It always strikes me how ironic it was that my Great-grandparents, living on a small farm in the back of beyond in Ulster, 30-40 years after a terrible famine, actually lived much better lives than many of the residents of the capital of the Empire.
I'm always happy to see interesting, well-researched, educational channels do well on TH-cam. I don't know about other countries but it sure helps fill a massive void here in the US. Keep up the good work and I hope you find even more success here.
I was in London last week and after watching a few of your videos including this one I went down Brydges place myself, it is indeed a blink and you'll miss it alleyway and very narrow at the St Martins lane end. I love wandering around London and going up and down all these walkways and alleyways just to see where they go, not fussed about the touristy sites, I've seen them but the lesser seen side of London, that is what I like. I went down Lower Roberts street as well after watching another of your videos. There really is a while lot to see if one just looks. Thanks for the great content and I look forward to exploring more of the places in your videos
Hey Rob! Hope you’re well mate. I really enjoy your various video posts. I lived in London for more than 20 years and your posts help me reminisce, as I miss the life I had in The West End, where I lived much of the time. For 10 years we lived on Hanway Place, 4 years in Centre Point House on St Giles High St and 6 years on James’s St, W1 by St Christopher’s Place and Selfridges. A lady/neighbour that I cared for lived in Manchester Square. She had lived in the same basement flat from 1946 to her passing away in 2012 at aged 96. She was a ballerina, dancer and choreographer and I used to sit with her for hours listening to her stories of her life in London. Happy days! Keep up with your fascinating videos please. All the very best, Mark
I worked in Covent Garden until recently and know all of those streets and alleyways. Covent Garden is truly fascinating if you have time to linger beyond the tourist trap bits. I don’t work in London these days but work from home in Horsham. London is amazing, but there’s plenty of history in this little town too. We are lucky on this island; history is everywhere.
A friend of mine lived down there in the early 1990s. He had a flat on an upper floor, the front door came out in Brydges Place next to that green arch. Apparently it was normally rented out to visiting opera singers et cetera who were appearing at Eno opposite. Luckily he was a thin man so was always able to get down the alley. One day he said, oh they’ve opened a piano bar downstairs, which we thought would be rather civilized. It turned out to be an early Pitcher & Piano (horrible bar for shouty after-work types) LOL. After that he would often find his front doorstep used as a toilet, and I’m talking the whole slum-dwelling night-soil Monty 💩🤢. Plus ca change.
Very typical london life, I think i once fell asleep in some grabage bags in by the green doors! I had been at the club called Punk near to Poland street and obv got lost and tired!
Rob your pitch and pace and sort of friendly smile in your voice works well as you deliver these incredibly researched historic trips down memory lane, and you make us want to visit even more.
Thank you so much Robert.... I can't express how much your kind words mean to me; very much appreciated. These are the sort of comments that push me to keep making videos. Thanks again mate and stay well.
Another proof that you can never know enough about your capital city. Londons history is so dense, even at my advanced age can always learn👍👍 keep safe and well.
I worked in Long Acre for a couple of years in the 1980s and discovered this alley. Its the sort of place where you look over your shoulder to see if you are being followed. I well remember the cigarette advert you discuss. It contained the words 'You are never alone with a strand'. Very informative video Rob once again and thanks for highlighting the living conditions and sheer misery of the bulk of the general public at that time. There was never a better time to be an aristocrat.
I know this alley well, not only as a cut through, but also from working in the Coliseum and out of the exit doors and straight into The Harp pub. Whether you're watching a show or appearing in it, the brass players from the orchestra always beat you to the bar!
I'm British, living in California. I've learned more about my own country from videos, than I ever would if I was still in UK.I now have a long Bucket List for places I want to visit should I go home again. Thank you 😊
Wonderful yet again Rob. Worked for the ‘Queen’s Bank’ in the 80s and 90s, and the branches ar 440 strand were Adelaide, Buckingham, Chandon and Duncannon with staff branch St Giles. Wow, what history behind those names we took for granted.
I've worked at the Coli for over 30yrs and spent many evenings in Brydges place drinking! Lots of interesting stuff to add to my knowledge of the area- so thank you.
This a fantastic piece of history, presented for all people around the world to enjoy and marvel at the brilliant architecture and rich history of the greatest city in the World, London! Thank you from Australia, Rob.
A fascinating catalogue of historical research, bristling with macabre tales of death, and the appalling poverty of Victorian London. Only Rob's London could extract such an interesting compendium of stories from the past. Excellent research. We should be eternally grateful for the detailed journalism from newspapers of yesteryear, from which you gleaned the gruesome details, Rob! Another great video!
As always erudite, well researched and interesting. I will be sure to look out for it next time I'm passing. I was talking to an American friend living quite close to New York. He knew about your channel and was subscribed with a couple of his American friends. You are going international Rob! Thanks for your work.
