At the British Library. The current temporary exhibition, Secret Maps at the British Library does pretty much what it says on the tin. It is an exhibition about Secret Maps. A year or so ago I posted a video about the origins of the trusty London A to Z and I was amazed by the response, and the nostalgia attached to it. I think maps have long held a fascination for people and if they’re secret maps …well, even better. This exhibition (which finishes on the 18th January 2026), won’t disappoint for those, even with a distinct lack of interest in maps. As you might expect, the 100 or so items featured are arranged chronologically from the very earliest attempts to map our world, but then explores how the creators of maps or at least those that ruled, could use them for their own benefit. After all, knowledge is power. The control has not always been physical in a ‘lines drawn in the sand’ kind of way, but far more coercively by tweaking here and shrinking there or in many cases, just ensuring that certain things simply don’t exist.  War, secrecy and spies feature heavily, from hiding air fields from maps, to a map of central London carried by a German bomber during World War Two with certain buildings he was required to target, highlighted in red. They even have Lady Mountbatten’s underwear, created from silk World War Two escape maps and prisoner of war maps hidden in hairbrushes. The British Library also doesn’t shy away from imperialism with top secret documents relating to the partition of India in 1947 and South African maps during Apartheid which completely omit black townships altogether. There are far more recent additions with refugees creating maps to navigate their way through Europe.  I was lucky enough to meet a couple of the curators of the exhibition and they commented that one of the things they hadn’t expected was the personal connections that many visitors have encountered on their visit to the exhibition. I found two exhibits that resonated with me. One was a map of the Post Office Tower (now the BT Tower) and its surrounds which due to that the fact that it was a massive telecommunications tower, was said to not appear on maps. The point they’re making is that in this instance it did. However, on the map is the Middlesex Hospital which no longer exists, where my parents met. They remember being evacuated from the area in the early hours of the morning of the 31st October 1971 when a bomb went off on the 31st floor. The second is a map produced for the Somme Offensive in July 1916. It includes British trenches which at the time (and for obvious reasons) were omitted from maps used by the British, unless they were (as this one was) in the hands ‘top brass’. On the right hand side of the map is the edge of Mametz Wood, which in the second week of July saw horrendous hand to hand fighting and the deaths of about 4,000 (mostly Welsh) soldiers. My great-grandfather was involved in that battle, and survived (otherwise I wouldn’t be writing this now), but unfortunately his brother, my great-great uncle did not. Sergeant James Fielding was killed on the 11th July 1916.  One of my favourite pieces in the exhibition was a short novel, ‘For your Convenience’ produced in 1937 telling the story of two men discussing London’s public toilets. At the back of the book is a map, showing where each of the public toilets are situated. The book and the accompanying map was produced for the use of gay men to navigate the city to find sex, some thirty years before homosexuality would be made legal.  I talk about Charles Booth’s 1889 ‘Poverty Map’ regularly on my London walking tours, so was delighted to see a section devoted to that along with his note books. The final exhibit is a wall, displaying the kinds of digital maps that we produce ourselves each time we tap in and out of the tube or a bus, or have the location switched on our phones, or when we buy something using a credit card or online, or use social media. It is our very own map, that we are largely unaware of, but is very much visible to advertisers, tech companies and the government ...and others. You will leave Secret Maps, thrilled, enthralled, enlightened and sobered.    
