This Week in London – ‘Childhood in War’; ‘A Century of American Photography’; and, Monet and Renoir reunited…

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An image from the Childhood in War display. PICTURE: Courtesy IWM London

• The impact of war on children is the subject of a new exhibition opening at IWM London on Friday. Childhood in War spans the period from World War I to today when more than one in six children globally – more than 450 million – live in areas impacted by war. It features personal testimonies, interactive and hands-on experiences and items from child rights organisations including UNICEF, Right to Learn Afghanistan and War Child. Designed with both families and adult visitors in mind, highlights include a teddy bear still treasured by Holocaust survivor John Hadj, a red knitted jumper given to Jochewet Heidenstein shortly before he and her sisters departed for the UK as part of the Kindertransport at the start of World War II, a large-scale evacuee train carriage, recreations of 20th century war games and reconstructed rooms including a child’s bedroom during World War II and a Cold War-era living room and kitchen. There are also contemporary stories from places including Afghanistan, Ukraine and Sudan. Runs until 28th February, 2027. Admission is free. For more, see iwm.org.uk/events/childhood-in-war.

Arthur Leipzig, ‘Divers, East River’ (1948) © Estate of Arthur Leipzig, Courtesy of Howard Greenberg Gallery, New York

• More than 100 landmark works by some of the most influential photographers of the 20th century sit at the centre of Dulwich Picture Gallery’s new exhibition, Portrait of a City: A Century of American Photography. The gallery’s second major photography exhibition, the display opens in the early 1900s, charts the impact of the Wall Street crash of 1929 and then turns to the rise of photographic modernism, how dramatic physical changes reshaped American cities in the mid-20th century and depictions of life on the margins before concluding with a presentation of Bruce Davidson’s renowned Subway series (1980–85). Featuring the works of some 38 artists, other highlights include Lewis Hine’s Riding the Ball High up on Empire State (1930), Dorothea Lange’s White Angel Breadline, San Francisco (1933),  Helen Levitt and Saul Leiter’s studies of street life and works by arry Winogrand, Diane Arbus and Lee Friedlander. Admission charge applies. For more, see https://www.dulwichpicturegallery.org.uk.

Pierre-Auguste Renoir, La Grenouillère (1869), © On loan from Nationalmuseum, Stockholm. Gift 1924 unknown donor through Nationalmusei Vänner

• Claude Monet’s Bathers at La Grenouillère and Pierre-Auguste Renoir’s La Grenouillère (both of which date from 1869) are being shown together in The National Gallery for the first time in 19 years ahead of the gallery major new exhibition, Renoir and Love. Painted side-by-side from a similar vantage point the gallery says the works “capture a defining moment in the birth of Impressionism” and provides a glimpse into the friendships and spirit of experimentation which will be explored in the upcoming exhibition (opening in October). The two paintings can be seen until mid-September. Admission is free. For more, see https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk.

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10 of London’s notable fountains – 4. Merchant Square Fountain Maze…

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This fountain near Paddington Basin features hundreds of water jets which are arranged in concentric circles to form the illusion of a labyrinth.

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A Moment in London’s History – The birth of Beatrix Potter…

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It was 160 years ago this month that Beatrix Potter, the creator of characters including Peter Rabbit and Jemima Puddle-Duck, was born in South Kensington in London.

Helen Beatrix Potter was born on 28th July, 1866 – the daughter of Rupert and Helen (and later older sister of brother Walter Bertram).

The plaque on the site of the South Kensington house where Potter was born. PICTURE: Bridgit Honoria Scott/Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain

The Potters, who had come from the north of England, lived in a relatively well-to-do home at 2 Bolton Gardens.

Her father was a qualified barrister but pursued instead his love for photography and art. Beatrix was thus exposed somewhat at an early age to the art world and spent most of her spare time as a child expressing herself through her drawing and painting.

As well as being taken on trips to galleries, she also accompanied her parents on holidays to Scotland and the Lake District, the latter a place she first visited in 1882 and one which became an important source of inspiration for her work.

