The Bank of England is one of Britain’s most historic and famous financial institutions. Founded in 1694 as the English government’s bank, it is the eighth oldest bank in the world today and has become a major tourist attraction in its own right.

As one of Britain’s most important banks, it is authorised to issue banknotes in England and Wales, and regulates the issuing of banknotes by commercial banks in Northern Ireland and Scotland. Its Monetary Policy Committee is responsible for managing Britain’s financial policies.

© Claudio Divizia / Shutterstock.com

Gold vaults

The Bank of England’s headquarters has been at Threadneedle Street, in London’s main financial district, since 1734. The gold vaults hold around 400,000 bars of gold, with a total value of more than £100 billion!

It hasn’t offered consumer banking services for many years, although it does carry out some public-facing services, such as exchanging old banknotes.

Visiting a bank may seem a strange destination for visitors – but on the contrary, it provides a fascinating day out, as it is so much more than just a financial centre. The Bank of England’s museum is a treasure trove of factual and fun exhibits for people of all ages to enjoy.

The imposing frontage of the building dominates the City of London, with its museum, off Bartholomew Lane, being something of a hidden treasure.

The museum’s attractions

Opened by Queen Elizabeth II in November 1988, the museum traces the bank’s history from when it was first established 325 years ago, to its important role today.

Visitors can stroll around a reconstruction of an 18th-century banking hall, designed by Sir John Soane, the leading English architect of the era. There were no windows in those days for extra security, so the bank was a dark and dingy place. Soane had designed a domed roof to help let in as much light as possible.

You will be invited to learn more about how the bank moved to Threadneedle Street in 1734 and expanded over the years, until it filled the whole of its current site by 1833. It functioned largely unchanged until after the Great War, when architect Sir Herbert Baker designed and rebuilt it.

Having worked in New Delhi earlier, he was influenced by the architecture in India and the façade’s grand imperial style is tribute to this. The current building was finally completed just before World War II broke out in 1939.

Prior to the opening of the Bank of England, banking was run largely by goldsmiths, who loaned money to the Crown and to merchants. Goldsmith notes preceded modern banknotes. Visitors can walk through three rooms detailing the bank’s early history and look at fascinating artefacts, such as parts of old banknotes from 1694.

Famous customers

Among the exhibits are sections detailing some of the bank’s famous customers; including the great explorer, sea captain and military leader, Admiral Horatio Nelson; the composer George Frideric Handel; and American president George Washington, who held stock at the bank.

Although the bank has never been robbed in 300 years, it was protected at night by the military (known as the Bank Guard) after the Gordon Riots of 1780, when people tried to enter the building from an adjacent church.

As a result, the church was knocked down, although the graveyard remained. It has since become a garden, which is now within the bank’s walls and is open to the public at various times throughout the year.

As well as the historic exhibits, the museum emphasises the bank’s important role today. Visitors can watch interactive videos to see how it carries out its day-to-day duties. There are attractions for children too, including a giant hot air balloon, which serves the dual purpose of teaching kids about monetary inflation.

There are story-telling sessions and also informative talks for adults on topics such as the building’s history and the economy.

Anniversary celebrations

The bank has some special celebrations taking place this year in honour of its 325th anniversary. To highlight the bank’s key moments and unique history, the exhibition features 325 exhibits for 325 years.

The focus is firmly on the place and people, rather than the bank’s technical side, giving it a human feel. Themes include life at the bank, with some of the temporary exhibits later being incorporated into the bank’s permanent exhibitions.

Audience research is being carried out during the anniversary celebration to see which of the exhibits grab the public’s attention.

Glimpse of history

Each section provides a glimpse into history and focuses on the bank’s work at various periods in time. Some of the historic objects have never been exhibited before. One of the key focal points is a unique new artwork commission, which will be permanently on display.

The exhibition is aimed at showing more diverse aspects of the bank’s history, introducing some of the key characters who have figured over the years. There is particular emphasis on the role women have played at the bank, in what was an essentially male-dominated field when it opened 325 years ago. Initially, women were only investors, but later on, they became staff members too.

While planning the exhibition, the organisers have unearthed some lesser-known stories, and plans are in the pipeline to fill in any gaps in the bank’s history with future exhibitions in the museum.

If you’re planning a trip to London to visit famous attractions such as the Bank of England, a minibus from H&H Van Hire is the ideal way to travel. Contact us today for details of our modern nine, 14 and 17-seater minibuses.

The British Museum is one of the most famous and important museums in the United Kingdom. Located in Great Russell Street, London, it attracts an estimated six million visitors every year to view its seven million fascinating exhibits. The museum is open seven days a week and admission is free.

Established in 1753, it first opened to the public in 1759. Initially, it housed the collections of the Ulster-born scientist and doctor Sir Hans Sloane, who lived in London and gathered a massive array of curiosities. He didn’t want his collection of 71,000 objects from all over the world to be broken up after his death.

In his will, he bequeathed everything to King George II, for the nation, for the sum of £20,000. The king gave the royal assent on 7th June 1753 to establish the British Museum. Sloane’s collection included all kinds of artefacts from all over the world, collected during the time of the British Empire.

© Claudio Divizia / Adobe Stock

Lindow Man

There were 40,000 printed books, 337 volumes containing drawings, prints and dried plants of natural history specimens, 7,000 manuscripts and antiques from Egypt, Sudan, Greece, Rome, the Far East and the Americas.

During the next 250 years, the museum expanded and amassed some of the most popular and significant historic finds in the world. These include the oldest mummy, the Lindow Man. The preserved body was unearthed in a peat bog on 1st August 1984 by commercial peat cutters working at Lindow Moss, in Cheshire.

