Yesterday's London Times

Living in Paris during the Revolution and Reign of Terror might not seem like the right place at the right time, but if your job is to make wax sculptures of heads, it’s kind of perfect. In this episode we meet Marie Tussaud, and follow along as she creates a London institution. Follow along as we: Meet little Marie, living with a doctor who makes wax anatomical models,Rub elbows with royals and rabble-rousers in Paris before and during the Revolution and Reign of TerrorHit the road with Mada...

We begin this episode by thinking about the work of people's hands. We wonder about the connections between knitting and history, trade, the industrial revolution, social connection, activism, and new interpretations. Along the way, we’ll: visit Tudor England, when the wool trade was at its economic core and resulted in some pretty intense legislation for common citizens,check in on technology like framework knitting and the surprising etymology of the term Luddite,observe the long term...

In this episode, we journey through the fascinating and often surprising history of Scotland Yard, the iconic home of the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS). Inspired by last week’s episode about the haunting tales of the Tower of London, we shift focus to uncover the evolution of law enforcement in London. From the chaotic days of watchmen during the 18th century gin craze to the formation of the Bow Street Runners and ultimately Sir Robert Peel’s revolutionary vision for modern policing, we ...

The Tower of London has watched over the city for nearly a millennium. If you are a priceless Jewel, the Tower is your protector. To countless of the city’s accused, a captor. Royals, regals, religious, and rogues. The Tower has seen them all. Many have been famous, and many more have been lost to history. Holding in all of these secrets is a challenge for the Tower, and, late at night, after the tourists have gone, perhaps the fortress wants to release some of its tension. Perhap...

“And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how we deal with vampires in old London Town,’. - Ben Aaronovitch in Rivers of London We start this episode in the London neighborhood of Highgate. It’s famous cemetery, exuding Victorian design and extravagance, is the setting for our first story, about a potential paranormal experience and the long term metaphysical feud that resulted. We’ll delve into mainstream horror cinema of the 1950s and 60s from London’s own Hammer Films, with special ...