While she’d had some earlier success in selling her pictures for use on Christmas cards, her career really took off in 1902 when The Tale of Peter Rabbit – which she had initially distributed among family and friends after being rejected by publishers – was finally picked up by Frederick Warne & Co. The initial print run of 8,000 sold out and her literary career was launched.

Warne went on to publish six of her and Potter used the profits to buy the 17th-century Hill Top Farm in Near Sawrey village in the Lake District. The publisher’s son Norman was also engaged to Potter briefly but tragically died only four weeks after she had accepted his marriage proposal.

She married a Lakes District solicitor, William Heelis, in 1913 and, having lived at the South Kensington property until that time, moved to Castle Cottage in Near Sawrey in the Lake District where she lived with him until her death in 1943.

A plaque marks the site of the property in South Kensington where she was born (the house itself was destroyed in the Blitz).

We’ll take a more in-depth look at Potter’s London connections in an upcoming post.

This Week in London – ‘Caribbean Takeover’ at the National Maritime Museum; Richard Dadd at the Royal Academy; and, British wildlife through the lens…

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PICTURE: Yangki Suara/Unsplash

• The National Maritime Museum in Greenwich hosts the annual ‘Caribbean Takeover’ – a family-friendly event celebrating Caribbean culture, history and heritage – this Saturday. The event, which marks 60 years of the Notting Hill Carnival, brings together artists, historians, performers and community groups. The day will feature live music, dance performances, talks, creative workshops and community-led displays with highlights including steel pan music and African drumming, calypso dance and limbo, performances on the Ocean Map, and interactive experiences. The event, which runs from 10am to 5pm, is free. For more, see https://www.rmg.co.uk/whats-on/national-maritime-museum-queens-house/caribbean-takeover.

• The work of Victorian artist Richard Dadd (1817-1886) is at the centre of a new exhibition opening at the Royal Academy of Arts this Saturday. Richard Dadd: Beyond Bedlam, the first exhibition devoted to his work in more than 50 years, features around 100 oil paintings, drawings and watercolours and charts his life as a student at Royal Academy schools, his travels and the final 42 years of his life as a patient in Bethlem and Broadmoor Hospitals. Recognised early on for his skill at rendering detail, Dadd went on a tour of the eastern Mediterranean in 1842 but began experiencing delusions as the trip and, on returning to England, killed his father whom he believed to be the Egyptian god Osiris. He fled to France but was apprehended and spent the remainder of his life in hospitals – first at Clermont, north of Paris (1843-44), and then at Bethlem in Lambeth (1844-64), and finally at Broadmoor in Berkshire (1864-65). Highlights include the fairy painting Titania Sleeping (1841) and Scene from Hamlet (1840) as well as works from his time in hospitals including Contradiction. Oberon and Titania (1854-58), The Fairy Feller’s Master-Stroke (1855-64) and Portrait of a Young Man (1853). Runs in the The Jillian and Arthur M Sackler Wing of Galleries until 25th October. Admission charge applies. For more, see www.royalacademy.org.uk.

• On Now: British Wildlife Photography Awards 2026. Some 72 images and video from the awards have gone on show at the Horniman Museum and Gardens in South London. Highlights include Paul Hobson’s A Toad Swims Across Its Woodland Pond (Grand Prize Winner and winner in the Black & White category); Ben Lucas’ Feathery Pillow, depicting a mute swan cygnet taking a nap on its sibling’s back (The Young British Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2026); Sarah Darnell’s The Fur Flew image of a pair of hares boxing (runner up in the Animal Behaviour category); Felix Belloin’s Through the Lavender showing a neighbourhood fox visiting his garden (runner up in the Animal Portraits category); Barry Webb’s Slime Moulds and a Water Droplet (winner in the Botanical Britain category). The free display can be seen until 21st February next year. For more, see horniman.ac.uk.

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10 of London’s notable fountains – 3. Jubilee Fountain…

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Unveiled to mark Queen Elizabeth II’s Silver Jubilee, this fountain can be found in New Palace Yard outside the Houses of Parliament.

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LondonLife – A Banksy at Waterloo Place…

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PICTURE: Nick Page/Unsplash

Where’s London’s oldest (still-in-use) police station?…Wapping Police Station

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Wapping Police Station in London’s east is the oldest still-in-use police station in London.

