R. J. Mitchell (1) (1902–1963)

One of my favourite books. Packed with historical detail, such as the reason we have numbers in streets. Why, you ask? Because your house or shop used to be marked out with a wooden sign hanging on the building. These signs, of course, got bigger and bigger until one day, a big sign pulled the front wall of a shop down and killed 3 people. So, the City of London banned these signs and instituted street numbers instead.

Tons of stories like this one live in this book. A lively style and a great read.… (more)