Steve Plumb
@squaremileguide.bsky.social
An accredited Tour Guide providing tours of London by licensed taxi; also bespoke walking tours in the City of London. Liveryman & Past Master Parish Clerk.
Patron Saint of the Worshipful Company of Grocers, London.
Today's the feast of St Anthony of Egypt, 4th Century Desert Father. He's often shown with a small pig which kept him company in the desert, as here in a 15th Century English alabaster in the Burrell Collection, Glasgow. Small pigs are still sometimes referred to as Tantony Pigs.
January 17, 2026 at 11:44 PM
Patron Saint of the Worshipful Company of Grocers, London.
Yes, Iconic.
This photo was taken in 1911 using glass plate technology by Herbert Ponting who was part of Scott's Antarctic expedition,
The composition and detail are exquisite with the band of white snow/ice creating a perfect frame around the two people and the ship in the distance
Iconic imo
The composition and detail are exquisite with the band of white snow/ice creating a perfect frame around the two people and the ship in the distance
Iconic imo
January 17, 2026 at 11:42 PM
Yes, Iconic.
Reposted by Steve Plumb
The restored Hogarth Stair in the North Wing of St Barts Hospital. #StaircaseSaturday
January 17, 2026 at 7:40 AM
The restored Hogarth Stair in the North Wing of St Barts Hospital. #StaircaseSaturday
Made. in. NEW YORK !!
Spoon, c. 1696 Jacob Boelen I, made in New York.
(Art Institute Chicago)
(Art Institute Chicago)
January 16, 2026 at 6:44 PM
Made. in. NEW YORK !!
Reposted by Steve Plumb
'London's armory accuratly delineated in a graphical display of all the arms, crests.... of every company and corporate societie in the City of London' by Richard Wallis (1677) (GR 3.3.7)
A striking collection of the coats of arms of various City of London livery companies. 🛡️🦁
A striking collection of the coats of arms of various City of London livery companies. 🛡️🦁
January 16, 2026 at 4:45 PM
'London's armory accuratly delineated in a graphical display of all the arms, crests.... of every company and corporate societie in the City of London' by Richard Wallis (1677) (GR 3.3.7)
A striking collection of the coats of arms of various City of London livery companies. 🛡️🦁
A striking collection of the coats of arms of various City of London livery companies. 🛡️🦁
Reposted by Steve Plumb
It's cool how the city of London puts these lemon juicers out for free public use urbanism win!
January 15, 2026 at 6:51 PM
It's cool how the city of London puts these lemon juicers out for free public use urbanism win!
No: barbed wire fence line, poultry to be kept, Gypsy Caravans; have I seen.
I'm looking for people to tell me their home's ridiculous restricted covenants for a radio programme. I ideally want you to email me the restriction and a phone number so one of my team can ring you and just get you to tell them it so we can make a MONTAGE. Felicity.hannah@bbc.co.uk
a man with a scarf around his neck looks at the camera
ALT: a man with a scarf around his neck looks at the camera
media.tenor.com
January 13, 2026 at 9:26 PM
No: barbed wire fence line, poultry to be kept, Gypsy Caravans; have I seen.
Reposted by Steve Plumb
The ceiling of James Gibbs' Great Hall at St Barts Hospital. Superb restoration.
January 12, 2026 at 8:13 PM
The ceiling of James Gibbs' Great Hall at St Barts Hospital. Superb restoration.
Resplendent. Nice ...
Sir William Hewett was a founding member (1528) & later Master of the Worshipful Company of Clothworkers, Lord Mayor of London (1559) by Antonis Mor [Museum of #London]
January 11, 2026 at 11:37 PM
Resplendent. Nice ...
Clothworker. Master, no less, after a very swift acceleration up the Company's slippery pole.
Gave significant silver plate to the Company, as a gesture of his gratitude for the recognition; I suppose.
Gave significant silver plate to the Company, as a gesture of his gratitude for the recognition; I suppose.
11 Jan 1668: Pepys learns #otd that Moll Davis would be leaving the Duke's Theatre Company as Charles II had given her a ring worth £600 & was furnishing a house for her
January 11, 2026 at 11:34 PM
Clothworker. Master, no less, after a very swift acceleration up the Company's slippery pole.
Gave significant silver plate to the Company, as a gesture of his gratitude for the recognition; I suppose.
Gave significant silver plate to the Company, as a gesture of his gratitude for the recognition; I suppose.
I need this. Hardback, natch.
I love the TV series, of course, and wasn’t sure whether the tie-in book - a charity shop find for £3 - could measure up. But it’s packed with fabulously exciting thoughts and passages.
January 11, 2026 at 3:39 PM
I need this. Hardback, natch.
Tyler & Bricklayer.
9 Jan 1631: 'Love's Triumph through Callipolis' - Ben Jonson's 2nd last masque at Court performed #otd The last was 'Chloridia' on 22 Feb 1631
January 9, 2026 at 10:01 PM
Tyler & Bricklayer.
Clothworker.
Sir John Robinson, Lord Mayor of London, 1662 by John Michael Wright (City of London Corporation)
January 7, 2026 at 11:00 PM
Clothworker.
Juxon House is a modern (post-Blitz) office block in St Paul's Churchyard in the City of London. Part of the huge Paternoster Square re-build after the Second World War.
5 Jan 1633: William Juxon resigns as President of St John's #Oxford #otd - he later succeeded William Laud as Bishop of #London and later still as Archbishop of #Canterbury (NPG) They are buried close to each other in St. John's
January 5, 2026 at 9:39 AM
Juxon House is a modern (post-Blitz) office block in St Paul's Churchyard in the City of London. Part of the huge Paternoster Square re-build after the Second World War.
