Building London

   Until 1750, there was only the bridge between the City and Southwark. Then a bridge was built at Westminster. Nearly 20 years later a third bridge was opened at Blackfriars. Between 1760-66 the last gates to the City and surrounding walls were demolished. By this time the City, under the Lord Mayor and his aldermen, was a small part of an ever-increasing area which formed the Capital, with suburbs stretching in every direction.
   The freedom of speech got the power at that time. For the first the full record of the Parliament activity has been published in the magazine Evening Post. Despite the fact that Parliamentary speakers were against this publishing the authority of the city supported this edition. Amongst the most magnificent buildings are the present Somerset House, rebuilt on the riverfront, and the Bank of England, Sir John Soane's greatest triumph. The Mansion House, Horse Guards and Lansdowne House also date from this era. The elegant garden squares of Bloomsbury date from this period as does house numbering and the acceptance of street lighting as a municipal duty.
   The Trafalgar Nelson's column was erected to highlight the victory of Admiral Nelson in the battle of Trafalgar. New building appeared during the government of the King George IV. For example he commissioned the architect John Nash to build Buckingham House.
   The living standards rose and the prices for land in London also rose. The industry and people now tended to move to the suburbs of London. London became a massive office with clerks and book-keepers. The construction of large-scale public railways, linking London to many of the major cities, transformed London's social and business life. The underground network and tramways followed. Industrial progress was sometimes double-edged. The invention of the modern water closet resulted in the piping of raw sewage into the Thames, which at the time was the source of London's water supply. In 1833, 10,000 Londoners died in a cholera epidemic, which led to a law banning burials within the city boundaries.
   This period of London history is also famous with plenty of intrigues and affairs both political and love. For instance, many sources say that London became a kind of stage for support of the Sicilian leader Giuseppe Garibaldi.
   In the year 1854 Garibaldi returned to Europe from New-York and visited England, where he was enthusiastically met by the admirers of his triumphs. The Female part of London inhabitants was stricken and excited but the honour to meet the dear guest was handed to the famous English Lady, Mrs. Emma Roberts. Flows and rivers of people, dammed streets, flooded squares, from everywhere where there was a cornice, balcony or a window people were looking out at the street , and all this continued for hours…
   English crowd is rough, the numerous concourses of it do not avoid the fights, drunk and miserable scenes and organized stealing. But now the order was really astonishing, people understood that it was their day, that they were honouring one of them. With cheers and welcome words people besieged the carriage and everybody who only managed was trying to touch, to kiss or to press the hand of Garibaldi.
   Garibaldi decided not to spend much time in London in order not to tire his English friends and having finished his affairs returned to his motherland and settled in Caprera island, near Sardinia. Later he bought a part of this island, having spent the money taken from English friends, according to one version. Another author says that the purchase of the island has been financed from funds, remaining after the death of his brother as inheritance.
In the year 1856 Garibaldi comes back to London, intending to buy a vessel and to persuade his fiancee Emma Roberts to join him in his estate in the island. But Emma's children declined this idea and the frustrated Garibaldi departed on the newly bought boat, named after his fiancee "Emma". Unfortunately, in a year "Emma", laden with construction materials, was wrecked not far from the Caprera Island. Another source says that the boat was deliberately sunk by the reconnaissance party of Vatican. Anyway the same day Garibaldi decided to give up his love and sea and to dedicate himself to the agriculture. But before this, in the same year 1856 Garibaldi got inflamed to capture the Neapol king, belonging to Bourbons' dynasty and to set free the political prisoners but he failed. The boat "Emma" was to serve for this goal achievement but did not manage to. And now Garibaldi undertakes the third trip to England to gain the funds for realization of the invasion to Venice. This time in London Garibaldi met Alexandr Gertsen, Russian revolutionist, prose writer, publicist and philosopher. The latter wrote the best memoirs about Garibaldi, showing him as the real leader.
As we can see, London and its inhabitants despite many woes and misfortunes took active part in the world political situation.
Returning to the progressive age of London when it was being added with new buildings and constructions.
   Later on Prince Albert endeavored to further promote the arts and sciences by building various museums, concert halls and educational facilities on land he had purchased in South Kensington. The cathedral-like Natural History Museum was also erected.
The old Harbour bridge, with roads, The stamp on this postcard is dated 1909. .
   The day when Queen Victoria celebrated her Silver Jubilee, was memorable with another special point : The Queen personally pressed the electrical button initiating the telegraphed message to India and beyond: "Thank my beloved people. God bless them".