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Vagabondiana: street beggars of John Thomas Smith’s London
Scraping a living in the early 19th century: contemporary drawings. John Thomas Smith's artistic eye recorded buildings, streets and a...
London On The Ground
Jan 188 min read
40 views
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George Francis Train, the aptly named American behind London’s first trams
The 19th century entrepreneur and real-life Phileas Fogg who ran for US President. London’s first tram services were set up in 1861 by an...
London On The Ground
Nov 2, 20245 min read
59 views
2 comments


Then and now: John Thomas Smith's London
Ancient London buildings depicted in the 18th century and today. In June, I posted some of John Thomas Smith's engravings of London,...
London On The Ground
Sep 6, 20241 min read
73 views
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Islington Cattle Market: lost secret of Essex Road
The challenger to Smithfield closed in 1837 after less than a year. A couple of years ago, at one of the excellent exhibitions at the...
London On The Ground
Jul 21, 20246 min read
90 views
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Ancient buildings of John Thomas Smith's London
Late 18th century engravings of London buildings that were already old then (spot the few that remain today!). John Thomas Smith captured...
London On The Ground
Jun 29, 20241 min read
112 views
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'Work' by Ford Madox Brown, a painting to rival a Dickens novel
The artist tackles Victorian social attitudes, the class divide and urbanisation in this Hampstead scene. On a visit to Manchester last...
London On The Ground
Apr 13, 20247 min read
90 views
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Old houses of John Thomas Smith's London
Engravings of London of more than 200 years ago. John Thomas Smith was an artist, engraver and writer who captured London in the late...
London On The Ground
Mar 25, 20242 min read
251 views
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Islington's New River mosaic: little known, but of high artistic quality
An Islington school has a Grade II listed 1964 public artwork by William Mitchell. Outside the City of London Academy Islington, a...
London On The Ground
Aug 25, 20233 min read
120 views
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Islington's transformed transformer, based on Newgate Prison
Originally an electricity sub-station, the Islington landmark has been an antiques mall and home to several retailers. The building...
London On The Ground
Feb 17, 20233 min read
233 views
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Old Tom, the Christmas goose that wasn't cooked
Before turkey's popularity, goose was the Yuletide meal of choice. One goose escaped the pot. Today, Leadenhall Market houses a number of...
London On The Ground
Dec 9, 20224 min read
124 views
2 comments


Downing Street: "shaky" like its "rogue" developer
Does the street Churchill called "shaky and lightly built" take after the developer Pepys called "a perfidious rogue"? Downing Street's...
London On The Ground
Oct 21, 20225 min read
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Down Pentonville Road towards St Pancras: 1884 and today
The view towards St Pancras station down Pentonville Road looking west was painted by Irish painter John O'Connor in 1884. The painting's...
London On The Ground
Oct 7, 20224 min read
200 views
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City of London proclaims the new King
I took my camera to an occasion resplendent with ceremony, pageantry and symbolism. The Royal Accession Proclamation took place on the...
London On The Ground
Sep 16, 20225 min read
76 views
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Wood, not gold, paved the streets of London
Timber blocks once paved much of London. Some of it can still be seen. Introduced from the early 19th century, wood paving has a number...
London On The Ground
Sep 9, 20223 min read
114 views
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