London Miscellany

Information

Two lists of London Street name changes that occurred between 1857-1929 and between 1929-1945 compiled from several sources. Also available as an eBook.

A finding aid for London Postal Districts by name and number with a current map.

A list and map of the Metropolitan Boroughs used in the street name list.

Notes on the Administration of England & Wales including sections specific to London, Civil Registration, Metropolitan Boroughs etc., as it was in 1929.

A brief history of London Street Maps and Atlases. On this page there is also a list of London Street Atlases.

A time line of events as an aid to dating London Maps produced after 1856.

Books

City Street Names The origin of the names of the Streets, Lanes, Alleys and Courts of the City of London. Read online or download the free eBook version.

Anecdotes and pictures from 700 years of the history of the Old Serjeants' Inn in Chancery Lane. Available free as a downloadable eBook.

Disappearing London A short book by E. Beresford Chancellor from 1927 with 12 beautiful contemporary prints. View online or download the free eBook version. High-resolution scans of the prints are available to purchase.

The four books covering London from the Beautiful England series. Each has 12 evocative and detailed, early 20th century watercolours by E. W. Haslehust. High-resolution scans of the pictures are available to purchase.

This is London by 'Jimmy'. A guide book published in 1944 with 40 photographs of wartime London. Available free as a downloadable eBook.

Read online a history and description of Spitalfields in 1842 with engravings of Booth Street, Pelham Street and Spitalfields Market.

Find small streets and buildings not shown on maps using Lockie's Topography of London from 1810. Available as an eBook.

See the London that was old in 1815 with Ancient Topography of London. Available as a paperback facsimile.

Read John Stow's contemporary description of Elizabethan London in his Survey of London from 1598. Available as an eBook.

Maps

Bartholomew's Pocket Atlas and Guide to London from 1929

Map and Guide to Epping Forest c1910

Street map of Cambridge c1912

Street map of Manchester c1890

Street maps of Rome c1885 and Paris c1879

Caveat

The information in the above pages is provided "as is", I have been very careful but make no claim to infallibility. My children amuse themselves by referring to me as an anorak, I prefer "enthusiast". Fellow enthusiasts have taught me a great deal, for which I am grateful. If you have a problem with enthusiasm, or have some other passion please do not tell me about it. However, praise is always welcome.

I have also tried very hard to keep to the facts. Verbatim copies of old documents are presented on pages with a white background, any comment should be obvious. On other pages if, very occasionally, my peculiar beliefs, prejudices or strange sense of humour surfaces, I beg your indulgence.

It has been said that there are three types of people. Those who make things happen, those who watch things happen, and those who ask "what happened?" I have observed that every day three and a half million travellers on the London Underground divide themselves into three groups. Those who walk on the escalators, those who stand, and those who stand on the wrong side.