@bowlofchalk - bowlofchalk Profile

When it closed in 1985, the Gateways Club was the longest running lesbian club in the world. Opened in 1943 in a basement on Kings Road, Gateways was a haven for anyone who couldn't be themselves in public, but became women only in the 1960s. The shop above and basement is now occupied by a florist. #londonwalkingtours #londonguide #walkingtour #tourguide #funfacts #funfact #trivia #london #history #lesbian #lesbiansoftiktok #lgbt #lgbtq #lesbianclub #dustyspringfield #maggiehambling #mickjagger #lavendergreen #florist #flowershop #lesbianlondon #lesbianhistory #shakinstevens #greendoor #kingsroad #chelsea

Just before the outbreak of World War Two, the first London A to Z was published by the Geographer's Map Company, headed up by a guy called Alexander Gross. His daughter, Phyllis Pearsall was put in charge of creating this new handy guide to navigating London's streets, and although her endeavours and adventures which have become the stuff of urban legend are largely made up, she did deliver the first ever order to WH Smith herself using a hand barrow. In the 1960s she signed over ownership of the company to the employees in the form of a trust. They're still going today. #londonwalkingtours #londonguide #walkingtour #funfact #funfacts #trivia #london #atoz #londonatoz #map #maps #travel #gettingabout #street #streets #londonstreets #navigation #findingyourway #phyllis #phyllispearsall #inspirationalwomen #woman #roadatlas #londontiktok

Opened in 1871 the Royal Albert Hall is an incredibly famous concert hall in central London. However, they had a big problem, which was that the sheer size of the building combined with its glazed roof created an echo ...an echo so prominent that it was said to be the only place a composer could be sure their work would be heard twice. They only managed to resolve the issue in the 1960s ...nearly 100 years after it opened. #londonwalkingtours #londontours #walkingtour #tourguide #londonguide #funfact #funfacts #trivia #london #concerthall #royalalberthall #theroyalalberthall #queenvictoria #princealbert #southkensington #hydepark #theproms #royallondon #queenvic #concert #kensington

There are still about 1,300 gas lamps in London, many of which are in Westminster and although they are no longer lit individually still come on and off at dusk and dawn by way of light sensors. However, there is one which remains on 24 hours a day, London's only surviving gas destructor lamp, once seen all over London burning off methane from the sewers. #londonwalkingtours #londontours #tourguide #walkingtour #londonguide #funfact #funfacts #trivia #gas #gaslamps #streetlight #streetlights #westminster #heritage #history #londonhistory #josephwebb #thesavoy #england #uk #sewers #georgeiv #englishheritage

At 4.1 metres, an escalator at Stratford station (east London) would seem to win the accolade of being the shortest escalator on the London underground. #londonwalkingtours #londonguide #tourguide #walkingtour #funfact #funfacts #trivia #london #stratford #eastlondon #thetube #londonunderground #underground #undergroundfacts #tfl #escalator #shortest #station #travel #short

Only 14% of blue plaques in England commemorate women so perhaps fitting that London's 1000th blue plaque (unveiled in September 2023) on a building on Robert Street, just off Strand was where the Women's Freedom League were based between 1908 - 1915 campaigning for the womens right to vote. #londonwalkingtours #londontourguide #londonguide #london #funfact #funfacts #trivia #blueplaques #blueplaque #suffrage #womenssuffrage #suffragette #suffragist #women #womensvote #1918 #emmelinepankhurst #millicentfawcett #parliamentsquare #strand #vote #voting #equality

Tug of War was last competed for at an Olympics in 1920, held in Antwerp. That year Great Britain won the men's gold medal for that event and the entire Tug of War team was made up of policemen from the City of London police force, which means that in a roundabout way, the City of London police are current Olympic champions at Tug of War. #londonwalkingtours #walkingtour #tourguide #londonguide #funfact #funfacts #trivia #olympics #summerolympics #antwerp #belgium #cityoflondon #cityoflondonpolice #tugofwar #police #olympictrivia #olympicfacts #greatbritain #teamgb #goldmedal #olympicgold #sport #sports

John Harvard whose name is now associated with Harvard College in the States was born on Borough High Street in Southwark in 1607 and baptised in what is now called Southwark cathedral. Strangely, his own grandfather and William Shakespeare's dad knew each other. #londonwalkingtours #londonguide #walkingtour #tourguide #funfact #funfacts #trivia #london #southwark #borough #harvard #harvardcollege #harvarduniversity #johnharvard #williamshakespeare #stratford #stratforduponavon #southwarkcathedral #massachusetts #university #history #londonhistory #usa #unitedstates

Please Note - Covid was clearly March 2020 and not the year 2000 as I weirdly say in the video. Agatha Christie's 'The Moustrap' has been performed in London's West End since 1952 and ran continuously up until it was forced to shut in March 2020 due to covid. They're back on again, celebrating their 70th year and is the worlds longest running play. It's been in the same theatre since 1974. #londonwalkingtours #londontours #londonguide #walkingtour #funfact #funfacts #trivia #theatre #westend #westendtheatre #themousetrap #agathachristie #whodunnit #murdermystery #stmartins #london #londontheatre #gonegirl #disappearance #stageddeath #plottwist #plottwists