Things I've researched for writing

[Kimra]

I heard about it on QI. That show is ultra useful. Anyway, I hope this is helpful for you. Link.

This map is interesting.

I realise these are all probably a little later in history than you want, but you can work backwards from that.

[Felstaff]

I can take pictures of any particular street in London, if you like. I am working right by the capital B of Bishopsgate in Kimra's DickensMap, and most of the darker shaded City of London (The Square Mile) I can reach within a few minutes o' walking.

If you have any set in a pub, make sure it's the Cheshire Cheese. That's one of my favourite London pubs, and it's been relatively untouched since 1667 (the ceilings are really low, and there are many labyrinthine runnels and gulleys and split-floors, and the basement pub is highly dungeon-like), and walking around in it in 2011 would pretty much be identical to walking around in 1800. Perhaps the beer on tap has changed, but it's Sam Smiths beer, so you never know.

[Kimra]

Now I want to go to this pub. England has great pubs.

[Felstaff]

They still use straw on the floor, sometimes, and the pub is mainly lit by candlelight, and the ambience of muffled voices from above and below, and scraping chairs on hard wood floors, is wonderful. It's like when the Hobbits entered the Prancing Pony for the first time, in that it's dark and brooding, except much more winding, nooky, narrow, and claustrophobic. The wood of the tables has decades of ale soaked into it, which sort of seals it like tarnished varnish, and creates a permeating, pungent, and somewhat pleasant aroma of hops and stale beer, combined with the tang of gas-lamp and the warm scent of gravy and roasting meats from the restaurant area upstairs. I wrote a story about it. It's very easy to imagine you've travelled back in time the moment you step inside its dingy, windowless corridor.

I've met a few People Of The Internet in there. Good times.

[carbonstealer]

I can take pictures of any particular street in London, if you like. I am working right by the capital B of Bishopsgate in Kimra's DickensMap, and most of the darker shaded City of London (The Square Mile) I can reach within a few minutes o' walking.

If you have any set in a pub, make sure it's the Cheshire Cheese. That's one of my favourite London pubs, and it's been relatively untouched since 1667 (the ceilings are really low, and there are many labyrinthine runnels and gulleys and split-floors, and the basement pub is highly dungeon-like), and walking around in it in 2011 would pretty much be identical to walking around in 1800. Perhaps the beer on tap has changed, but it's Sam Smiths beer, so you never know.

that would be incredibly helpful, just any streets so I have a feel for the place

[Kimra]

There's also google maps street view...

[Astrogirl]

And on Bing. With 90% less houses pixelated.

[Oldrac the Chitinous]

I just learned that Margaret Thatcher was part of the group that developed soft-serve ice cream.

[sotic]

Jonathan is spelled 'Jonathan'

[smiley_cow]

Currently reading up on grimoires. Or at least what little information I can find on them.

[Euclidthegreek]

Currently reading a book published by some commission about the Sacramento-San Joaquin river delta. Surprisingly well written for a book of policy recommendations published by faceless bureaucrats.

[Jiro]

The light spectrum and, um, something about sounds. Like, frequency or something. It was confusing.

[Kimra]

So really you didn't do that much research about it at all...

[Indigo]

I've researched my family's genealogy all the way back to Scotland in the 1400's and subsequently researched what their lives were like, what language they spoke, etc.

Well, I'm in the process of that, anyway.

[Kimra]

I once wanted to research my families history. Turns out my granddad was a bastard and my grandmother was adopted. So no history at all really.