This Week In London’s History
- Monday – 17th October 1814: At the Horse Shoe Brewery on Tottenham Court Road, a colossal vat containing 323,000 gallons of beer bursts. The ensuing tsunami of booze causes several nearby buildings to collapse, and results in 9 fatalities – including a dubious report of alcohol poisoning as one man supposedly attempts to stem the tide of beer by drinking it. The brewery would be taken to court over the accident, but the event (later known as the 'London Beer Flood') would be ruled to be an ‘act of God’.
- Tuesday – 18th October 1922: The British Broadcasting Company (later to become the British Broadcasting Corporation, or BBC) is formed, and soon starts broadcasting from Marconi House on the Strand.
- Wednesday – 19th October 2003: After 44 days of being pointless in a perspex box suspended from a crane near Tower Bridge, illusionist David Blaine comes down.
- Thursday – 20th October 1822: The New Observer newspaper, founded by Daniel Whittle Harvey (who would later become the first Commissioner of the City of London Police) is re-launched as The Sunday Times.
- Friday – 21st October 1421: Richard Whittington (the inspiration for panto character Dick Whittington), lays the foundation stone of the Greyfriars Library in Newgate Street.
Random London Quote Of The Week
Sir, the noblest prospect that a Scotchman ever sees, is the high road that leads him to London.
Samuel Johnson (of course)
Picture by Brron via the Londonist Flickr Pool.
