About Jane's London Walks

I offer alternative guided tours that encourage people to be a little bit more aware of our surroundings – a sort of physical version of Jane's London (my blog/website).

My walks are friendly strolls about the things that inspire and intrigue me, not just lists of facts, figures and dates, although I do pride myself on my research and cross-referencing. I am especially interested in social and local history and how our streets have changed over the centuries.

For my easy-to-see schedule please click here
To find out more about the individual walks and how to book just click here. 
Please also see my Facebook and Twitter feeds Like me! Follow me!  
And/or subscribe for occasional updates here.
Feedback always welcome: TripAdvisor

Investigate the backstreets

"If you wish to have a just notion of the magnitude of this city, you must not be satisfied with seeing its great streets and squares, but must survey the innumerable little lanes and courts. It is not in the showy evolutions of buildings, but in the multiplicity of human habitations which are crowded together, that the wonderful immensity of London consists."
Samuel Johnson (1709–1784)

Local London Guiding Day – free walking tours

On Saturday 12th October four of London's guiding associations will be offering free  guided walks and this year our theme is Victorian innovation.
The second half of the 19th century saw major breakthroughs in so many fields, paving the way for products and services that we now take for granted.
No booking necessary – just turn up. First walk 10am, last walk 4pm, so it's possible to visit all four areas in the same day.
locallondonguidingday.com

Blimey guv, this leaflet is good – I wonder who created it?!

Discount tour vouchers available

Reduced prices 

Occasionally I do market stalls selling my cards and prints at cheaper than they are in my online shop. And at these markets I also offer my walking tours at approx 10% off* 

Angel Canal Festival this year – Sunday 1st September – no stall this year – instead I will be helping my fellow Islington guides doing boat tours around City Road Basin area and generally having a mooch about enjoying the events and attractions including this exhibition on a moored barge.

Thanks to everyone who came along to say hello at The Cally Festival on Sunday 23rd June and the Archway Summer Festival on Sun 21st July

*Vouchers can be bought for cash and are not walk/date-specific. They are valid for one whole year from the date of purchase and can be allocated to specific tours when you are ready. Simple! 

Inspirational Islington

Thanks to those of you who joined me for my walk on Tuesday 9th April –  I think we all had a marvellously inspirational time despite the wet weather.
Here's a pic from the day – thanks to Brian – find the whole set on Facebook here.

Inspirational Islington continues until June 3rd with other events, walks and talks.
I will be offering a revised version of my creative walk from July – please keep checking my schedule. 

Schedule 2019

This is a quick reference guide Updated regularly – dates and times may change – please do keep checking in
I try to offer each walk approximately once per month on different days and times.
See here for a full list of tours available some of which might not be listed below.
More in-depth information about each walk and how to book here
Alternative dates and times can be organised for groups or private tours

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AUGUST

Sat 24 – 11.15 [B] and 13.45 [B] – FREE tours of Caledonian Park clocktower**
Sun 25 – 2.30pm – Art Deco Shoreditch/Hoxton
Sun 25 – 5pm – Art Deco Spitalfields/Aldgate
Tue 27 – 4pm – Ghostsigns, Angel Islington
Tue 27 – 6.30m – Canal Ghostsigns, Islington
Thu 29 – 6.30pm – Philanthropy and Social Housing in Islington

SEPTEMBER
Sun 01 – Angel Canal Festival – stall* TBC
Sun 08 – 11am/2pm Regent's Canal History walks – FREE – more info to follow

Sun 08 – 5.30pm – Inns & Taverns, of Angel, Islington

Mon 09 – 4pm – Ghostsigns, Camden Town
Mon 09 – 6.30pm – Art Deco Camden
Wed 11 – 10.30am – Art Deco Shoreditch/Hoxton

Wed 11 – 2pm – Art Deco Spitalfields/Aldgate
Wed 11 – 6.30pm – Ghostsigns, CovGdn & Soho

