The image of business man in bowler hats is a classic image of the London business man, nowadays you can see this still especially walking down Fleet street. Let me fill you in about Fleet street in central London. A street were you can see new London and old London mixed side by side.

Above: Corner of Fleet Street and Chancery street by William Alexander 1767 – 1816

• Called Fleet Street after the River Fleet
• Center of the British Press till the 1980s
• Still has strong associations today, a type of Metonymy.
• Complex of buildings , which were originally owned by Knights Templar, the area houses 2 of the four Inns of court, The Middle Temple and the Inner Temple.

Publishing era

• Began around 1500 AD
• Started when William Claxton’s apprentice, Wynkyn de Worde set up printing shop just off shoe lane, also at around the same time Richard Pynson set up a Printers shop beside St Dunstan’s church.
• The first daily newspaper in the world was pulished in Fleet street, the date of the first published newspaper was in March 1702 ( the daily Courant).

Location

Above: Fleet Street on London Map

• Located near Thameslink
• Underground stations located near Fleet street are Temple,Balckfriars and Chancery Lane
• Crosses boundary of city of London, it becomes strand road than past Ludgate becomes Ludgate Hill.

Recent Changes

• Newpapers have largely moved out of this area to places like Canary Wharf and Wapping.
• Fleet street is now more associated as the heart of London Law.
• England’s oldest privately owned bank which began business in 1690.
• Agence France Presse, Goldman Sachs Investment back UK headquarters , D,C Thompson and Co ( creator of Beano) are located here.

Above: Fleet Street Image from 1753, the image was called the Fleet Street marraige