John Rabon

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John Rabon

Great London Buildings: Battersea Power Station

For many years, Battersea Power Station has been an architectural icon of London, whether it was in use as a power station or not. Prior...
John Rabon

Great London Buildings – Tower Bridge

Spanning the Thames and connecting Tower Hamlets to Southwark, Tower Bridge has been an iconic part of London since the Victorian period (and often wrongly...
John Rabon

The London Fiver – Five Things to Do in Notting Hill

Notting Hill’s name is so old that there is apparently no exact source for it.  Found within the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, what...
John Rabon

Great London Buildings – Old Royal Naval College Greenwich

A World Heritage site located in Maritime Greenwich, the Old Royal Naval College is one of the grandest examples of architecture in Greater London.  Of...
John Rabon

Ten Interesting Facts and Figures About Carnaby Street

An avenue that’s always in style, Carnaby Street in Westminster has been the home of popular fashions for decades.  Named for Karnaby House that was...
John Rabon

Fascinating and Terrible Jobs in Victorian London that Don’t Exist Today

Finding employment today may seem like an arduous process that ends up with a job you don’t care for much, but in Victorian London, you...
John Rabon

Ten Interesting Facts about Fortnum & Mason You Might Not Know

One of the oldest still-operating department stores in London, Fortnum & Mason has been in existence since 1707.  It was established at 181 Piccadilly by William...
John Rabon

Great London Buildings – A Brief History of The Tower of London

Castles in general were not only defensive strongholds, but also displays of power (and maybe overcompensating a bit).  This was especially true for the Normans,...
John Rabon

10 Interesting Facts and Figures About Liberty of London You Might Not Know

Looking like a building out of Elizabethan times, the Liberty of London department store carries all manner of luxury goods.  In 1874, after spending more...
John Rabon

The London Fiver – 5 Places in London for those Interested in World War II History to Visit

From 1939 to 1945, World War II raged over most of the planet.  On the side of the Allies, the United Kingdom, and London in...
John Rabon

Great London Buildings: St. Pancras International Railway Station – A Victorian Masterpiece Reborn for the 21st Century

A masterpiece of Victorian architecture, St. Pancras has served the as a gateway from Greater London to the world beyond for nearly 150 years.  Grade...
John Rabon

The Show Must Go On – A Brief History of the Theatre in London

While the theatre in London today is known mostly for the West End and Shakespeare’s Globe, the history of the city’s theatre scene stretches back...
John Rabon

Londinium: Where to See Roman London Today

While settlements existed along the Thames well before the 1st Century, the Romans came to Britain in 43 A.D. and established a settlement they named...
John Rabon

Tube of Wonder: Top Ten London Underground Mysteries

The world below the surface has always been a place of mystery, and the same goes for the London Underground.  Built in 1863, it was...
John Rabon

Great London Buildings – A Brief History of Buckingham Palace – The Queen’s Official London Home

Perhaps the greatest residence in the city, Buckingham Palace has been the home of royalty for centuries and has been the official residence of Queen...
John Rabon

Great London Buildings – The O2 – The Building Formerly Known as the Millennium Dome

Once known as the Millennium Dome, the O2 Arena (or simply “The O2”), the building instantly became an instantly distinguishable part of the London Skyline. ...
John Rabon

Ten Interesting Facts and Figures about Jack the Ripper

One of London’s greatest mysteries, the murders of five Whitechapel women in 1888 (and possibly more unconfirmed slayings) were attributed to a man known only...
John Rabon

The London Fiver – Five Things to See and Do in Chelsea

The Borough of Chelsea has long been a place associated with wealth and privilege.  It was heavily involved in commerce being so close to the...
John Rabon

Great London Buildings – The Old Bailey

Justice has long walked the halls of the Old Bailey, wherein lies the Central Criminal Court of England and Wales.  This is in contrast to...
John Rabon

Great London Buildings: St. Martin-in-the-Fields Church in Trafalgar Square

Forming one of the corners of Trafalgar Square and existing as a landmark on par with Nelson’s Column and the National Gallery.  Prior to the...
John Rabon

Ten Interesting Facts about the Royal Observatory, Greenwich – The Home of the Prime Meridian

A pioneering place of British astronomy, the Royal Observatory in Greenwich has been observing the stars for hundreds of years.  It owes its existence to...
John Rabon

Ten Interesting Facts and Figures about Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre

The Globe is, perhaps, the most famous theatre in the world.  This is due, in no small part, to the successes of playwright William Shakespeare,...
John Rabon

Future Tube: Ten Interesting Facts and Figures about Crossrail – London’s Newest Tube Line

Crossrail! The long sought-after solution to London’s commuter congestion, London Crossrail is a railway line that is separate from the London Underground east-to-west from Shenfield...
John Rabon

A City Divided: London and the English Civil War

The English Civil War represents several sets of conflicts between King Charles the I and his Cavaliers (also known as the Royalists) versus Oliver Cromwell...
John Rabon

The Sherlock Fiver: Five BBC Sherlock Shooting Locations to Visit On Your Next Trip to London

While there have been many Sherlock Homes adaptations over the years, Sherlock has been one of the best in recent memory.  Created and helmed by...
John Rabon

Seat of Power: 10 Interesting Facts and Figures about 10 Downing Street – The Home of the Prime Minister

All the leadership of government in the United Kingdom can be represented by one place.  Much as the White House is the centerpiece for the...
John Rabon

The Tube: 6 Fascinating Tube Station Names and Their Origins

London is full of interesting names, from streets to boroughs and extending even to the London Underground.  The first of its kind in the world,...
John Rabon

Great London Buildings: The Royal Courts of Justice

England is the birthplace of justice in many parts of the world where the British Empire had influence.  While the Old Bailey is traditionally associated...
John Rabon

Weird London: Ten of the Strangest Landmarks in London

Every city has some pretty unique places to visit, but some are a little weirder than most.  These sites aren’t sought out by the casual...
John Rabon

Great Londoners: Sir Robert Peel – The Founder of the Metropolitan Police

Sir Robert Peel was born in Bury, Lancashire to Sir Robert Peel, the 1st Baronet Peel, and Ellen Yates in 1788.  His father’s status and...