London stories
Explore the stories of the world's greatest city and uncover the hidden treasures of our collections.
All stories
Teddy boys: Britain’s first youth subculture
Sporting long jackets and quiffs, the Teds were born in London
Meet the mods, a sharply dressed London subculture
Photographs from a stylish, scooter-riding 1960s scene
Photographs of Stratford before the 2012 Olympics
The communities and industries that called the Olympic Park site their home
The Kray Twins: Notorious east London gangsters
Dangerous and famous in the Swinging Sixties
David Garrick: A theatre sensation
This innovative 18th-century actor had an influence on all aspects of British theatre
The first London Olympics, 1908
Featuring marathon misfortune, contentious judging and a brand new Olympic sport
The long reign of Queen Victoria
Ruling for 63 years, Victoria witnessed rapid changes in British society, culture and industry
Pageantry and protest at Elizabeth II’s Silver Jubilee
Marking 25 years as monarch in 1977, the queen’s jubilee was met with celebration and discontent
Horsemonger Lane Jail
Where rooftop executions became a violent Southwark spectacle
Fun in the frost: Outdoor ice skating in London
Londoners have skated on the city’s frozen lakes and ponds for centuries
What were London’s pleasure gardens?
For dancing, drinking, glamour and debauchery, there was nothing quite like the pleasure garden
A big night out at Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens
Discover the exciting new entertainment on offer to Londoners in the 1700s and 1800s
How Black Friday changed the Suffragette struggle
A day of aggression in the battle for women’s right to vote
Hardy Amies: London’s great tailor & couturier
The Savile Row-based designer had a long career spanning luxurious couture and casual menswear
Skating through the history of London’s ice rinks
Did you know ice rinks were invented in London? And the earliest version was made from pig fat?
