Back in the 1960s/70s I bought my private visiting cards and notepaper from Dave Elkington who rented a room in Lamb's Conduit Street. Dave was a copperplate engraver and printer. In the room where he worked alone and in silence he had a table, at which he engraved his plates, and an ancient hand-operated printing press. He had no telephone and could only be contacted by post. His wife would call from a nearby public call box the advise when finished orders were ready to be dispatched. They must have lived very frugally. Despite his incredible engraving skills and the time it must have taken to execute each order, he charged remarkably little for his services.

So wonderful to see folks recognising you, John. "Hey, John Rogers!!" 👋👋

Probably my favourite KZread video ever. I was posted to Holborn as a police officer in the mid 80's and as a history nut you can imagine how much I enjoyed walking the beat there. I love the cadence of your delivery and almost reverential way in which you connect with the past. Thank you so much John. Cheers.

@JohnRogersWalks

2 жыл бұрын

many thanks L

@Britoverseas

2 жыл бұрын

The thanks go to you John. Lance

You sir are definitely master of walks.just lovely.

Loved this walk, it brought back so many memories for me. I was in Great Ormond St hospital for 4 months at the age of 2yrs old, that was 74 years ago. 56 yrs ago I used to walk down Lambs Conduit St to the baby clinic on the corner adjoined to the hospital with my eldest son, it was called 'The Province of Natal'. I have walked though many of those Mews and streets. Played in Coram fields myself as a child and aslo with my son. We had two of those gas lamps down our terrace in Islington, the man used to arrive at 4pm every day on his bike carrying a long pole, he would unhook the litte glass door at the top then light the lamp. 9am the next day he would extinguish the light. The lamp post itself made a great swing using thick rope tied from the metal bar at the top, health and safty would cringe nowadays. The lamp posts also came in handy as breaks when roller skating with the old fashioned metal wheel roller skates 😁. Thank you so much, I did enjoy that trip back to my childhood and my old home country 💕🇦🇺

I moved to London past May from the US and we were given a place to stay in this neighborhood (on Kings Mews) for our first 5 or 6 weeks and really loved it. Your walks have been a real inspiration for my own wanderings, exploring and learning a few of the secrets of this fascinating city. So it was really fun to see you in this video around the neighborhood that was my first proper introduction to London as a real lived-in place rather than just a tourist destination.

@clair233

2 жыл бұрын

You just be a neighbour of mine. Welcome 🙏

@AbiCroCro

2 жыл бұрын

Did you stay with a company called Be London by any chance?! I’m currently staying in Kings Mews at the moment too and am enjoying it for the same reasons.

@clair233

2 жыл бұрын

@@AbiCroCro no, no company residency. Im a local 🙂

@dpeastman

2 жыл бұрын

@@AbiCroCro I wasn't involved in the booking so I don't remember the name of the company. It was on the lower end close to Theobalds Rd.

As an American I love watching your walks! I sadly will not be back to London to possibly see you, but thank you for the walks and the history!

Hey great video yet again! thats me and my son Louie at the end 😂 On the way to collect my eldest Son from Coram’s. We’re honoured to have made the cut! Great meeting you. Love your videos man see you on the next walk.. wherever that may be 😎👍

My mum worked in Lamb's Conduit St during the 1970's and 80's as a Florist. She made many bouquets for dignitaries and celebs visiting Great Ormand Street hospital including the Queen, her claim to Fame. It was lovely to see the area again and do a bit of reminiscing, thanks for taking me back. A wonderful video, as usual.

I'm halfway through your full playlist, having discovered your channel by luck a month or so back. Loving your enthusiasm and interesting back stories for every locale. Looking forward to many more videos in the coming months/years.

@JohnRogersWalks

2 жыл бұрын

Cheers Eden - massively appreciated

As per usual you provide a great film of a fascinating walk. I worked for the British Library for 37 years, 22 years in the British Museum building and 15 in the new St.Pancras building. I know Bloomsbury and Holborn very well. Apart from the many fascinating streets and buildings which you describe so well, I love all the squares in Bloomsbury.

@nasreireinas3392

2 жыл бұрын

My dad worked at the british library ( at the museum also at the new building at st pancreas before he retired,

@balance3201

2 жыл бұрын

Noice

@Tourist1967

2 жыл бұрын

Worked on Bedford Square for a while. My office at the back of the building overlooked part of the British Museum. Bloomsbury is probably my favourite part of London.

Hey John Rogers,, loved that ending. A man of the people

Having worked in Clerkenwell/Farringdon for nearly 50 years this is another area I know well. So many beautiful houses/buildings. As always, a very enjoyable walk. Thank you John.

Best sign off so far, and frankly will be hard to top.

