There’s a talk at The London Archives this month on the explosive history of Bloomsbury, London. It covers both World Wars. Wednesday 15th January 2025, 17:30 to 19:00 For tickets and more info: Tracing the Bombsites of Bloomsbury, 1885-2005 In the spirit of ‘A history of the world in hundred objects’, this talk presents the history of Bloomsbury in a dozen or so ‘bombsites’: the points of detonation but also the memorials, memories, marked masonry, and modern architecture that trace the long history of violence on the urban fabric. Ranging from Air Raid Shelters to Zeppelins, these pin-points of violent heritage include the work of inept blackmailers, the (intellectual) birthplace of the atomic bomb, and the dramatic (in every sense) aftermath of the bombing of RADA during the Blitz. Beginning and ending with accounts of terrorist attacks on the transport network, the talk offers a new perspective on the modern face of a historic district better known for its literary and artistic heritage. The London Archives, 40 Northampton Road, London, EC1R 0HB