Thank you so much Wayne; your comment has made my day! 😊 Please send my warmest regards to your American friends. Thanks again for your support and kind words; stay well.
Not sure why you don't have more subscribers because you put out some quality content. Maybe it just takes a lot of time. Thanks for sharing and keep up the good work!
Really appreciate that Johnny; many thanks. Quite a few more people seem to be finding the channel now, so fingers crossed more will come! It's thanks to good people such as yourself that things are moving; I couldn't do it without your support. Take care mate and thanks again; stay well.
The "You're never alone with a Strand" tv cigarette commercial is very memorable and interesting in terms of advertising history, as it was very popular with the public and the actor who played the lonely man became a bit of a celebrity at the time. The 'Lonely Man' theme music used in the ad was also a minor chart hit. However it didn't sell many cigarettes, in fact it had the opposite effect on sales, as the general public associated smoking the brand with being some sort of sad, and lonely loser. As such the brand was withdrawn from sale shortly after.
Hi, Trevor. Thank you for this really interesting information. Strand was indeed a popular brand - my father smoked it - but there were also others: woodbine, senior service, sobranie and so on, as you will no doubt know. The one that always struck me by its name was Passing Clouds, in an oval shape. Long gone now, but I do find that, amusingly, there is an e-liquid version available on the market.
I knew about the advert, I rememberhearing it. It must have been radio. I know it became associated with sad losers, as Alan Davies brought it up on QI, but I had never seen the photo.
@@royksk Did not know that. So Strand became Regal? I have a vague idea Regal might have reached Australia. Otherwise I must have chanced meeting a newly arrived Brit still on the cigarette supplies they brought out.
I'm in the middle of reading "Wonderful London" (author unknown, published 1878, available on the archive web site). In the chapter titled "Cockney cave-dwellers" (pdf page 379 / text page 354), I read this:- "[Dudley Street] always was given over to vendors of old clothes and boots and shoes, and to a great extent it is now. The living cellars are under the old-clothes shops, and in many cases the wooden trap-door in the common pavement - the one only means of ingress and exit, of light and air - is festooned and overhung by old boots and trousers, much, I imagine, to the inconvenience of the subterranean lodgers." I was fascinated to see the 1872 Dore engraving (around 5 minutes in your video) showing Dudley street, complete with shoes on the pavement and trapdoors into the cellars. (By the way, in case my post appears twice, I previously posted a note about this a couple of days ago, but it seems to have vanished.) Peter
Not far from it is Goodwin's Ct, I often cut through that on my way from covent garden to Trafalgar Square. It really feels like you're stepping 150 years back leaving the noise and the tourists behind. That's one of the things I like the most about Covent Garden area: these twisted streets that tell you stories. Ah! If walls could talk! Well, here they do.
Goodwin's Court is a magical! That was the alley I was going to suggest. Next time we are in London we will have to go round the block using Goodwin's Court and Brydges Lane to connect St. Martin's and Bedfordsbury.
I used to work at the connection at st Martin in the fields so seeing all this footage has brought back so many memories. I used to go up st Martin’s lane many times to get lunch, also we had our team Christmas lunch at the lemon tree (very good food!) and my leaving drinks at the harp!
Great video once again, Rob. I worked in front of Brydges Place at 114 St. Martins Lane for a number of years and would take this ally regularly as well as witness the things that went on when I sat by the window looking directly at it
Well I'm staying at the Z Hotel directly opposite the Bedfordbury end of Brydges Place on Thursday and so I'll have a stroll down it. I wouldn't have known to look without your vid. And, young Rob, this is the point. You're getting traction on your channel because you're doing interesting, well researched and perfectly enunciated nuggets of local history that we need to know about. Congrats, and keep 'em coming.
That means a lot to me, thank you so much 😊 Hope you enjoy your wander down there… might want to hold your nose though- it didn’t smell too good when I was filming there! 😉😂 Thanks again for your kind words and support; stay well.
Another great and informative video,Rob. Many thanks. I remember this place as my first pub as a manager, was 'The Angel And Crown in St Martins Lane. (Nov called Foggs or something). I used that alleyway many,many times as a shortcut. You brought back some fond memories from 30 years ago! Cracking stuff.
Loving these videos. I work in covent garden and walk past Brydges Place every day. Ive always been interested in history, particularly that of london and your films really give london and its streets some great context.Keep it up!
New subscriber based on your fascinating and informative video style. Well done. I'm a Londoner and always marvel at the hidden history of our great city, brought to life by people like yourself. Cracking work.
Hope these words overwhelm you with motivation to create more of this excellent work. And if not, just take them as an honest attempt to boost your success within the algorithm! Seriously though, I love your narrations. The accent, the almost asmr tones, the script, the editing. Everything. Perfect. Thanks for making these, I really do appreciate it.
