Since writing the book london s lost rivers i have been on foot returning to the routes of these rivers and canals. This canal is a thriving link between london and birmingham. These are equally as fascinating and as some have only disappeared over recent decades there is still alot of evidence to spot with the odd relic here and there. The canal age, although short, was revolutionary, responsible for opening up britain to the industrial revolution, much as the internet is now opening up the world in the information revolution. The book and book series listed below are just a few examples of the many creative explorations of history that are out there. Welcome to the london regional group which was formed in 1956. Its a good list, as you would expect, and has prompted me to come up with my own favourite 15. Buy books on london canals from amazon, suggested titles by london canal.
Inwood keeps everything zipping along at a good clip and doesnt get bogged down in minutiae if anything i would have preferred more detail in some sections. The store a 50footlong canalboat stuffed to its bulkheads and overflowing onto the towpath with books has a permanent berth on the regents canal, around the corner from the british library. An animated timeline of when canals were built and then abandoned in london since the end of the eighteenth century to the present day. A guided walk along the route of the grand surrey canal from peckham to rotherhithe exploring hidden corners with paul talling author of derelict london and london s lost rivers penguin random house books derelict london photography, social history and guided walking tours. The regents canal is a highly attractive waterway in itself, offering you the chance to see a side of london missed by others. Canals of britain is a comprehensive and absorbing survey of the entire canal. The clear winner, ackroyds 2001 magnum opus remains the standard by which all modern london histories are judged. Regents canal is a canal across an area just north of central london, england. As this fascinating museum is in a 19thcentury ice house, you can also find out about the history of the ice cream trade. Also, the historical pictures were great for people who like to connect the past.
Hatchards has been a landmark on one of the finest and most famous streets in the world, piccadilly, since georgian times, occupying the current building, number 187, for over two centuries. It has withstood plague, devastating fire, civil war, aerial bombardment, terrorist attacks, and riots the city of london is the historic core of the greater london metropolis, and is today. Some are set in the real world, but in a version where a past event turned out differently. Documenting the shadowy activities of an ss brigadesfuhrer in the years leading up to his mysterious demise, the ratline paints a complex picture of insidious evil and encroaching desperation. Its main line starts in london and ends in birmingham, stretching for 7 miles 220 km with 166 locks. The history books we loved most in 2019 span centuries, nations and wars. Many more canal related books are available, including many guides to individual canals. London s lost canals searching for present day clues while exploring the routes of the lost rivers i felt it important to document the canals that have been lost in london.
The grand union canal in england is part of the british canal system. The route of the croydon canal is particularly interesting and i have been organising some guided walking tours of a large chunk of the route of the croydon canal the croydon canal alldayer. By the 17th century, islington had grown from a hamlet into a village, spreading along upper street and lower road, which later became essex road. It provides a link from the paddington arm of the grand union canal, 550 yards 500 m northwest of paddington basin in the west, to the limehouse basin and the river thames in east london. Browse london s independent, mostloved and best bookshops for secondhand and new books beat a retreat from the digital world and discover the joy of the best bookshops in london. Explores over 200 years of british waterways history, and tells the stories of the great engineers, from james brindley through to william jessop and thomas telford. London has many classic experiences but the purpose of this blog is to find those that are a little less obvious. The fascinating history of london s lost rivers save twentyone tributaries flow to the thames within the spread of greater london, and that is just counting the main branches. Canal history, heritage and culture the rich history and culture of uk canals. And some introduce a fantasy element and consider how history would be different if those fantasies were real.
It is the chinese rather than the british that can claim to be the early pioneers of canal building, with the grand canal of china in the tenth century. Our 2012 book of the year was also enjoyed by many others. From canal boat rides to puppet shows, there are plenty of things to do in this charming london area. As rolt, cofounder and honorary secretary of the inland waterways association says in the introduction to his book, the british waterways system, consisting partly of navigable rivers and partly of still canals, combines beauty with utility to a unique degree.