The riverside Wapping Police Station behind the police dock. PICTURE: mattbuck/Wikimedia Commons (licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0)

Located on Wapping High Street close to the River Thames, it is the headquarters for the Marine Policing Unit, once known as the Thames Division and prior to that the Thames River Police (which has the honour of being the world’s oldest policing unit). These days the unit is responsible for policing the 47 miles of the river between Dartford to the east and Hampton Court to the west.

The premises – which opened in 1908 (although there has apparently been a building for river police at this site since 1798) – is now a Grade II-listed building.

Designed by architect John Dixon Butler (he succeeded his father as the Metropolitan Police architect in 1895), the building at 98 Wapping High Street features a five bay street front with a central courtyard and a riverside block.

It also houses a mortuary and the Thames Police Museum which, established in 1974, has a range of exhibits including uniforms, handcuffs and cutlasses.

The title of the oldest still-in-use police station previously belonged to Penge Police Station, built in 1872, until its closure in 2010.

This Week in London – Newly discovered Tudor ring on show; Swiss art at the National Gallery; and, the story of electric travel in London…

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• A newly discovered gold signet ring bearing the signet of Queen Elizabeth I has gone on display this week at Hampton Court Palace. The ring was discovered by a metal detectorist at the site of a former royal hunting ground at Ampthill, Bedfordshire, and was purchased by Historic Royal Palaces under the terms of the Treasure Act 1996. Dated to the 1570s, it features an engraving of a phoenix rising from the flames. The phoenix emblem was first associated with Queen Anne Boleyn, the second wife of King Henry VIII, following the publication of a poem in 1575 by Ulpian Fulwell in which she is eulogised as being like a phoenix, with her daughter Elizabeth rising from the ashes as “a worthy Queen”. It was around this time that Queen Elizabeth I adopted the phoenix emblem for herself to honour her late mother. The emblem subsequently became associated with Anne Boleyn and courtiers had it incorporated in their clothing, jewels and paintings to show loyalty to the queen. It’s thought the ring may have been lost by a courtier or supporter of the Queen. Also on display at Hampton Court is the ‘Boleyn ring’ which, found close to the home of Anne Boleyn’s cousin, is engraved with a bull’s head and arrayed with sunbeams and stars of white enamel and features religious decoration of icons of the Virgin and Child and St Catherine of Alexandria. It has been speculated it belonged to Anne’s father or brother. On display in the Tudor World exhibition in the Wolsey Rooms at Hampton Court Palace and included in palace admission. For more, see https://www.hrp.org.uk/hampton-court-palace/.

Angelica Kauffmann, Achilles discovered among the Daughters of Lycomedes (1787–8), Oil on canvas, 103.2 x 130.8 cm, The National Gallery, London. A gift from the Barrett Collection, 2026/NG6710 PICTURE: © The National Gallery, London

• Eighteenth century Swiss artist Angelica Kauffmann’s first history painting in oils – Achilles discovered among the Daughters of Lycomedes – has been gifted to the National Gallery. The painting is one of three by Swiss artists gifted to the gallery by Dallas-based collectors Richard and Luba Barrett. The other two include Portrait of Louis Montchal by Ferdinand Hodler (1853–1918) and a landscape – Gallery Four Large Trees – by Alexandre Calame (1810–64). Kaufmann’s painting – the first of hers to enter the National Gallery’s current collection – was produced in 1787 to 1778 at the height of her success in Europe. An unusually large and fully worked preparatory picture, it was created for a final painting commissioned by Catherine the Great that is now at the Scientific-Research Museum of the Academy of Arts of Russia in St Petersburg. Kauffmann’s work can be seen in Room 37, Hodler’s in Room 44 and Calame’s in Room 39. For more, see www.nationalgallery.org.uk

• The story of electric travel is being told at the London Transport Museum in Covent Garden from next Tuesday. Electric Pioneers features a programme of events for families to explore the story of how electricity has shaped transport in London. Activities include the chance to design your own traffic light, meet costumed characters in the museum’s galleries and discover how electricity is made. Runs until 2nd September. Admission charges apply. For more see ltmuseum.co.uk/whats-on/summer-holidays-electric-pioneers.

