Colin Crosby Heritage Tours

The Black Plaque Guide to London

Anexcellent addition to the bookshelves of anybody interested in London is "The Black Plaque Guide to London".

It is written by Felix Barker, the famous drama critic, and Denise Silvester-Carr, who once compiled a catalogue of the London buildings of John Nash.

As the authors point out, all over London (and of course lots of other cities) Blue Plaques mark the places where the good and the great were born, lived and died.

But these, they feel, give a one sided and too generous view of London`s inhabitants, so they have conceived the idea of seeking out dens of vice, abodes of love and the homes of the disreputable, and marking them with imaginary Black Plaques.

As well as murderers, those commemorated include "agitators, assasins, bigamists, blackmailers, brothel-keepers, con-men, conspirators, embezzlers, forgers, hoaxers, highwaymen, imposters, kidnappers, pornographers, procuresses, regicides, spies, terrorists, traitors, transvestites and a great many naughty ladies".

The book is arranged by district, and all who love the quirkier side of London will be delighted to read it.