CabbieBlog

Forget six counties overhung with smoke, / Forget the snorting and piston stroke, / Forget the spreading of the hideous town; / Think rather of the pack-horse on the down, / And dream of London, small, and white, and clean.

William Morris (1834-1896)

On 2 August 1833, the famous entertainment venue, Vauxhall Gardens, had its most successful day when an astonishing 133,278 people arrived to visit its paths being noted for romantic assignations, watching tightrope walkers, hot-air balloon ascents, concerts and fireworks providing entertainment, and a statue depicting George Frederic Handel. In 1817 the Battle of Waterloo wa...

For those new to CabbieBlog or readers who are slightly forgetful, on Saturdays I’m republishing posts, many going back over a decade. Some will still be very relevant while others have become dated over time. Just think of this post as your weekend paper supplement.

My mothe...

Hell is a city much like London – A populous and a smoky city.

Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822)

On 26 July 1994, a car bomb has exploded outside the Israeli embassy injuring 14 people and causing widespread damage. The Audi 100, driven by a woman was packed with 30lbs of Semtex, it blew up minutes after the driver left it. Although embassy staff were dazed and confused, the worst injury was a broken arm. Thirteen hours later, another car bomb exploded outside the headqu...