Blog
Explore the stories of the world's greatest city and uncover the hidden treasures of our collections.
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J Smythe: The WWII navigator & his Windrush story
By any measure, Johnny Smythe led an extraordinary life

Something blue: The 1920s wedding dress that changed colour
Theories, investigations and the dress colour conundrum


The religious history of Smithfield
Smithfield boasts of a rich monastic history dating back over a millennium

Are the Suffragettes still relevant today?
Hammers, banners and prison medals: How Suffragettes continue to inspire and provoke

Norman Hartnell’s 1928 wedding dress: A gown’s curious journey
A wedding dress that never walked down the aisle

Suffragette Christabel Pankhurst & her ‘militant’ strategy
Interview: Often maligned by historians, feminist and Suffragette Christabel Pankhurst’s story needs much exploration

From prison to parliament: Suffragettes & Holloway
Delve into the history of Holloway prison, and the stories of the Suffragettes imprisoned there

Mapping the legacy of slavery in London’s Docklands
Traces of the transatlantic slave trade continue to exist in the Docklands landscape

The forgotten Suffragettes & tales of militancy
These four forgotten champions who fought bravely for female suffrage

What after the Smithfield Poultry Market Fire of 1958
Curator Kate Sumnall dives into one of the most dramatic episodes in the rich history of Smithfield Market

A history of muffs: A forgotten fashion accessory
From status symbol to winter essential, muffs have had a fascinating journey

March of the women: Photographing the Suffragettes
The fight for women’s right to vote as captured by pioneering photographer Christina Broom

9 historical Christmas traditions
Cards, pantomimes, toys and treats – these are a few of our favourite things

Pleasurable relief: Toilets in 18th-century London
Curator Danielle Thom reveals the dark underside of the Georgian and Victorian Pleasure Gardens

Blitz bombings & the discovery of the Temple of Mithras
‘Not much good came out of the London Blitz, but Mithras did’

Cats in the London collection: A feline history
We delve into our collections to find historical evidence of cats living in London

25 ways to fix the city: Meet the London initiatives
25 projects across London that are working to make the city a better place