Laurence's Walks

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Featuring the History of Science & Technology, Eccentrics, Intelligence and Strange Pets

Tired of kings and queens? Hear about head hunters at Holland Park, the surface of Mars in Mayfair, or dinosaur dung in Westminster.

Discover London's unsuspected history.

Visit the homes and haunts of remarkable characters from history.

But rather than the artists, nobles and politicians discover the ingenious, enlightened and eccentric - typically scientists, inventors, engineers and spies.

Aimed at the layperson these walking tours in central London or in one of London's "villages" feature quiet and attractive back streets, parks or water.

They embrace social history and the often surprising evolution of London's infrastructure.

Local Heroes

Enjoy an offbeat London guided walk, for example Nine Boffins in Wartime Westminster, or Making the Earth Move in Woolwich.

Also: Mayfair, Kensington, Lambeth, Chelsea, Belgravia, Notting Hill, Bayswater, Holland Park, Richmond, Blackheath, Smithfield, Bloomsbury and Marylebone.

London is home to world famous institutions such as the Royal Society (founded 1660), the Royal Institution (founded 1799), the Science Museum (1857) and the Natural History Museum (1881). Many world famous scientists* and inventors have also lived here including Babbage, Darwin, Faraday, Fleming, Ben Franklin, Newton and Maxwell.
There have been literally hundreds of others whose extraordinary stories have been forgotten.

Outside my walking tours few of these stories are enjoyably accessible to the visitor, even via the English Heritage blue plaques.
Apart from scientists and inventors I also cover others touched by science: explorers, pathologists, code breakers, surveyors, cooks, painters, manufacturers etc.

Typical Topics

1784 Air rage, in West Brompton
1786 Performing surgery at 10 Downing Street in Westminster
1797 Weighing the world in Clapham
1799 Sending high speed data through Southwark
1852 Measuring beauty with a sextant, in Knightsbridge
1892 Decorating the home with electricity, in Bayswater
1915 Fighting chemical warfare, in Pimlico
1940 Surviving the battle of the beams over Richmond
1965 Sniffing out spies, in Lambeth

This is not the history of science textbook-style, but colourful stories of invention, experiment, discovery and adventure told in appropriate locations in a great city.

Secrets and Spies

Focusing on ingenuity and eccentricity I have found it natural, in addition to science, to explore the hidden world of deception and espionage.

Scheduled Guided Walks & Private Tours

These unusual London walking tours, mostly within Travelcard zones 1-4, generally last 2-3 hours, but there are some longer walks with a rest stop.
Tour Menu
For mobility aspects see General Information.

Intended Audience

You like walking or exploring around town,
You have perhaps visited London's famous sites before and want something more unusual,
You are interested in science & technology, intrigue or social history,
OR, like many of my customers, you don't know much about science but you like to see and hear something new and interesting.

You could hear about magnetic mines at one street corner, and false teeth or plant hunting at the next.