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10 of London’s notable fountains – 2. Edmond J Safra Fountain Court at Somerset House…

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Located at the heart of a site that was once Royal palace and later government offices, the fountain is a relatively recent addition.

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For more, head to https://www.somersethouse.org.uk.

LondonLife – Theed Street, Waterloo

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PICTURE: David Garrick – Bangbola/Unsplash

London Pub Signs – The Three Greyhounds…

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© Copyright Oast House Archive/Geograph (licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0)/image cropped.
PICTURE: Ewan Munro/Flickr (licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0)

This Soho institution, located in a mock Tudor building in Greek Street, has something of a storied music history.

The pub’s name is apparently related to the dogs that were in years’ past used in the area for hunting hares.

There’s been a pub here since at least 1847 and its location in an area redolent with music history has led to an interesting clientele. They are said to have included members of punk groups The Sex Pistols, who resided nearby Denmark Street, and The Clash.

It’s also suggested the pub was the “drinking haunt” of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart although it seems his time in London predates the current building by decades (and he was only a child when in London).

The pub also featured in the film Bend It Like Beckham.

The pub, now part of the Nicholson chain, can be found at 25 Greek Street. For more, see https://www.nicholsonspubs.co.uk/restaurants/london/thethreegreyhoundssoholondon#/.

This Week in London – Buckingham Palace’s Picture Gallery redisplayed; ‘Henry VIII’s Joust’ at Hampton Court Palace; and, Paul Sarrut’s images of World War I…

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The Picture Gallery at Buckingham Palace has undergone a once-in-a-generation redisplay and opens to the public as part of the palace’s summer opening today. PICTURE: © Royal Collection Enterprises Limited 2026/Royal Collection Trust – Ben Fitzpatrick

• Some 120 masterpieces from the Royal Collection – including paintings by Rubens, Caravaggio and Zoffany – have gone on display in Buckingham Palace’s Picture Gallery in a major transformation of the storied room. The new presentation, which almost doubles the number of works on show, comes as the palace’s State Rooms open to visitors for summer. Highlights of the redisplay, which took some 875 hours to complete, include Johan Zoffany’s The Tribuna of Uffizi which depicts the famed Florentine gallery with works by Holbein, Rubens and Raphael all identifiable, as well as George Stubbs’ A Rough Dog, believed to show King George IV’s pet dog, Thomas Gainsborough’s portrait of Johann Christian Fischer, not believed to have been hung in the gallery display before. Other new works include The Letter by Vermeer contemporary Gerard ter Borch, and Caravaggio’s The Calling for Saints Peter and Andrew while five paintings by Rembrandt have now been hung together and seven works by Rubens have been reunited. The gallery was created during the John Nash-designed redevelopment of what had been Buckingham House into Buckingham Palace and while King George IV died before its completion, the first arrangement was hung by the time Queen Victoria acceded to the throne in 1837. Open until 27th September. Admission charge applies. For more, see www.rct.uk.

• See jousting amid the drama of the Tudor court at Hampton Court Palace over the next two weekends. ‘Henry VIII’s joust’ will take visitors back to 1526 when they can watch knights clash on horseback while tensions build as it’s discovered Anne Boleyn has not been formally invited to the event. The family friendly event, which is taking place over the weekends of 11th and 12th July and 18th and 19th July, is included in general admission to the palace. For more, see https://www.hrp.org.uk/hampton-court-palace/.

• The first ever UK exhibition dedicated to the work of World War I French liaison officer and interpreter Paul Sarrut has opened at the National Army Museum in Chelsea. Drawn on the Western Front: Paul Sarrut and the Indian Army features more than 50 drawings and works on paper exploring the experiences of some of the more than a million Indian men who volunteered to serve in the British Indian Army during the war. The display features Sarrut’s famous image of Sepoy Harnam Singh as well as also uniforms, photographs, archives and medals. The latter include Victoria Crosses awarded to Frank de Pass, the first Jewish recipient, and Khudadad Khan, the first Muslim and first soldier from the Indian subcontinent to receive the award. Free to enter. Runs until 27th February, 2027. For more, see https://www.nam.ac.uk.

