London stories
Explore the stories of the world's greatest city and uncover the hidden treasures of our collections.
All stories

How did medieval Londoners celebrate Christmas?
Fasting, feasting and wassailers at your door

Frances Burney’s mahogany desk: A symbol of slavery
Exploring histories of pain and exploitation in one English novelist’s writing desk

The life story of Mary Prince
A vital narrative of enslavement that boosted the abolitionist movement

The Zong Massacre Trial
The appalling case of 130 enslaved Africans murdered for an insurance claim

Hammersmith Bridge
It’s survived three bombs – and a struggle to keep it standing

The Victoria Cross found in the Thames
When a mudlark recovered Britain’s prestigious medal for valour

Charles Dickens’ ‘Memoirs of Joseph Grimaldi’
The Victorian author charts the turbulent life of a beloved London clown

How London’s alternative currencies made change
In the past and present, Londoners have experimented with different forms of money

The City of London’s last lollipop lady
And the history of London’s traffic stoppers

The marriage of Queen Victoria & Prince Albert
A royal story of love – and loss

The London 2012 Olympics
A dreamlike opening ceremony. A successful haul of golds. And an area of east London transformed

Clapham Junction Station: One of Britain’s busiest
Don’t let the name fool you – this major transport hub isn’t in Clapham

Sex Pistols: London’s resident punk rebels
The punk pioneers who defined a generation

The Grenfell Tower fire
This 2017 blaze killed 72 people – a preventable tragedy which triggered calls for justice

Limehouse: London’s first Chinatown
The Chinese communities who lived in this pocket of the East End

Ignatius Sancho: Writer & early Black voter
After gaining his freedom, this 18th-century writer became one of the first Black voters in Britain