The accidental find caused a media sensation. Scientists estimated the body dated from between 2 BC and 119 AD. Lindow Man had been in his mid-20s and appeared to be of noble birth, as there was no sign he had done manual labour. Much debate ensued over the cause of his death, with some suggestions it had been violent and may have been ritualistic.

Rosetta Stone

The British Museum also houses the Rosetta Stone, which dates from Egypt in 196 BC. It is believed to have been on display in a temple at Sais, near where it was found in 1799, on the outskirts of the Egyptian port of Rosetta. It was discovered by French soldiers of an expeditionary army who had been deployed to Egypt.

The stone is inscribed with a decree, issued by King Ptolemy V, in three different languages, including hieroglyphs. According to reports, it was “captured in Egypt by the British Army” in 1801 and was presented to the British Museum in 1802, where it has been displayed ever since.

By the end of the 19th century, the museum was such a popular visitor attraction that it was given its own tube station. Construction began in 1898 and it officially opened in 1900. However, it closed in September 1933 after Holborn Station opened, less than 100 yards away from the museum.

Museum expansion

Over the years, the museum gathered such a large number of artefacts that a second site opened in the 1880s. Many of the items were moved to the Natural History Museum in South Kensington, which was originally known as the British Museum (Natural History).

In addition, a huge number of books and manuscripts were moved to a third site, the British Library, based on Euston Road. Antiquities there include the sole surviving manuscript of Beowulf – the old English epic poem dating from 975 to 1025 – and the Lindisfarne Gospels, produced between 715 and 720.

Electric lighting

The museum was one of the first buildings to have electricity. Up until the late 19th century, it had to close early in winter when nightfall came, as it was lit by natural daylight. Candles, gas lamps and oil lamps weren’t permitted due to the fire risks.

Electric lighting was pioneered in the Front Hall, the Reading Room and the Forecourt in 1879, enabling parts of the museum to stay open until 7pm, even in winter. By 1889, the electric lighting system had advanced and was used in almost all of the public areas.

Famous cat

The museum is known for some typically British and rather endearing touches, such as the tradition of having a museum cat. There have been many cats living there over the years, the most famous being Mike, who was the resident feline from 1909 to 1929. He became so famous that when he died, his obituary appeared in Time Magazine and the Evening Standard.

The museum is also famous for having been a film set an amazing 15 times! Among the most famous were the thriller Day of the Jackal in 1973 and the comedy adventure, Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb, in 2014.

If you’re planning a visit to the British Museum, check out H&H Van Hire’s affordable weekend minibus hire. Please contact us for further details of our comfortable nine, 14 and 17-seater minibuses.

English actor Bob Hoskins, best known for his gangster-type characters in blockbusters such as The Long Good Friday and Mona Lisa, started his career playing a removal man in a BBC educational series.

The star was 33 when he won the role of Alf Hunt, who had literacy problems, in the long-running drama series, On the Move. Watched by 17 million viewers, the show was broadcast in the early evening slot every Sunday during 1975 and 1976.

 

Adult education

Hoskins inspired thousands of adults to overcome their fears and learn how to read and write. George Auckland, who led the BBC’s adult education programming following the success of On the Move, recalled how there were queues outside every UK adult literacy centre on a Monday morning.

He described Hoskins as the “best educator” Britain had ever produced, judging by the number of adults he encouraged to go back into the classroom. The critics loved his realistic portrayal of Hunt, who was depicted as struggling with homework and often frustrated by his apparent lack of progress.

Mark Lawson, a journalist for The Guardian, wrote at the time that the actor gave Alf a “vulnerability and poignancy” that way surpassed the requirements of a public information series. The magazine GQ praised the “light touch” that Hoskins exhibited with “both a removal van and a personal pronoun”.

It was On the Move which led to Hoskins’ next role, playing sheet music salesman Arthur Parker, in the musical drama, Dennis Potter’s Pennies from Heaven, on the BBC in 1978. He shot to fame in the cult series and then launched his movie career.

 

Early life

Born in October 1942 in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, Hoskins left school at the age of 15, with one O-level. He took several manual jobs and coincidentally was a lorry driver himself as a young man. Little did he know that his real-life job would be a good grounding for his future acting career.

He had an interesting youth, spending six months in Israel, working on a kibbutz. Back in the UK, he got into acting by chance. He had gone to auditions for Romeo and Juliet in 1968 at Stoke-on-Trent’s Victoria Theatre just to support his friend, who was trying out for a role.

Hoskins was persuaded to audition too and won the role of a servant. This was the start of his long and illustrious career, as he was a respected stage actor before successfully auditioning for the role of Alf Hunt.

 

On the Move

On the Move began with the catchy title song, sung by 1970s pop band, The Dooleys. They crooned, “On the move, we’re on the move again,” over the opening credits.

The lyrics had a dual meaning, as not only was the removals van on the move, but Alf was on the move too, in terms of improving his level of education. “Life is an open book, if you open your eyes and look,” urged the narrator.

Each episode of the series featured Alf and his friend Bert, played by Donald Gee, driving round in their furniture removal van, with its familiar giant arrow painted on the side. They would stop for a coffee and chat about Alf’s lessons at adult literacy night classes.

The programme appealed to far more viewers than simply its target audience, as 17 million people watching an adult education series was virtually unheard of. The UK’s national campaign to tackle illiteracy received a welcome boost from the series.

 

Hollywood star

After finishing Pennies from Heaven, Hoskins went on to have a successful Hollywood career, starring in his first blockbuster, The Long Good Friday, in 1980, alongside Helen Mirren. He played Harold Shand, a gangster striving to become a respectable businessman, whose world was shattered by a series of unexplained murders. He was nominated for a BAFTA Best Actor Award for his portrayal of the man battling unknown assassins.