Sat 14 – 11.15 [L] and 13.45 [B] – FREE tours of Caledonian Park clocktower**
Sun 15 – 11am – Canal Ghostsigns, Islington
Sun 15 – 2.30pm – Ghostsigns, Angel Islington
Wed 18 – 11am – Philanthropy and Social Housing in Islington

Tue 24 – 6.30pm – Kings Cross and The Ladykillers

OCTOBER
Fri 11 – 3pm – Literary Holloway†
Sat 12 – Local London Guiding Day – FREE tours
Sun 13 – 3pm – The Diary of a Nobody† (Upper Holloway)
Tue 15 – 6.30pm – Philanthropy and Social Housing in Islington
Wed 23 – 11am – The Diary of a Nobody† (Upper Holloway)
Sun 27 – 11am – Literary Holloway†
Sun 27 – 3pm – The Diary of a Nobody† (Upper Holloway)

†Footprints of London Literary Festival – throughout October

*discounts on walking tours for vouchers purchased in person or at my stall – see here for more info

**Islington guides work to a rota at the tower. The dates listed here in green are the days when I will be be there myself, either [L] leading a tour or [B] back-up guide – please contact me if you require further info.
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Some times and dates shown above may be subject to change Please check the Eventbrite listings for further information

Or visit my Facebook page – Follow/Like for news and updates

Please enquire re bespoke walks and commissions

To be informed of new walks, offers etc please subscribe here for updates.

Feedback

Aaargh!
I somehow managed to delete all the lovely comments I had posted on here.
I will have to re-do this at a future date as many comments came to me via email.

Meanwhile, please see my tripAdvisor page where you will also find the full version of this one:

This was a great walk... Now I feel I know the area on my doorstep much better, thanks to Jane. She weaves her own journey of discovery... and her enthusiasm and fascination rubs off on you! 

What's new? What's happening?

Please just click here to be taken to the News and Events section
Updated regularly, so please keep checking in
Or click here to subscribe for occasional email updates.

Alternatively, check the Eventbrite listings for further information

Or visit my Facebook page – Follow/Like for news and updates

1930s Art Deco and Modernism

Streamline Moderne

What is Art Deco?
Do you like cantilevered simplicity or Jazz Age geometrics? Do you "ooh" every time you drive past The Hoover Factory? Do you "wow" when you see Senate House? Do you yearn to live in a house with interiors to rival Eltham Palace?
There is not just one design ideal for this period – we’ve all got a different take it beacuse "Art Deco" has become a catch-all term for the period mid20s–pre-WW2; a time of change when architects were keen to move away from the fussy embellishments of the past. 
You might be surprised to learn that he term "Art Deco" was not coined until 1968 by Bevis Hillier when he referred to this period in reference to the International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts that took place in Paris, 1925. But it is a bit misleading, especially in regard to architecture, as most of the buildings that carry the tag are lacking in decoration – it's all about simplicity of line with a bit of geometric ornamentation here and there. One could argue that the only style that fits the term is the Egyptian temple revival. And so we see tiled factory façades, temples to industry, Portland stone banks, minimalist shop fronts, ocean liner office blocks and impressive department stores.

Join me on a walking tour to find out more. I have pounded the streets and discovered many unsung gems. These I have collected into a series of "Art Deco era" tours (or should we say early 20th Century architecture tours?) and I am sure on every walk you will find something that gives you that 'wow' moment.

More Art Deco tours in other areas coming soon – Please see the schedule for more information or subscribe for updates here.

Here's a review on tripAdvisor about my Art Deco Holloway walk:

Christmas events 2018

A big thanks to everyone who came along to the Archway and Whitecross Street Christmas lights switch-on events in December 2018.
Despite the cold weather and gusty winds in both locations, we had a marvellously jolly time with Santa and the Mayor of Islington plus some great live music and entertainment.

Canal boat tours along the Regent's Canal

I am the designated tour guide for Hidden Depths.

