Monday Miscellanea

Dave Haste
By Dave Haste Last edited 159 months ago

Last Updated 29 August 2011

Monday Miscellanea

This Week In London’s History

  • Monday29th August 1947: James Hunt is born in Belmont (a village in what is now the London Borough of Sutton). He would become a popular and successful racing driver, winning the F1 World Championship in 1976.
  • Tuesday30th August 1797: Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin is born in Somers Town. She would become known, under the name Mary Shelley, for her novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus.
  • Wednesday31st August 1888: Mary Ann Nichols is found dead in Whitechapel. Her death would be attributed to Jack the Ripper.
  • Thursday1st September 1856: Richard Westmacott, the sculptor responsible for numerous London landmarks, dies at his Mayfair home.
  • Friday2nd September 1666: The Great Fire of London breaks out. It would burn for three days, destroying over 13,000 buildings.

Random London Quote Of The Week

Hell is a city much like London—

A populous and a smoky city;

There are all sorts of people undone,

And there is little or no fun done;

Small justice shown, and still less pity.

Percy Bysshe Shelley

Picture by tezzer57 via the Londonist Flickr pool.