That means so much to me Tom; many thanks indeed! Very much appreciated; and it is lovely words like yours that do indeed keep me going. Thank you again and stay well :-)
Thanks for bringing back memories! I used to go to The Festival Club which was in Brydges Place back in the 1960's so I've always known that alleyway was there. The Festival was accessed via a door on the right just down from St Martins Lane. It was just a drinking club and up some stairs as I recall. Ah...good times!
@@ninianmacmillan-keith7435 I'm jolly glad that I'm not the only one left! I didn't know that it ran into the 80's...that's interesting. Ted ran it in the short time I was around with his younger 'other half' as I recall.
Another great video, Rob! The London Coliseum. I heard that years back, my favorite British comedian, Dave Allen, along with Maggie Smith did a production Of Peter Pan there. Dave played Captain Hook.
Congratulations on your accolade! I only recently came across you. I have enjoyed your videos. I had a laugh at myself when this one started because I noticed Christmas decorations and thought how fortuitous to stumble on it when in fact it isn't a month old. Even if you thought the subject of this video a bit grim, I found it refreshing after the narcissist I booted out of my life. I just loved this video.
As I work around the corner I've spent many a lunchtime and evening drinking in that alleyway as a patron of either The Marquis or The Harp so I just had to watch this video! Really informative, so much I didn't actually know about it. Also I just had to sub - a new viewer looking forward to more vids!
@@Robslondon Thank you! YOu too, and i actually have your charles dickens upload on my to play next list for this evening as it looks great! I love uploads like that..thank you very much again for taking the time and effort to show us all these interesting videos! Excellent channel! Sonique
@@RetroReminiscing Thanks so much :-) Hope you enjoy the Dickens video; have a wonderful Christmas and thank you again for your support; much appreciated.
I thought "how in the hell could there be an 11 minute video about a single alley?" But I was left wanting even more! Love your stuff. You've earned a new subscriber.
Absolutely fascinating and I love these angles to history. Two narrow thoroughfares I enjoy walking through, (when in London )are East of here. They are Botolph Lane and Laurence Pountney Hill. They are fascinating as they are named for church’s lost in the Great Fire.
I hope you had time to pop into the Harp Pub that opens onto that alley. They serve the best Dark Star - Hop Head in the West End. My favourite pub in the area. Good to know some more of the local history.
When I worked in London I would occasionally use this alleyway if the surrounding streets were crowded. For the same reason I would use Bourchier Street in Soho to bypass Old Compton Street. Percy Passage in Fitzrovia is also worth knowing about - keen fans of the TV series “Minder” will know about it already!
Yet again another very interesting and well documented video. I remember well the Strand advert. Have walked about this area myself but without all knowledge it brings it to life . If anyone’s interested the Thai Pot as seen is an excellent Thai restaurant but beware the access to the toilets is a bit like the passage way but goes down stairs
That was one brilliant video. You obviously put hours of work into producing it Rob with all the historical information that you managed to find. A suggestion for maybe a future video....how about something covering the history of the Albany just off Piccadilly? It always seems to be such a fascinating place, with so much history, including Lord Byron.
That was very interesting, thank you so much! It reminds me of houses in New Olreans that are six inches apart from each other (or less) and yet each have siding on them somehow. I realy enjoyed this one!
Fantastic stuff mate! We are in that vicinity quite often, usually for a pint in the Chandos, Harp or one of the other pubs, or a visit to the National Gallery, or a bite to eat (and a quick shop with the missus! 🙄), so it’s amazing that we’ve never spotted it, especially as we know the old fire station (what with it being next to the Harp 😜). Rally love your little gems of history about real people (albeit they’re often gruesome 🤣) and I am glad more people are starting to appreciate your channel! Cheers mate, have a great weekend 👍🍻🍀😎
Down in Whitstable, there is a house built sideways across an alley called "Squeeze Gut Alley", it is so narrow at the thinest point, that there are often abandoned shopping trollies, because they are just too wide to pass through.
It always strikes me how ironic it was that my Great-grandparents, living on a small farm in the back of beyond in Ulster, 30-40 years after a terrible famine, actually lived much better lives than many of the residents of the capital of the Empire.
A good point, thank you for sharing Paul. Stay well sir
I'm always happy to see interesting, well-researched, educational channels do well on TH-cam. I don't know about other countries but it sure helps fill a massive void here in the US. Keep up the good work and I hope you find even more success here.
I really appreciate that, thank you. Hope you had a nice Thanksgiving this year 🥂 Thanks again and stay well.
I was in London last week and after watching a few of your videos including this one I went down Brydges place myself, it is indeed a blink and you'll miss it alleyway and very narrow at the St Martins lane end. I love wandering around London and going up and down all these walkways and alleyways just to see where they go, not fussed about the touristy sites, I've seen them but the lesser seen side of London, that is what I like. I went down Lower Roberts street as well after watching another of your videos.
