Danny Hurst

The legend that is Chaz Jankel joins me on the Unusual Histories podcast. Most famously Ian Dury's songwriting partner in the Blockheads, Chaz wrote the music to some of the most iconic songs ever. We talk about London, music and lots more. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unu…

Meeting at Brookes on St James' Street, 'The Club' is such an exclusive organisation that even Winston Churchill was blackballed from joining. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unu… Unusual Histories is in trouble. Please consider donating or sharing. gofund.me/713de166

The London General Omnibus Company painted its fleet red to distinguish it. When the service was standardised, red became the predominant bus colour. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unu… Unusual Histories is in trouble. Please consider donating or sharing. gofund.me/713de166

The gatehouse and a few other bits are all that remains of the Tudor Richmond Palace, itself built on the site of the burnt-down medieval Sheen Palace. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unu… Unusual Histories is in trouble. Please consider donating or sharing. gofund.me/713de166

After murdering the nanny and trying to kill his wife at his home at 46 Lower Belgrave Street, Belgravia in 1974, the 7th Earl of Lucan disappeared. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unu… Unusual Histories is in trouble. Please consider donating or sharing. gofund.me/713de166

Senate House in Bloomsbury inspired both Graham Greene's Ministry of Fear, and more famously, George Orwell's Ministry of Truth in 1984. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unu… Unusual Histories is in trouble. Please consider donating or sharing. gofund.me/713de166

Lilian Baylis House in West Hampstead was the recording studios of Decca Records, and where chairman Dick Rowe famously rejected the Beatles. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unu… Unusual Histories is in trouble. Please consider donating or sharing. gofund.me/713de166

Alexander Parkes patented the world's first plastic, Parkesine, in 1862 which was manufactured in Hackney Wick on Wallis Road. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unu… Unusual Histories is in trouble. Please consider donating or sharing. gofund.me/713de166

Part of the hidden River Westbourne flows through a pipe that runs through Sloane Square Station, entering the Thames near Chelsea Bridge. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unu… Unusual Histories is in trouble. Please consider donating or sharing. gofund.me/713de166

The bomb-proof Admiralty Citadel on The Mall by Horseguards Parade was built at the start of World War II as an operations centre for the Admiralty. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unu… Unusual Histories is in trouble. Please consider donating or sharing. gofund.me/713de166

The largest department store in London is Harrods, whose facade is illuminated by 12000 lightbulbs, 300 of which need replacing on a daily basis. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unu… Unusual Histories is in trouble. Please consider donating or sharing. gofund.me/713de166

Though largely demolished and rebuilt, the early 18th century facade of Schomberg House on Pall Mall remains. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unu… Unusual Histories is in trouble and needs our support. Please consider donating or sharing. gofund.me/713de166

Crosby Hall, now Crosby Moran Hall in Chelsea, originally stood on Bishopsgate and was removed, stone by stone in 1910 to its present location. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unu… Unusual Histories is in trouble. Please consider donating or sharing. gofund.me/713de166

The Rookery Gardens on Streatham Common were named after a house that stood there, catering to visitors to Streatham Springs; a spa that served the area. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unu… Unusual Histories is in trouble. Please consider donating or sharing. gofund.me/713de166

The house from TV show Taskmaster can be found in Chiswick and is really called Ibis Cottage. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unu… Unusual Histories is in trouble. Please consider donating or sharing. gofund.me/713de166

Dozens of lion-headed mooring rings line Victoria Embankment as part of Joseph Bazelgette's sewerage system. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unu… Unusual Histories is in trouble. Please consider donating or sharing. gofund.me/713de166

On the first underound escalator, passengers exited left so stood right to avoid bottlenecks. This has been the status quo ever since. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unu… Unusual Histories is in trouble. Please consider donating or sharing. gofund.me/713de166

Kensal Green Cemetery is one of the Magnificent Seven cemeteries which were built to alleviate churchyard overcrowding as London expanded in the 19th century. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unu… Unusual Histories is in trouble. Please consider donating or sharing. gofund.me/713de166

On 3rd October 1963, The Beatles appeared on 'Sunday Night At The London Palladium'. The press coined the term 'Beatlemania' the following day and it stuck. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unu… Unusual Histories is in trouble. Please consider donating or sharing. gofund.me/713de166

Bermondsey was known as 'Biscuit Town' because of the Peek Freans factory; now the Tower Bridge Business Centre, which is being developed into Pearl Yard. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unu… Unusual Histories is in trouble. Please consider donating or sharing. gofund.me/713de166

Closed to the public, the Camden Catacombs were built to store goods and for stabling for the numerous pit ponies that served the railway/canal interchange. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unu… Unusual Histories is in trouble. Please consider donating or sharing. gofund.me/713de166