His next massive hit was Mona Lisa in 1986, in which he played small-time gangster, George, who is the driver and bodyguard for high-class prostitute, Simone, for whom he starts to develop feelings.

One of the high points of his career was playing private investigator, Eddie Valiant, in the 1988 movie, Who Framed Roger Rabbit. He had to take a mime training course to prepare for the film, as the cartoon characters with whom he interacted were added to the shots later.

Hoskins won a British Evening Standard Award and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for his epic performance.

 

Later life

In his later career, he continued with his television work, putting in an Emmy Award-winning performance in the drama series, The Street, in 2009, playing Paddy Gargan, a publican who stood up to a gangster.

His career on television and in the movies displayed amazing longevity, lasting for more than four decades. He died in 2014, at the age of 71.

Although he will always be remembered for his gritty gangster roles, he will also be greatly admired for helping to inspire thousands of adults to learn to read and write, thanks to his honest portrayal of removal man, Alf Hunt.

If you’re moving house and need a reliable removal van, be sure to check out H&H Van Hire’s range of vans for a convenient and cost-effective means of moving your furniture.

Please contact us for further details of our reasonably priced vans.

The TV sitcom, Steptoe and Son, was one of the biggest hits of the 1960s, with the humour revolving around a father and son who ran a rag-and-bone business. It has been voted the 15th best sitcom of all time in a BBC viewers’ poll.

More than half a century after its launch, Steptoe and Son remains a legendary British comedy, with its timeless humour transferring to the modern generation with ease.

 

Show’s background

Scriptwriters Alan Simpson and Ray Galton, who had been friends since 1948, achieved fame thanks to their association with comedian Tony Hancock. They were involved in several radio variety series in their early years, but their big break came in November 1954, with the launch of Hancock’s Half Hour on the radio.

Hancock’s subsequent television series featuring their scripts ran from 1956 to 1961 and assured their status as sought-after scriptwriters. During 1961 and 1962, they wrote ten one-off Comedy Playhouse plays for the BBC. One of the 30-minute plays was called The Offer.

It is believed they were suffering “writer’s block” when they looked out of the window and saw a rag-and-bone man collecting householders’ junk. This inspired them to write The Offer about a father and son who ran a rag-and-bone business.

The play was the most popular in the Comedy Playhouse run and was the only one to spawn its own TV series afterwards. The BBC liked the idea, because it was cheap to film, with most of the action being set in one room.

Initially, Galton and Simpson weren’t keen to do a full series, as they were enjoying writing about different topics for one-off comedy plays, but BBC bosses persuaded them to write a sitcom and Steptoe and Son was the result. It was first broadcast on 4th January 1962.

 

Plot and characters

The two main characters, Harold Steptoe and his father, Albert, live in a squalid house in West London, which is literally filled with junk they have collected, with the intention of selling it on. English actor and comedian Harry H Corbett was 37 when he successfully auditioned for the role of Harold.

Like the character played by Hancock in his television series, Harold Steptoe was a pretentious, would-be intellectual, who had a somewhat fatalistic outlook on life. As well as being a black comedy, Steptoe and Son was a socially realistic drama with its portrayal of living in poverty in the 1960s.

Harold is described as 37 years old and a former serviceman. After leaving the army, he has lived with his widowed father. Albert is rather selfish and guilt-trips Harold into staying and driving the horse and cart, while collecting items to sell for the rag-and-bone business.

Albert is a senior citizen, a first world war veteran and the son of a rag-and-bone man. He was one of 14 children and had been widowed for 26 years at the start of the series. He was satisfied with his life and was stubborn, foul-mouthed and narrow-minded.

Harold thought of himself as above the rag-and-bone business and felt his intellectual side was stifled by the squalor of his everyday life. He was trapped by his circumstances and was continually dissatisfied with his lot.

Albert was played by Irish comedian and actor Henry Wilfrid Brambell, who used his middle name Wilfrid as his stage name. He was only 50 when he was cast in the role. However, the character was portrayed as much older and came across as a finicky and rather seedy old man – a brilliant piece of character acting by Brambell.

He even had to wear a set of “rotten” dentures, as Albert had a poor attitude to personal hygiene. As the two actors playing father and son were only 13 years apart, Brambell was made to look much older.

The two characters had a love-hate relationship and often argued, but as father and son, they cared about each other’s well-being. Although they didn’t always have a happy relationship, they depended on each other in many ways.

Although other family members popped up from time to time, the series was essentially a vehicle that exhibited the two lead characters’ comic abilities. Like a lot of today’s sitcoms, it had poignant moments, as well as comedy.

 

Funny moments

Most of the plots revolve around Harold and Albert’s attempts to make a fast buck. In one episode, a photographer and his agent ask Harold if they can use his yard as the background for a gritty urban photo shoot. Harold agrees and dons a velvet smoking jacket and sunglasses when the models arrive, to try and look more suave.

However, they think he’s blind and start getting undressed in front of him as they prepare for the photo shoot. On finding out he can see, they start calling him a pervert! Needless to say, Harold’s suggestion that he can pose with the models also doesn’t go down too well.

In another episode, Harold decides to re-decorate their house. However, Albert doesn’t like any of the colour schemes that his son suggests. To teach him a lesson, Harold puts a partition in the living room and they each have their own half. He then goes a step too far by adding a coin-operated turnstile in the hall.

His scheme backfires when the house catches fire and father and son need to escape. Unfortunately, the firemen get stuck in the hall when they don’t have any change to operate the turnstile!

