Race Across The World: The Experience is set in the City of London, and if you think you’ve already seen it all before, think again.
Race Across The World is all about discovery and appreciating places that often pass us by. As the creators of the experience, we’ve taken great care to include some weird and wonderful things that we miss in London and make it an integral part of the experience.
We’ll save the surprises we’ve got in store for you when you participate in the race, so you won’t find any spoilers here. But as we’re feeling generous, here are 7 more things that you probably didn’t know about London…
1. Queen Elizabeth I was Released From The Tower of London on the Anniversary of Her Mother’s Execution
Which just so happened to be the 19th of May.
Ironically, this also happened to be the date that Catherine of Aragon, Henry VIII’s first wife, married Prince Arthur, King Henry’s older brother, who predeceased him.
Not a great date to be a Tudor!
2. Cleopatra’s Needle was Not Named After The Egyptian Queen
You’ve probably noticed this Ancient Egyptian obelisk gleaming near Waterloo Bridge but have you ever stopped to wonder what on Earth it’s doing in London?
The story goes right back, over a thousand years before Cleopatra was even born, to the reign of Pharaoh Thutmose III.
Interestingly, Cleopatra’s Needle was a gift given to Britain to commemorate the defeat of Napoleon at the behest of King Muhammad Ali (not that one!). It was packaged up into a capsule called Cleopatra and towed by an ill-fated ship called Olga. You can read about the ship’s journey by reading the plaque attached to the obelisk.
3. Gabriel Wharf is Named After Peter Gabriel’s Great-Great-Great Uncle
If you don’t know who Peter Gabriel is, he is a legendary singer-songwriter with numerous hit songs you probably recognise: Sledgehammer and Paradise, to name but a few.
However, his ancestor’s legacy was very different. His name was Thomas Gabriel; he was a timber merchant and once Lord Mayor of London.
4. London Was Originally Called Londinium-Augusta by The Romans
Archaeologists have found coins with this name printed on from around the year 368 BCE.
It’s believed that officials used this name to promote it as a place of importance; some provincial capitals were given the name “Augusta” in the Roman Empire to mark them as exceptional.
5. Russell Square is Named After a Man who “Invented” a Hairdo in the Early 19th Century
The 5th Duke of Russell was a busy man indeed, and the layout of large parts of Soho and the surrounding area are largely thanks to him.
His lesser-known legacy was a little more fun, however. Prime Minister William Pitt introduced a powder tax that enraged the fashionable men of the day, so much so that they had to find a new way of styling their hair.
Russell came up with a formula that is still popular today: cut short, parted and styled with wax. Back then, it was known as the “Bedford Crop”, but today, it’s probably better known to some as “the usual, please” at your local barber’s.
6. A Few Pubs Around Westminster Still Have Bells to Recall MPs Back to The Houses of Parliament
Most pubs in the near vicinity used to have what are called “Division Bells”: bells to alert MPs that they have to finish up their drinks and return to the Houses of Parliament to vote.
There’s one in the Marquis of Granby, but it stopped working in 2020.
7. A London Statue Shows Us What School Uniforms Might Have Looked Like in The 1700s
If you want to take a look for yourself, just head over to Saint Marychurch Street, look up and admire the blue robes of the statues flanking the door to what used to be Mary’s Free School, which closed down in 1937.
Ready to Race?
So there you have it! Some interesting facts you might not have known about London.
Hungry to explore more? There’s plenty more to uncover during the race!
If you’re ready to race, book your tickets now from Fever.
Check out our FAQs for answers to any questions you may have or feel free to contact us. See you on the leaderboard!