At the suggestion of Society members, the Council of the London Topographical Society funds a prize in honour of Dr Ann Saunders (1930-2019). Ann was an enthusiastic and distinguished historian of London and, for thirty-five years, the Society’s Honorary Editor in which capacity she helped many scholars, both young and old, to achieve publication of their work.

A prize of £1,000 is awarded annually, depending on the response and at the discretion of the Council.

It is awarded for an original and unpublished research essay on the topography, development or buildings of London in any period.

Winners

The prize has been awarded as follows:

2023 – to David Cotton for his essay The Lost Highway of Holloway.

2024 – to Martin Rose for The Close on Tower Wharf, both of which have been published in the 2025 edition of The Record Vol XXXIII. 

2025 – to Anthony Davis for his essay An Edwardian Utopia: Charles Paget Wade’s 1909 Map of Hampstead Garden Suburb and his Work on “The Great Wall” has also been published in the 2025 edition of The Record Vol XXXIII.

2026 – to Jennifer Howes for her essay East India House. The essay will be published in the next edition of The Record.

To watch

Two of Ann’s Gresham lectures are available to view:

London 1616 – a snapshot of London early in James I’s reign – 4 October 2004

Our Marble Tribute – 18 October 2005

 

 

 

 

Submissions

Submissions for the prize are considered for publication by the Society in the London Topographical Record, at the discretion of the Society’s Hon. Editor.

Entries are to be no more than 8,000 words including endnotes and should include an additional abstract/summary of about 200 words.

* They should be submitted in hard copy and as a Word or PDF email attachment.

* An entry must be accompanied by the name and address & contact details of the author.

Entries for the 2027 prize should be sent to our Hon. Secretary, Mike Wicksteed, by 1 April 2027.  Please email your Word or PDF entry to him (mike.wicksteed@btinternet.com).  We suggest using WeTransfer if the file is large.

The prize winner will be notified in time to attend the Annual General Meeting of the Society which will be held in London in early July 2027.

Queries?  Questions relating to entry content should be addressed to Council Member Caroline Barron (c.barron@rhul.ac.uk )