Three boats are available for hire – Lapwing takes 14 people and Joan and Freda can accommodate 40. 

Trips start at the foot of Granary Steps, Kings Cross. 

Tours can be organised to go west towards Camden or east through Islington Tunnel to City Road Basin. 

For more details, please visit the Hidden Depths website or talk to Barbara on 07456 084584.

Thanks to everyone who came along on our Save The Swans fund-raising event in September 2018. It was such an enjoyable day. 

We raised approx £1000 to care for birds injured on our waterways.

About me

I have lived in Islington, North London, since 1988. I am intrigued by its vibrant and layered history and, as an avid local historian, I have come to know the area very well.
My guiding style is inclusive, open and friendly – I like to engage with the group I am leading and this leads to a marvellous knowledge exchange.
Every walking tour I offer is designed and thoroughly researched by Yours Truly – in fact, the research never stops with walks getting amended or added to as new information comes to light.
The varied subjects covered in my tours highlight the different facets of my personality and the things I am genuinely interested in such as art and design, sculpture and architecture, pubs, parks, ghostsigns and advertising, all of which I use to tell the social history of an area.
I am forever coming up with new ideas for walking tours – a list of 'works in progress' can be found here. Enquiries and bespoke commissions are always welcome.
And I do venture outside of Islington – please check my listings on Eventbrite.

I hope to see you soon,
Jane

Also see my blog Jane's London which is about "the wonderful little details on, around and above London's streets" though it's fair to say that I do have a have a few rants on there too, mainly about what I call the Dubaiification of London.

Jane Amelia Parker
Accredited and insured Clerkenwell and Islington CIGA guide 
Member of Footprints of London.
Feedback always welcome 

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Info and booking for all scheduled walks here

All enquiries: jane@janeslondon.com

Please also see TripAdvisor, Facebook and Twitter @janeslondon #janeslondon 

To keep up to date with new walks and relevant info, please subscribe for updates.

The Diary Of A Nobody

This 90-minute tour shows you the inspiration behind the places and characters created by the brothers Grossmiths in their amusing little book. 

I have read it, ooh, eight times now. And each time I have noticed something new, perhaps in the form of an amusing reference to a nearby place with a clever name-change, or satirical hint at something that was topical or relevant back in the 1880s. The world of 130 years ago really isn't that far removed from today. 
The prep for this walk was extensive but really enjoyable – I spent a lot of time absorbed in old directories and I was often to be found wandering up and down the top half of Holloway Rd like some kind of private detective as I scribbled notes and hunted for the best locations to tie in with the Grossmiths' narrative. But it's all been worth it as I have always had lovely feedback from the people who have joined me on these tours.
So why not join me sometime soon? 
We'll visit places where Mr Pooter and his family and friends might have lived, visited and shopped. Along the way I point out buildings and references whilst reading some relevant amusing passages from the book. It's a delight!! (Even though I do say this myself!)

You don't need to know or have already read the book to enjoy the walk, but I am pretty sure that you will be reading it after the tour!

For literary fans – why not try my Lyrics and Limericks, Fantasy and Fraud walk which takes us through Holloway showcasing the diverse range of poets, playwrights, diarists and lyricists who have lived and worked in the Holloway area.

*This walk is usually available as part of Footprints of London's  yearly LitFest which offers at least one literary-themed walk a day – like a walking book club, taking people out onto the streets of London on guided walks researched, written and led by enthusiastic, experienced, professional guides. You might have seen the marvellous leaflets I designed for 2017!

