20th century London (1900 – 1999)
Explore objects, stories and blogs shining a light on London during 100 years of enormous and rapid change.
Blogs-And-Stories
The Kray Twins: Notorious east London gangsters
Dangerous and famous in the Swinging Sixties
Librarian’s pick: Queer history books to read
Four books on LGBTQ+ history from the museum’s library that you should read, if you haven’t already
The Backstreet: London’s iconic men-only leather bar
For 37 years, The Backstreet was an iconic part of London’s leather and gay bar scene
From prison to parliament: Suffragettes & Holloway
Delve into the history of Holloway prison, and the stories of the Suffragettes imprisoned there
The Festival of Britain 1951
A nation-wide event with London at its heart, the Festival aimed to boost Britain’s post-war blues
J Smythe: The WWII navigator & his Windrush story
By any measure, Johnny Smythe led an extraordinary life
East London and the popularity of gospel choirs
How have gospel choirs from east London contributed to the UK’s musical soundscape?
First World War and the British Red Cross: War art with a difference
How artists documented the British Red Cross’ WWI relief efforts through powerful artworks
Brixton 1981 to BLM: Reflections on Black uprisings
The changing nature of uprisings in Brixton, from 1981 to 2020
Suffragette Christabel Pankhurst & her ‘militant’ strategy
Interview: Often maligned by historians, feminist and Suffragette Christabel Pankhurst’s story needs much exploration
British-Bangladeshis & the East End rag trade: A personal story
How Asma Begum’s parents travelled from Bangladesh in the 1960s to build a life in London’s East End
The candid street photography of Margaret Monck
Capturing the energy of 1930s Londoners
Henry Grant photographed London from every angle
Countless London stories in black and white
How Moss Bros transformed with London’s fashion industry
Moss Bros is one of the longest-surviving Jewish-founded firms in London fashion
Christabel Pankhurst: Suffragette leader
An inspiring leader whose radical tactics intensified women’s fight for the vote
Why fashion manufacturing moved away from London
From the 1940s onwards, here’s why many London-based fashion makers struggled to retain their base in the capital
Kitty Marion: Actor & Suffragette
Battling for the vote with fire and hunger strikes
How Mary Quant revolutionised 1960s fashion
This champion of super short hemlines influenced how a generation dressed