History of Science & Invention Walks in London

Laurence's tours and articles span the history of discovery and invention in London. From fossils to fusion, fleas to factories, codes to compasses. www.laurenceswalks.co.uk

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Hot air in parliament: ventilation in the 19th century

Laurence Scales, Heritage and Collections volunteer at the Ri, was inspired by a lecture given on heating and ventilation in May 2018 by Dr Sean Fitzgerald to look into the history of this unexpectedly colourful subject, as told through Victorian lectures in the Ri archives.

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Causes of accidental explosions in the 19th century

How Ri lecturers sought to investigate and avoid explosive disasters in the 19th century by Ri Heritage volunteer Laurence Scales.

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Shipwrecks, science and maritime safety

The 19th century saw more than its fair share of shipwrecks, alongside scientific and technological leaps in maritime safety. Here our Heritage and Collections volunteer, Laurence Scales, surfaces some of these stories from our archives.

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Fire, fire – the science of 19th century firefighting

The 19th century saw more than its fair share of major fires. Here our Heritage and Collections volunteer Laurence Scales, uncovers these burning stories from our archive.

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Stories from the History of Science and Technology in Soho

An evening walking tour in London. The story of John Snow, Cholera and the Broad Street pump is now well known (but will be included to sort fact from fiction), but what other technological stories are there to tell of Soho? This tour will tell of lightning and steel, of scientific interest in Mozart, of precious metal and dangerous custard. And you don't need to know a thing about geometry. This tour explores some stories from 300 years of technology and science. Laurence likes to talk about the surprising road by which we arrived at today's world. It will appeal to people who appreciate the unusual, the colourful byways of history, London trivia and anyone curious about science. While some of the historic buildings no longer exist the tour will bring history to life by featuring readings from often amusing contemporary accounts. Meeting point will be close to Oxford Circus underground, at the junction of Argyll Street and Little Argyll Street.

23 August 2018

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Greetings

Now that I have suddenly acquired a few followers I can get back to posting stuff! I’m also on Twitter @LWalksLondon.

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Londoners On The Moon

Credited with craters.

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A 2 minute introduction to my tours.

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A Slab, A Stiff, And A Scalpel: 9 London Doctors Of The Dead

Eat lunch first.

A Slab, A Stiff, And A Scalpel: 9 London Doctors Of The Dead

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The Victorian Science Museum Where Prince Albert Was Dunked

"We are quite sure that there is not in any country to be procured so much intellectual amusement for a shilling."

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The London Polymath Who Created August Bank Holiday

He will make you feel lazy.

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Waterborne trivia.

My pick of odd craft constructed on the Thames.

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Taking The Poo Out Of London

The ways we've dealt with waste over the years.

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My blog

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Trivia About London Trivia

It's trivia squared.

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A walk from the Royal Institution to Somerset House exploring Faraday's life, his intellectual network and his legacy. You can enjoy highlights from the trip virtually on this page, but we encourage you to explore the route for yourself.

I made this walk to help people better get to know the 19th century electrical pioneer.

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Georgian Or Victorian? How To Tell London's Architecture Eras

Spot the difference in some of London's most common buildings.

Part 2 of my 5 minute guides to London’s architecture.