Royal London: A Guide

I came across this colorful book, most recently updated and published in 2012, in the library.  The full title is Royal London: A Guide to the Capital’s Historic and Iconic Royal Sites.  More than 100 locations are described from the Buckingham Palace we all know to a Coronation Stone in the Royal Borough of Kingston Upon Thames where seven Saxon Kings were crowned in the 9th and 10th centuries.

Coronation Stone
The author of the volume, Jane Struthers, has written many nonfiction books about England, 
English History, and other topics. 
Jane Struthers
As readers of this blog might guess, for both Kristine and Victoria, reading about London and looking at pictures are just about our favorite activities in the entire world, short of actually walking in London’s streets. So it will come as no surprise to know that Victoria spent quite a few hours with this book.  As usual, I (forgive the switch to first person, please) checked out how many of the places I have visited. 
The book begins with Westminster, and most of those we have even written about on this blog.  Multiple visits to the Palace and to the Queen’s Gallery, for example.  The processions in the Mall for Trooping the Colour and a walk in the Marlborough House Garden. A walk through Westminster’s residential area, just south of Westminster Abbey, including the church St. John’s, Smith Square, scene of many excellent musical events.
St. John’s, Smith Square
Struthers relates the story of how the church got the nickname “Queen Anne’s Footstool.” Supposedly the Queen was annoyed at being asked again what the new building should look like. She kicked over her footstool and said, “Like that!” Therefore the church has four tall towers, only two of which can be seen above.  Nevertheless, it is an excellent example of English Baroque and is renowned for its excellent acoustics. It was heavily bombed in WWII and restored as a concert venue.
The Guildhall
In other sections of the City and the metro area, you will find familiar spots described, such as the Guildhall, the Tower of London, and Trafalgar Square.  And there are other, lesser known sites with interesting royal connections.  Ely Place, for example, is now the site of crown-owned terrace houses, but once Ely House (long gone) was the place Philippa of Hainault stayed at Christmas 1327, before her marriage to Edward III.  Who knew?
Ely Place
1772 engraving of Ely House and St. Etheldredea’s Church
Familiar or unusual, it is our beloved London.  Now I have a few new targets for my next trip.  It can’t come soon enough!

The Naturalist's Diary, October 1826

The Naturalist’s Diary 1826 October

Swallow

At the beginning of this month, or latter end of September, some summer birds of passage, of which the swallow is the first, take their departure for warmer regions. The time of their leaving this country varies in different seasons; it is sometimes protracted till the end of October or the beginning of November, and swallows have been seen, in mild weather, to congregate previously to taking their departure, so late as the middle of December. A great diversity of opinion has existed respecting the torpidity and migration of this bird; it is an established fact, that, although the greater part of the swallows that visit England quit the country before the approach of winter, many remain and continue in a state of torpidity till the enlivening sun of April wakes them from their long sleep.

Common House Martin

The throstle, the red-wing, and the field-fare which migrated in March, now return; and the ring-ouzel arrives from the Welsh and Scottish Alps to winter in more sheltered situations. About the middle of the month, the common martin disappears; and, shortly afterwards, the smallest kind of swallow, the sand-martin, and the stone-curlew, migrate. The Royston or hooded crow (Corvus cornix) arrives from Scotland and the northern parts of England, being driven thence by the severity of the season. The woodcock returns, and is found on our eastern coasts.

Hooded Crow

Small birds now begin to congregate, and the common linnet is the first to lead the way. Various kinds of waterfowl make their appearance; and, about the middle of the month, wild geese quit the fens, and go to the rye and wheat lands to devour the young corn; frequently leaving a field as if it had been fed off by a flock of sheep.

Wild Geese feeding

Rooks sport and dive, in a playful manner, before they go to roost, congregating in large numbers. The starling sings. The awk or puffin visits for the purpose of incubation, some of the rocky isles of Britain, in amazing numbers.