 

Bloopers

Like many shows, Steptoe and Son had a number of unintentional comic moments, which would be likely to appear on a “bloopers” compilation programme today.

In one episode, Albert and Harold were fighting over who would have control of the television, as they both wanted to watch different channels. However, a close-up shot of the TV as they argued showed it was a box with an empty shell and nothing inside!

In another scene, Harold and Albert are arguing, when Harold tips a jug of orange juice over his dad’s dead. A shot of Albert’s forehead shows that an existing cut has mysteriously disappeared. The make-up department had apparently forgotten to put it on before filming! However, these blips only endeared Steptoe and Son to viewers even more.

In total, there were eight series of Steptoe and Son, comprising 57 episodes. The original run ended on 26th December 1974. All of the series were released on DVD between 2004 and 2009.

It was also the basis for an American series called Sanford and Son and a Swedish series, Albert and Herbert, both of which had the same format. Steptoe and Son will surely go down in history as one of the all-time British comedy greats.

If you need reliable transport to move junk to the dump, or to take items home from a reclamation yard, why not take advantage of H&H Van Hire’s services? Hiring a van will enable you to transport bulk items safely and efficiently.

You could also rent a reliable van for a convenient and cost-effective means of clearing out the clutter from your home or office.

Please contact us for details.

The ceremony of the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace is a major visitor attraction. It is one of London’s most famous ceremonies, with immaculately turned-out guards, stirring music and military precision drills combining to create a stunning spectacle.

The ceremony takes place when The Queen’s Guard hands over the responsibility of protecting Buckingham Palace and St James’s Palace to the New Guard. It normally takes place on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays at 11am on the forecourt of Buckingham Palace.

© Sammy / Adobe Stock

It begins with a march by a detachment of the Old Guard, accompanied by bandsmen, from St James’s Palace, while a march of the New Guard, also led by a regimental band, sets off from Wellington Barracks. The ceremony takes around 45 minutes.

The Queen’s Guard is provided by Foot Guards from the Household Division, which has five regiments. They are particularly fascinating for visitors, thanks to their easily recognisable scarlet tunics and tall bearskin hats. Music is supplied by a corps of drums, the regimental band, or pipers on occasion.

Soldiers who take part in the changing of the guard are more than just figureheads. They are highly-trained infantry soldiers, who are skilled in a combat role, while also undertaking ceremonial duties.

Christopher Robin

Alan Alexander Milne, better known as Winnie the Pooh author AA Milne, also famously wrote a poem about the ceremony, which he simply called “Buckingham Palace”.

The author had created the stories of Winnie the Pooh, about the likeable anthropomorphic bear, for his son, Christopher Robin Milne. The boy in the stories was also called Christopher Robin and he had many adventures with his pal, Winnie the talking bear.

The real Christopher had named his toy teddy Winnie the Pooh, after seeing a black bear called Winnie at London Zoo. The orphaned wild baby bear had been rescued from a hunter by a Canadian veterinarian, Lieutenant Harry Colebourn, while on manoeuvres with the army during World War I.

Colebourn found her a home for life at London Zoo when he had to go to France with his regiment and she was much loved by the visitors, including young Christopher Robin.

Changing guard poem

Milne wrote the Buckingham Palace poem about Christopher Robin going to the changing of the guard ceremony in 1924, when his son was four years old. It was first published in a collection of his poems called When We Were Very Young.

The poem began with the famous lines, “They’re changing guard at Buckingham Palace – Christopher Robin went down with Alice.”

Over the years, some people speculated that the Alice in question may have been the character Alice in Wonderland, from the 19th century novel by Lewis Carroll. However, the character Alice in the poem was reportedly based on Christopher’s real-life nanny, who was employed to look after him.

His nanny’s real name was Olive Brockwell and she looked after Christopher until he was nine years old, at which time he was sent to boarding school. He always called her by the nickname, Nou. The poem went on to say, “Alice is marrying one of the guard – ‘A soldier’s life is terrible hard,’ said Alice.”

The poem ended with Christopher asking Alice, “Do you think the King knows all about me?” to which she replied, “Sure to, dear, but it’s time for tea!”

It’s unclear whether the poem was based on a real-life visit to see the changing of the guard. It was common for nannies to take out the children they looked after, so it would have been a possibility for Olive to have taken the young Christopher.

When he wrote his memoirs as an adult, Christopher dedicated them to his nanny, saying how he had “adored” her. He wrote, “Alice to millions, but Nou to me”. There was no evidence to suggest that Olive had married a Guardsman in real life, however, as the fictional character had in Milne’s poem.

Gramophone record

In 1941, Milne’s Buckingham Palace poem was made into a record, sung by child star Ann Stephens and set to music by the BBC’s Harold Fraser-Simson, an English composer of light music. Stephens was only nine years old when she recorded the song.

She also recorded other popular children’s songs of the era, including Teddy Bears’ Picnic. Her gramophone recordings were sold in aid of charity and in 1945, she visited Great Ormond Street Hospital, in London, for which she had raised £8,000.

Stephens’ recording remained a classic for many years and it often featured on the BBC Light Entertainment programme, Children’s Favourites. It was set to a military beat with a drum roll, which provided an oddly likeable backing to Stephens’ rather squeaky, childish vocals.

Watching changing of the guard

Watching the changing of the guard ceremony in London is free of charge and tickets aren’t required, although visitors are advised to arrive no later than 10.15am to ensure they have a good view. During the ceremony, police officers are always present to ensure the event runs safely and smoothly.

