In this episode, we tell three stories around an iconic London landmark.
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Seven Dials
,
London
Why Seven?
Written by
Joanna
Clarke
Performed by
Kate
Reid
Delve Deeper
SevenDials website has a picture of the original plan for the junction in an article about its history, and also a biography of the extraordinary Thomas Neale, the landowner and architect.
About this story
After the success of Inigo Jones’ Covent Garden, in 1692 entrepreneur Thomas Neale draws up building plans to make the most of his neighbouring property and presents it to architect and Surveyor General Christopher Wren.
Seven Dials
,
London
The Black Loyalists
Written by
Viel
Richardson
Performed by
Jasmine
Elcock
Delve Deeper
Black Presence, a website about the contribution of Black people to British history, has an article about the Black Loyalists in London. The London School of Economics has an article about the founding of Sierra Leone.
Wikipedia has a page about The Committee for the Relief of the Black Poor, an 18th Century group instrumental in the Sierra Leone ‘repatriating’ project. (incidentally, Georgiana Cavendish, leading lady of our Episode ‘Georgiana and Diana’ was a member of this committee), and also pages on the Black Loyalists, many of whom were resettled in Nova Scotia.
About this story
During the US War of Independence, the British offer liberation and repatriation to enslaved black Americans who fight on their side. After the war some come to the UK and many settle in Seven Dials. But what next?
Seven Dials
,
London
An Englishman, an Irishman and a Scotsman walk into a bar…
Written by
Zak
Ghazi-Torbati
Performed by
Stephen
Fry
Delve Deeper
Website Charles Dickens Page has his full ‘Sketch’ on 7 Dials, from which this story was conceived.
About this story
Writer Charles Dickens wrote a ‘Boz’ Sketch of Seven Dials for Bell’s Life in London. Our writer Zak Ghazi-Torbati takes a sideways look at that 1835 view of the area, from the point of view of Dicken’s Irishman.
