Monthly Archives: September 2023

Pearly Kings and Queens and the Sheep Drive show City’s authentic culture and heritage

A week after the City Corporation’s £1.3 million Bartholomew Fair ended, two more modest events showed how traditional activities can attract crowds despite relatively little publicity. Yesterday I went to the Pearly Kings and Queens Harvest Festival in Guildhall Yard, while at Southwark Bridge the annual Sheep Drive celebrated the ancient privilege of Freemen of read more »

Sheep Drive and Livery Fair

Yesterday there were two traditional events in the City of London – the Pearly Kings and Queens Harvest Festival and the Sheep Drive and Livery Fair. I’ve written about the Pearlies here, but didn’t get to the Sheep Drive. Fortunately there’s quite a lot on social media, and I’ve pulled together some content to demonstrate read more »

Barbican Library plans innovative community information hub

New plans for a community hub in the Barbican Library include ways for residents to share information more effectively, engage with the Corporation’s Destination City programme, and try out enhanced digital technologies. The hub is part of a general Refresh for the library. The hub ideas go back to some work I did last year read more »

Site for a new children’s playground in the City?

The City Corporation is in the final stages of consultation on a new square near St Paul’s Cathedral – and councillor John Edwards is asking people to support ideas for a children’s playground. The new square – which I wrote about earlier – will be in front of the Panorama St Pauls development, due to read more »

After the Fair is over

Over on the Cloth Fair site I’ve reported on my research into earlier re-staging of Bartholomew Fair, starting with the big one organised by Barts Hospital in 1923. Senior medics yielded to a session in the stocks. I’ve asked for more info from anyone involved in more recent events, including 1973, 2000 and 2010. Meanwhile, read more »