Puffins

That singular appearance in nature, the gossamer, occurs in this month. Amid the floral gaieties of autumn, may be reckoned the Guernsey lily, which is so conspicuous an object in October, in the windows and green-houses of florists in London and its vicinity.

Guernsey Lily

 In mild seasons there are many flowers still in blow in this month. Generally speaking, however, the ‘last day of summer’ has passed away.

Rose Hips

Hips and haws now ornament the hedges. The berries of bryony and the privet; the barberry, the blackberry, the holly and the elder, from which an excellent winter wine may be made

Elderberries

—with sloes, bullaces, and damsons, are now in great plenty.—Blackberries also are ripe in this month, and the collecting of them affords an agreeable pastime to the younger branches of the peasant’s family, as well as some small profit to the parents. These are the fruits of the poor;–they who are more highly favoured with the gifts of fortune revel on the patrician peach and nectarine, the pine and the grape, whose purple clusters contrast so beautifully with the dazzling white of the silver epergne.

from MarthaStewart.com

But these transient pleasures, –the rose-crowned bowl,–the smiles of beauty, the music’s enchanting voice,–soon, too soon, flit away from our grasp and leave us nothing but the memory of a former day, those ‘blossoms of the past.’ During the months of October, November and December, at the fall of the leaf, insects become less numerous, but many of the Hemiptera may be found in the woods, by beating the ferns and underwood, also many very beautiful Tineae and Tortrices; and aquatic insects may be taken in ponds, in great numbers. Roots of grass, decayed trees may again be resorted to.

Keswick

October, like the proceeding month, is generally spent by the sea-side or in traveling over the varied surface of the United Kingdom. The lakes of Cumberland are an object of high attraction to the lover of the picturesque; the Highlands of Scotland also have a strong claim on his notice, and are frequently visited by our tourists in search of the sublime and romantic scenery of Nature. Scotland, indeed, is eminently entitled to our attention; and whether we take a trip by steam to the ‘modern Athens,’ and return by the land-route through the northern counties of England, or extend our journey and sail on the placid bosom of Loch Katrine, or climb the Alpine heights of Ben Nevis, we shall be amply repaid for the fatigue and expense of the tour.

Loch Long

William Morris Gallery Reopens

Victoria here, delighted to hear that the William Morris Gallery in Walthamstow, part of northeast London, reopened last month (August, 2012)  after a £5m ($8.1m) renovation.  I visited the museum a few years ago as an admirer of Morris and his many activities, so an upgrade is welcome news.  The website of the museum is here. The museum is operated by the Waltham Forest Council and received assistance from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

William Morris, age 53, photo by Frederick Hollyer
Artist and designer, Visionary and cultural innovator, publisher and writer of prose and poetry, socialist thinker and political theorist, entrepreneur and mentor — William Morris was one of the leading figures of the late Victorian period.  He was an influential member of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and founded the Arts and Crafts Movement, both with enduring international influence.
Tapestry:  Dreams from Industrial London

The Economist magazine wrote (More than Just a Pretty Swatch: Homage to a Colourful and Complex Victorian Polymath) recently of the museum’s renovation, here.  In addition to a collection of more than 10,000 Morris objects, the museum runs education programs, exhibitions of contemporary artists, and many more events, not to mention (naturally) the SHOP and the tea room.

I fell in love with William Morris Designs — fabric, tapestries, wallpaper, etc. — long before I even knew his name.  His art simply spoke to me on a personal level.

