Queen Elizabeth II at Trooping the Colour

Here is a link to the official website with a long list of 60 fascinating facts for 60 years you may be interested . . . → Read More: fascinating facts about Queen Elizabeth II]]> With the Diamond Jubilee less than 4 months away we are of course seeing more and more about our gracious Queen; Elizabeth II.

Queen Elizabeth II at Trooping the Colour

Here is a link to the official website with a long list of 60 fascinating facts for 60 years you may be interested in.  http://www.thediamondjubilee.org/60-facts-about-queen

60 years ago our gracious Queen; Elizabeth II ascended to the throne, crowned after sixteen months of preparations  in an extravagant ceremony at Westminster Abbey.  Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; born 21 April 1926 as a young girl lived through the 2nd World War, reigned during the Falklands war and has seen her troops sent . . . → Read More: Queen Elizabeth – celebrating 60 years]]>

Queen Elizabeth II

60 years ago our gracious Queen; Elizabeth II ascended to the throne, crowned after sixteen months of preparations  in an extravagant ceremony at Westminster Abbey.  Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; born 21 April 1926 as a young girl lived through the 2nd World War, reigned during the Falklands war and has seen her troops sent to other countries in the name of Queen and country.  Her long reign has seen massive changes in the world, the country and our lifestyle, and yet she has remained constant and calm, showing a dignity beyond her duties.  She is the most travelled Monarch in history, having visited all the countries in her realm and the Commonwealth.
I remember when I first came to the country in 2001, I was already a fan of the royal family and loved the Queen.  Since I have lived here I have had the priviledge of seeing her in person (albeit riding by in either a carriage or car), attended celebrations, commemorations and ceremonies, been to many of the places in London historically linked to the Queen and read stories in the papers and now I love her even more.  I even get tearful listening to the national anthem and sing the words with gusto! ‘God Save our Gracious Queen’

me at Trooping the Colour, London

I know more about the Queen now than I ever imagined.
60 years ago on 6th February 1952 Princess Elizabeth was watching wildlife in Kenya when her father, George VI, died.  The news of his death was broken by her husband Prince Philip.    She immediately returned home; as Queen Elizabeth II. Planning for her coronation was soon underway and Tuesday 2 June 1953 was as the date for the ceremony.  Today marks 60 years of her reign.
I have created a short video showing some of the places in London linked to the Queen.  God Save our Gracious Queen.

Of course London in 2012 is not . . . → Read More: Queen’s Diamond Jubilee 2012]]> With just 4 months to go to the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in June 2012, excitement is mounting! Well mine is anyway!     I cannot even begin to express how thrilled, delighted and privileged I feel to be able to attend what promises to be an amazing event!

Of course London in 2012 is not only playing host to this amazing event but we are also hosting the 2012 Olympic Games.  Below is an extract from a recent ‘Press Release’ that you may find interesting:

THE ROYAL BARGE FOR THE THAMES DIAMOND JUBILEE PAGEANT

On Sunday 3rd June 2012, The Spirit of Chartwell will have top billing as the Royal Barge, carrying The Queen in the Thames Diamond Jubilee River Pageant in celebration of her sixty year reign.   The Pageant, one of this year’s most exciting events, is unprecedented as the largest flotilla to be assembled on the river in modern times.

a depiction of the Royal Barge as it will look for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee in June 2012

Accommodating The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh and other members of the Royal Family, the first sight of the Royal Barge on the Thames will be one of the most highly anticipated moments of the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant.    Operated by the Magna Carta Steamship company, The Spirit of Chartwell, a luxury Thames river vessel with opulent interiors, will be the most important boat on the Thames in next year’s flotilla.  She was chosen for a host of reasons, including size, comfort, safety and manoeuvrability. Her owner, Philip Morrell, has generously donated the use of the vessel to The Queen for the Pageant.

The cruiser will be decorated with an original design by Joseph Bennett and Rachel de Thame.  Multi-award-winning production designer Bennett’s diverse and distinguished career has included designing films, including Charlotte Gray and Jude, and television, including HBO series Rome, for which he won two Emmy awards.  He has also designed commercials, working with photographers such as Steven Klein and Mario Testino and designing celebrated catwalk presentations for the late fashion designer Alexander McQueen. The design will echo the richly-decorated royal barges of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, reflecting the great historical nature of this event.   After the event, The Spirit of Chartwell will resume her role as a cruising vessel on the Thames.

The Royal Barge will be adorned with flowers from The Queen’s own gardens by renowned horticulturist, garden designer and TV presenter Rachel de Thame.  A member of the Gardeners’ World presenting team since 1999, de Thame also presents Countrywise on ITV and the BBC coverage of the major RHS gardening shows, including The Chelsea Flower Show. Red, gold and purple – the royal colours – will feature most prominently in the floral arrangements, which will reference the Commonwealth, the Coronation and The Queen’s Gold State Coach.

Adrian Evans, Pageant Master, said:  “The Royal Barge must be a jewel – the most magnificent vessel in the flotilla.  Joseph and Rachel have come up with a truly inspiring design, one that references the Coronation, the Commonwealth, the Gold State Coach and all the traditions of royal barges on the Thames, while creating something that is distinct and modern.” The Spirit of Chartwell’s owner, Philip Morrell, said: “As The Spirit of Chartwell evolved, I knew we had built something special  – ideal, I thought, for the carriage of royalty, but little did I even vaguely suspect that in the course of one short year that we should be graced with such an honour”.

A number of vessels with royal connections will play prominent roles in the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant, including the tender of HMS Britannia – known as Britannia’s Royal Barge – which was traditionally used to transport passengers to and from the Royal Yacht.  In the Pageant, the tender will play her original role, carrying The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh to The Royal Barge, along with two motorboat escorts.