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LondonLife – Sacred interior…

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PICTURE: Lumen Vita/Unsplash

Inside Corpus Christi Catholic Church, Maiden Lane in Covent Garden.

Famous Londoners – US founding fathers…

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The US is celebrating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence with celebrations taking place across the weekend just passed.

We thought it a good time to take a quick look at which of the seven founding fathers lived in London…

Benjamin Franklin House. PICTURE:
Elliott Brown (licensed under CC BY 2.0)

1. Benjamin Franklin. Franklin, perhaps the founding father most associated with London, lived in the city for two periods in his life. The first was when he was working as a printer’s apprentice between 1724-26 and the second was when he was representing the interests of the American colonies to the British Government from 1757 to 1775. It was during the latter period that he lived at 36 Craven Street – now a Grade I-listed property known as Benjamin Franklin House and the only remaining residence in the world still standing in which Franklin lived (and one which carried a fascinating past).

2. John Adams. Adams, who was to go on to succeed George Washington as president, lived in London between 1785 and 1788 in the role of first American Minister to Great Britain (actually to the Court of St James), charged by Congress with establishing trade and diplomatic contacts. He lived in a property at 9 Grosvenor Square in Mayfair, a location which remains connected to the US today, housing the US embassy and numerous US memorials. A plaque marks the location of the property.

3. John Jay. The first Chief Justice of the US Supreme Court, he lived in London from June to November, 1794, while, as an envoy of the first US President George Washington, he was negotiating the controversial Jay Treaty with the British Government which dealt with some of the lingering issues of the Revolutionary War.

4. Thomas Jefferson. To say Jefferson lived in London may be a stretch but he did visit for an extended period in March and April, 1786 when, serving as the American minister in France, he crossed the channel and spent a month-and-a-half largely based in the city with John Adams as trade treaties were being negotiated. During his visit he is known to have taken in the gardens at Chiswick House and the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew (as well as some further afield such as at Blenheim Palace).

This Week in London – America’s 250th at the British Museum; Ferdinand Georg Waldmüller’s landscapes; and, ‘rival queens’ at the Foundling Museum…

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Washington Peace Medal PICTURE © The Trustees of the British Museum

• The Washington Peace Medal, engraved to bear a portrait of George Washington by Paul Revere in 1777, is at the heart of a new exhibition at the British Museum marking the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Declaring independence: USA 250 also features a ceremonial copy of the Declaration of Independence, handwritten in sheepskin and on loan from the West Sussex Record Office, known as the Sussex Declaration (it will be added halfway through the display’s run), a wampum belt representing the diplomacy between the Lenape people and the Haudenosaunee Confederacy in 1712 (the Lenape later signed the Treaty of Fort Pitt in 1778 with the Revolutionaries in what was the first formal treaty between an Indigenous Nation and the United States), and a pipe tomahawk given to Thayendanegea (Joseph Brant), a Mohawk, Haudenosaunee leader, which represents the Mohawk alliance with the British. The free display can be seen in Room 3 until 29th November. For more, see www.britishmuseum.org/exhibitions/declaring-independence-usa-250.

• The first UK exhibition of the works of Austrian painter Ferdinand Georg Waldmüller (1793-1865) – and the first to be devoted solely to his landscapes – opens at the National Gallery today. Waldmüller: Landscapes features about 14 works including landscapes depicting scenes in the Prater, Vienna’s famous park, the Alpine region near Salzburg in Austria known as the Salzkammergut, views of Sicily, and later works such as Early Spring in the Vienna Woods (1861). Waldmüller, who was trained at the Academy in Vienna, visited London in 1856, bringing with him 34 works which were sold at auction following a private audience with Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, each of whom bought one. The exhibition in Room 1, which has been organised in cooperation with the Belvedere, Vienna, runs until 20th September. Admission is free. For more, see www.nationalgallery.org.uk/exhibitions/waldmüller-landscapes.

