John Rabon

Ten Feel-Good Random Facts About London

Apr 23, 2020 By John Rabon 2 Comments

At a time like this, it can be pretty depressing to be stuck inside while sickness seems to grow around us. Since this kind of situation can have a negative effect on mood, it helps to stimulate ourselves with some positive facts. Kindness to others, great moments in London’s history, hilarious anecdotes, and even the little things we don’t notice can help us feel better when … [Read more...] about Ten Feel-Good Random Facts About London

London’s Pandemic History – From the Black Death to the Spanish Flu

Apr 21, 2020 By John Rabon Leave a Comment

The ravages of disease are nothing new to London. Even as the city deals with the threat of COVID-19, it has been able to learn from the pandemics of the past going back to Anglo-Saxon times. Black Death ravaged Greater London as it did most of Europe for centuries, and smallpox, flu, and cholera have all plagued the city at one point or another. The first recorded plague in … [Read more...] about London’s Pandemic History – From the Black Death to the Spanish Flu

Top 10 London: Ten Things to See at the Victoria and Albert Museum (When it Reopens…)

Apr 16, 2020 By John Rabon Leave a Comment

More than an art museum, the Victoria & Albert Museum is dedicated to applied and decorative arts and design. This goes beyond painting and sculpture to photography, fashion, logos, furniture, textiles, and more. This means the museum’s collection is quite expansive, clocking in at over 2.27 million objects. With so many things to see in the V&A, it can be hard to … [Read more...] about Top 10 London: Ten Things to See at the Victoria and Albert Museum (When it Reopens…)

Ten Interesting Facts and Figures About the Geographers’ London A to Z Street Atlas

Mar 31, 2020 By John Rabon 2 Comments

In the era of smartphones equipped with maps, it’s easy to forget that we once had to rely on street atlases to find where we’re going. While survey maps of London existed long before the 20th Century, it was London: A to Zed from Phyllis Pearsall that really changed everything. With millions of copies printed and sold, the Geographers A to Zed Street Atlas still finds … [Read more...] about Ten Interesting Facts and Figures About the Geographers’ London A to Z Street Atlas

Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Balham

Mar 12, 2020 By John Rabon Leave a Comment

Balham is a neighborhood in South West London that is old enough to appear in the Domesday Book, where it was listed as Belgeham. It was meadows and farmland for centuries until the expansion of the city engulfed it and turned it into another suburb. Without much history of note, today, Balham offers a lot for people visiting. Those who are into greenspace will want to visit … [Read more...] about Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Balham

Ten Interesting Facts and Figures About the London Overground

Mar 9, 2020 By John Rabon 1 Comment

A complement to the London Underground, the London Overground is the Tube’s lesser-known cousin, a network over commuter trains that rely on above-ground tracks. This is similar to the group of private-owned organizations that make up National Rail, though the Overground is a public service owned by Transport for London and is exclusive to the city. Today, the London … [Read more...] about Ten Interesting Facts and Figures About the London Overground

The DLR: Ten Interesting Facts and Figures About Docklands Light Railway

Mar 4, 2020 By John Rabon Leave a Comment

Like a little brother to the London Underground, the Docklands Light Rail transportation system was developed following the revitalization of the Docklands in East London. The DLR as it’s known opened in 1987 serving much of Eastern London like its own little Underground. While still under Transport for London, it’s run as a separate light metro rail service, though it does … [Read more...] about The DLR: Ten Interesting Facts and Figures About Docklands Light Railway

The London Fiver – Five Things to Do in March

Feb 27, 2020 By John Rabon Leave a Comment

Once March rolls around, the weather starts being a little warmer and friendlier, leading to a number of London festivals and other events throughout the city. Of course, the big event for the month is the city’s St. Patrick’s Day parade and festival, but there are plenty of other events you should check out if you’re going to find yourself in London during this time and don’t … [Read more...] about The London Fiver – Five Things to Do in March

Ten Interesting Things to See at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich

Feb 25, 2020 By John Rabon Leave a Comment

Greenwich has been an important place to seafaring and exploration for centuries since the Romans first landed their boats here to King Charles II establishing the Greenwich Observatory for “finding the longitude of places”. Recognizing this long history, the National Maritime Museum was officially established in 1934 in the Royal Greenwich Park, with the building itself … [Read more...] about Ten Interesting Things to See at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich

Dark Age London: London After the Romans

Feb 20, 2020 By John Rabon Leave a Comment

While human settlements had existed in the area around London since before written history, it was really the Romans that created the city as we know it today. The Romans founded the city, which they named as Londinium, in 43 AD and remained here until the Roman Army completely withdrew from around 409 AD to help defend the Empire from invaders. What few units were left … [Read more...] about Dark Age London: London After the Romans

The London Fiver – Opening in 2020 – Five New Bars and Restaurants to Visit

Feb 19, 2020 By John Rabon Leave a Comment

So it’s a new year and you might be wondering, “where should we go tonight?” After ticking through a list of bars and restaurants you’ve been to a hundred times already, you could be at a loss. Fear not, for we at Londontopia have looked into this and found some new nightlife spots for you to consider whether you’re a longtime London resident or just visiting. Each of the … [Read more...] about The London Fiver – Opening in 2020 – Five New Bars and Restaurants to Visit

The Tube: Ten Interesting Facts and Figures About the Victoria Line

Feb 18, 2020 By John Rabon 1 Comment

Named for one of the greatest monarchs in British history, the Victoria line is one of the newer additions to the London Underground, if newer can be said to include a line that opened over fifty years ago. Of course, saying that it’s named for Queen Victoria could also be a stretch, since originally the line ran from Victoria station to Walthamstow. Of course, even though … [Read more...] about The Tube: Ten Interesting Facts and Figures About the Victoria Line

Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to Do in Hounslow

Feb 13, 2020 By John Rabon Leave a Comment

The London Borough of Hounslow was one of many crafted by the London Government Act 1963 and was a combination of three other government bodies: Brentford and Chiswick, Heston and Isleworth, and the Feltham Urban District. Formerly home to a number of farms and large estates, several of the latter still exist in the borough as house museums and grand parks. Of course, these … [Read more...] about Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to Do in Hounslow

Top Ten Things to See and Do at Westminster Abbey

Feb 11, 2020 By John Rabon 2 Comments

Known formally as the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, Westminster Abbey has been at the center of Christian life in London since the 7th Century when the first church was founded on the site. The Abbey got its start when Saint Dustan and King Edgar founded a Benedictine community there around the 960s or 970s. Edward the Confessor then began construction of … [Read more...] about Top Ten Things to See and Do at Westminster Abbey

The Tube: Ten Interesting Facts and Figures About the Northern Line

Feb 10, 2020 By John Rabon 1 Comment

Running from Southwest London to Northwest London on a crescent-shaped path, the Northern Line has an interesting history that separates it from the other Underground routes. Whereas most of the other original lines that made up the London Underground were formed out of complete, pre-existing railways when they merged as part of the London Transport Safety Board, the Northern … [Read more...] about The Tube: Ten Interesting Facts and Figures About the Northern Line

The London Fiver – Five Things to Do in London in February

Jan 31, 2020 By John Rabon Leave a Comment

Past the winter wonderland of the holidays and not yet into the warmth of Spring, London sees a number of events in February that get people out into the streets and into its venues. Several festivals take place during the month along with a couple of major events that provide just about anyone something fun to do. Whether you’re into cars, art, sport, or food and drink, … [Read more...] about The London Fiver – Five Things to Do in London in February

The Tube: Ten Interesting Facts and Figures About the Piccadilly Line

Jan 30, 2020 By John Rabon Leave a Comment

The Piccadilly Line is one of the most popular in the London, owing largely to the facts that most of the city’s greatest monuments fall along its route including the British Museum, Hyde Park, and Buckingham Palace. Running from Cockfosters, it spits towards its western terminus with one line going to Uxbridge and the other to Heathrow Airport, which helps to make it the … [Read more...] about The Tube: Ten Interesting Facts and Figures About the Piccadilly Line