There really is a while lot to see if one just looks.
Thanks for the great content and I look forward to exploring more of the places in your videos
Brilliant comment; that means a lot to me; thank you! Cheers and stay well.
@@Robslondon Your welcome.
Hey Rob! Hope you’re well mate. I really enjoy your various video posts. I lived in London for more than 20 years and your posts help me reminisce, as I miss the life I had in The West End, where I lived much of the time. For 10 years we lived on Hanway Place, 4 years in Centre Point House on St Giles High St and 6 years on James’s St, W1 by St Christopher’s Place and Selfridges. A lady/neighbour that I cared for lived in Manchester Square. She had lived in the same basement flat from 1946 to her passing away in 2012 at aged 96. She was a ballerina, dancer and choreographer and I used to sit with her for hours listening to her stories of her life in London. Happy days! Keep up with your fascinating videos please. All the very best, Mark
Such a lovely comment Mark, many thanks for sharing. Wish I could've met that lady, she sounds incredible. Thanks again and stay well.
I worked in Covent Garden until recently and know all of those streets and alleyways. Covent Garden is truly fascinating if you have time to linger beyond the tourist trap bits. I don’t work in London these days but work from home in Horsham. London is amazing, but there’s plenty of history in this little town too. We are lucky on this island; history is everywhere.
Many thanks for the lovely comment Caroline; couldn't agree more! Thanks again and stay well.
I have a mate in Croydon (I live on the west coast of the USA) who found it highly amusing that around here 1850 is considered old.
A friend of mine lived down there in the early 1990s. He had a flat on an upper floor, the front door came out in Brydges Place next to that green arch. Apparently it was normally rented out to visiting opera singers et cetera who were appearing at Eno opposite. Luckily he was a thin man so was always able to get down the alley. One day he said, oh they’ve opened a piano bar downstairs, which we thought would be rather civilized. It turned out to be an early Pitcher & Piano (horrible bar for shouty after-work types) LOL. After that he would often find his front doorstep used as a toilet, and I’m talking the whole slum-dwelling night-soil Monty 💩🤢. Plus ca change.
Brilliant comment, thank you Vic!
@@Robslondon not a brilliant experience though
Very typical london life, I think i once fell asleep in some grabage bags in by the green doors! I had been at the club called Punk near to Poland street and obv got lost and tired!
@@robbie609 :-D
@@robbie609 Not tired AND emotional , i hope .
Rob your pitch and pace and sort of friendly smile in your voice works well as you deliver these incredibly researched historic trips down memory lane, and you make us want to visit even more.
Thank you so much Robert.... I can't express how much your kind words mean to me; very much appreciated. These are the sort of comments that push me to keep making videos. Thanks again mate and stay well.
Another proof that you can never know enough about your capital city. Londons history is so dense, even at my advanced age can always learn👍👍 keep safe and well.
Ha ha! Many thanks Clive. Stay well.
I worked in Long Acre for a couple of years in the 1980s and discovered this alley. Its the sort of place where you look over your shoulder to see if you are being followed. I well remember the cigarette advert you discuss. It contained the words 'You are never alone with a strand'. Very informative video Rob once again and thanks for highlighting the living conditions and sheer misery of the bulk of the general public at that time. There was never a better time to be an aristocrat.
Nice comment John; much appreciated, thank you.
It’s shocking to realise the sheer degradation in some areas of our capital, right near centres of pleasure such as theatres. So sad and horrifying.
Yes, so true Helen.
I thought it looked nice. If you wanna see real degradation go BACK in time.
Fascinating, Rob. Thanks. I've worked in London for 30 years and I though I knew it pretty well. Until I came across your channel LOL
That means a lot to me, thanks so much Matt.
*Fascinating Rob, KUDOS!!*
:-D
I know this alley well, not only as a cut through, but also from working in the Coliseum and out of the exit doors and straight into The Harp pub. Whether you're watching a show or appearing in it, the brass players from the orchestra always beat you to the bar!
Ha ha! Cheers Ian ;-)
@@Robslondon it also has another name in the trade which I'm too polite to disclose!
I'm British, living in California. I've learned more about my own country from videos, than I ever would if I was still in UK.I now have a long Bucket List for places I want to visit should I go home again. Thank you 😊
It’s a pleasure Jackie, thank you so much for your lovely comment. Stay well.
@@Robslondon 💖
Brilliant post thank you
I’ve walked along St Martin’s Lane so many times and have never noticed the passageway next to the Colosseum. Great video! 👍
Ha ha! Cheers Phil! Stay well.