If you’re planning a trip to London to watch the changing of the guard ceremony, or any other ceremonial spectacles in the capital, why not hire a minibus from H&H Van Hire?

London minibus hire is a popular option for groups of travellers, as it’s convenient and cost-effective. Please contact us for further details of our nine, 14 and 17-seater minibuses.

Dating back to the 11th century, the Tower of London is one of the UK’s most popular and historic tourist attractions, attracting around 2.86 million visitors every year. The imposing building that overlooks the north bank of the Thames was once a prison.

Constructed in 1078, the castle has been renovated with regular improvements over the years. Today, it houses the Crown Jewels and visitors can enjoy guided tours and historical re-enactments.

© asiastock / Adobe Stock

It wasn’t always such a welcoming place and in years gone by, prisoners held there suffered some horrific and often fatal punishments. In the 16th and 17th centuries, the Tower of London reached its peak when it came to housing prisoners and a common fate was death by beheading.

The phrase, “Off with his head!” is one that is often used in popular culture, beginning in the days of Shakespeare’s plays and popping up in Lewis Carroll’s famous 1865 novel, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, when the Queen of Hearts shrieks the words many times.

For the inmates of the Tower of London, it was a constant fear that this was how their lives would end! The first record of execution by beheading dates from 5th May 1388, when Knight of the Garter Sir Simon Burley was executed during the reign of Richard II for treason during a period of political unrest.

The last beheading was recorded in the 18th century, when the Scottish Jacobite Simon Fraser, the 11th Lord Lovat, was executed on 9th April 1747 for committing high treason.

 

History

The castle’s gory history, dating back almost 1,000 years, is a source of fascination for visitors. Construction began in the early 1070s, under the command of England’s first Norman king, William the Conqueror, following his victory in the Norman Conquests.

Conscious of the fact a rebellion was likely, he ordered the construction of the Tower, which would be England’s biggest stone fortress. It dominated the capital’s skyline, standing out on Tower Hill as a constant reminder of his victory.

It took around 20 years before it was finally completed, although William lived there while building work continued, from around 1079 until his death in 1087.

King Richard lived there from 1189 to 1199, spending £2,881 on refurbishing the Tower. Although this doesn’t sound like a lot of money today, back in the 12th century, it was the equivalent of £2.1 million in modern terms, taking inflation into account.

A number of smaller towers were added in the 14th century and the moat was enlarged. The Medieval Tower was the largest concentric castle in England. This meant one ring of defence was built inside a larger one for additional security.

The royal accommodation at the Tower became increasingly luxurious over the centuries. Members of the royal family would stay there during times of conflict to protect themselves and their valuables. Arms and armour were stored and tested there until the 1880s.

The Chapel Royal was where the royals worshipped and they also had a private zoo with exotic animals, which closed in the late 19th century.

 

Notable prisoners

The famous prison finally closed in 1952, after having housed some notorious inmates. Executions were common until the 20th century, with hanging being a regular punishment. There were only 11 executions, all by firing squad, between 1914 and 1941 – for spying during both world wars.

The last person to be executed there was Josef Jacobs on 15th August 1941. He was shot by a military firing squad on the East Casements rifle range. The 43-year-old was found guilty of being a German spy under the Treachery Act 1940, after being captured when he parachuted into the UK during the Second World War.

Prior to this, many high-profile prisoners had met their doom at the Tower of London. Many of them were political prisoners from the highest ranks of society, including Edward Plantagenet, the Earl of Warwick, who was beheaded on 28th November 1499 for treason.

Other prisoners executed by beheading included Edmund de la Pole, the 8th Earl of Suffolk, on 4th May 1513 – his “crime” being that he was the Yorkist claimant to the throne.

Queen Anne Boleyn, the second wife of King Henry VIII, met her fate on 19th May 1536, after being found guilty of adultery, while Queen Katherine Howard, his fifth wife, was executed on 13th February 1542 on the same charge.

In 1952, when the Tower of London ceased being used as a prison, its notorious inmates included the Kray twins, of London gangland fame, who were jailed after they failed to report for their mandatory National Service.

 

Visitor attraction

Visitors flock to the Tower today to see the 23,578 pieces of opulent jewellery that make up the Crown Jewels, including famous diamonds. Visitors can find out more about the great jewels heist of 1671 and whether the culprits succeeded. Guided tours are available, while the Prisoners’ Exhibition details the jail’s most famous inmates.

See the legendary Yeomen of the Guard, better known as Beefeaters, who are the ceremonial guardians of the Tower. Check out Henry VIII’s armour, meet the famous ravens (the trademark of the castle), see the Traitors’ Gate and recoil in horror at the torture chamber in the Lower Wakefield Tower!

The Tower of London is open to the public all year round, with longer opening hours from March to October. H&H Van Hire’s minibus hire is a handy means for all members of your party to travel together.

Enjoy a pleasant journey and reduce transport costs and parking problems. Please contact us for details of our comfortable and reliable nine, 14 and 17-seater minibuses for group trips… just make sure you don’t get left behind!

The annual river race between Oxford and Cambridge universities is one of the oldest sporting events in the world. The men’s race dates back to 1829 and the women’s to 1927.

This year’s Oxford and Cambridge River Race is due to take place on Sunday 7th April, when it will be raising funds for Cancer Research. It is one of London’s biggest free sporting spectacles, creating a party atmosphere on the banks of the River Thames.

Every year, up to 250,000 spectators gather to watch Cambridge University and Oxford University race along the 4.2-mile course between Putney and Mortlake. The women’s race will start at 2.15pm and the men’s race at 3.15pm.

