Fitzroy House open for visits

Fitzrovia dates back to the 18th century and has been for many years well known for its writers and artists. From H.G. Wells and George Orwell, to Charles Dickens and Virginia Woolf - its inhabitants have left an indelible mark.

Although it is well known that the Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw resided in Fitzroy Square, it is a lesser-known fact that he also lived with his mother on the 1st floor of 37 Fitzroy Street from 1881-1882.

75 years later, writer and philosopher L. Ron Hubbard made 37 Fitzroy Street his London base. Ron Hubbard wrote many of his best-known works whilst in London.

With a number of New York Times Bestellers and the Guinness Book of World Records Title for most published author, he is one of the most prolific writers of his time.

However, Ron Hubbard cannot be so simply categorised. Whilst first and foremost a writer, he worked as a professional in over two dozen fields including photography, horticulture, sea captaining, music making and exploration.

All this was in addition to his work in the humanitarian fields of drug rehabilitation, criminal reform and education.

You are welcome to visit Fitzroy House.

It is open to the public by appointment daily. info@fitzroyhouse.org, www.fitzroyhouse.org

Bodies under streets and wheels in the air

Thought these two recent announcements might be worth sharing.

Firstly, the Museum of London and the Times news have worked together to create a map showing places in central London where there are skeletons still buried.

Its a fascinating map and you can zoom into certain areas. No signs of any body parts, though the article claims that some of the bones will be put on display soon as part of the Wellcome Collection.

Not sure if that is the same collection that resides in the Science Museum, but the exhibition opens in late July and runs until September.

Another recent announcement is the opening of the big ferris wheel in Greenwich.

Unfortunately its only open over the summer, and unfortunately like the London Eye, its not free. However, apparently its been put up to provide tourists with something to do while the Cutty Sark is being renovated.

A couple of ideas for things to do over the summer, then......

Jack the Ripper files to go on public display

For those interested in Jack the Ripper, the police files and related pieces of evidence are to go on public display from May 2008 at the Museum in Docklands.

More about it here.

Upcoming Events

This time of year, I receive lots of emails from people asking me for tips on what to do in London over the christmas / new year period.

Here's a website which might be of use. It's called Upcoming.

Simply go to it and search for London, England (under "where?").

Great museum - shame it isn't free

It was great to see that the London Transport Museum in Covent Garden has finally re-opened.

I remember visiting it many years ago and if its as good now as it was back then, its definitely a great day out especially if you have kids, big or small.

Unfortunately, its £8 for adults to enter, though kids are free.

Most of London's other major museums are free (Museum of London, British Museum and so on), though some do invite entry fee "donations". Its a shame that they all aren't.

But I'll probably try to make time to visit the new-look Transport Museum anyway as it does look quite good.

Bunhill Fields

I only discovered this wonderful place earlier this year when my new job took me to a different part of London.

And what a great find it is.

Part old burial ground dating back to Saxon times (though most of the remaining graves are from the mid 1700's onwards), it sits nestled behind some busy roads and tall buildings at the northern end of the City and is a lovely place to relax and enjoy your lunchbreak.

And of course its all free to enter.

Famous people buried in the graveyard include the nonconformists, William Blake, John Bunyan and Daniel Defoe.

Find out more about Bunhill Fields on the City of London's website.

Certainly worth a visit if you are in the area and looking for somewhere quiet to relax.

Icons of England

Yes, the list of English icons has been updated again. Now we have the likes of Winnie the Pooh, the V for Victory hand signal and ............... the English weather. The English weather?? An icon ??

A little Hidden London

There are loads of places in London which tourists would probably love to see - if they knew they existed.

One of my favourites is Postmans Park, at the Barbican. Lots of memorials to civilians who have lost their lives whilst performing heroic acts. Fishing people out of rivers, pushing them out of the way of trams and runaway horses - that sort of thing. Its near the Museum of London, a little hidden away down from Barts' Hospital.

Well worth a visit.

Another place that I never even knew existed until recently is Cross Bones graveyard. This final resting place for Bankside's medieval prostitutes has become a shrine to the nameless poor. Its on Redcross Way, near the corner of Union Street, which runs off Borough High street near Borough tube station.

A great place to work

Last week, I had the pleasure of arranging a forum for around 50 work colleagues. Now, in many places, the options for a venue would probably include the local hall, a breakout room at the office and maybe some place no more than an hour's bus or train ride away.

But in London, the choices are amazing. Last time we held this forum, we were able to hire Shakespeare's Globe. A really nice venue, and it included a back stage tour.

This time, our options included Tate Modern, Vinopolis (a wine museum), the Energy Clinic and the one we chose, HMS Belfast.

HMS Belfast turned out to be a good choice. The day we held the forum happened to be the hottest day in London so far this year. Around 26 degrees. And we had a lovely venue right on the Thames, sunshine on the decks and veterans to conduct guided tours for us.

There are probably not that many cities in the world that offer such venue choices for conferences and meetings. One more great thing about London.

The peace and quiet of easter in London

I love being in London during public holidays. Easter and xmas are the best.

Loads of local traffic simply dissappears and the stressed out, frantic and often unfriendly London locals are replaced by relaxed, dazed and confused tourists - whose major worry for the day isn't about getting from one side of London to the other to arrive on time at a meeting but about how long the queues might be to the London Eye.

So being in London during these times makes me feel like a tourist again.

Forget standing in queues at airports, boarding packed planes and then worrying about getting home in time for work on Tuesday.

Stay in London and be a tourist in your own city. Much more relaxing!

Free tours on International Tourist Guide Day

According to the BBC London web site, this weekend is International Tourist Guide Day.

Just like guides around the world, London's Blue Badge guides will be kicking off free walks around London on the hour every hour from 10am to 3pm on Saturday and Sunday. Their walks usually cost around £5 per person, I think.

Walks will mainly start from mainline train stations such as Kings Cross, Waterloo, Liverpool Street and Victoria.

For more information, check out the Blue Badge Guides web site.

Sounds like fun. Might even have a break from my family history research and do one of these walks myself.

English icons

http://www.icons.org.uk/

The Government has launched a web site to allow people to nominate their favourite English icons. Among those listed include the routemaster bus, stone henge, a cup of tea and the FA Cup.

You can also vote for them at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/4594660.stm

Personally, my favourites are stone henge, the red phone box, the traditional circular red post box, routemaster buses and Tower Bridge. Sadly, only two really exist anymore.

I'm surprised that Tower Bridge, Buckingham Palace and Big Ben didn't make it onto the BBC's list. Friends from Australia often have these at the top of their lists to see.

From people who have been here

Who better to hear about London from than from other travellers who have been here.

Abbey Road

I get lots of requests to add a Beatles walk to my web site and so its next on my list to do.

In the meantime, this link may be of interest - its about peoples' visits to the famous Abbey Road crossing.

http://www.43places.com/places/view/201230