Wonderful yet again Rob. Worked for the ‘Queen’s Bank’ in the 80s and 90s, and the branches ar 440 strand were Adelaide, Buckingham, Chandon and Duncannon with staff branch St Giles. Wow, what history behind those names we took for granted.
Lovely comment Cheryl, thank you :-) Cheers and stay well.
Thank you for sharing a great and interesting video. I love it. 👍👍👍❤️❤️❤️
Thank you Sharon! Much appreciated; stay well.
I've worked at the Coli for over 30yrs and spent many evenings in Brydges place drinking! Lots of interesting stuff to add to my knowledge of the area- so thank you.
It's a pleasure; thank you so much for the great comment. Stay well.
This a fantastic piece of history, presented for all people around the world to enjoy and marvel at the brilliant architecture and rich history of the greatest city in the World, London! Thank you from Australia, Rob.
It’s an absolute pleasure Mark. Thanks for the kind words mate; cheers and stay well.
I agree mark, your comments are spot on, I enjoyed reading your post
On a marathon Robslondon. These are Fascinating, just the best, lost for words. I feel patriotic and I've never been to England. 😢
Bless you Wayne! Thanks for watching; good to have you here.
Thanks for having me along. Your pulling out all the stops, and I could could not ask for a better account RL. 👏
@@wayne5579 😀
Very interesting , thank you . I drove a cab in London for nearly 39 years and i must have passed this alley thousands of times .
Many thanks Sam... be lucky ;-)
This is the most authentic channel I’ve seen on TH-cam
Thank you so much, I really appreciate your kind words. Stay well.
I love all your videos Rob. Thank you for every one of them 😊❤🇬🇧
Thank you for all your support Maz :-)
A fascinating catalogue of historical research, bristling with macabre tales of death, and the appalling poverty of Victorian London. Only Rob's London could extract such an interesting compendium of stories from the past. Excellent research. We should be eternally grateful for the detailed journalism from newspapers of yesteryear, from which you gleaned the gruesome details, Rob! Another great video!
Thank you so much Richard. And yes you’re right; the old newspaper archives are a goldmine. Stay well sir.
An Amazing comment and fantastic appreciation of Robs video. All the best Robs dad.
As always erudite, well researched and interesting. I will be sure to look out for it next time I'm passing.
I was talking to an American friend living quite close to New York. He knew about your channel and was subscribed with a couple of his American friends. You are going international Rob!
Thanks for your work.
Thank you so much Wayne; your comment has made my day! 😊 Please send my warmest regards to your American friends. Thanks again for your support and kind words; stay well.
Not sure why you don't have more subscribers because you put out some quality content. Maybe it just takes a lot of time. Thanks for sharing and keep up the good work!
Really appreciate that Johnny; many thanks. Quite a few more people seem to be finding the channel now, so fingers crossed more will come! It's thanks to good people such as yourself that things are moving; I couldn't do it without your support. Take care mate and thanks again; stay well.
The "You're never alone with a Strand" tv cigarette commercial is very memorable and interesting in terms of advertising history, as it was very popular with the public and the actor who played the lonely man became a bit of a celebrity at the time. The 'Lonely Man' theme music used in the ad was also a minor chart hit. However it didn't sell many cigarettes, in fact it had the opposite effect on sales, as the general public associated smoking the brand with being some sort of sad, and lonely loser. As such the brand was withdrawn from sale shortly after.
Thanks Trevor; that's a really interesting insight, I wasn't aware of that. Thanks again and stay well.
Hi, Trevor. Thank you for this really interesting information. Strand was indeed a popular brand - my father smoked it - but there were also others: woodbine, senior service, sobranie and so on, as you will no doubt know. The one that always struck me by its name was Passing Clouds, in an oval shape. Long gone now, but I do find that, amusingly, there is an e-liquid version available on the market.
They were relaunched as Regal and became the top selling brand.
I knew about the advert, I rememberhearing it. It must have been radio. I know it became associated with sad losers, as Alan Davies brought it up on QI, but I had never seen the photo.
@@royksk Did not know that. So Strand became Regal? I have a vague idea Regal might have reached Australia. Otherwise I must have chanced meeting a newly arrived Brit still on the cigarette supplies they brought out.
Well done Rob, another great video, 😊👍.
Thanks Ghost ;-) Much appreciated.
I'm in the middle of reading "Wonderful London" (author unknown, published 1878, available on the archive web site). In the chapter titled "Cockney cave-dwellers" (pdf page 379 / text page 354), I read this:- "[Dudley Street] always was given over to vendors of old clothes and boots and shoes, and to a great extent it is now. The living cellars are under the old-clothes shops, and in many cases the wooden trap-door in the common pavement - the one only means of ingress and exit, of light and air - is festooned and overhung by old boots and trousers, much, I imagine, to the inconvenience of the subterranean lodgers."
