Author: Kristine Hughes

QUEEN VICTORIA'S PET ELEPHANT

Exotic animals owned by members of royalty are nothing new. In centuries past, foreign dignitaries and heads of state often gifted British royals and other diplomats with the rarest animals to be found in their parts of the world. In fact, the Tower of London was for over a century home to many of the specimens that found their way to England in this way until the Duke of Wellington declared that enough was enough and sent them all off to the London Zoo.

What is unusual is that Queen Victoria was once given an elephant – and kept it at Osborne House. From the Osborne House page at English Heritage:

Few members of the royal family have been quite as enthusiastic about their garden as Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. At Osborne they were able to indulge their desire for a fashionable garden, drawing inspiration from the gardens of Europe. Osborne offers an intimate glimpse into royal family life, where you can see the vegetable plots tended by the royal children, and the beach where Queen Victoria would go for a dip in the sea. But it wasn’t just the queen who went for dip on the royal estate – upon receiving a gift of a elephant from the King of Abyssinia in 1884, the queen needed a place for the animal to bathe for a few days. It was decided that the existing cattle pond would do, and ever since the pond has been named the ‘elephant bath’!

You can still see the Elephant Baths at Osborne today, in fact, it’s purported to be the only one in Europe and it stands as a hazard on the the 7th hole at the Osborne Golf Club. It should be noted that the elephant wasn’t the only one who enjoyed bathing at Osborne House. In fact, the entire Royal family enjoyed having a private beach of their own and often took advantage of the opportunity for sea bathing. You can read all about it in this Daily Mail article from 2012 about the re-opening of the private beach to the public and the return of Queen Victoria’s bathing machine to the property.



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AND FROM ELSEWHERE ON THE WEB . . . . . .

Spitalfields Life – Beekeeping on the Isle of Dogs
Historical Hussies – Childbirth in Regency England
Grace Elliot – Henry VIII’s Bedtime Habits
Downton Abbey Cooks – Mrs. Patmore’s Apple Charlotte
Carolyn Harris: Royal Historian – A review of Queen Anne: Patroness of Arts
Two Nerdy History Girls – The truth about big hair of the 1770’s: How they did it.
The Duchess of Devonshire’s Gossip Guide – Tart of the Week: Eglantine, Lady Wallace

THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON TOUR: MORE LONDON FOOD

Victoria here, following up on Kristine’s take on London food…Bangers and Mash?  I think not! For Pub Food, I love Steak and Kidney Pie. Or Shepherd’s Pie. Or a Ploughman’s Lunch of cheddar cheese, bread and pickles…

A fancy Ploughman’s Lunch
Just in time for our tour, British Heritage Magazine, the current issue, has a list of Ten Classic London Restaurants.  Yum.  Number One on their list would be Number One on mine too.
A rainy night at Rules, Maiden Lane
Rules is London’s oldest restaurant and is one of those very special places to save for a splurge. The menu has many kinds of game fresh from  the country, as well as the traditional lamb and beef dishes.  The décor is definitely Olde English, and the service has been impeccable when I have had the privilege of eating there.
A glimpse of Rules interior
from their website, here
The article also mentions Simpsons-in-the-Strand, The Punjab, Rowley’s, Porters, and The Criterion, below.

The Criterion
You might recognize it from one of the episodes of Downton Abbey last season.  It’s been its opulent self since 1874, and certainly was one of the places the “bright young things” went, back in the day.  It’s right on Piccadilly Circus, next to the Criterion Theater.  Ed and I dropped in for a drink before going to see a very funny play, The 39 Steps; the theatre, dating from the 1870’s, is way below ground and was used by the BBC during World War II as a bomb-safe broadcasting venue. 
My photos only partially convey the sparkle and shimmer of the walls, ceiling, and furnishings.
For more information on the Criterion restaurant, click here and enjoy a gallery of photos too.
For more on the Criterion Theatre, click here. The 39 Steps is based on a 1935 Alfred Hitchcock movie, a thriller based on a John Buchan novel published in 1915.  However, this is a farcical version, based on split-second timing and very funny lines, and four brilliant actors,  as well as the excitement of the chase. 

As of this writing the play is still running.

The British Heritage article on classic London Restaurants (vol. 35, #4) also lists Rock and Sole Plaice, Langham’s Brasserie, and the great seafood restaurant, Wiltons.  And one more that I love: The Albert in Victoria Street (as well it should be).

The Albert
It is a classic Victorian Pub (again, as it should be) and serves food in the Carvery and upstairs. The two pictures below are from a few years ago and show the interior before a recent re-do which highlights the 1860’s look of the original, before it survived the Blitz and lots of neighborhood development plans.
We got a good laugh from the sign to which my buddy Richard points.  Indeed more seats!
We loved every minute and every morsel at The Albert.
I am eager to see the new furnishings, soon, I hope.  And while we are on the subject of restaurants, one of the funn
iest signs I saw was the one below, when we were exploring Windsor with our late great friend Hester Davenport. 
The Nell Gwynn Chinese Restaurant, Windsor
Kristine and I fell apart laughing at this. Wonder what the famous actress, courtesan, and special mistress of Charles II would think of this sign! At least they got the orange color right!!
Watch for more on food and restaurants, coming up when we tour England in September.
  