Overview of my tours by location / subject

Below is an idea of the kind of walks I offer, shown by location and cross-referenced by subject matter. I hope this helps.
My up-coming walks can be found here – if the one you are looking for is not scheduled at the moment please do get in touch.
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LOCATION / AREA

Camden & Kings Cross area
Camden Art Deco/1920-30s – Cigarettes & Alcohol
KX & The Ladykillers (film locations comparison)
Ghostsigns, Camden (gin, drugs & shopping)
Ghostsigns, Holloway N7
Ghostsigns, Kentish Town
Ghostsigns, King's Cross

Parks, Pubs and Pianos – Caledonian Park to Kentish Town

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Angel area / Islington South 
Alternative Clerkenwell (not just the usual stuff)
Creative Islington – make it, paint it, bake it
Ghostsigns Upper Street
Ghostsigns Regent's Canal
Green & Pleasant Islington (Hi+Is to Holloway)
Look At The Estate We're In (philanthropy and social housing)
Waterways, Wharves & Windmills (Regents Canal)
Inns & Taverns of Angel Islington
The Only Way Is Essex Road

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Islington North / Holloway, Arsenal, Archway etc
Art Deco/1920-30s Arsenal & Finsbury Park
Art Deco/1920-30s Holloway
Bygone Brands and Businesses (N19)
The Diary Of A Nobody – Mr Pooter's Holloway
Green & Pleasant Islington (Hi+Is to Holloway)
The Irish In Islington (Archway, N19)

Literary Holloway – lyrics, limericks, fantasy & fraud

Oxford Street of the North – Holloway's Victorian Heyday (N7)
Pubs and Taverns of Holloway Road (over 30 locations, in two parts)

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Other areas

Covent Garden & Soho ghostsigns – Leather, Limos and Lubrication
Spitalfields & Aldgate Art Deco/1920-30s
Shoreditch & Hoxton Art Deco/1920-30s
The Strand – What a Relief  (sculptural highlights)

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SUBJECTS / THEMES

Architecture
Art Deco/1920-30s Camden – Cigarettes & Alcohol
Art Deco/1920-30s Arsenal to Finsbury Park
Art Deco/1920-30s Holloway
Art Deco/1920-30s Spitalfields & Aldgate
Art Deco/1920-30s Shoreditch & Hoxton
What is Art Deco?
Look At The Estate We're In (philanthropy and social housing in Islington)

Kings Cross & The Ladykillers (comparison with 1955 film locations)

Holloway's Victorian Heyday – The Oxford Street of the North
What a Relief – Sculptures of The Strand

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Arts and Literature

Create it, Paint it, Make it, Bake it – Creative inspiration in Islington
The Diary Of A Nobody – Mr Pooter's Holloway
Literary Holloway – lyrics, limericks, fantasy & fraud

Parks, Pubs and Pianos – Caledonian Park to Kentish Town

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Ghostsigns 
What is a ghostsign?
Covent Garden & Soho – Leather, Limos and Lubrication
Holloway N7
Upper Street / Angel Islington
Kentish Town
King's Cross

Regent's Canal – Industrious Islington

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Pubs
Angel Islington Taverns
Holloway Road (over 30 locations, in two parts)

Parks, Pubs and Pianos – Caledonian Park to Kentish Town

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Canals, rivers, nature
Green & Pleasant Islington (Hi+Is to Holloway)
Waterways, Wharves & Windmills (Regents Canal, Islington)

Boxes, Babies, Beans and Bras (Ghostsigns, Regent's Canal, Islington)

I also do commentary for tours on my friends' canal boats.

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Miscellaneous
Alternative Clerkenwell (avoiding the obvious!)
Creative Islington – create it, paint it, make it, bake it
The Irish In Islington (Archway, N19)
The Only Way Is Essex Road

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Also see my "works in progress" – I am always open to new ideas so do get in touch if there is a theme you think I ought to cover.

Thanks to everyone who came along on my Hallowe'en ghost-themed walks on Wed 31st October as part of the Islington Council event on Navigator Square.

I got some really great feedback including this tweet from Flora: "Loved loved loved the #Archway Files! Thanks @janeslondon for the tour. And a great use of our fab new space at Navigator Square."

