The Strand, London, c. 1901

Step into the vanished world of London’s last West End slum, once hidden in the maze of streets just northeast of the Strand and Aldwych. Today, little remains to hint at the area’s notorious past. This was a district of sharp contrasts — a centre of prostitution, lined with Victorian pornographic bookshops and brothels, yet also home to some prestigious theatres and a vibrant street market. The area drew eccentric characters, colourful traders, and curious visitors, and preserved pockets of rare architecture dating back to the 16th century. Using old maps, historic images, literary extracts (from Dickens, Pope) and the few surviving traces still visible, Richard Watkins will guide us on a virtual journey into a neighborhood now swept away by redevelopment.

The Strand, looking eastward from Exeter Change, c1824

The rental period has closed for this program.