Monday Miscellanea

M@
By M@ Last edited 209 months ago
Monday Miscellanea
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This Day in London's History

1485: Henry VII opens batting for the Tudor dynasty, taking the crown at Westminster Abbey. Attending the new king that day were the Yeomen of the Guard - the monarch's bodyguard - on their first official duty. The Yeomen of the Guard are not to be confused with the Yeoman Warders, or Beefeaters, who patrol the Tower of London...

1841: The Tower nearly falls. Beefeaters and policemen scrambled to extinguish flames as a large section of the Tower went up in smoke. The crown jewels would have melted into the world's most august puddle, but for the heroics of a Mr W. F. Pierse. As it was, the great armory to the north of the Tower was completely destroyed...

1883: As were a couple of carriages on a Met Line train when a bomb exploded in a third-class compartment. Yes, Tube terrorism is nothing new. Our Victorian forbears had to contend with Irish nationalists known as Fenians, who organised a string of dynamite attacks between 1883 and 1885. In this case, miraculously, nobody was killed, but 62 people were injured.

1935: Damaged transport is something of interest to eSure's erstwhile figurehead Michael Winner, who was spawned in Willesden 71 years ago today.

Capital Connections

The Winner isn't the only famous soul to hail from Willesden. But there aren't many...

Keith Moon: Lunatic Who drummer, born in Willesden in 1946.

Sarah Teather: The UK's youngest (32) and shortest (4' 10'') MP, representing Brent.

Zadie Smith: Novelist, and judge of this year's Willesden Herald short story writing competition.

Londoner of the Week

Bob Marley, who received a heritage plaque at 34 Ridgmount Gardens last week.

One Thing to do in London this Week

Goddammit. It's Hallowe'en and bonfire night this week. You don't need us to tell you what to do.

Last Updated 30 October 2006