London stories
Explore the stories of the world's greatest city and uncover the hidden treasures of our collections.
All stories
Silvertown 1917: London’s largest explosion
73 people died when an east London factory making TNT caught fire and exploded
The Stone Age skull rescued from the River Thames
Found after 5,000 years in the mud
The surprising diversity of Roman London
A city home to people from Turkey, Germany and Greece
Who was Admiral Nelson?
Nelson's naval victories gave him national hero status and a permanent place in Trafalgar Square
Harrods: A location for luxury
From humble beginnings to one of the biggest emporiums in Europe
London’s public executions
Hung, drawn and quartered. Beheaded, boiled or burned
Pleasure gardens: London’s first music venues
Handel at Vauxhall? Mozart at Ranelagh? For 18th-century music fans, these were the places to be
The Great Stink of 1858
A smell so incredibly awful it demanded a modern sewer solution
The history of the Docklands Light Railway
The DLR was built to transform London’s docklands
What is the Port of London Authority?
Steering the River Thames through changing tides and turbulent times
Barbara Lisicki: A disability rights pioneer
Lisicki led the charge to win civil rights for disabled people in the 1990s
The Walbrook Skulls: A Roman murder mystery
Did these 39 skulls belong to gladiators?
Stanley Green: The protein man of Oxford Street
Protein was the problem for this solo campaigner – a regular London sight for 25 years
St Barbara: Guardian of the Crossrail tunnel
The medieval saint who watched over the Elizabeth Line
Protesting Margaret Thatcher
The Iron Lady’s time as prime minister sparked resistance and protest that filled London’s streets
