The venue first opened in 1884 as the smaller National Agricultural Hall, with a capacity of 12 000 people, and was renamed Olympia two years later. In its early days, the venue primarily hosted circus events and grand extravaganzas, such as the Venice in London show in 1891, which featured replicas of the Grand Canal and lasted for most of the year. In 1909, Olympia hosted the first British Aero Show, showcasing eleven exhibits, including seven biplanes and two monoplanes.

Apart from exhibitions, Olympia has also been the site of significant sports events. On 11 May 1922, British middleweight and welterweight champion Ted ’Kid’ Lewis fought Georges Carpentier for the world light-heavyweight championship. There was an incident in the first round when Lewis dropped his guard to listen to a comment made by the referee and was subsequently knocked down by Carpentier’s right hand and counted out.

Olympia also played a role in British political history. On 8 June1934, the British Union of Fascists (BUF) held their first major rally at the venue. Around 2000 opponents within the hall began heckling party leader Oswald Mosley and were beaten up by BUF supporters.

During the Second World War, Olympia served as an internment place, primarily for suspected Nazis.

---

Citation information:	London Compendium
	Further citations and sources