Local Stories

David explaining the history behind Cross Bones graveyard. He stands facing three guests as they listen

Journey Through Verse: Poetry and Memories with London Bridge Tour Guide David 

This is a poem that I wrote in 2000, titled “If It’s Meant to Be, It Will Be”. I recited it at a Crossbones Graveyard vigil, and tend to mention it while being outside of the graveyard on my tour. If it’s meant to be it will be. I used to know a wise lady […]

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Ben walks away from the camera on a street in Clerkenwell on a sunny day

Exploring the Poetry of London’s Streets: A Journey with Ben from King’s Cross to Clerkenwell

There is a certain poetry to be found in walking city streets… I take visitors to London on a walking tour that starts at St. Pancras International train station, with Unseen Tours: we focus on the many layers of this complex city, the juxtaposition of old and new, and surely London’s greatest speciality, the comings-together of unlikely subjects […]

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From Cloud Gazing to Tour Guiding: Pete’s Evolution as a Public Speaker

Yes, I’m a public speaker, I speak in public, to the public on my tour. I’m used to speaking in public, although I don’t really know if I’m any good at it, because of previous experience. In adulthood this started when I was at the University of Sussex, and of course, public speaking to the […]

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Five people listening to an Unseen Tours guide, Pete on Brick Lane. Pete points upwards to a building as he explains its history to his guests.

Pete: What life taught me whilst being homeless…

Having been a tour guide with Unseen Tours for 8 years, I get asked a lot of questions by my tourists. Through the years I’ve been asked a lot of questions, but a while ago I was asked a question that did fluster me, because it was from so unexpected that I’d never even considered such a question. The question I was asked […]

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Unseen Tours David

David’s reflections on 7 years with Unseen Tours

This week marks 7 years since I led my first walking tour of London Bridge. I was asked to share my favourite memories of this time, but finding good memories is difficult as the majority of tours have been very good, so the bad memories stick out more easily. One thing that comes to mind […]

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Nic’s August Run Down

Welcome to Nic’s August run down. I am watching the leaves of London outside my balcony drift and twirl down to the ground, Autumn is on its way. But in the words of Ella Fitzgerald, It’s too darn hot. It has been, for me anyway, even when working by the Thames. I took the DLR […]

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Mists and Mellow Fruitfulness, Harvest Moons…and Nic’s Favourite Fruit!

Ah, Autumn, my favourite season. Mists and mellow fruitfulness, harvest moons…and my favourite fruit, damsons! Every year I try and make jam, I hope I’ve cracked it this year. Though hopefully not my relative’s tooth – she claims I left a stone in. Once. And I’m not allowed to forget it. No matter how hard you […]

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(vo)ULEZ vous!

Despite the rather flippant title of this month’s blog, this is one of the hardest pieces I’ve had to write.  I’m afraid that this will turn into a rant, so please accept my apologies in advance.  You may have noticed fewer cars in your city on 21st September 2021… no? Hmm… it was National Car-Free […]

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Graffiti Artist Stik

How London Street Artist Stik Crashed Pete’s Tour

If you’ve been on my tour, or if you plan to, you will quickly find out one of my trademarks. After I finish my introduction to the tour I always say “If you have any questions please save them until the end of the tour. I think you will find that I’ve answered most of […]

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London Bridge Tour Local Stories

Local Stories: The Story Behind the Hat

On the Unseen Tours website, I am wearing a black rimmed hat. I also bring it with me each time I guide a tour. Well, there’s a story behind this hat.  Between 1998 – 1999 I shared a house with two friends Paul and Andy and I have kept in touch with them ever since. […]

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