Monday Miscellanea

This Week In London’s History

Monday – 10th March 1906: The Baker Street & Waterloo Railway opens, running between Baker Street and Elephant & Castle stations. It would soon become known as the Bakerloo Line.

Tuesday – 11th March 1692: The Royal Chelsea Hospital is founded by Charles II. Designed by Christopher Wren, the hospital would also become the model for Greenwich’s Royal Navel Hospital. Wednesday – 12th March 1988: The Bank of England withdraws the £1 note from circulation, making way for pound coins. Thursday – 13th March 1807: The Grand Surrey Canal Basin at Rotherhithe is opened. The area forms a part of what we now know as Surrey Quays. Friday – 14th March 1933: Also at Rotherhithe, Maurice Joseph Micklewhite Jr. is born. He would become better known as successful film actor Michael Caine.

Random London Fact Of The Week

London’s first ever ‘blue plaque’ was unveiled in 1867, as a “commemorative tablet” in honour of Lord Byron.

Originally founded by the Royal Society of Arts, the blue plaque scheme was intended to commemorate a specific location’s link to a famous person (or, occasionally, event). Although Byron’s plaque took the form of the (now familiar) blue ceramic disc, many of the other early plaques were brown in colour (apparently to save money). However when the scheme was taken over by the London County Council in 1901, it was decided that blue was indeed a more aesthetically pleasing colour for future plaques.

Byron’s plaque was located at the place of his birth, 24 Holles Street, W1. The building has since been demolished.

London’s Weather This Week

Well, it looks like the threatened ‘worst storm ever’ hasn’t quite hit London yet. Storm Johanna has so far preferred to take her time, concentrating on odd places like Cornwall for a bit. However, the forecasters are still confident that Johanna will be visiting London within the next day or so, and that we’re pretty much guaranteed wind and rain all week long. There may be some bursts of sunshine in the middle of the week, but one thing’s for sure: if you’re leaving the house, you’re going to get wet.

Photo taken from rcolonna’s Flickr photostream.