Disappearing London
Encyclopedia
Disappearing London is an award-winning British documentary
television series that was broadcast on ITV1 London
. In each episode, Madness
frontman Suggs
"searches out the people and places that give London
its quirky appeal and charm, and discovers why they may not be around for much longer".
Overall, there have been 2 series of 6 episodes each. Each episode lasts approximately 23 minutes.
Both series' were produced by Wavelength Films for ITV London, and series one was also produced in association with Sky Travel
.
According to the series website, features included: Romford Dog Track - Going to the Dogs or the Cheetahs; Welsh in London - So much more than rugby; London's telephone boxes
- a design classic; A proper London funeral; If you want to get ahead, get a hat; Italian café culture; The Victorian public loo; and Tooting Bec Lido
.
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
television series that was broadcast on ITV1 London
ITV London
ITV London is the on-air brand name used by ITV Broadcasting Limited for the two Channel 3 broadcast franchises, Carlton Television and London Weekend Television in the London ITV region.-History:...
. In each episode, Madness
Madness (band)
In 1979, the band recorded the Lee Thompson composition "The Prince". The song, like the band's name, paid homage to their idol, Prince Buster. The song was released through 2 Tone Records, the label of The Specials founder Jerry Dammers. The song was a surprise hit, peaking in the UK music charts...
frontman Suggs
Suggs (singer)
Graham McPherson , better known as Suggs, is an English singer, actor, former radio DJ, TV personality, and most famous as the frontman of the band Madness.-Early life:...
"searches out the people and places that give London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
its quirky appeal and charm, and discovers why they may not be around for much longer".
Overall, there have been 2 series of 6 episodes each. Each episode lasts approximately 23 minutes.
Both series' were produced by Wavelength Films for ITV London, and series one was also produced in association with Sky Travel
Sky Travel
Sky Real Lives was an in-house channel from BSkyB that showed extensive programmes about travel, adverts for travel agencies and documentaries. The channels closed on 19 August 2010.-History:...
.
Series One
- Tuesday 10 January 2006
- Tuesday 17 January 2006
- Tuesday 24 January 2006
- Tuesday 31 January 2006
- Tuesday 7 February 2006
- Tuesday 14 February 2006
According to the series website, features included: Romford Dog Track - Going to the Dogs or the Cheetahs; Welsh in London - So much more than rugby; London's telephone boxes
Red telephone box
The red telephone box, a public telephone kiosk designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, is a familiar sight on the streets of the United Kingdom, Malta, Bermuda and Gibraltar, and despite a reduction in their numbers in recent years, red boxes can still be seen in many places and in current or former...
- a design classic; A proper London funeral; If you want to get ahead, get a hat; Italian café culture; The Victorian public loo; and Tooting Bec Lido
Tooting Bec Lido
Tooting Bec Lido is an open-air fresh water swimming pool in South London. It is the largest swimming pool by surface area in the United Kingdom, being 100 yards long and 33 yards wide....
.
Series Two
- Tuesday 9 January 2007 -- ChurchillWinston ChurchillSir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
’s secret wartime bunker; a prisoner-of-war campPrisoner-of-war campA prisoner-of-war camp is a site for the containment of combatants captured by their enemy in time of war, and is similar to an internment camp which is used for civilian populations. A prisoner of war is generally a soldier, sailor, or airman who is imprisoned by an enemy power during or...
in a PeckhamPeckhamPeckham is a district in south London, England, located in the London Borough of Southwark. It is situated south-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London...
park; and an old-fashioned grocersGrocery storeA grocery store is a store that retails food. A grocer, the owner of a grocery store, stocks different kinds of foods from assorted places and cultures, and sells these "groceries" to customers. Large grocery stores that stock products other than food, such as clothing or household items, are...
in North London. - Tuesday 16 January 2007 -- A bespoke shoemakerShoemakingShoemaking is the process of making footwear. Originally, shoes were made one at a time by hand. Traditional handicraft shoemaking has now been largely superseded in volume of shoes produced by industrial mass production of footwear, but not necessarily in quality, attention to detail, or...
's shop; an old-style barbershop, pie & mashPie and mashPie and mash is a traditional London working-class food.-History:Pie, mash and stewed eels shops have been in London since the 19th century and are still common in south and east London, in many parts of Essex and in places abroad, particularly Australia - where there are significant expatriate...
; and a VictorianVictorian eraThe Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
observatoryObservatoryAn observatory is a location used for observing terrestrial or celestial events. Astronomy, climatology/meteorology, geology, oceanography and volcanology are examples of disciplines for which observatories have been constructed...
on Hampstead HeathHampstead HeathHampstead Heath is a large, ancient London park, covering . This grassy public space sits astride a sandy ridge, one of the highest points in London, running from Hampstead to Highgate, which rests on a band of London clay...
. - Tuesday 23 January 2007 -- A London tram; pubPublic houseA public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
skittlesSkittles (sport)Skittles is an old European lawn game, a variety of bowling, from which ten-pin bowling, duckpin bowling, and candlepin bowling in the United States, and five-pin bowling in Canada are descended. In the United Kingdom, the game remains a popular pub game in England and Wales, though it tends to be...
; an Art DecoArt DecoArt deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
bakery in Richmond; and an historic east endEast End of LondonThe East End of London, also known simply as the East End, is the area of London, England, United Kingdom, east of the medieval walled City of London and north of the River Thames. Although not defined by universally accepted formal boundaries, the River Lea can be considered another boundary...
allotment. - Tuesday 30 January 2007 -- London’s only surviving windmillWindmillA windmill is a machine which converts the energy of wind into rotational energy by means of vanes called sails or blades. Originally windmills were developed for milling grain for food production. In the course of history the windmill was adapted to many other industrial uses. An important...
on Brixton HillBrixton HillBrixton Hill is the name given to a 1 km section of road between Brixton and Streatham Hill in south London, England. It slopes downhill towards central London.Brixton Hill and Streatham Hill form part of the traditional main London to Brighton road...
; boxing pubs; Tin Pan Alley; a vintage-style recording studio. - Tuesday 6 February 2007 -- Horse-drawn London; a survivor from the days when motoring in London was actually fun; and discovers a unique Victorian theatre hidden in a former hospital.
- Tuesday 13 February 2007 -- A stylish 1930s shop in the City; London’s oldest football stand; and duet with Roy HuddRoy HuddRoy Hudd, OBE is an English comedian, actor, radio host and author, and an authority on the history of music hall entertainment.- Early life :...
on the stage of London’s only surviving grand music hallMusic hallMusic Hall is a type of British theatrical entertainment which was popular between 1850 and 1960. The term can refer to:# A particular form of variety entertainment involving a mixture of popular song, comedy and speciality acts...
.