The London Bridge Museum is a collection of memorabilia from Peter Jackson OBE

The Peter Jackson Collection

If you are looking for things to do with the kids in London, look no further. The London Bridge Museum is both fun and full of information about the city's grimey past.

The Peter Jackson Collection is dedicated to the life and work of Peter Jackson OBE. Born in Brighton and educated at Hove High School, Peter always considered himself first and foremost an artist.

In 1949 he worked for the London Evening News, when he was asked if he had any knowledge of London - the answer was a resounding 'no', but he could find out and that was the start.  From then on he collected anything and everything he could find to do with London which would give him more information.  His book, which was written with Felix Barker and entitled London: 2000 Years of a City and its People, was first published in 1974 and remained in print for 25 years.

The history of London Bridge was of great interest to him and he avidly collected much memorabilia, part of which is now on display at the London Bridge Experience. His book about London Bridge was first published in 1974, has just been reprinted and is available at The London Bridge Experience gift shop.

In the last weeks of his life, Peter learned that he was to be buried in the old section of Highgate Cemetery which gave him great joy and peace of mind. One of the strangest facts about London that Peter learned was that the first person to be buried there was a Jackson - Elizabeth Jackson in 1839.  It particularly amused him that another Jackson would be one of the last. He died on 2 May, 2003 and on his headstone are the words BEHOLD LONDON FOREVER.