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Taking a Trip Through Time in London

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Travelling through Time in London

One of the many things I love about London is that it is just filled with history next to modern life. From the buildings to the people, when you enter this ancient city you are immersed in that feeling.

This was never more apparent than on the 13th of June 2009 when Paul, the boys, and I met up with a very dear friend and her husband at the City of London Pier, midway between the modern London Bridge and the centuries old Tower Bridge.

I took many pictures that day, and rather than add captions myself, I thought I would give you the chance.

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Disruptions to the tube lines

Getting from London Bridge to Greenwich

The plan for the day was to go to Greenwich Park in Greenwich, home of the Royal Observatory. Getting there was going to be a problem though because the tube lines were being serviced.

A better option presented itself, we could take the water taxi along the River Thames from London Bridge City Pier to Greenwich Pier and walk to the park from there.

Photo from Wikimedia Commons and is in the public domain

A view from the pier


HMS Belfast in front of Tower Bridge

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Okay, we got it in. How're we gonna get it back out again?

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Captain, I think we made a wrong turn!

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Whaddya mean I can't make a U-Turn here???(papawu)

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Planning a trip to London

An "A to Z" map book and a travelguide wouldn't go amiss

Even seasoned veterans of the London streets carry a copy of the "A to Z" to help them get around. This book, updated yearly, has listed every street in London.

Don't go to London without one.
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Inside the Tower of London

For over 300 years, Traitor's Gate was used to bring those accused of treason against the crown to St Thomas' Tower in the Tower of London. They were taken by river barge to the Tower and entered via this gate.

Originally designed by the Medieval architect Master James of St George on the orders of King Edward I between 1275 and 1279, it was meant to be used as a means of entry into St Thomas' Tower by King Edward I. The Tower itself had originally been built as a place for the Royal family to reside during times of civil unrest and as a power base for the king within the City of London.

Over time though, it was more and more used as a prison and place of execution for traitors against the crown.

The last person to be executed at the Tower of London was German spy, Josef Jakobs, on 14 August 1941 by firing squad.

One of the last persons to be imprisoned in the Tower was Rudolf Hess.

information obtained from Traitors Gate
Photo from Wikimedia under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License

View from the River

We moved so quickly and the current was so choppy that I could only take one picture while on the water taxi, and that while we were pulling into the pier by the Tower of London.

Traitors Gate
Traitors Gate leading into the Tower of London

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Harry feared the worst at his Stag Party

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Hey Buddy! Wrong gate. I said I was VISITING a traitor, not that I am one!(papawu)

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London Souvenirs

because you have to bring something home with you

Why not have your souvenir t-shirt to wear before you go.
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Greenwich Henry Days

Sir Walter RaleighYou can imagine our delight when we exited the pier at Greenwich and saw all the tents and marquees set up on the grounds of the Old Royal Navy Hospital. Unbeknowngst to us, Greenwich was celebrating Henry Days in honour of Henry VIII this weekend.

Our walk to Greenwich Park was delayed for a while as we just had to have a look round at everything.

Photo of Sir Walter Raleigh

Want a cup of Coffee?

mini-truck coffee vendor
Mini coffee van

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Captain Gulliver gets a coffee in Lilliput

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Can I get a large cup or is EVERYTHING small here?

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So, I guess fish and chips is out of the question, huh? (papawu)

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Henry VIII

King Henry VIII is probably best known for having 6 wives and for creating the Church of England after breaking away from the Catholic Church because it would not allow him to divorce his first wife, Catherine of Aragon.

He was born at Greenwich Palace in Greenwich on 28 June 1491 to King Henry VII and Elizabeth of York.

In his younger days King Henry VIII was an accomplished sportsman and musician, but as he reached his later years he was plagued with ill health, due in large part to his excessive overeating.

He died 28 January 1547 at the age of 56.
Possible causes of his death have included:

  • Old age
    • He was 56, a ripe old age for those times
  • A sexually transmitted disease
    • Probably syphylis
  • Over eating
    • He ate vast amounts of food, meat, fish, dairy products and lots of wine and beer. He wouldn't stop eating, even when a doctor told him to cut down. He became so fat that he had to be carried everywhere by servants. - quoted from Henry VIII and the Tudors
  • Gangrene
    • He developed ulcers on his legs from old jousting wounds on his legs that became infected in 1538.
  • Scurvy
    • He didn't eat his limes.


Information obtained from Henry VIII and the Tudors" Don't forget to take the interactive quiz at the end

Portrait of Henry VIII of England by Hans Holbein the Younger (1497-1543) c. 1536. Oil on panel, 28 x 20 cm. Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, Madrid PRUTTEBÆ. This is in public doman

Henry VIII

Henry VIII
Henry Days

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Yes, yes! Now, where's my turkey leg?

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Will you marry me?

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Off with her head!

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Don't laugh! My wife was too busy getting her head chopped off to pick up my dry-cleaning.(papawu)

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Learn more about the history of London

London is a rich and diverse city, filled with history from ancient pre-history through to the modern age.

Horrible Histories are written for children, but adults can find them to be just as enjoyable, and they give a good basic understanding of what has happened in the past.
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NanLT

NanLT has been writing at Squidoo since January 2009 and in that time has established herself as an authority on such diverse topics as home cooking... more »

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