City of London IOP

This fascinating collection of nearly 200 old photographs portrays the famous heart of London between 1860 and 1960. Many of the images are previously unpublished and feature the City during the Edwardian period and slightly after, when London was arguably the greatest city in the world. All the famous city landmarks, such as St Paul's and the Monument are featured, but equally remarkable are the pictures which show the development of Victorian London, such as the constructions of the Victoria Embankment and the first Underground lines. Some photographs also show the destruction wrought by the Blitz and the subsequent rebuilding. Life and commerce in the City is revealed through the great variety of working premises, from the great printing houses of Fleet Street to humble shops, such as the Temple wig maker's - along with the people who worked in them. The pictures are accompanied by detailed captions filled with a wealth of historical detail. Anyone who is interested in the City and its past will find this book both enjoyable and informative.