 

Boat race origins

The famous boat race began when two former Harrow School pupils, St John’s Cambridge student Charles Merrivale and Charles Wordsworth (the poet William Wordsworth’s nephew) of Christ Church College, Oxford, met during the holidays.

Wordsworth went rowing on the River Cam in Cambridge and the two students decided to set up a challenge. The idea was launched at a Meeting of Cambridge University Boat Club on 10th February 1829, when the challenge was issued to Oxford University to take part in a race during the Easter holiday.

Oxford won the first boat race, with the crews competing in their famous eight-oared rowing boats, but for the next 25 years, it wasn’t an annual event. The second race moved to London in 1836 and it became an annual event in 1856.

The women’s race was founded in 1927, with the first being held on the River Thames. A report in The Times newspaper said a “large and hostile” crowd gathered on the riverbank because they objected to women rowing and felt it wasn’t a suitable activity for the “weaker sex”.

However, the women’s crews persevered, until like the men’s race, it became an annual event in the 1960s.

 

Charity fundraiser

This year’s event will be the 165th men’s boat race and 74th women’s race. The race’s official title is the Cancer Research UK Boat Race, as the sponsor, BNY Mellon and Newton Investment Management, donates money to the charity.

Cancer Research UK was founded on 4th February 2002, when the Imperial Cancer Research Fund and the Cancer Research Campaign merged into one charity.

It is the largest independent cancer research charity in the world and carries out research into the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of the disease. Its work is funded almost entirely by public donations and more than 40,000 people are regular volunteers.

Last year’s boat race took place on 24th March, following intensive training for the crew in the weeks preceding the event.

Cambridge won the women’s race, finishing around seven lengths in front of Oxford. It was a clean sweep, with the Cambridge men’s team also beating their Oxford rivals by three lengths.

A spokesperson for Cancer Research UK described the boat race as a “truly iconic British sporting event” and also explained how the charity’s work had fuelled medical progress that has led to cancer survival rates doubling in the past forty years. Two in four people survive cancer today and the aim is to improve this rate further.

 

Boat race day out

If you’re planning a trip to the Thames to join the party atmosphere of the boat race, you can watch along the full length of the course, on either side of the river.

Some of the best spots for a great view include Putney Bridge and embankment, and Bishop’s Park at the start. For the first mile, Craven Cottage, home of Fulham Football Club, boasts a great view, while mid-course, Barnes and Hammersmith are good spots.

At the finish, Duke’s meadows and Chiswick Bridge offer a good vantage point. Alternatively, you can watch the action on the big screen at a Boat Race Fan Park, live on BBC TV.

The main fan park is located in Bishop’s Park at the start of The Boat Race, where the whole family is welcome to join the fun. Open from noon, visitors can watch the live BBC coverage on the big screen, while enjoying street food.

There will also be several bars selling Wainwright beer, Chapel Down wine and soft drinks, and stalls at the park will be selling boat race merchandise.

The Wainwright Fan Park is located at Furnivall Gardens in Hammersmith, in the race’s middle section, where spectators can enjoy some of the best views on the course.

If you’re planning a great day out at the Oxford and Cambridge River Race with family and friends, a minibus from H&H Van Hire is an ideal way for groups to travel.

Take advantage of our cost-effective weekend hire by choosing one of our comfortable nine, 14 or 17-seater minibuses, which will enable everyone to arrive together.

Travel in style and work up a party atmosphere in an H&H minibus!

Please contact us for details.

The London Marathon is a British institution which has taken place every year since 1981. With more than 40,000 runners expected to leave the start line, this year’s race will be held on Sunday 28th April.

Run over 26 miles and 385 yards (the standard established by the International Association of Athletics Federations), it is one of the top six marathons in the world.

Entrants include serious elite runners, including disabled athletes, celebrities, ordinary members of the public and plenty of competitors in fancy dress, who run over a mainly flat course around the River Thames.

© babaroga / Adobe Stock

 

Race origins

The race was founded by the former Olympic track and field athlete Chris Brasher and the Welsh 3,000-metre steeplechase runner John Disley. They were regulars in a pub next to Richmond Park, The Dysart Arms, which was the base of Ranelagh Harriers running club.

Every Wednesday evening, the runners would pop in for a drink and chat about the New York Marathon, with its buzzing atmosphere and enthusiastic spectators, who cheered everyone to the finish line.

Some members of the Ranelagh Harriers had taken part in the New York Marathon in 1978 and marvelled at how different it was from marathons in the UK. At the time, most marathons in Britain took place around rural lanes and there were relatively few spectators.

Brasher and Disley were spurred into entering the 1979 New York Marathon and trained hard for the event. Brasher was unsure about running the marathon, since it was a gruelling course, but the duo both finished the race, running past world-famous landmark sights and animated, cheering spectators.

They found the race and the camaraderie of the runners exhilarating. Brasher, a journalist in later life, wrote an editorial in The Observer in which he described the event as “the world’s most human race”.

They wondered if London could stage a similar event, so after discussions with the Amateur Athletics Association, the police, the Greater London Council, the City of London and the London Tourist Board, they designed a course that took in many landmarks.

The route took in Buckingham Palace, Tower Bridge, Big Ben, the Cutty Sark, the Docks and the Embankment. The police approved the race and hence the London Marathon was born.

 

Charitable status

A stumbling block was the cost of staging the event, as permission had been given on condition it was self-funding, with no cost to the ratepayers, but sponsorship was gained from Gillette and it was granted charitable status.

Brasher and Disley detailed their aims for the London Marathon, which included raising funds for sporting and recreational facilities and improving the standards of British marathon running by attracting international competition and providing a fast course.

