From the Archives: London in Summer (1880s-1960s)
Discover the sights and sounds of a firework display on a hot summer night in Victorian London. You’ll learn what made the city’s post-war parks different to their counterparts on the continent, and what this suggests about national character. And you’ll find out which outdoor spaces were recommended for secret romantic liaisons on warm evenings in the swinging sixties!
Showcasing photographs, guidebooks, and pamphlets from our special collections, this online event vividly evokes summer days and nights in the city, taking in grass theatres and pub gardens - via funfairs, fetes, exhibitions, and street parties.
Bishopsgate Institute’s Special Collections and Archives offer a window into the lives of everyday people. This event is a unique opportunity to discover these lives through hidden gems from our collections that reveal how people from a range of backgrounds enjoyed “London in Summer” from the 1880s to the 1960s.
Image gallery
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Visit an Exhibition: Head over to the new White City event space in west London, and enjoy a ride on a novelty boat at the Franco-British Exhibition.
© 1908 Credit : London Collection Photographs
Count Swans: It’s time for Swan Upping on the Thames between Sunbury and Abingdon. So why not slip on a striped jersey, pull a very serious face, and help to count the swans?
© 1910 Credit : LAMAS Glass Slides
Sail a Yacht: Get caught up in the Edwardian craze for model yachts. Take your family to the Round Pond in Kensington Gardens for the annual model yacht race.
Credit : LAMAS Glass Slides
Book a Boat Trip: Set off from Greenwich pier for an excursion to the coast. Margate, Clacton, and Ramsgate are all popular destinations for the working classes. But Southend’s two miles of promenades make it the place for summer ‘jollidays’.
Credit : LAMAS Glass Slides
Throw a Street Party: Hang out the bunting. Haul out the hot water urns. Join the residents of Cambus Road as they celebrate Peace Day in east London.
© 1919 Credit : London Collection Manuscripts/306
Visit a Stately Home: Hire a shiny charabanc and head out of the city with your workmates, like this group of public librarians. Don’t forget your straw boater.
© 1921 Credit : Society of Public Librarians Archive
Make a Splash: Cool off in the Serpentine, a popular open air swimming spot in the heart of London’s West End. Or stay dry and hire a rowing boat.
© 1920 Credit : LAMAS Glass Slides
Make a Bigger Splash: If you fancy a more daring type of dip, head to north London to enjoy a swim in the fresh water ponds on Hampstead Heath.
© 1929 Credit : Kenwood Ladies’ Pond Association Archive
'Stop Me and Buy One': Look out for the uniformed ice-cream seller on his distinctive Wall’s tricycle. He’ll sell you a ‘choc bar’ for threepence or a ‘snofrute’ for a penny.
© 1924 Credit : LAMAS Glass Slides
Get On Your Bike: Pack a picnic. Cycle out of the city with your friends. Then find a farm where you can clown around on the bales of hay.
Credit : Brookfield Manor Girls Club Archive
Organise a Summer Fete: Put up a refreshment tent. Book a Punch and Judy show. Set up a coconut shy and a hoopla stall and arrange an egg and spoon race. We’ll see you at the Eton Manor sports ground in east London at noon.
Credit : Eton Manor Archive
Go to a Festival: Lace up your stoutest walking shoes and meet the Woodcraft Folk at the Festival of Britain on the South Bank. Prepare to be astonished by the new technologies on display, from the Telekinema to the Skylon.
© 1951 Credit : John Colbert: Woodcraft Folk Archive
An East End Bargain: Pop along to Petticoat Lane market with your best friend to nab a bargain or two. Make sure you’re both wearing your favourite summer frocks.
Credit : Dennis Anthony Photographs. London Collection.
Lovely Cool Tiles! Hang around by the freezers in your local supermarket. Where better to cool off on a hot day in the city?
Credit : London Cooperative Society Photographs
Roll the Top Down: Pick up your ‘It Girl’ friends and cruise along the Kings Road in Chelsea. Remember to keep your sunglasses on, and your cigarette alight.
© 1966 Credit : Derek Brook Photographs
Café Scene: Don’t own a sports car? No problem. Just jump on a number 19 bus to the Kings Road to spend the day looking bored at your favourite Chelsea coffee bar.
© 1966 Credit : Derek Brook Photographs
A Shady Customer: Head to your nearest department store with a chequebook. Buy a brightly-coloured sun lounger. Throw in a stripey parasol. Then spend the summer drinking G&Ts in the garden.
Credit : James Ince Archive
Go to the Seaside: Take the first train out of the city and make friends at the beach. You can dig sandcastles or bury your legs in the sand. Or try a combination of both.
Credit : Everyday Muslim Archive
Roll up your shirt sleeves, grab your placard, and join London’s Pride march, seen here passing along Regent Street in the West End.
© 1976 Credit : Robert Workman Photographs
Stay on the Estate: Who needs fancy trips when you can meet your friends at the local playpark? Even better, you can just pop home for a glass of squash if it gets too hot. This little girl knows.
Credit : Tony Hall PhotographsPractical information
- Tickets are £10 / £7 concessions. Online ticket sales will close two hours before the event.
- The event will be hosted on Zoom and will last approximately one hour, including a Q&A session.
Joining via Zoom
This course or event will be held via Zoom. You need a computer/laptop or mobile phone to access the Zoom website, and a reliable internet connection. For further information on how to join a Zoom meeting, you can watch the joining video here.
You will need a computer or other device to connect with Zoom and a notebook/paper and pen/pencil, or digital equivalent.
Image: London Collection photographs
Need to Know
Meet the Tutor
Dr Michelle Johansen
Dr Michelle Johansen is a social historian specialising in the history of modern London, with a particular emphasis on social class and mobility, gender, professional lives, and regional identities. Her publications include articles in Teaching History, the London Journal, and Cultural and Social History. Michelle has more than ten years' experience of delivering learning sessions at Bishopsgate Institute for all types of learners, from primary school pupils to undergraduates to informal adult learners. Her teaching approach places the emphasis on access to original historical documents, which provides a uniquely dynamic and immersive classroom experience.
Dates and Times
From the Archives: London in Summer (1880s-1960s)
, 4:43 - 5:43
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