I was fascinated to see the 1872 Dore engraving (around 5 minutes in your video) showing Dudley street, complete with shoes on the pavement and trapdoors into the cellars.
(By the way, in case my post appears twice, I previously posted a note about this a couple of days ago, but it seems to have vanished.)
Peter
Thanks Peter! Good comment
Not far from it is Goodwin's Ct, I often cut through that on my way from covent garden to Trafalgar Square. It really feels like you're stepping 150 years back leaving the noise and the tourists behind. That's one of the things I like the most about Covent Garden area: these twisted streets that tell you stories. Ah! If walls could talk! Well, here they do.
Nice comment Daniel; thank you!
Goodwin's Court is a magical! That was the alley I was going to suggest. Next time we are in London we will have to go round the block using Goodwin's Court and Brydges Lane to connect St. Martin's and Bedfordsbury.
@@anitawarburton6087 I went to Goodwins on a walking tour last summer. Literally like walking back in time.
Another blinder Rob; who'd have even known there was an alley there? Now happily on my 'must visit' list.
Ha ha! Thank you so much 😊 Stay well and enjoy your visit!
I used to work at the connection at st Martin in the fields so seeing all this footage has brought back so many memories. I used to go up st Martin’s lane many times to get lunch, also we had our team Christmas lunch at the lemon tree (very good food!) and my leaving drinks at the harp!
Lovely comment Matthew, thanks for sharing ☺️
Thank you very much 👏👏
You're very welcome Barbara; thank you :-)
Well Sir, I think the algorithm has served you well. Love this video and love London. Ciao from Italy
grazie mille amico mio (apologies if my Italian is not good!!) 😉
Great video once again, Rob. I worked in front of Brydges Place at 114 St. Martins Lane for a number of years and would take this ally regularly as well as witness the things that went on when I sat by the window looking directly at it
Lovely comment, and thanks for the kind words!
Well I'm staying at the Z Hotel directly opposite the Bedfordbury end of Brydges Place on Thursday and so I'll have a stroll down it. I wouldn't have known to look without your vid. And, young Rob, this is the point. You're getting traction on your channel because you're doing interesting, well researched and perfectly enunciated nuggets of local history that we need to know about. Congrats, and keep 'em coming.
That means a lot to me, thank you so much 😊 Hope you enjoy your wander down there… might want to hold your nose though- it didn’t smell too good when I was filming there! 😉😂 Thanks again for your kind words and support; stay well.
@@Robslondon I’m pretty sure it couldn’t smell any worse than you described in your video! It must’ve been hideous living there.
Another great and informative video,Rob. Many thanks. I remember this place as my first pub as a manager, was 'The Angel And Crown in St Martins Lane. (Nov called Foggs or something). I used that alleyway many,many times as a shortcut. You brought back some fond memories from 30 years ago! Cracking stuff.
Great comment; thank you so much 😉
Loving these videos. I work in covent garden and walk past Brydges Place every day. Ive always been interested in history, particularly that of london and your films really give london and its streets some great context.Keep it up!
Thanks so much Paul; that means a lot to me. Cheers and stay well 😉
Fascinating. Thanks, Rob.
Thanks 😊
@@Robslondon Really enjoyed your video. Beautifully filmed and well researched.
@@lddixon2394 That's so kind; thanks again.
New subscriber based on your fascinating and informative video style. Well done. I'm a Londoner and always marvel at the hidden history of our great city, brought to life by people like yourself. Cracking work.
I really appreciate your kind words and support; thank you so much. Good to have you here! Cheers and stay well.
Hope these words overwhelm you with motivation to create more of this excellent work. And if not, just take them as an honest attempt to boost your success within the algorithm! Seriously though, I love your narrations. The accent, the almost asmr tones, the script, the editing. Everything. Perfect. Thanks for making these, I really do appreciate it.
That means so much to me Tom; many thanks indeed! Very much appreciated; and it is lovely words like yours that do indeed keep me going. Thank you again and stay well :-)
Fascinating video. Thanks for posting.
You're very welcome and thank you!
Hi Rob
Another very informative video, I cannot count the amount of times I have simply walked past
Thanks Mike.
Thanks for bringing back memories! I used to go to The Festival Club which was in Brydges Place back in the 1960's so I've always known that alleyway was there. The Festival was accessed via a door on the right just down from St Martins Lane. It was just a drinking club and up some stairs as I recall. Ah...good times!
Great comment David, thanks so much for sharing your memories. Stay well.
I was a member in 1966 to into the 80s
@@ninianmacmillan-keith7435 I'm jolly glad that I'm not the only one left! I didn't know that it ran into the 80's...that's interesting. Ted ran it in the short time I was around with his younger 'other half' as I recall.
Well researched and presented...thanks
Thank you Michael.
More gruesome but fascinating stories, well researches and sensitively narrated, thanks very much
Many thanks; really appreciate your kind words. Stay well.