It was also aimed at boosting tourism in London and proving Britain was best when it came to organising major sporting events, but above all, they wanted the participants to enjoy themselves, with a sense of happiness and achievement in a troubled world.

 

Beneficiaries

Over the years, the London Marathon has grown in numbers and stature and has won massive public support. As a charity sporting event, it is unparalleled and has raised millions of pounds for worthy causes, as one-third of places are offered by charitable organisations.

The event has its own official charities, but runners can raise money for their own causes. Today, more than 750 British charities offer a total of 15,000 guaranteed places for runners.

In 2007, the London Marathon broke the Guinness world record by raising £46.5 million for good causes, as it was the world’s largest annual single fundraising event. Every year since, the record has been broken again.

More than £830 million in total has been raised for charities since 1981. On top of this, the company that organises the race, London Marathon Events Ltd, has raised more than £64.5 million for its own charity, The London Marathon Charitable Trust.

Beneficiaries over the years have included the Sports Aid Foundation, Middlesex Hospital Research Fund, the British Sports Association for the Disabled, the Wishing Well Appeal, the Battle of Britain Appeal, Action on Addiction, the NSPCC, the British Heart Foundation, the National Asthma Campaign and many more.

 

Prize money

Now sponsored by Virgin, the event is known as the Virgin Money London Marathon. There are cash prizes for the winners in various categories. Winners of the men’s and women’s elite categories each receive £39,000. Each runner-up gets £22,000, third place receives £16,000 and fourth place £10,500.

In addition, £70,000 is set aside to be divided between any runners in the men’s race who complete the marathon in less than two hours and five minutes, and any women who run it in less than two hours 18 minutes.

Any competitor who sets a new course record will receive £17,600. The men’s record is two hours three minutes and five seconds, and the women’s record is two hours 17 minutes and 42 seconds.

The men’s and women’s winners of the wheelchair races each receive £17,600. Total prize money divided between all the victorious wheelchair competitors is £100,260.

 

Elite runners

London Marathon 2018 was launched by Queen Elizabeth II from the grounds of Windsor Castle. The elite men’s winner was Kenyan runner Eliud Kipchoge, winning his third London Marathon. The elite women’s winner was Vivian Cheruiyot, also of Kenya.

The men’s elite runner-up was Ethiopian Tola Kitata. Britain’s Mo Farah was third, finishing two minutes and five seconds behind Kipchoge. Setting a new British record, Farah finished in two hours, six minutes and 32 seconds.

Madison de Rozario won the women’s elite wheelchair race and British athlete David Weir won the men’s wheelchair race for the eighth time.

 

Celebrity runners

Every year, the London Marathon attracts a host of celebrity runners. The 2018 competitors included TV personality and model Katie Price, DJ and television presenter Chris Evans, celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay, American actress Caitriona Balfe, Welsh actress Eve Myles and Great British Bake Off star Selasi Gbormittah.

Ramsay has run ten consecutive London Marathons. He has also run other 26.2-mile marathons at locations worldwide, including Los Angeles and Edinburgh.

There was also a team of fellow Great British Bake Off stars in 2018, including Jane Beedle and Chetna Makan, who were running under the name, the Baker’s Dozen. All of the celebrities were running in aid of their chosen charities. Details of who’s running in the 2019 London Marathon will be revealed nearer the time.

If you’re planning to visit the capital for the London Marathon 2019, why not hire a minibus from H&H Van Hire?

London minibus hire is popular for groups of travellers, as it enables everyone to arrive together, without the hassle and expense of taking individual vehicles.

Please contact us for further details of how to book our modern nine, 14 and 17-seater minibuses.

The Pearly Kings and Queens have been a vibrant and colourful part of London’s culture for over 150 years, but who are they exactly and why do they wear costumes covered with buttons?

© Gary Knight / CC BY-SA 2.0

 

Pearly history

The history of the Pearlies dates back to the Victorian era, when street traders in London, known as costermongers, would sew buttons up the seams of their trousers to distinguish themselves and denote their status. These costermongers were proud of their working class roots and established the ‘Lambeth Walk’ parade. As a tight-knit community, they were known for helping each other out.

A local rat catcher and street sweeper, Henry Croft, got to know the costermongers and was inspired by the costumes they wore. In 1875, Henry decided to make a similar costume of his own, covering it with 60,000 smoked, mother-of-pearl buttons. Various theories abound as to where Henry obtained the buttons. Some say he picked them up off the streets, while others say he found an abandoned haul of buttons on the bank of the River Thames.

Henry created the first full costume made from pearl buttons, known as a smother suit. He created a design on the suit with the slogan ‘pity the poor’, in the hope that he could collect money for the orphanage he grew up in. The costume quickly gained a lot of attention, and before long Henry, with the help of the costermongers, was raising funds for hospitals and other charitable needs.

The Pearly movement grew and by 1911, an organised society for the Pearly Kings and Queens was formed. At this time, 28 London boroughs had their own Pearly King and Queen, most stemming from the costermonger community. When Henry Croft died in 1930, 400 Pearlies attended his funeral.

 

Pearly traditions

The Pearly culture is still alive and strong in London today, with several active groups in operation. Pearly titles and traditions are passed down through families, of which there are currently around 30 Pearly families in the Capital.

Elaborate button-covered costumes are still worn by Pearly Kings and Queens. Buttons are sewn into the costume to represent specific symbols, designs or words, such as doves for peace, a heart for charity or a horseshoe to bring good luck. As many as 30,000 buttons can cover an outfit, often weighing around 30 kgs or more. Hats adorned with ostrich feathers are also worn by the Queens – or ‘donahs’, as the females are often called.