THE WELLINGTON CONNECTION: THE BRITISH EMBASSY IN PARIS

L’hôtel de Charost, the British Embassy in Paris, 
39  rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré
In August, 1814, after the first defeat of Napoleon and his exile to Elba, the Duke of Wellington purchased l’hôtel de Charost to be the British Embassy in Paris. Before that, representatives of the British crown had used various rented facilities.  This year, the Embassy celebrates 200 years at the site, scene of numerous receptions, dinners, and other official events through the years of peace and friendship between France and Great Britain.
Canova: Pauline Borghese, the Borghese Palace, Rome
The building was purchased from Napoleon’s sister, Pauline Buonaparte Borghese, wife of Camillo Borghese, 6th Prince of Sulmona. A replica of the renowned sculpture stands in the British Embassy.  Pauline (1780-1825) was beautiful, charming, and unscrupulous.  She was first married to one of Napoleon’s generals, and after his death, to Prince Borghese.  For more about Pauline, go to Elizabeth Kerri Mahon’s blog here.
The Replica
Mr. Quintin Crawford, a British resident in Paris, assisted in the purchase, according to the 1983 book by Raymond A. Jones, The British Diplomatic Service 1815-1914. Crawford (1748-1814) was born in Scotland; he was a businessman, collector, author and translator.

This year the British Embassy in Paris is celebrating its purchase by the newly appointed Ambassador in 1814, the 1st Duke of Wellington.

Like so many Paris buildings, inside the rather forbidding street entrance (top picture) there is a lovely courtyard and the handsome formal entrance.
The Queen arrives on her recent State Visit to France
Interior Façade

The building was erected in 1722-25, designed by architect Antoine Mazin, (c1679-1725). The first owner was the duc de Charost.  In 1803, Pauline, the sister of Napoleon and later Princess Borghese, purchased the house.  She was known to hold popular salons, almost subsidiary courts, there.

Entrance Hall

The Queen signs in, 2014!

She is well guarded
The Bleu Salon
The Red Room
Note the portrait of the aged Duke of Wellington on the wall
Salon Pauline
A 2012 Reception at the Embassy
The Garden reaches almost to the Champs Élysées;
it is often the scene of receptions
The Queen among the roses
Two views of the Dining Salon, above and below.

Impressive chandeliers, above and below.
Happy 200th Birthday, British Embassy in Paris!
Well done, Ambassador Wellington.

THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON TOUR: LONDON FOOD

I am gasping for a cuppa. A cuppa coffee at Caffe Nero, that is. I can’t get enough of it and now that London is once again in my sights, I’m lusting for one. Turns out that Denise Costello, who is coming along on The Duke of Wellington Tour with us in September, is also a devotee. We’ve struck a bargain to see who will be the first to reach the eleventh free coffee Caffe Nero awards on their loyalty card.

I have a sneaking idea we’ll be reaching the target together.

Dreaming of my next cup of coffee in London got me thinking about the other London foods I usually indulge in – old favourites that never disappoint. Like bangers and mash.

As Victoria well knows, bangers and mash are my “go to” food, my comfort food and what I can be counted upon to order, at least once a day. Add grilled onions and a side of green peas and it’s heaven. Of course, one can’t eat bangers and mash without washing it down with a pint and, oddly enough, my brew of choice in England is Kronenbourg 1664, which sounds German, but is brewed in France. And since I drink it in England, that’s most of the Waterloo nations covered.

I always try to visit London’s Chinatown when I’m in London, specifically for the roasted Peking duck that hangs tantalizingly in most windows there.

I was introduced to Chinatown many years ago by Dr. David Parker, who was then the curator of the Dickens House Museum. I’ve been returning ever since and will no doubt be popping in again in September. You can read about the history of the area here.

No trip to London would be complete without indulging in afternoon tea and my place of choice are the Richoux Tea Rooms on Piccadilly. There are fancier places, and trendier places, for tea, but Richoux is the grand old lady of tea shop chains, dependably good, always cozy. Rather like a visit to granny’s.

Regency author Diane Gaston, who also blogs at Risky Regencies, has signed up for the Tour and, along with Victoria, we’re looking forward to returning to Richoux during our Sunday walking tour of the St. James’s area of London.

Finally, because I’m such a cheese lover, I’m going to make a point of stopping in to Paxton and Whitfield in Jermyn Street.

It’s one of those places I’ve always meant to spend time in and that I never seem to get around to visiting. You can read about the history of the shop – since 1797 – here.

Honourable mention goes out to the American Steak House, the Angus Steak House and the Aberdeen Steak House, three chains with outlets throughout London. They’re literally everywhere.

Priced right, these places are nothing fancy, but the steaks can be depended upon and they’re convenient.

Honourable mention also to Burger and Lobster, which I discovered on my last trip to London – you can read about it here. 

Burger and Lobster has a rather limited menu – lobster, burger or lobster roll. Twenty pounds each. The lobsters are cooked perfectly, the drinks ditto, so be prepared to wait for a table. They don’t take reservations, but definitely worth the visit.

Do you have a favourite “foodie” destination in London? If so, please leave a comment and let us know about it!