Love the Thames themed intro, great video!
Thank you 😊
Thanks Rob for another fascinating video. Looking forward to watching more videos soon.
Much appreciated Darren; thank you.
Another great video, Rob! The London Coliseum. I heard that years back, my favorite British comedian, Dave Allen, along with Maggie Smith did a production Of Peter Pan there. Dave played Captain Hook.
Thank you! Nice comment ;-)
Incredibly interesting, thank you so much!!
It's a pleasure Andrew; many thanks.
Congratulations on your accolade! I only recently came across you. I have enjoyed your videos. I had a laugh at myself when this one started because I noticed Christmas decorations and thought how fortuitous to stumble on it when in fact it isn't a month old. Even if you thought the subject of this video a bit grim, I found it refreshing after the narcissist I booted out of my life. I just loved this video.
Thanks so much Jared. Stay well.
Just came across this channel and I had to subscribe. Great, we’ll produced content. I love the beginning music!
Thank you so much Adam; it's great to have you here! Stay well.
Just found this channel and subbed and now catching up with all the old vids, great channel Rob! 😊👍
Much appreciated Tony, thank you!
As I work around the corner I've spent many a lunchtime and evening drinking in that alleyway as a patron of either The Marquis or The Harp so I just had to watch this video! Really informative, so much I didn't actually know about it.
Also I just had to sub - a new viewer looking forward to more vids!
Thank you so much :-) Great to have you here... got a Christmas pubs special due in the near future! Thanks again and stay well.
I'm really enjoying these videos. Keep up the great work.
Thank you Billy; much appreciated
Fantastic video, i really enjoyed it...i saw the thumbnail and title and had to click right away! Thanks for making this! Sonique 🤗
Thanks so much Sonique; your kind words really mean a lot to me :-) Thanks again and stay well!
@@Robslondon Thank you! YOu too, and i actually have your charles dickens upload on my to play next list for this evening as it looks great! I love uploads like that..thank you very much again for taking the time and effort to show us all these interesting videos! Excellent channel! Sonique
@@RetroReminiscing Thanks so much :-) Hope you enjoy the Dickens video; have a wonderful Christmas and thank you again for your support; much appreciated.
Thanks Rob, for another good video. Very interesting! Keep 'em coming!
Thanks Bart! Will do my friend; stay well 😉
I thought "how in the hell could there be an 11 minute video about a single alley?"
But I was left wanting even more!
Love your stuff. You've earned a new subscriber.
Ha ha! :-) Thank you so much Crazy Robots; great comment and lovely to have you along. Stay well.
Rob , Another Fab video ,
Hope to be in your town next week ,barring yet another lock.
Cheers
😊
Cheers Alan, hope you make it- if so, enjoy 😉 Thanks for the kind words and stay well.
Your videos are great, very informative and your unassuming style of narration is very engaging.
Thank you so much Jade, that means a lot to me. Thanks again and stay well.
Absolutely fascinating and I love these angles to history. Two narrow thoroughfares I enjoy walking through, (when in London )are East of here. They are Botolph Lane and Laurence Pountney Hill. They are fascinating as they are named for church’s lost in the Great Fire.
Hi Mark, thank you. Yes, those are excellent choices... I may do a video on them one day! Cheers and stay well.
Another great trip mate🗣️👍Thank you for a great journey of time and place..
😱🤔💯😭☠️👁️☠️👁️🙏💥
Cheers Gary!
Very interesting and well researched, well done Rob.
Cheers! ;-)
I hope you had time to pop into the Harp Pub that opens onto that alley. They serve the best Dark Star - Hop Head in the West End. My favourite pub in the area.
Good to know some more of the local history.
I didn't on this occasion but have in the past; you're right James it's a great pub. Cheers and stay well.
I love The Harp - it's almost as narrow as the alley itself! And I can vouch for the Hop Head - delicious!
Thanks I have worked at charing Cross polic3 station for about 15 years or so and have walked this ally only a few times. Interesting little history.
Many thanks ☺️
Outstanding video Rob. That alley way is so tight. I went in the Lemon Tree pub about 5 years ago. Good stuff
Thanks so much Dave; really appreciate your kind words and continued support. Stay well sir.
Just caught up with this. Thanks Rob. Must have passed this place dozens of times, without knowing the history.
Thanks Tim ;-)
Thank you for the vlog, very interesting. You do go in to the history of the places you go to. I enjoyed it.👍👍🥂
I really appreciate that Bob, thank you. Stay well.
Another fascinating and well-researched documentary. Well done and thank you for making it!
It's a pleasure; thank you so much for your kind words. Stay well.
When I worked in London I would occasionally use this alleyway if the surrounding streets were crowded. For the same reason I would use Bourchier Street in Soho to bypass Old Compton Street. Percy Passage in Fitzrovia is also worth knowing about - keen fans of the TV series “Minder” will know about it already!
