The Tower of London has watched over the city for nearly a millennium. If you are a priceless Jewel, the Tower is your protector. To countless of the city’s accused, a captor.

Royals, regals, religious, and rogues. The Tower has seen them all.

Many have been famous, and many more have been lost to history.

Holding in all of these secrets is a challenge for the Tower, and, late at night, after the tourists have gone, perhaps the fortress wants to release some of its tension. Perhaps some former tower residents, want to stand as witnesses and keep memories - even ghastly memories - alive.

In this episode we share stories of two lesser known Tudor ghosts, and we bump into some more along the way.

Take a look at our SHOW NOTES for images, sources, and more.

“And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how we deal with vampires in old London Town,’. - Ben Aaronovitch in Rivers of London

We start this episode in the London neighborhood of Highgate. It’s famous cemetery, exuding Victorian design and extravagance, is the setting for our first story, about a potential paranormal experience and the long term metaphysical feud that resulted.

We’ll delve into mainstream horror cinema of the 1950s and 60s from London’s own Hammer Films, with special emphasis on its vampiric offerings.

In Dracula, Bram Stoker’s count moved far and wide around the city. We’ll trace his footsteps and learn hidden coding to the novel’s London locations.

What’s a modern vampire to do in the city? We highlight some haunts for those interested in exploring the city as a creature of the night.

And, as intro, we share a brief memorial to our late, beloved pod-pup, Boo.

Photos, links and more at our SHOW NOTES here.

Until very recently, only London held the distinction of hosting the Summer Olympics three times, more than any other city in the world. The Games in London have been pivotal, memorable, and marked by very significant historical context, beginning with the early 20th-century growth of the modern Olympics in 1908, to the intense symbolism of post-war recovery in 1948, and finally the modern legacy of the 2012 Games.

In this episode, we are stepping back in time to explore all three London Olympiads. We will take a look at some of the great athletes and notable moments of the Games, but our focus will more deeply center on the symbiotic relationship
of London to the Olympics. For better or worse, depending on the perspective, this global spectacle of sport has definitely made a permanent imprint on the city; at the same time, London has absolutely made a lasting imprint on the modern games - arguably more than any other city in the world.

Ready to run, swim, and jump into London Olympic history with us? Follow along with our show notes, and visit Yesterday’s London Times on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok for more information, images, sources, and fun!