If you are a William Morris fan, come along with Kristine and me to Liberty of London on Regent Street …
Liberty, Regent Street
…where we have been known to leave more pounds than we should have!  I like it so much I’ve spent a few hours at home replicating it for my wall — and Kristine’s
counted cross stitch Liberty
A current exhibition at the Tate Britain explores the Pre-Raphaelites: Victorian Avant-Garde through January 13, 2013.  The artworks of Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Sir John Everett Millais, William Holman Hunt, Edward Burne-Jones, William Morris and others are included.
I fear I shall have to miss this excellent show, as I will not be in London before next spring. Boo-hoo.  But I have seen many of the pictures and other objects before.  The Delaware Art Museum in the U.S. has an excellent collection of Pre-Raphaelites which I have visited. Some are included in the Tate exhibition.
Peacock and Bird Carpet by Morris, Wm. Morris Gallery
In addition to the Walthamstow Gallery, in which William Morris lived from  age 14 to 22, and the Tate Exhibition, two other National Trust buildings associated with William Morris are open to the public, but be sure to check for limited availabilities.
The Red House, NT
Morris co-designed The Red House in Bexleyheath, southeast London, for his wife, Jane Burden, and family. Once in the country and surrounded by orchards and pastures, it is now in the busy suburbs.  Jane and William had two daughters, but lived here only five years, moving due to financial problems. It is being restored to its original condition.  Jane often posed for Morris, and his only existing easel painting, below, now in the Tate Gallery, portrays her.
La belle Iseult, 1858
Jane also posed for other Pre-Raphaelites,  especially for Rossetti, with whom she had a long affair, though she and Morris never divorced.
Water Willow, by Rossetti, 1871;  Jane Burden Morris, with Kelmscott Manor in the background
After 1971, Morris and his family spent time at their country house, Kelmscott Manor, now open to the public on some days during the summer. It is operated by the Society of Antiquaries of London. 
Kelmscott Manor, Oxfordshire
 The original house dates from 1570 and was both a design project and an inspiration for Morris and his friends. The website is here. The house includes furnishings and textiles designed by Morris, in addition to changing exhibitions and a lovely garden.  William Morris is buried in the nearby village churchyard.
Now all I (we) need is unlimited time to wander about England.  Let’s go.

Upcoming Masterpiece Theatre

 

 
 
 
Sunday, September 30, at 8.pm. ET.
 

Call the Midwife is a moving and intimate insight into the colorful world of midwifery and family life in 1950’s East London. We are introduced to the community through the eyes of young nurse Jenny Lee as she arrives at Nonnatus House to live and work as a midwife alongside an Order of Nuns.
As Jenny comes to terms with her new life, we meet some phenomenal people who prove that their warmth, resilience and determination are to be admired beyond measure. At the heart of this world are the Sisters of St. Raymond Nonnatus who have been active in the East End as Anglican nursing nuns since the beginning of the 20th century.

The Sisters and the midwives of Nonnatus House carry out many nursing duties across the community. However, with between 80 and 100 babies being born each month in Poplar alone, their primary work is to help bring safe childbirth to women in the area and to look after their countless newborns.

 

The drama is based on the best-selling memoirs of the late Jennifer Worth and garnered good reviews, with the Daily Mirror hailing a “new ratings champion at the BBC.” A second series already commissioned and talks have now reportedly begun to keep the programme running beyond 2014.

 
Upstairs, Downstair – Series II – Premieres October 7, 2012 ET on PBS
 
In the year before WWII, 165 Eaton Place reopens its doors and welcomes viewers back into the lives of its inhabitants, upstairs and down. Lady Agnes and Sir Hallam’s family is now complete with the addition of two small children, but Sir Hallam is drawn into dangerous waters by his preoccupation with the threat of Nazi Germany and the return of troubled Lady Persie. Lady Agnes catches the eye of charismatic American multi-millionaire Casper Landry, and Sir Hallam’s aunt, Dr. Blanche Mottershead, has made herself comfortable in the house after Lady Maud’s death. Meanwhile, life downstairs adjusts to the absence of Rose and the addition of the spirited new nursery maid, Beryl. With upstairs and downstairs harboring life-changing secrets, and the menace of war creeping ever closer, the smooth running of Eaton Place threatens to come to a halt.

Gas masks are issued and long-buried secrets about the staff are revealed against an increasingly uneasy political backdrop. While the house staff struggles with the juxtaposition of patriotism and conscience, Sir Hallam stands firm in his diplomatic convictions, helping to negotiate what may be the final chance to avert war. But as the possibility of maintaining peace becomes more apparent, will England be able to sleep quietly for long?
 

