London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Jun 20, 2025

Oldest Footage of London Ever

Yestervid
This is the oldest footage of London ever. Includes amazing old footage, plus modern shots of the same location today. Also features maps carefully researched to show where the camera was. Arranged by location, 46 shots of classic footage with a twist and an inspiring soundtrack.

This collection of footage was taken between 1890 and 1920 and shows various places around London, all identifiable by location on a map.

In order they are:

WESTMINSTER:

1. Parliament square, looking across at Big Ben

2. Westminster Abbey

3. Westminster Abbey from Tothill Street

4. Houses of Parliament from the South Bank

5. Houses of Parliament from across the Thames River

6. Big Ben from Westminster Bridge

7. Flipbook animation of the south side of Westminster Bridge

8. Downing Street, home of the Prime Minister

9. No 10 Downing Street door

EMBANKMENT

10. Victoria Embankment

11. Cleopatra's Needle

12. Egyptian Lions at Cleopatra's Needle

13. Blackfriars Bridge

ST PAUL'S CATHEDRAL

14. St Paul's Cathedral from the South Bank

15. St Paul's Cathedral from across the Thames River

16. St Paul's Cathedral from the tower of St Mary Le Bow Church

TOWER BRIDGE & TOWER OF LONDON

17. Tower of London viewed through Tower Bridge

18. Tower Bridge looking south from the parapet

19. Tower Bridge closing after allowing a boat to pass

20. Looking south along the length of Tower Bridge

21. Panorama of the Tower of London from Tower Bridge

22. South side of the Tower of London

23. Tommies marching in the moat

THE CITY

24. Monument to the Great Fire of 1666

25. Pan up the Monument

26. The Bank of England

27. The Bank of England from Cheapside

28. St Mary Le Bow tower from Cheapside

FLEET ST & THE STRAND

29. Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese pub

30. Temple Bar Memorial

31. The Royal Courts of Justice

THE WEST END

32. The Empire Theatre, Leicester Square

33. Piccadilly Circus

CHARING CROSS & TRAFALGAR SQAURE

34. Eleanor Cross at Charing Cross Station

35. Panorama of Trafalgar Square

36. Admiralty Arch

37. Nelson's Column

ST JAMES & BUCKINGHAM PALACE

38. Crimean War Memorial

39. St James's Palace

40. Band at St James's Palace

41. Buckingham Palace

42. Victoria Memorial at Buckingham Palace

HYDE PARK

43. Hyde Park Corner

44. Hyde Park Corner traffic

45. Hyde Park

TRAFALGAR SQAURE

46. Oldest footage of London - Trafalgar Square (1890)

CREDITS

Footage
Bombing of London, 1917, PD
Seeing London - ca 1920s, PD
Westminster Bridge Robert W Paul, 1896, PD
Edwardian London, 1911, PD
Early Traffic Scenes, 1890-1900, PD
Old London Street Scenes, 1903, PD
Blackfriars Bridge, R.W. Paul, 1896, PD
1890s Traffic Scenes, 1897, PD
Garde descendante du palais St-James,
Louis Lumière & Auguste Lumière, 1896, PD
Londres, Piccadilly Circus,
Louis Lumière & Auguste Lumière, 1896, PD
Entrée du Cinématographe,
Louis Lumière & Auguste Lumière, 1896, PD
Londres, entrée de Hyde Park,
Louis Lumière & Auguste Lumière, 1896, PD
Londres, Pont De Westminster et Parlement,
Auguste Lumière 1896, PD
Hyde Park Bicycling Scene, Robert W Paul, 1896, PD
Trafalgar Square, Wordsworth Donisthorpe, 1890, PD

Music
Just Me and My Thoughts, Published by Audioblocks
Recording of Big Ben, Edison brown wax cylinder
Ferguson/Hope/Gouraud, PD
Morning Sun, Published by Audioblocks
Anthem To The Fallen, Published by Audioblocks
Smoker's Section, Published by Audioblocks
Softly Inspiring, Published by Audioblocks
Lightness, Published by Audioblocks
The Rule, Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under CC by 3.0
Black And White Rag, 1908,
Composed by George Botsford
Performed by Winifred Atwell, 1952, PD

Photographs
Poppies At The Tower Of London, 2014,
Martin Pettitt, CC by 2.0
London bridge photo from hot air balloon,
2014, Daniel Chapman,
www.stirlingackroyd.com, www.balloon.tv, CC by 2.0
Aerial photo from hot air balloon of tower bridge,
2014, Daniel Chapman,
www.stirlingackroyd.com, www.balloon.tv, CC by 2.0
Trooping The Colour,
2007, Jon Bennett, CC by 2.0
London From The Shard, 2013,
Flickr user: [Duncan], CC by 2.0
Shutterstock

Thanks to
The People of London
Simon Meyer
St Mary Le Bow Church
Open Street Maps

Directed by
Al Paton

Produced by
Yestervid


Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
UK Home Secretary Apologizes Over Child Grooming Failures
Trump Organization Launches 5G Mobile Network and Golden Handset
Towcester Hosts 2025 English Greyhound Derby Amid Industry Scrutiny
Gary Oldman and David Beckham Knighted in King's Birthday Honours
Over 30,000 Lightning Strikes Recorded Across UK During Overnight Storms
Princess of Wales Returns to Public Duties at Trooping the Colour
Red Arrows Use Sustainable Fuel in Historic Trooping the Colour Flypast
Former Welsh First Minister Addresses Unionist Concerns Over Irish Language
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
France Bars Israeli Arms Companies from Paris Defense Expo
King Charles Leads Tribute to Air India Crash Victims at Trooping the Colour
Jack Pitchford Embarks on 200-Mile Walk to Support Stem Cell Charity
Surrey Hikers Take on Challenge of Climbing 11 Peaks in a Single Day
UK Deploys RAF Jets to Middle East Amid Israel-Iran Tensions
Two Skydivers Die in 'Tragic Accident' at Devon Airfield
Sainsbury's and Morrisons Accused of Displaying Prohibited Tobacco Ads
UK Launches National Inquiry into Grooming Gangs
Families Seek Closure After Air India Crash
Gold Emerges as Global Safe Haven Amid Uncertainty
Trump Reports $57 Million Earnings from Crypto Venture
Trump's Military Parade Sparks Concerns Over Authoritarianism
Nationwide 'No Kings' Protests Challenge Trump's Leadership
UK Deploys Jets to Middle East Amid Rising Tensions
Trump's Anti-War Stance Tested Amid Israel-Iran Conflict
Germany Holds First Veterans Celebration Since WWII
U.S. Health Secretary Dismisses CDC Vaccine Advisory Committee
Minnesota Lawmaker Melissa Hortman and Husband Killed in Targeted Attack; Senator John Hoffman and Wife Injured
Exiled Iranian Prince Reza Pahlavi Urges Overthrow of Khamenei Regime
×