This Week In London’s History
- Monday – 30 September 1928: Alexander Fleming discovers the antibacterial properties of penicillin at St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington.
- Tuesday – 1 October 1868: St. Pancras Station is officially opened as the London terminus for the Midland Railway, despite its construction being incomplete. Part of the buildings would form the iconic gothic St. Pancras Chambers, which housed the Midland Grand Hotel (now replaced by the St. Pancras Renaissance London Hotel and some posh apartments).
- Wednesday – 2 October 1909: Twickenham Stadium hosts its first ever rugby match, with Harlequins beating Richmond 14-10.
- Thursday – 3 October 1975: After three days of holding several of the staff at a Knightsbridge Italian restaurant hostage in a storeroom, three gunmen surrender to police. The hostages are released unharmed.
- Friday – 4 October 1911: London Underground’s first escalator goes into service at Earl’s Court tube station.
Random London Quote Of The Week
May my enemies live here in summer!
Jonathan Swift, a letter from London, 25th August 1711
Photo by Jutiar Salman via the Londonist Flickr Pool.