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 London doesn’t just do Christmas well, it helped invent it. From crackers and Christmas cards to Dickensian cheer and a tree gifted in gratitude, many of the festive traditions we now take for granted have their roots firmly planted in our capital. Here’s a little wander through Christmas in London uncovering the stories behind the snap, the card, the carol and the tree - and a few places you can visit to see where the magic began. The Christmas Card Did you know that the first Christmas card was a London invention? It was created in 1843 by Henry Cole, the Victoria & Albert Museum’s founding director. These days the number of cards sent at Christmas is dwindling, but back in 1843 Henry went large. He had 1000 cards depicting his family raising their glasses in a toast printed. It wasn’t that Henry overestimated the number of friends and family in his address book, he was hoping to sell the cards for a shilling a piece. Apparently the venture was considered a commercial flop, but the idea eventually took off and marked the start of the commercialisation of Christmas. The Christmas Cracker Christmas crackers were also invented in London. Inspired by French bonbons, London confectioner Tom Smith began selling the novelties from his Goswell Road shop in the 1840s. Almost from the start, they contained a sweet or small toy, and a joke or riddle. The snap wasn’t added until 1850. The crackers proved so popular that he later opened a factory near Finsbury Square and to this day, Tom Smith (the brand, not the original person – that would make him about 150 years old), holds the Royal Warrant as Suppliers of Christmas Crackers and Wrapping Paper by appointment to His Majesty. If you visit Finsbury Square, check out the memorial fountain to Tom Smith and see if you can spot the hidden cracker motif on the statue.  The Trafalgar Square Christmas Tree Christmas trees weren’t a London invention, and you probably know that the giant Norwegian spruce that stands proudly in Trafalgar Square every Christmas is an annual gift from Norway. But do you know why Norway gifts us a Christmas tree each year? Like many royal families around Europe, the King of Norway and his family took refuge in London during the second world war and much of the Norwegian resistance network was organised from our capital city. The tree was first gifted in 1947 as a thank you for being Norway’s closest ally during the war and has been gifted ever since. Takk Norway! Dickens’ A Christmas Carol There are estimated to be over 400 film and TV adaptations of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, making it one of the most filmed stories ever. My favourite is hands down, 1992’s The Muppet Christmas Carol! A Christmas Carol is based in Victorian London, with Scrooge’s office in City of London's financial district (Bank/Cornhill), and Bob Cratchit's home based in the poorer area of Camden Town, where Dickens himself lived as a child. Leadenhall Market today, right next to where the fictitious Ebenezer Scrooge lives is a slither of Victorian London well worth a visit if you’re visiting over Christmas. Given its history as a major poultry market, I like to think it’s where Scrooge sent the child to buy the prize turkey for the Cratchits on Christmas day.  St Martin in the Fields Christmas Appeal St Martin-in-the-Fields is a Church of England parish church at the north-east corner of Trafalgar Square. Back when it was built in the early medieval period it was built in the middle of farmland – hence the name. The St Martin-in-the-Fields charity supports homeless and vulnerably housed people. Since 1920, its Christmas Appeal, which began being broadcast on the BBC in 1927, has raised vital funds for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness. This year is the 99th BBC Radio 4 Christmas Appeal. If you have any cash to spare this Christmas, they would welcome your donations.   Step into the (Muddy) Shoes of a Mudlark.You probably already know that the 95-mile stretch of the Thames from Teddington to Southend is tidal. But did you know that twice a day, when the sea water dramatically retreats, the river can drop by up to seven metres (23 ft)? And did you know there’s a whole band of people whose happy hobby is to scour the exposed riverbed in search of fragments from London’s past? These fascinating folk are called ‘mudlarks’ and some of the remarkable treasures they’ve uncovered over the years are now on display at the 'Secrets of the Thames’ exhibition at the London Museum Docklands, running until 1st March 2026. I’d genuinely recommend a visit. I’ve had a soft spot for the Thames and its mudlarks ever since I met my first one, Nicola White, back in 2015. That was shortly before I walked the entire length of the river, from the North Sea to the Source. Another adventure I’d recommend, if your knees are up to it.  I’ve been itching to see the exhibition since it opened, and I wasn’t disappointed when I finally popped in last week. It’s an absolute treasure of an exhibition - pun fully intended. And if you’re quick and you time your visit right, you’ll even get to meet a mudlark or two in person. They’re in attendance on Tuesdays and Sundays until 21st December. When I was there, Sean Clarke (a mudlark) who came on a walk with me a few months ago, was at the exhibition showing people his collection of finds, which included Roman dice and also 17th century trade tokens.  