This weekend Archibald Leach aka Cary Grant Comes Home to his home town of Bristol (11 – 12 October 2014) where there lots of fab and fun events taking place. Yesterday I enjoyed afternoon tea at Avon Gorge Hotel and attended fascinating talks at the Watershed which gave great insight into his personal life and acting career. 

On Sunday 12th October 2014 there is a gala screening of Arsenic and Old Lace (3pm)  and North by Northwest (6.30pm) at Bristol Hippodrome providing the opportunity to see two  of his most popular films on the big screen with extra treats, including a red carpet entrance, paparazzi, live entertainment and vintage music, fashions and dancing. Ticket details here.

Life size statue of Cary Grant in Millennium Square, Bristol

Archibald Leach, better known as Cary Grant, was born at 15 Hughenden Road, Horfield, Bristol on 18th January 1904. A life-sized bronze statue of Cary, created by sculptor Graham Ibbeson, was unveiled in Millennium Square on 7th December 2001 by his widow Barbara Jaynes.

 Life size statue of Cary Grant in Millennium Square, Bristol

 Mark Glancy at the Carry Grant Comes Home Festival at the Watershed, Bristol

The Festival started on Saturday morning with two entertaining talks at the Watershed.

The first entitled From Horfield To Hollywood saw Laura Rawlings, from BBC Radio Bristol Breakfast Show, chairing the panel of experts to discuss the transformation from Archibald Leach to the suave and sophisticated Cary Grant. Kathrina Glitre talk about Grant as a romantic star whose roles saw him as the pursued by his leading ladies, a role reversal of the traditional gender stereotype in Hollywood and was interspersed with some fun clips from his screwball comedies.  While Andrew Spicer talked about Grant as the James Bond that never was (if only).

The second session Educating Archie saw Mark Glancy's well researched talk about Grant's childhood in Bristol to his earliest years in Hollywood. If heard Mark's talk, you might be interested to know that he will be talking about Alfred Hitchcock's London at Barts Pathology Musuem in London on Wednesday 12th November.

Throughout the morning there was also video footage about Grant’s personal life and his acting career. Most significantly when he was 9 years old his mother disappeared and he was informed that she had gone on holiday. When she didn’t return he assumed she had died. In adulthood he was re-united with his mother and he discovered that she had been in an asylum for the mentally ill. Once they were reunited Grant made regular visits back to Bristol to visit his mother.

Walk and Talk Like Cary Grant Afternoon tea at Avon Gorge Hotel

The Walk and talk like Cary Grant afternoon tea was great fun. The occassion of afternoon tea was chosen to be part of the festival as this was an activity Grant enjoyed sharing with his mother.

“My mother took me to the Claire Street Cinema, the town's most elite, where one could take tea while watching the films, and where I was first introduced to a pastry fork” - Cary Grant

 Nice selection of laminate photos on display

The hotel was chosen, as it was previously known as the Clifton hotel, and was where Grant used to stay when visiting his mother, who lived nearby.

 View from the hotel's terrace of the Clifton Suspension Bridge

 Cary Grant on the hotel's terrace enjoying the view of the Clifton Suspension Bridge

To Catch a Thief  with Cary Grant and Grace Kelly

While we enjoyed afternoon tea Anna Farthing talked us though the etiquette of partaking in afternoon tea and showed us some video footage of Grant's acting techniques and we had the opportunity to walk and talk like Cary Grant.

Sadly due to other commitments I needed to return to London and was unable to stay for the Cocktail Party or Sunday's events. However I had a memorable and fun day.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Anna Farthing and Charlotte Crofts for organising Cary Grant Comes Home and hope this is the start of a regular festival.

I really enjoyed my trip to Bristol and want to return soon to explore its other delights. One thing I had time for was to visit a place with an Agatha Christie conenctions but I will write a seperate blog post about that soon and the Walk and Talk Like Cary Grant afternoon tea will be featuring in my London Scone Review blog in my October edition of Scones of the Month.

Practical Information

The Cary Grant Comes Home Festival is on 11 - 12 October 2014. More details available at the Cary Grant Comes Home for the Weekend website.

The From Horfield To Hollywood and Educating Archie talks were both held at the Watershed,1 Canon's Rd, Bristol, BS1 5TX

Walk and Talk Like Cary Grant Afternoon Tea was held at Avon Gorge Hotel,Sion Hill, Bristol, BS8 4LD

For more information about Bristol see the Visit Bristol website.

The author of this blog is a qualified City of London and City of Westminster Tour Guide who leads guided walks combining world famous landmarks with hidden treasures often missed by the crowds.

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