Donkeys are of special significance to the Pearlies, as they pulled costermongers’ carts to the market. The harvest festival is also important to Pearly culture and annual festivities include donkeys and carts, marching bands and maypole dancing.

 

Charity work

Charitable work is still a vital part of the Pearly King and Queen culture today. Outfits are worn by the Pearlies when raising funds for charity, but also for other occasions such as weddings, funerals and christenings.

 

Pearly inspiration

Although Pearly costumes are rooted in working class culture, they have become something of an iconic symbol in more recent times, revered by high-profile fashion designers and costume makers alike. Boris Johnson is said to be a fan of the Pearlies, and Kylie Minogue wore her own Pearly costume at the Queen’s Jubilee Concert. The Pearlies even put in an appearance at the 2012 Olympics Opening Ceremony in London.

Costumes worn by the Pearly Kings and Queens can be seen on display at the Museum of London, reinforcing the history of this unique and iconic British culture.

If you would like to immerse yourself in Pearly culture at the Museum of London, grab a few like-minded buddies and hire a top-notch minibus from H&H Van Hire.

The O2 Arena in London is one of the biggest live entertainment venues in the world, accommodating 20,000 people and welcoming more than two million visitors every year.

Built at a cost of more than £800 million to mark the UK’s millennium celebrations, it houses a spectacular year-long exhibition that began on 1st January 2000.

Initially called the Millennium Dome, the white building designed by architect Richard Rogers features one of the largest domes in the world and is a spectacular landmark on the capital’s skyline.

© Victor Moussa / Adobe Stock

 

History

The building was planned by John Major’s Conservative government as a World Fair-type showcase to mark the third millennium. Funding was largely provided by the National Lottery.

Construction work started in 1997, taking three years to complete. The exterior of the building features a large, white dome, with 12 yellow towers on top, each one standing 100 metres high. The 12 towers represent each month of the year, while the building’s diameter of 365 metres represents the number of days in a year.

Once the successful millennium exhibition had finished, the Greenwich building’s future was the subject of much debate and controversy. The millennium exhibition was never going to be permanent, and due to the huge cost of building the Millennium Dome, a more permanent use was sought for the premises.

Press reports claimed its maintenance costs were £1 million a month, even when empty. Apart from the commendable efforts that turned it into a temporary shelter for homeless people over Christmas in 2003, the Millennium Dome began to look like a “white elephant”.

 

O2 Arena

However, all of this changed in 2007, when Meridian Delta Ltd transformed it into the O2 Arena, sponsored by the telecommunications giant. Ever since, it has hosted live gigs by some of the world’s major superstars including Ed Sheeran, Celine Dion, Bon Jovi, Take That, Rod Stewart, Rihanna, Jay Z, Justin Bieber, Noel Gallagher and Prince.

In total, around 600 artists have played at the O2 Arena. The fastest-selling gig was the reunion concert by the Spice Girls in 2007, which had completely sold out in just 38 seconds!

The venue was even used as a filming location for the James Bond movie, The World is Not Enough, in 1999. Starring Pierce Brosnan as British spy 007, scenes from the film were filmed at the Millennium Dome, before it opened to the public.

Bond chases a beautiful villain in a speed-boat along the River Thames, but she tries to escape in a hot air balloon. Bond ends up on top of the O2, trying to grab the ropes of the balloon, but he loses his grip and falls on to the roof of the arena in the thrilling opening sequence.

 

Shows for 2019

This year, a number of top artists and events are lined up for the O2. The Brit Awards 2019 will be staged there on 20th February, hosted by Jack Whitehall for the second consecutive year.

Nicki Minaj will be playing live on 11th March, as part of her world tour. She will be showcasing her platinum-selling album, Queen, promising fans a “fully immersive experience”. The tour also features Chicago rapper Juice Wrld.

Take That have announced eight dates at the O2, starting on 2nd May, to celebrate their 30th-anniversary tour. They will be joined by pop superstar Rick Astley.

Olly Murs’ All the Hits Tour is stopping off at the O2 on 17th and 18th May. Now a host on TV talent show The Voice, he is the X-Factor’s most successful male artist, with more than 17.5 million followers on social media.

Rita Ora will be appearing on 24th May, followed by crooner Michael Bublé from 30th May to 1st June. Boy band Westlife are playing live from 13th to 15th June, celebrating their 20th anniversary with The Twenty Tour.

Backstreet’s back alright! Yes, the Backstreet Boys’ DNA World Tour on 17th and 18th June showcases their new album. Ariana Grande will be appearing from 17th to 20th August, followed by Cher on 20th and 21st October.

 

Rock icons

Veteran rocker Rod Stewart ends his 2019 tour with two massive nights at the O2 on 17th December and 19th December. The tour will be filled with both classic hits and the latest songs from his new album, Blood Red Roses. Stewart is one of the best-selling artists of all time, having sold more than 200 million records across the world.

Legendary singer Elton John is kicking off his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour at the O2 on 4th November and has a further four shows lined up, before he embarks on the colossal world tour throughout 2020 and 2021.

It will be taking in many places where the superstar has played during the past 50 years and will consist of 300 shows across five continents. He says the UK dates will be “emotional” and “a lot of fun”, marking what he says will be his last ever live tour.

If you’re planning to watch your favourite stars playing at the O2, hiring a minibus from H&H Van Hire is an ideal way for groups of people to travel.

Enjoy the build up to the gig and arrive together in comfort. A minibus will also cut out the hassle and expense of taking several individual cars. Our minibuses provide a cost-effective travel solution when you divide the hire fee between you.

Please contact us for further details of our comfortable nine, 14 and 17-seater minibuses.

Have a great show!