Mudlarking: London’s peculiar but popular pastime. Historically, 'mudlarks' referred to some of the poorest Londoners, sadly, often children, who searched the Thames riverbeds for anything they could sell to survive. Today’s mudlarks have uncovered all sorts of extraordinary finds from Bronze Age swords, Roman jewellery, Tudor clothing accessories, and even neolithic human skeletal remains. Doesn’t it make you want to don your marigolds and get down there? If so, you’ll need a permit, and there are currently 10,000 people on the waiting list. Turns out it’s not just me that’s got a burning ambition to roll my sleeves up and rummage for relics.  London’s liquid history London owes its very existence to the Thames - from the Romans settling here 2,000 years ago, to the reason medieval London prospered. In the early 20th century, politician John Burns called it London’s ‘liquid history’ – a term I’d love to have coined myself, but sadly can’t take any credit for.  I’ve devoted a whole chapter to London’s rivers in my book, ‘Why is Downing Street Painted Black? And 364 Other Fun London Facts’, but you should definitely visit the exhibition and step into the shoes of a mudlark, uncovering the artefacts and secrets of London and all its people – past and present. Check out this link to discover some of the highlights from the exhibition. If you visit the exhibition, then I’d love to hear what you thought of it!   London's Quietly Brilliant Riverside Village.If you’re a Rotherhithe local – then apologies in advance. I’m about to big-up your quiet little corner of London. In my opinion, Rotherhithe (or Old Rotherhithe as it’s often called), doesn’t toot its own flute nearly enough. Just a 15-20 minute walk from the hustle and bustle of central London, Rotherhithe is a historic little village bursting with lovely sights, interesting places to visit and great places to eat and drink. Think cobbled streets, converted Georgian and Victorian warehouses and plenty of historic buildings that somehow escaped the heavy bombing that flattened so much of London during the Second World War. First things first – how to get there Getting to Rotherhithe from central London couldn’t be easier. My suggestion would be to take the scenic route and walk along the River Thames. It’s only a mile and a half from Tower Bridge. Or simply hop on the overground line and jump off again at Rotherhithe station. What to see and do in Rotherhithe Here are a few of my favourite places to visit – all within a stone’s throw of one another.  1. The Brunel Museum Tucked beside the Thames is a museum marking the entrance to the world’s first tunnel under a navigable river - a feat masterminded by Marc Brunel and his son Isambard Kingdom Brunel. The Brunel Museum is easy to miss from the street, but pop inside and you’ll discover the shaft where workers descended to dig the Thames Tunnel. What they achieved here changed engineering forever and paved the way (or tunnelled it…) for the Underground tube network that Londoners rely on today.  2. The Mayflower Rotherhithe’s most famous pub - and one that gets a mention in my Fun London Facts book (page 291, “A Pint and an American Stamp Please”). This is where the first group of the Pilgrim Fathers were picked up before the Mayflower sailed down to Plymouth in 1620 and then onward to the New World. Inside, it's all sloping floors, creaking beams and candlelight. Outside, there’s a riverside deck, perfect for a pint whilst enjoying one of the best Thames views in London.  3. St Mary the Virgin This beautiful 18th-century parish church is worth a visit for several reasons - not least because Mayflower Captain Christopher Jones is buried in the churchyard. Step inside and you’ll find: Old box pews that are still intact and a three-decker pulpit - both of which are a rarity these days; four interior columns that aren’t stone at all, but ships’ masts and a roof structure that looks like the upturned hull of a boat. It’s a church built by a maritime community, for a maritime community.  4. Dr Salter’s Daydream Just a few minutes’ walk away, beside the river, is one of London’s most moving public artworks. Dr Alfred Salter (1873 - 1945) was a local MP and philanthropist who dedicated his life to improving conditions for the poor of Bermondsey and Rotherhithe. Dr Salter’s Daydream is a statue, that depicts him daydreaming while watching his daughter Joyce and their family cat - and the story behind them is well worth reading before you go.  5. King Edward III’s Manor House Right beside the Salter statue is the atmospheric remains of a 14th-century royal manor house, built for King Edward III around 1350. Today, only the stone foundations survive, but they offer a rare glimpse of medieval London - a reminder that this riverside stretch was once a strategic and desirable royal retreat. You can look down into the site from the walkway and imagine the Thames as it once was: quieter, wider and filled with royal barges rather than Uber Boats.  Rotherhithe is one of those rare pockets of London where layers of history unfold – maritime, royal, religious, social and industrial. It’s calm, characterful and in my opinion, completely underrated – a place that seems to have somehow slipped through the cracks of time. Check out my short video – to see what sights and delights you’re in, then go visit it yourself.    |
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