The Tube: Ten Interesting Facts About the Metropolitan Line

Jan 20, 2020 By John Rabon Leave a Comment

The Metropolitan Line (or “Met” as it’s known) is the oldest line on the London Underground. It was founded in 1863 as the Metropolitan Railway and ran from Paddington to Farrington Street, mostly running goods as well as people. It expanded further shortly after it opened and today runs from Aldgate all the way out to Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire. In all that time, the … [Read more...] about The Tube: Ten Interesting Facts About the Metropolitan Line

Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Lewisham

Jan 17, 2020 By John Rabon Leave a Comment

The London Borough of Lewisham had its origins as far back as the 6th Century when the Jute Leof settled in the area, making it “Leofshema”. The name then evolved into Levesham and then the Lord Manor of Lewisham by the Saxon period. As with much of inner London, it went from pastoral estate to suburban metropolis as London expanded and the Borough of Lewisham was officially … [Read more...] about Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Lewisham

GREAT LONDONERS: Samuel Pepys – The Scribe of London

Jan 14, 2020 By John Rabon Leave a Comment

Samuel Pepys is one of the greatest writers in British literary history—and all because he kept a diary. Today, Pepys’ Diary is considered to be the greatest personal account of life and events in 17th Century England. It is a work revered both by literary and historical scholars as a first-hand account of such important moments as the Great Fire of London, the Second Dutch … [Read more...] about GREAT LONDONERS: Samuel Pepys – The Scribe of London

The Tube: Ten Interesting Facts About the Central Line on the London Underground

Jan 10, 2020 By John Rabon Leave a Comment

Earning its name by running through Central London, the Central Line is one of the most important lines in the London Underground. The Central Line started as the Central London Railway in 1900 running east to west through the city. In 120 years of its existence, the Central Line has built up a very interesting history and some great facts to go with it. Combing through the … [Read more...] about The Tube: Ten Interesting Facts About the Central Line on the London Underground

Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Stockwell

Jan 9, 2020 By John Rabon Leave a Comment

Stockwell was once part of a sprawling country estate before the expanding London turned it into a middle-class suburb in the 19th Century. Since that time, Stockwell has seen mixed fortunes, much was rebuilt after World War II and the district became a home to several public housing estates. Part of the larger Borough of Lambeth, Stockwell today offers plenty to see and do … [Read more...] about Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Stockwell

Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Bloomsbury

Jan 2, 2020 By John Rabon Leave a Comment

Bloomsbury is one of the busiest areas of London and with good reason. Quite a number of the city’s museums are here along with several green spaces and University College London. Bloomsbury was described in the Domesday Book as having hogs and vineyards, though the modern name for the area didn’t appear until the 13th Century. As London grew, Bloomsbury began to develop in … [Read more...] about Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Bloomsbury

Top Ten London: Top 10 Things to See and Do in Paddington

Dec 19, 2019 By John Rabon Leave a Comment

Most people might associate the name Paddington with a certain bear; in fact, doing the research on this article requires some modifiers to my search to specifically point out that I’m not looking for him. However, the area from which the famous fictional character takes his name has plenty of distinction in itself. Once a medieval parish and then a London borough, the latter … [Read more...] about Top Ten London: Top 10 Things to See and Do in Paddington

Tudor London: Top 10 Tudor Buildings in London

Dec 17, 2019 By John Rabon 2 Comments

Tudor architecture came about as the final building design style of the medieval period. While the style’s name is attached to the dynasty that began with King Henry VI and ended with Queen Elizabeth, Tudor architecture doesn’t have quite as long a period covering the years from 1500 to 1560 and Elizabethan Style beginning thereafter. There are many hallmarks of Tudor … [Read more...] about Tudor London: Top 10 Tudor Buildings in London

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