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 & the popularity of gospel choirs
How have gospel choirs from east London contributed to the UK’s musical soundscape?

First World War & 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

Conserving Una Maw's famous 1920s Vegetable Dolls
How we conserved and restored these amazing century-old handmade dolls by Una Maw