I used to leave Chancery Lane Station, turn right into Brownlow Street, which changes to Bedford Row, cross Theobalds Road and I worked in Gt James Street (can't remember the number - solicitors). Worked there for a year or so. Lovely to see that little trip again. Later I worked at Doughty Street Chambers (but Keir Starmer was not there then !!) but I never did go into the Dickens Museum 😒

When you were by Charles Dickens house I was saying to the screen The Coram's Foundling Hospital Museum is not far away so I'm glad you didn't miss it out. It is worth visiting. It's just a short walk from that special park. If you haven't got a child with you there is nice park,a garden square next door that you can sit in to eat your lunch. There was nice plantings there. I visited the Coram's Museum in 2018 as I was going to Chelsea Flower Show but I had an after 4.30 pm ticket which is cheaper and better because the light is all golden and gets dusky in a beautiful way and the show is less crowded and it's nice. Relaxing. It's very moving to see the tokens in the museum.

Spent many of times in the LAMB. Lovely old pub.

Excellent way to start the day and looking forward to reading The London Nobody Knows which I've just bought online.

what a lovely walk! Seeing London - specially old London- makes my heart burst with joy. I was in Lamb's conduit in 2015, visiting this quaint and beautiful independent bookshop called Persephone books. They've moved to Bath last year. Lovely street. Had a cup of tea at a coffeeshop called Bloom, a few feet away from the bookshop. Thank you so much, John!

@zoefoster1873

2 жыл бұрын

I didn't know that Persephone Books had moved! What a shame they're not still in Lambs Conduit St...fabulous bookshop!!

Brings back memories from when i was a bicycle messenger.. More of THIS!!!! Please..

I had just finished watching this walk while sitting on the rank at Waterloo and thinking I hadn't been into Grays Inn for more than 10 years when I was hailed to go there (north square to be precise) and it was lovely to see it in the flesh again One thing I noticed that you didn't point out was the water pump in the square with gold paint picking out the detail Great video

I loved wandering round the inns of court so tranquil. A barrister od judge in full fig said 'Hello" to me-how polite.

Your videos bring back wonderful memories of when I was studying at the London School of Economics in 1987. There used to be so many unique shops and vendors back in those days, all sadly swallowed up by luxury flats and generic shops. Thank you for the walk down memory lane.

This one put a smile on my face, thanks John

Gosh, John. This was phenomenal. I grew up on these streets; my first memories are from Lambs Conduit Street (early 80s) before we moved to 14 Rugby Street, opposite French’s Dairy. There was a funeral directors across the street and I remember my Nan (who was a little naïve, bless her) saying “That building is so unlucky... people keep dying". I also spent long days playing in Coram’s Fields; so many childhood memories. Thanks for a poignant and engaging tour of one of the most unique places in London.

I worked based in Theobalds Road from 1975 until 1999 and in the beautiful Summit House in Red Lion Square. We used to drink in the Enterprise, the Lamb and the Sun. Spent many lunch times walking around Lincoln's Inn. Fantastic memories of many happy times. Thanks for posting John.👍😇

Worked really close to the Cittie of Yorke and drank there many times really is a great pub. Enjoyed re-walking (with you) those streets again. I used to walk from Victoria Station to Holburn as often was quicker than catching the tube. Got to know a lot of the back routes and the real London. Very much enjoyed this and now off to watch the Clerkenwell one as worked there for years also.

I used to work at the top of that art deco building :). Its a rooftop haidressers. The top two floors. I was there for 12yrs. Northington street will always have a place in my heart.

Worked up round there back in the 80s...great fun, great days.

Special memories of living on Theobalds road around the time the peoples supermarket opened. Lovely part of the city.

Enjoyable as ever thanks John

Best wishes from a very muggy Brisbane Australia, John. Thank you for your wonderful videos which take me back to my wonderful working holiday in the UK 40 years ago. So enjoy them all!! Keep safe.

My first job was in Lambs Conduit Street. I remember lunchtimes in The Lamb in the hot summer of 1975.

Hi John.. Great video of one of my old haunts. I used to work in Eagle St so spent quite a few hours walking around lunchtime and evening. Mewing is the avian equivalent to dogs molting. Hunting birds weren't flown during the mew so were kept inside.

@JohnRogersWalks

2 жыл бұрын

Many thanks for the info Kes, mystery solved

@kestrel230

2 жыл бұрын

I have to take issue regarding the perceived benefits of Sam Smith. They've taken over most of the truly historic London pubs, removing most of the variety in the process. The Princess Louise just down the road is a prime example. Fantastic pub, like an old gin palace. Pre Smith's you could go in and find around 20 pumps on the bar, each serving a different ale. Now it's just twiggy OBB. The one "benefit" is the price - but I feel it's poor compensation for the cost of what we lost

The irony of the close was brilliant. You were talking about happy memories with your son,when a man ,carrying his small son,recognised you and called your name. I wonder where he'll be walking when his son is at university?? Love these walks. Thanks.