Paul and Thomas Sandby, Painters of Britain

Victoria here, sorting out bookshelves…yes, that’s sort of like cleaning, but not quite.  And I found a treasure.  Couldn’t remember when I bought it, but I found a copy of a wonderful book: Views of Windsor: Watercolours by Thomas and Paul Sandby.  Of course, I had to quit the sorting and sit down to enjoy it. 

The mystery was solved when I checked the publication page and saw that it is a catalogue which accompanied the exhibition of the same name from 1995-1997, which was shown in Amsterdam; Portland, Oregon; Memphis; Dallas; and Manchester, UK.  I must have seen it in Dallas.  The paintings are from the Royal Collection at Windsor Castle. To see more, click here.
Paul Sandby, The Castle from the Long Walk, ca. 1765
Watercolour with pen and ink over graphite within black line
Zoom on Image here.
This is the view of the castle before the Round Tower was “tarted up” as a Gothic Fantasy by George IV and his architect Jeffry Wyattville in the 1820’s. Below, the view since that time, a much taller and more elaborate building.
Windsor Castle, Round Tower, 2010
Thomas Sandby (1721-1798) was the elder of the two brothers, both born in Nottingham. Thomas was an architectural draughtsman, artist and teacher. He joined the staff  of William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland, for his campaigns in Flanders and Scotland (1743–1748). Later, he became Deputy Ranger of Windsor Great Park, and also spent part of the year in London where he engaged in numerous architectural and artistic projects. He and his brother were among the 28 persons who were chosen as founding members of  the Royal Academy; Thomas was the RA’s first Professor of Architecture.
Thomas Sandby, RA, by Sir William Beechey, n.d., NPG, London

Paul Sandby, View through the Norman Gateway, looking west towards the Winchester Tower,
 ca. 1770; Watercolour with pen and ink over graphite

Paul Sandby (1731-1809) was chief draughtsman for the Board of Ordnance’s 1747 project of mapping the Scottish Highlands. In the 1750’s, Paul and Thomas Sandby created hundreds of views of Windsor, the castle, the royal grounds, the town and other scenes.  Their work was admired by artists such as Gainsborough, who appreciated the details they captured. More than 500 of their paintings and drawings are held in the Royal Collection.  Paul was chief drawing master to the Royal Military academy and published several volumes of his works over the years. At his death, he was called “the father of modern landscape painting.”

Paul Sandby sketching, by Francis Coates, 1791
Tate Britain
Paul Sandby, The Henry VIII Gateway and the Salisbury Tower from within the Lower Ward, ca. 1770
Watercolour with pen and ink over graphite within black ink line

Though it may be difficult to see without enlarging these views (which can easily be done with the zoom feature of the Royal Collection), one of the major interests of the Sandbys’ work goes beyond the exactitude of the buildings in time.  The figures in the foreground, pedestrians, workers, riders…all provide a perfect picture of what people wore, what they did, even what they ate at the time.  They provide a rich source for those of us who obsess over minute details of the period.

Paul Sandby, The north front of the Castle from Isherwood’s Brewery in Datchet Lane, c. 1765
Watercolour and body colour with pen and ink
Paul Sandby, The Norman Gateway from the gate to the North Terrace, ca. 1770
Watercolour and bodycolour with pen and ink over graphite

Paul Sandby, The Castle from Datchet Lane on a rejoicing night, 1768
Watercolour and bodycolour including gold paint, within black line
The subject matter of the rejoicing night is unknown; from the leaves on the trees, it cannot be Guy Fawkes Night (5 November), but the distant bonfire and/or fireworks suggests a celebration.
Thomas and Paul Sandby The Walk and terrace at Cranbourne Lodge 1752
Watercolour and bodycolour with Pen and ink over graphite
This volume of wonderful views of Windsor is now in a more prominent position in my bookcases — and I am willing to report that I plan to share any more treasures I uncover.  I’ve already got one in mind, Royal London.  Coming one of these days….