It's all in the details

My walking tours are a natural progression of Jane's London – my blog/website where for the past decade I have been writing about my London observations and marrying them with collections of my photos such as this collection of 'white' places in to tie in with the snowy weather we had in March 2018. 

Press coverage

Islington Tribune Great hints on history

Islington Gazette Business of the week

Islington Now People have turned into pigeons

Ghostsigns

Ghostsigns are the faded advertisements of yesteryear still visible above today's streets mostly in the form of hand-painted letters on brick walls. I think the term can also apply to other types of defunct signage for brands or businesses which no longer exist at that site . These might be visible as names embedded into masonry or forged within metalwork.

On my ghostsign tours you'll hear fascinating stories behind these old forms of advertising such as bogus potions, big brands, small traders and clever marketing.

Info and booking here for walks in Camden, Kentish Town, Covent Garden & Soho, Kings Cross, Holloway, Archway and Angel/Upper Street.
Other areas coming soon.

See here for more about ghostsigns.

Can you help me to decipher this one in Islington?

Coming soon

I am brimming with ideas for more walks.
I just need more time!

Listed below are some tasters of some of my works-in-progress, yet to be completed.
Please also see the News and Events section. 

• A-Zs by location/area – overviews – 26 subjects in 2 hours max! 
• Art Deco – more!!! – Highgate, Covent Garden Clerkenwell, Holborn, Euston, Central London/Soho and not-so-obvious Bloomsbury...
• Parks and Recreation (Islington North)
• Pop Goes The Weasel – up or down the City Road 
• More ghostsign tours – Shoreditch, Fitzrovia, Marylebone... 
• Locations, Locations, Locations / Making Movies
• Frogs and Sheep – St Mary's Islington to The City
• Parallel Paths (more info to follow)
• Fabulous Fonts and Friendly Faces – the printing and clock-making industries of Clerkenwell 
• Islington On The Edge (walking the border of the borough, though in sections) 
• A Slice of Islington
• It's Hip to Be Square – Bloomsbury/Fitzrovia/Barnsbury squares etc 
• Bury me in Islington – inc Canonbury, Highbury and Barnsbury 
• Hackney Brook – Holloway to Arsenal 
• New River Walk – Islington to Tottenham (4hr walk either way) 
• Little Red Bus – a series of five walking tours following the route of the 153 bus (Finsbury Park to Finsbury Square) with a few deviations to see some interesting and not so well-known places along the way. The route will be split in route into 90-minute walking sections.

If you are interested in any of the above and can organise a group of people* please do get in touch for more info as most of the above can swiftly pulled together and arranged at a mutually convenient date.

If you have ideas of your own, perhaps a particular subject or theme that you are interested in that would make a good walking tour, then please do get in touch. Here are a few ideas – women, artists, animals, shops, churches, children, music, health...

I also provide guided commentary (when required) on Hidden Depths canalboat tours which moor at Granary Steps, Kings Cross. 
Many tours go through the 200-year Islington Tunnel – a wonderful experience through a marvellous feat of clever engineering. 
Boat trips can be booked for parties and events. Please contact Hidden Depths for more information 

*For pre-designed tours the booking fee is £60 which includes places for the first 6 people. Extra tickets are £10 each up to a max of 20 people per group. However, please note that new/bespoke walks may incur an additional charge to cover any extra research and development – please enquire for more info.

Every year in October we host our Literary Festival, taking people out of the pages and onto the streets of London, sort of like a walking-talking bookclub.
There's something for everyone, from Sherlock Holmes to Samuel Pepys via Charles Dickens and the Bloomsbury Set.
For my part, in 2018 I offered my Limericks and Limericks, Fantasy and Fraud and my Diary Of A Nobody (Mr Pooter's Holloway) and these will be available again in 2019, indeed they are still available outside October so do check my listings.
There is usually a fantastic money-saving voucher offer in the form of a Season Ticket. so do look out for that because, quite frankly, it's a bargain and you get to attend as many of the LitFest walks as you like – hell, why not go on them all...?!