This is wonderful. The late James Blades in his magnum opus 'Percussion Instruments and their History' (Faber), covers Nakers liberally.
2/3 Another naqqāra player, this time a man in a hat on a 15th Century bench end at Chevington, Suffolk. Knackers or nakers were usually played in pairs, either with beaters or by hand.
January 5, 2026 at 9:32 AM
This is wonderful. The late James Blades in his magnum opus 'Percussion Instruments and their History' (Faber), covers Nakers liberally.
"... benefactor of this ancient guild".
The Worshipful Company of Parish Clerks not only pray for the soul of William Roper, we also toast him (and other benefactors) silently at our gatherings.
Mr Roper's gifts to the Company were in 1868.
The Worshipful Company of Parish Clerks not only pray for the soul of William Roper, we also toast him (and other benefactors) silently at our gatherings.
Mr Roper's gifts to the Company were in 1868.
4 Jan 1578: d. William Roper #otd the son-in-law of Thomas More, his early biographer & friend (MMA)
January 4, 2026 at 8:04 PM
"... benefactor of this ancient guild".
The Worshipful Company of Parish Clerks not only pray for the soul of William Roper, we also toast him (and other benefactors) silently at our gatherings.
Mr Roper's gifts to the Company were in 1868.
The Worshipful Company of Parish Clerks not only pray for the soul of William Roper, we also toast him (and other benefactors) silently at our gatherings.
Mr Roper's gifts to the Company were in 1868.
I bought two at the time. Still have the paper-work. The less popular names were sold by sealed bid. I think that I bid on six; won two. I was happy with that. I recall taking them home on the train ! Weighed a ton. They came with certificates of authenticity :)
In his fantastic book on London street signs, @wemadethis.co.uk documents the rebranding exercise that the City of London undertook in the 1980s, which resulted in the wholesale replacement of its street signs. I do have a soft spot for what went before though, including this beast from Great New St
January 3, 2026 at 5:34 PM
I bought two at the time. Still have the paper-work. The less popular names were sold by sealed bid. I think that I bid on six; won two. I was happy with that. I recall taking them home on the train ! Weighed a ton. They came with certificates of authenticity :)
@tracelarkhall.bsky.social One rainy Half-Term when I was c14, I looked up, in the London telephone directories, the names on the business name-plates shown on the photo of Bowie on 'The Rise & Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars'. All pointing to Heddon St W1. #ProtoAnorak
January 2, 2026 at 12:55 PM
@tracelarkhall.bsky.social One rainy Half-Term when I was c14, I looked up, in the London telephone directories, the names on the business name-plates shown on the photo of Bowie on 'The Rise & Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars'. All pointing to Heddon St W1. #ProtoAnorak
It has only been during this last week that I have discovered that there is in London, no Blue Plaque to William Hogarth. Seems so unlikely, doesn't it ?
Some are saying that there was one once, and that it is one of a number of missing plaques commemorating various bods. I have no idea.
Some are saying that there was one once, and that it is one of a number of missing plaques commemorating various bods. I have no idea.
January 2, 2026 at 10:32 AM
It has only been during this last week that I have discovered that there is in London, no Blue Plaque to William Hogarth. Seems so unlikely, doesn't it ?
Some are saying that there was one once, and that it is one of a number of missing plaques commemorating various bods. I have no idea.
Some are saying that there was one once, and that it is one of a number of missing plaques commemorating various bods. I have no idea.
More old Champagne; with Christmas cake. At least this one (Lanson) from 2016 'popped' a little. Plenty of life in it.
January 1, 2026 at 1:53 PM
More old Champagne; with Christmas cake. At least this one (Lanson) from 2016 'popped' a little. Plenty of life in it.
A bonus SM post.
January 1, 2026 at 11:52 AM
A bonus SM post.
A very Happy New Year. Here is P G Wodehouse setting the tone for New Year's Day.
I'm holding-out 'til Lunchtime.
I'm holding-out 'til Lunchtime.
January 1, 2026 at 11:49 AM
A very Happy New Year. Here is P G Wodehouse setting the tone for New Year's Day.
I'm holding-out 'til Lunchtime.
I'm holding-out 'til Lunchtime.
I still have the guide book from the nineteen-sixties from when I was a child. The Castle was still in private ownership then, I think.
Corfe Castle, the model of Corfe Castle in Corfe Castle Model Village, and the model of Corfe Castle in the model of Corfe Castle Model Village in Corfe Castle Model Village.
December 31, 2025 at 12:33 PM
I still have the guide book from the nineteen-sixties from when I was a child. The Castle was still in private ownership then, I think.
I simply HATE losing things. I was given the lovely Phaidon book on Hogarth some time ago by a Cabby mate who is also a Guide. I thought that I had lost it, but didn’t know how, as I rarely take books out of the house
It turns-out that I found these lurking in our large collection of cookery books
It turns-out that I found these lurking in our large collection of cookery books
December 29, 2025 at 12:15 PM
I simply HATE losing things. I was given the lovely Phaidon book on Hogarth some time ago by a Cabby mate who is also a Guide. I thought that I had lost it, but didn’t know how, as I rarely take books out of the house
It turns-out that I found these lurking in our large collection of cookery books
It turns-out that I found these lurking in our large collection of cookery books
My Diary tells me that it's a Saturday. Third consecutive day of fine, bright weather here in fashionable North London.
I like the idea of cutting the grass. It will probably remain just an idea.
I like the idea of cutting the grass. It will probably remain just an idea.
December 27, 2025 at 9:54 AM
My Diary tells me that it's a Saturday. Third consecutive day of fine, bright weather here in fashionable North London.
I like the idea of cutting the grass. It will probably remain just an idea.
I like the idea of cutting the grass. It will probably remain just an idea.