and when you consider the scale of some of ... http://www.londonrevolution.net/blog/london-landmarks/christopher-wrens-london-buildings.html Image © Will Pearson. Bankside Power Station was built by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott - his name may not be familiar, but his other major London building will be - Battersea Power Station. He also designed the much-loved Red Telephone boxes (you can see four of these in a virtual tour ... http://www.londonrevolution.net/blog/london-virtual-tours/bankside-power-station-the-tate-modern-alligator-in-the-lily-pond.html The Bank of England is personified as 'The Old Lady of Threadneedle Street' - conjuring images of a benevolent and homely old spinster at her sewing. However, the 'old lady' has a slightly less peaceable heritage than this image implies - the Bank of England was borne out of funding ... http://www.londonrevolution.net/blog/london-virtual-tours/the-birth-of-the-old-lady-of-threadneedle-street.html Image © J.M.Garg An Indian native has made its home in the chillier climes of North London. Hampstead Heath is now home to a flock of Rose-ringed Parakeets (also known as Ring Necked Parakeets). Although they hail from India, they tend to live at high altitudes, meaning that they're able ... http://www.londonrevolution.net/blog/london-history-information/parakeets-on-hampstead-heath.html Leadenhall Market is one of London's oldest food markets, standing on the site of a 1st century Roman basilica (a Roman public building). There has been a market on this site since the 14th century, and people travelled from all over the neighbouring counties with their produce. This was one ... http://www.londonrevolution.net/blog/london-history-information/leadenhall-market.html You're never alone with a Strand... In 1959, the Strand in London lent its' name to a brand of cigarettes from W.D. & H.O. Wills (part of Imperial Tobacco). Strand Cigarettes were launched with a massive marketing campaign based around the line 'You're never alone with a strand'. A Frank Sinatra ... http://www.londonrevolution.net/blog/london-virtual-tours/london-facts-part-iv.html A 17th century Londoner might one day notice a dark, gangrenous looking pustule on his leg which grew. It would soon be joined by black blotches all over the skin caused by haemorrhages underneath, and buboes - apple-sized swellings in his groin and armpits. He'd swiftly fall into a high ... http://www.londonrevolution.net/blog/london-history-information/plague.html (Note: Image shows Windsor Castle - Buckingham Palace image to follow) In 1982, Queen Elizabeth II woke up to find an unemployed labourer with a bloodied hand and a broken glass ashtray sitting on her bed. Michael Fagan was (according to his mother) inordinately fond of the Queen. Perhaps this is ... http://www.londonrevolution.net/blog/london-virtual-tours/an-intruder-at-the-palace.html