@JohnRogersWalks

8 ай бұрын

thanks for that lovely observation Keith

I was concerned when no video appeared yesterday. What a relief to see this lovely video in the area I studied when at art school in the 80s. Thank you John!

This is very nostalgic for me as I worked at 16 Bedford Row for about 14 years until 1984, at David Pilton Advertising. Happy times. Haven't been back to London since then though and I probably wouldn't recognise some of it now, with its collection of iconic sky scrapers. Maybe one day...

This walk brought back good memories of when I worked in the area as well as the friend who was my guide to many of its pubs and curiosities. My former employers used to make use of the Goodenough Club. You could hire it out if your business was concerned with educational purposes. It was, so colleagues from outside of London could stay in the Goodenough’s accommodation on Mecklenburgh Sq. The part you went past was where the refectory was based which offered an amazing value breakfast. Supposedly the best in London. Got me through some hangovers. And the Duke is a lovely pub.

I'm drawn in to another age when I watch and listen to your little tours of the London back streets and alleyways, fascinating and informative. 👍👨‍🎓

My first job when I moved down to London after Uni was at no 4 Great James St, we used to have our lunch from the wonderful Goldi,s in Greys Inn. That was circa 1993

Another great walk, John . Love WC1. My wife and I were walking from liv st to the strand on this day. I used to be a courier, so we walked over through EC1 over to high Holburn. I did say imagine if we bump into John Rogers , how exciting would that be to see him ? To actually see, we wasn't too far from you; it made us smile watching this video. Great work as always, John 👍👏👏

Thanks for this new one!

Still have a lamplighter in wroclaw poland

@mikej4193

2 жыл бұрын

Christopher Jones , Wroclaw and Polska beautiful especially the squares , Torun , Krakow , Gdnask etc 😊

12:06 I 'worked' in a shared workshop in Cockpit Yard after graduating from Kingston Poly (we drank far too much coffee) for a couple of years back in the 80s. I got to know these streets so well back then. Great to see it again.

How nice to be recognized, "hey John Rogers" Great.

Fascinating. I lived in Leather Lane in the mid 80s, worked split shifts in a pub in Russell Square , so used to do variations of this route 4 times a day. Also looked after a flat in Doughty Mews for an American friend

A fantastic watch, did not want it to end !

Excellent as always, John!

My dad’s working on a house on Great James Street at the moment, it’s been a few years of restoration work, the house is magical. I also used to work with him and we’d go for walks with his friend who’s a historian and has written books on Georgian architecture. Really lovely stuff! I’m coincidentally staying in this area at the moment and it’s truly my favourite part of London, so rich in history and you can see it everywhere.

So enjoyable , thanks for sharing

Very enjoyable. Have never lived in London or indeed the UK but both are the backgrounds of most of my reading so it is wonderful to " see " places I have read about.

I really enjoy particularly the reflective/meditative music choices

Thanks for the educational walk, as usual much appreciated.

Thank you very much John, that was a lovely walk.

The Duke at the end on Johns Mews is an amazing building. Built in 1938 the pub still retains its original or at least authentic décor. It's also extremely peaceful with hardly any traffic. Doughty Mews, just to the left of the pub is also stunning, similar to Kings Mews.

@davidbeatts6036

2 жыл бұрын

Should have watched a little further!!...John get to both a little later!

I've spent the last 2 days with your videos in the background while I work. But this one really piqued my interest. I lived at 21b Great James Street when I first got married in 2004. I proposed to my wife in Ciao Bella's on Lambs Conduit Street on Christmas Eve 2002. Beautiful part of London with many fond memories and you captured it so well. Many thanks Rob ps The Peoples Supermarket was there then 😁

@JohnRogersWalks

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for sharing that memory Rob

@robkinnison902

Жыл бұрын

@@JohnRogersWalks I'm so glad I have found your channel. It's a pot of gold.

So many people appreciate this channel John, thank you so much.

Brought up in Holborn, just behind lambs conduit street. Orde Hall Street… best times of my life in the 70s / 80s & early 90s then moved away. Fantastic place to live.

What a fantastic walk! Starting with a pub history, love hearing of the history of the streets, and then a great show of how well you are known for your walks at the end. That was marvellous! You are a legend!

Hi John I stumbled across your channel and have really enjoyed the journey's you take us on. I moved away from London 20 years ago, but am really enjoying reliving parts I knew through you. I used to work in Chancery Lane so it was great to see that in todays episode. I can't believe your encyclopedic knowledge, I have no idea how you retain it all! But I'm very grateful you do. Thanks for all your hard work

Enjoyable walk as usual.Thanks John!

Love the videos of your walks. Keep up the good work 🙂

Great walk as always John. 👏🏻

Another fascinating walk, John. Thank you.

