Category: History

1. Crime and Cream Teas at the Agatha Christie Festival Part I - Greenway

   Posted on 8:00am Tuesday 7th Oct 2014

    

   

    Barnaby

   Greenway was Agatha Christie's beloved holiday home in Devon and seems a good place to start the first installment of my blog about the recent Agatha Christie Festival. This annual crime writing festival takes place in and around Torquay, Agatha's birthplace, each September to coincide with her birthday. Since my last visit in 2011 the festival has certainly grown both in the numbers of visitors and organised events.

2. The New Heritage Gallery at the Guildhall Art Gallery

   Posted on 7:30am Friday 12th Sep 2014

   

   Today sees the long anticipated re-opening of the Guildhall Art Gallery which included a new Heritage Gallery. Last night I attended the special reception of the launch which inclued Dame Helen Ghosh, the Director General of the National Trust and the Lord Chief Justice, Baron Thomas of Cwmgiedd, and I was lucky to see the new fabulous display before it opens to the general public today. The centrepiece of the new display is a copy of the 1297 Magana Carta.*

3. London's Only Model Village? A Charming Surprise in Vauxhall Park

   Posted on 9:30am Sunday 17th Aug 2014

   

   I was delighted to discover recently a small (no pun intended) model village in a secluded corner of Vauxhall Park. It’s utterly charming and evokes a wonderful sense of nostalgia with its olde worlde character. 

4. Spectra in Victoria Tower Gardens - Artwork to Commemorate the Start of WWI in Britain

   Posted on 8:00pm Thursday 7th Aug 2014

   Spectra is a powerful lightbeam illuminating London's iconic skyline for this week only.

   The public are able to view this temporary art installation at the Victoria Tower Gardens, 24 hours a day until Monday 11th August 2014. 

5. Lights Out in Piccadilly Circus and Whitehall Marks the Centenary of the Start of WWI in Britain

   Posted on 12:00am Tuesday 5th Aug 2014

   

   On 4^th August 2014, Piccadilly Circus advertising screens were replaced with a roll of honour to remember Westminster people who died in World War I. This was part of Lights Out, a UK wide campaign organised by 14-18 Now, which saw lights being switched off all over Britain between 10 and 11pm to mark the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War in the UK.

6. The Newly Re-opened Imperial War Museum London - Atrium and First World War Galleries

   Posted on 9:00am Tuesday 22nd Jul 2014

    

   On Saturday 19^th July 2014 the Imperial War Museum London re-opened to the public following a £40 million refurbishment and yesterday I visited with @LondonSE4. Here are some photos of the impressive new atrium and its very poignant First World War Galleries. 

7. The Secret Gardens of Marylebone Part II (including some rather unique toilets)

   Posted on 9:30am Tuesday 24th Jun 2014

   

   Paddington Street Gardens

   In Part II we are looking at Paddington Street Gardens (which includes some public toilets which have some rather unique features) and the gardens of the Wallace Collection, which are a couple of my favourite public open spaces in Marylebone.

8. The Massey Shaw Fireboat - One of the Little Ships of Dunkirk

   Posted on 9:00pm Sunday 8th Jun 2014

   

    The Massey Shaw is the little red and black boat in the front

   The 70^th anniversary of D Day is a fitting time to post this blog about my recent visit with my City of London Guides year group to the Massey Shaw fireboat, as it was one of the little ships which took part in the WWII Dunkirk evacuation code-named “Operation Dynamo”.  David Rogers, secretary, friend and fellow guide, conducted a fascinating tour of this small ship with a big history.

9. Tea House Theatre - Taking Refreshments in the Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens

   Posted on 9:00am Tuesday 13th May 2014

   

   The Tea House Theatre has quickly become one of my favourite tea rooms in London with a well deserved reputation for its delicious home baked cakes. The cakes are displayed on various tables round the cafe rather than at a central counter which compliments its charming and relaxed character.

10. Celebrating John Lewis� 150th Anniversary in Style � Roof Garden and Exhibition

    Posted on 6:00pm Monday 5th May 2014

    

    John Lewis opened his first store at 132 Oxford Street, London on 2^nd May 1864. In celebration of the store’s 150^th anniversary the roof garden and a special exhibition are open to the public from Saturday 3^rd May 2014.