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IN THE NEWS
TOUR OF THE MONTH
ON THIS DAY IN LONDON
22nd April 1991 Two trains collided on the DLR at West India Quay.
22nd April 1930 US, Britain and Japan sign London Naval Treaty
22nd April 1925 Born today: George Cole, London England, actor (Minder, Vampire Lovers)
22nd April 1899 Born today: Martyn Green, London, actor (Gilbert and Sullivan, Iceman Cometh)
22nd April 1823 Baltic Club (Exchange) forms in London
22nd April 1737 William Hicks (MP for Wallingford) was attacked by highwayman Dick Turpin and associate in a coach travelling to London through Epping Forest.
Punch and Judy Birthplace
The birthplace in England of the Punch and Judy puppet show.
Location: St Pauls Portico, Westminster
Description: On the 9th May 1662 Samuel Pepys was coming back from visiting a nearby ale-house when he stopped to watch a puppet show that was performing in Covent Garden.
It was the month that King Charles II (recently restored to the throne) was getting married and hordes of entertainers from all over Europe had thronged to the city hoping to make some money.
The Italian puppet play that Pepys saw was presented by puppetmaster Pietro Gimonde - or 'Signor Bologna' as he was known to his audience - and starred one of the great comic characters of all time.
The star puppet came originally from Naples, where he was known as Pulcinella, then toured across Europe to France - where he was called Polichinelle - and finally came to captivate English audiences who settled for calling him Punchinello.
Pepys' diary entry for 9th May reporting that he had seen the show is taken by today's performers as marking Punch's 'birthday'.
Tagged in this Tour: Elizabethan & Stuart London
Children
Historical
Ranking This Month: 1808/2798
Pages Hit This Month: 46
Link to This Page: http://www.shadyoldlady.com/location/963
Credits: http://www.coventgardenlife.com/info/street_entertainers/punch_judy/punch_judy.htm
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The birthplace in England of the Punch and Judy puppet show. |
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St Paul's Cathedral
Wren's masterpiece and oldest classic dominant symbol of London.
2007-03-07
The Prince Edward Theatre», 1.3km
Martita Hunt's Flat», 2.9km
Noel Coward lived here», 2.6km
Joe Orton lived and died here», 1.3km
Rudolf Steiner Hall», 2.7km
A Puppet Barge not to be missed», 3.6km
D'Oyly Carte lived here», 229km
Sir John Gielgud's birthplace», 3.9km
Magician Evanion lived here», 1.6km
Matinee With A Difference», 0.8km
mapping London's most interesting and unusual places and history