Love the city walks! Thanks!

Used to work for a firm of solicitors many years back and would often take legal bundles to chambers, used to love walking round Lincolns Inn, the buildings and architecture are really beautiful, and would sometimes forget that you were in central London!

Fabulous walk. Thank you, John. All the best.

Your channel popped up in my feed a few weeks ago and I’m so glad it did. I’m a Londoner living abroad and love your videos. They are always interesting and i feel like I’m walking with you, I like the music too. Thank you John!

I love the videos, John. Quite a few around some of my old haunts. I used to work in North Mews and strolled around here regularly and drunk in all the pubs featured. Keep the videos coming

Another great video, full of fascinating detail to entice more of us to explore these city byways. Thank you.

Keep up the good work and walks excellent thanks 👏👏

God bless you my friend for the videos

Loved the video!

Fascinating walk John, thank you.

Another great video John. I’m so glad I found your channel. It’s almost Zen!

nice movie great to see these walks around London brings back many happy memories thank you

I believe 'mews' is where the kings hawks were kept during 'molting' time (mew time) and kept the name after they were converted to Royal stables for horses.

One of my favourite parts of London.. Lovely video

Lovely video ,I feel I'm there when I'm watching it.London is the best city in the world.

hi john' thanks for another great and interesting video and hope you and your family and your dog are safe and well.look forward to the next video on sunday or monday or when ever.cheers john.

I sincerely thank you for exchanging your knowledge of London and its suburbs. I have always said that my knowledge was reasonable but now know I only knew of and not the depth of knowledge you have. Thank you John, and long may your broadcasts continue. Have you considered making a box set of any of your favoured areas such as Fleet Street, Graysinn RD, The Temple and the Strand? Again thank you John.

Lovely walk John around one of my favourite parts of London round the Inns of court.Very interesting as always.

What a wonderful piece of London...thankz

So great. I really enjoyed this walk. The ending was epic! Wherever that may be!

Well, I now have a lot of videos to watch having just discovered yours! Thank you from North Carolina USA for allowing me to see the sights of London that I most likely will never see in person! It’s lovely that you talk as if you are walking along with a friend, just showing the sights - makes me feel like I’m visiting an old friend!

I to love this area of London, worked in Holborn for a number of years and spent many lunchtimes walking these streets. Thanks for the memories John! 😃

Another interesting and brilliant walk from you, especially your central London walks which I enjoy very much and which I always think I know lot of the areas but then listening and watching you I'm not all that up on the local history than I thought 😃 Sunday is certainly a great time for these walks. Thanks John for another interesting Sunday walk .......... which I'm watching late on Monday night 🙂 and looking forward as always to your next one 👍

Wonderful sense of sentiment for you here John. I think I will feel this way in the old city of David. Cheers!

Happy memories (i used to work in Bernard Street), had a works Christmas party in Goodenough College, many a retirement do in the upstairs room at The Lamb, and meals in Ciao Bella next door. Walking around that area at lunchtimes there is so much to see and do.

The Lamb is a superb pub. Haven’t been in for over a year but at lunch they used to do excellent ‘door step’ sandwich’s. The Italian restaurant next door is pretty damn good as well.

Not long ago I listened to Keep the Aspidistra Flying and I enjoyed it much more than I thought I would. I was a little afraid it’d be dull and inaccessible but I couldn’t have been more wrong. Thanks for making the connection- something you do quite well.

Thanks john for such a lovely walk

@JohnRogersWalks

2 жыл бұрын

My pleasure 4thEye

Fabulous John, really enjoyed this one, an inspiration to take a turn there - the Georgian architecture I knew about from a Dickens museum visit last year but no idea there were so many gorgeous looking mews in the area. And what wonderful-looking pubs. Bravo, as usual!

I recently found your channel and it's and absolutely delight. I especially enjoyed seeing Gray's Inn. I have heard of it, but had no idea it was still standing.

@JohnRogersWalks

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Avalon - the Inns of Court are real treasures

John, it is really nice to see you getting recognition whilst actually doing the walks.

Another great video John , it's always good to watch your video's here in Adelaide , I was born in Ilford and worked in and around London in the building trade and moved away in 1988 and lived here for 34 years 😊👍

Really interesting area to explore! Thanks very much for sharing!

How lovely is this! Loved the chap at the end who recognised you. I love this area. Early memories of having to go to Eastman's Dental Hospital in Gray's Inn Rd. If I was very lucky my dear Mam would bring me to Coram's Fields afterwards. Absolutely enchanting walk, thanks as always John.

I use to work in an office near the first gate that was closed and use go eat my lunch in that park in grays Inn 12pm to 2pm brilliant memories I love this part of Holborn thank you for the walk John.

Excellent! Enjoyed it.