• A new display celebrating 300 years since the debut of two operas by George Frideric Handel in London – Alessandro and Scipione – is running at the Foundling Museum in Bloomsbury. 300 Years of the ‘Rival Queens’: Handel’s 1726 Opera Season focuses on Italian soprano Faustina Bordoni and her rival Francesca Cuzzoni and how Handel carefully composed operas with two equally important roles to suit both singers, known as the ‘rival queens’. Admission charge applies. Runs until 25th October. For more, see https://foundlingmuseum.org.uk/event/handels-1726-opera-season/

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10 of London’s notable fountains – 1. Trafalgar Square fountains…

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Whether it’s for a quick dip, the chance to stand in the mist or simply being in close proximity to the cooling water, London’s many fountains have proven their worth already this summer. We take a look at 10 of the most notable…

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LondonLife – Heat haze…

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PICTURE: Amer Ghazzal/iStockphoto

This Week in London – Documents from the American Revolution; Frida Kahlo’s impact; and, ‘Mirror Moon’ at the Royal Observatory…

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• Some of the most significant letters, papers, maps and documents of the period of the American Revolution have gone on display at the National Archives in Kew. Revolution 250: America’s Independence Story (1763-1783) features a rare Dunlap print of the declaration itself as well as the Tea Act, which ultimately led to the Boston Tea Party, a British officer’s account of the tea party event and the ‘Olive Branch petition’ sent to King George III from representatives of the 13 colonies in what represented a last attempt to avoid war. Also on show are King George III’s Proclamation of Rebellion declaring that the 13 colonies were in revolt and the Treaty of Paris in which Britain accepted American independence. Admission charge applies. For more, see www.nationalarchives.gov.uk.

‘Untitled [Self-portrait with thorn necklace and hummingbird]’ (1940). Nickolas Muray. Collection of Mexican Art.

• The first major exhibition exploring how artist Frida Kahlo (1907-1954) became a global icon and a key influence on later artists has opened at Tate Modern. Frida: The Making of an Icon, developed in collaboration with the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, features more than 30 works by Kahlo including rarely seen self-portraits such as Self-Portrait (With Velvet Dress) (1926) as well as photographs and personal artefacts. Other highlights include Diego and Frida (1929), Survivor (1938), Memory (The Heart) (1937), Girl With A Death Mask (1938) and My Dress Hangs There (1933-38). Runs until 3rd January. Admission charge applies. For more, see https://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-modern/frida-kahlo-the-making-of-an-icon.

• Luke Jerram’s Mirror Moon is on display at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich in a celebration of 350 years of studying the Moon from the site. The scale model, two metres in diameter, is made from mirrored stainless steel and draws on highly accurate topographical NASA data of the lunar surface. For more, see www.rmg.co.uk/royal-observatory/attractions/mirror-moon

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LondonLife – The bell tolls…again…

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PICTURE: Simon Ray/Unsplash

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced his resignation in an at times emotional address outside 10 Downing Street this week. The news means the UK will soon have it’s seventh PM in the 10 years since the Brexit referendum. Former Greater Manchester Mayor – and now Labour MP for Makerfield – Andy Burnham looks to be the next to take up the office.

London Explained – “Mind the gap”…

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PICTURE: Thiva/Unsplash

Commonly seen painted on platform edges and heard on voice-overs when travelling on London’s Underground, the phrase “Mind the gap” refers to being careful when boarding a train of the gap between the train and platform.

This is especially the case when on platforms which aren’t necessarily straight such as at some stations on the London Underground, a fact which can increase the gap between trains and the platform.

The phrase was apparently first adopted on a pre-recorded recording on the Underground in 1968. It can now be heard on live and recorded announcements at stations across London.

There have been some famous voices which have uttered the line on the Underground – among them King Charles III and Queen Camilla around the weekend of his coronation.

While the phrase can now be heard on various public transport systems around the world, it is still heavily associated with London.

It’s also been heard in everything from an Avengers film, video games including Halo and even in music (Yintan’s single, Mind the Gap, for example, features one of the London Underground recorded announcers, Emma Clarke).