A rich very rich history of the jewish dairy restaurant. Many titles are available from the inland waterways association online shop. Canal building, structures, maintenance, and boats. Covering the entire history of the canal network from the glorious early days, through the years of decline caused by rail and then road competition, up to the subsequent revival of the canals as leisure routes, this wonderfully illustrated book is a musthave for all. Order direct from london canal museum east end canal tales. You can also do a kayak tour of regents canal with london kayak. Londons canalboat bookstore finds a berth, and success. Hatchards is london s oldest bookshop, having been established in 1797 by john hatchard.
One of my favourite things to do with visitors is cruise the london canals by taking a boat trip from little venice to camden lock. Taken from interviews and oral history recordings, this book is an account of his life and times on the london canals and is a vivid account of a previously littledocumented story. You can learn all about narrowboats, their cargoes and the horses that pulled them at the london canal museum. A man bored of his job hands in his resignation to go sit on the same bench by the banks of a canal running through north london. The group arranges a programme of monthly lectures each winter and occasional visits to sites of railway or waterway interest in the london area and to libraries, record offices and museums which have. As early as 1790 london was linked to the national network via the river thames and the oxford canal. I am really enjoying this history of london even those the books size is large and a bit heavy. The ten best history books of 2019 history smithsonian. See an online history of the regents canal dock by tim smith. Rural people flocked to factories and mills, their life and environment, and the shape of the nation and the world, being. This book gives a concise history over time without going into great detail and so one can chose areas to go and investigate further.
Animals archaeology architecture art blogging books brixton celebrity counterculture crime drugs exhibitions film football. It was built in 1906 to cross the grand surrey canal, one of southeast london s two lost canals. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that delivers new books every 1, 2, or 3 months new customers receive 15% off your. Search the worlds most comprehensive index of fulltext books. Even the familiar pound lock still used in britain today is said to have been invented by chhiao weiyo, in the year 983. It has arms to places including leicester, slough, aylesbury, wendover and northampton the grand union canal was also the original name for part of what is now part of the leicester line of the modern grand union. Word on the water the london bookbarge home facebook. Word on the water the london bookbarge april 9 at 10. Series nicholsons guides to the waterways also available as.
This comes after years of its owners staying one step ahead of eviction from the canals, by relocating fortnightly. Books and films about boredom tend to be boring, but this bucks the trend. A more direct route between london and the national canal network. A veritable king of london walks, david fathers produced this walking tour book to compliment his earlier volumes london s thames pathway and the regents canal. Its also a useful throughroute to the rivers lee and stort, and for the more adventurous boater, forms part of the london ring which incorporates a trip along the thames tideway.
The awardwinning author of east west street provides a remarkable account of a leading nazi on the run through postwar europe that is as compelling as any wartime thriller. In that time, it has become one of the worlds most significant financial and cultural capital cities. History and detailed guide of this important central london waterway, current uses, maps, photos. Londons canalboat bookstore finds a berth, and success the. This website also features a collection of our oral history recordings that may be listened to online or downloaded for listening on a portable player. Taken from interviews and oral history recordings, this book is an account of his. Stuart fisher looks at every aspect of the canals their construction, rich history, stunning scenery. London canal museum is a regional museum specialising in the waterways of the london area, but not including the river thames. Things to do in little venice explore atmospheric regents canal, which starts from little venice and ends in the docklands, passing the likes of zsl london zoo and camden town. There is a wealth of printed and digital information about uk waterways, from books about their 200 year history. The history of london, the capital city of england and the united kingdom, extends over 2000 years. Over the past two weeks, whenever i havent been packing, working, or cleaning, ive been marathon reading inwoods history of london.
It cuts through picturesque countryside and peaceful villages, and is one of the longest canals in england. After years of wandering londons canals, a step ahead of the law, two. Overall, though, i found this extremely coherent and. London s canal, spencer out of print exploring the the regents canal, essexlopresti. From womanhood to nationhood, they challenge the construction of identity. The fascinating hidden history of londons lost rivers.
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