Yes! Great bit of knowledge Gordon! 😉
I often used to cut through Percy Passage on the way to the Fitzroy Tavern on a Sunday but never knew about the link to Minder!
Yet again another very interesting and well documented video. I remember well the Strand advert. Have walked about this area myself but without all knowledge it brings it to life . If anyone’s interested the Thai Pot as seen is an excellent Thai restaurant but beware the access to the toilets is a bit like the passage way but goes down stairs
Thanks Butch. I was wondering about the Thai Pot; not been in there. Sounds good. Stay well.
Great videos mate! peace and love from Scotland.
Appreciate that mate, thank you so much- I’ve got a lot of love for Scotland, so great to have you here 🏴 Cheers and stay well.
Yet another wonderful vid.
Thank you Tommy; much appreciated
That was one brilliant video. You obviously put hours of work into producing it Rob with all the historical information that you managed to find. A suggestion for maybe a future video....how about something covering the history of the Albany just off Piccadilly? It always seems to be such a fascinating place, with so much history, including Lord Byron.
Thanks so much Barry.... and that's a good idea, I'll add it to my list ;-) Cheers and stay well.
That was very interesting, thank you so much! It reminds me of houses in New Olreans that are six inches apart from each other (or less) and yet each have siding on them somehow. I realy enjoyed this one!
😄 Lovely comment, thank you
Love these little hidden gems. Great footage!!
Thanks so much Tim; really appreciate that :-) Stay well.
Excellent as usual Rob.
Many kind thanks Dylan. Stay well.
Great channel. Thanks Rob!
Thank you so much! :-)
Fantastic stuff mate! We are in that vicinity quite often, usually for a pint in the Chandos, Harp or one of the other pubs, or a visit to the National Gallery, or a bite to eat (and a quick shop with the missus! 🙄), so it’s amazing that we’ve never spotted it, especially as we know the old fire station (what with it being next to the Harp 😜).
Rally love your little gems of history about real people (albeit they’re often gruesome 🤣) and I am glad more people are starting to appreciate your channel!
Cheers mate, have a great weekend 👍🍻🍀😎
Thanks so much for the kind words Tim; really appreciate it mate ☺️ Those pubs you mention are great 🍺 Stay well sir and thanks again.
Oh, I wondered if you`d do this one :) Very interesting, thank you, and your research is excellent - great to see such a good quality vid.
Thanks so much for the kind words :-) Stay well.
I enjoyed the video. Will keep an eye out for more.
Really appreciate that kibblewhite; thank you and stay well.
Thanks Rob Keep Safe. 👍
Cheers Dave, you too.
Thank you so much for the interesting commentary.
It’s a pleasure; thank you for watching Margaret, I really appreciate it. Stay well.
My mom and I were there a few months ago. We had a few pints in the alley behind the Marquis. I had no idea of the history. Thank you!
It's a pleasure Stephanie, thank you!
Wonderful history. Been there a few times over the years and had no idea of it’s past. Thanks for making these films.
Thanks for your lovely comment, have subscribed to your channel. All the best Robs dad.
Fascinating, glad to have found these, will look out for more.
Thank you Jenny :-)
Thanks for a really enjoyable video Rob. I'm subscribed.
Thank you so much Pufferkusser; great to have you here ;-) Cheers and stay well.
A very entertaining vid Rob.
Thanks.
Cheers Mike 😉
another great video rob , strange how interesting a narrow alley can be
and next time im out and about near there i can have a look
all the best rob
Cheers Andy; thanks for your kind words and support. Stay well mate.
Thank Andy
Thanks for another wonderful, interesting, and informative video, Rob!
Thank you so much Theresa. Stay well.
Very good; another winning video.
Thank you Stephen!
Thanks for the interesting video, I must have walked passed this a hundred times and never noticed it
Thank you :-)
Great channel! So interesting. Absolutely love London and all its quirks and secrets. New subscriber here! Thank you
Thanks so much for your kind words Allison; really appreciate it. Great to have you here :-)
Amazing information, keep up the great work.👍
Thank you so much Iillian, stay well.
Been down that alley many a time. Had a wee in it last year and there is a good pub at the end
You and many others Terry 😉
Excellent video as always. I honestly think I would get stuck in there!
Ha ha 😉 Cheers for the kind words; stay well.
I love your videos, they are very interesting and an escape from drudgery!
Thank you so much Vicky! Glad to be of service ;-)
Down in Whitstable, there is a house built sideways across an alley called "Squeeze Gut Alley", it is so narrow at the thinest point, that there are often abandoned shopping trollies, because they are just too wide to pass through.
Ha ha! Great name :-)
Really good thanks for finding all these quirky interesting places
Thank you Bob!