The exceptionally popular flotilla was over-subscribed and the possibility of joining in the 1,000 boat flotilla proved a huge attraction; the interest was overwhelming.  For each single place, three boats applied.   The selection procedure, based on specific criteria including, crucially, safety considerations took place, but there will still be an opportunity for unsuccessful people to take part from the river bank.  Details of the event will be made public this year.

PRE-NORMAN

Excavations have revealed settlements in the area dating from the Early Neolithic, possibly Mesolithic periods. Occupation seems to have continued through the Bronze Age, the Iron Age and the Roman occupation.

neolithic artefacts

The area was first mentioned (as . . . → Read More: Archaeological history of Twickenham]]> Following on from my recent post: 10 reasons to visit Twickenham, here is a brief history of the area.

PRE-NORMAN

Excavations have revealed settlements in the area dating from the Early Neolithic, possibly Mesolithic periods. Occupation seems to have continued through the Bronze Age, the Iron Age and the Roman occupation.

neolithic artefacts

The area was first mentioned (as ‘Tuican hom’ and ‘Tuiccanham’) in a charter of 13 June 704 AD to cede the area to Waldhere, Bishop of London, ‘for the salvation of our souls’. The charter is signed with 12 crosses. The signatories included Swaefred of Essex, Cenred of Mercia and Earl Paeogthath.

NORMAN

In Norman times Twickenham was part of the Manor of Isleworth – itself part of the Hundred of Hounslow (mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086). The manor had belonged to Ælfg?r, Earl of Mercia in the time of Edward the Confessor, but was granted to Walter de Saint-Valery (Waleric) by William I of England after the Norman Conquest of England in 1066.  The area was then farmed for several hundred years, while the river provided opportunities for fishing, boatbuilding and trade.

The first reference to Twickenham Manor itself is in a deed of 1446 recording a sale of land to William Yorke and his wife Agnes. This family had been connected with Twickenham from 1381 but it can only be supposition that they lived in the Manor House at this time.

17th CENTURY

In 1605 Bubonic Plague spread to the town and 67 deaths were recorded. It appears that Twickenham had a pest house (short for “pestilence”) in the 17th century, although the location is not known.  There was a Watch House in the middle of the town, with stocks, a pillory and a whipping post — its owner charged to “ward within and about this Parish and to keep all Beggars and Vagabonds that shall lye abide or lurk about the Towne and to give correction to such…”.

YORK HOUSE – The house is Grade II listed and is scheduled as an ancient monument, dating back to the 17th Century. Construction on York House began in 1633. Initially occupied by Edward Montagu, 2nd Earl of Manchester in 1656 and later by Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon, is now the figurehead building of the headquarters for the London Borough of Richmond on Thames. 1659 saw the first mention of the Twickenham Ferry, although ferrymen had already been operating in the area for many generations. Sometime before 1743 a ‘pirate’ ferry appears to have been started by Twickenham inhabitants.

dont pay the ferryman till he gets you to the other side....

There is speculation that it operated to serve ‘The Folly’ — a floating hostelry of some kind. Several residents wrote to the Lord Mayor of the City of London:…Complaining that there is lately fixed near the Shore of Twickenham on the River Thames a Vessell made like a Barge and called the Folly wherein divers loose and disorderly persons are frequently entertained who have behaved in a very indecent Manner and do frequently afront divers persons of Fashion and Distinction who often in an Evening Walk near that place, and desired so great a Nuisance might be removed,….

18th CENTURY
ALEXANDER POPE’S HOUSE

The money made from the Homer translation allowed Pope to move to a villa at Twickenham in 1719, where he created his now famous grotto and gardens. Pope decorated the grotto with alabaster, marbles, and ores such as mundic and crystals. He also used Cornish diamonds, stalactites, spars, snakestones and spongestone. Here and there in the grotto he placed mirrors, expensive embellishments for the time. A camera obscura was installed to delight his visitors, of whom there were many. The serendipitous discovery of a spring during its excavations enabled the subterranean retreat to be filled with the relaxing sound of trickling water, which would quietly echo around the chambers. Pope was said to have remarked that: “Were it to have nymphs as well – it would be complete in everything.” Although the house and gardens have long since been demolished, much of this grotto still survives. The grotto now lies beneath Radnor House Independent Co-ed School.
Gunpowder manufacture on an industrial scale started in the area in the 18th C on a site between Twickenham and Whitton on the banks of the River Crane. There were frequent explosions and loss of life.
On 11 March 1758 one of two explosions was felt in Reading, Berkshire, and in April 1774 another explosion terrified people at church in Isleworth.
In 1772 three mills blew up, shattering glass and buildings in the neighbourhood. Horace Walpole, 4th Earl of Orford, wrote complaining to his friend and relative Henry Seymour Conway, then Lieutenant General of the Ordnance, that all the decorative painted glass had been blown out of his windows at Strawberry Hill.The powder mills remained in operation until 1927 when they were closed.
During the 18th century and 19th century a number of fine houses were built and Twickenham became a popular place of residence for people of ‘Fashion and Distinction’.

20th CENTURY
Electricity was introduced to Twickenham in 1902 and the first trams arrived the following year.

electricity comes to Twickenham

In 1939, when All Hallows Lombard Street was demolished in the City of London, its distinctive stone tower designed by Christopher Wren, with its peal of ten bells and connecting stone cloister, and the interior furnishings, including a Renatus Harris organ and a pulpit used by John Wesley, were brought to Twickenham to be incorporated in the new All Hallows Church on Chertsey Road (A316) near Twickenham Stadium.

old map in the Twickenham Museum showing Twickenham

CHURCH STREET – The principal way through Twickenham, Church . . . → Read More: 10 reasons to visit Twickenham]]> Twickenham – one of a number of villages that form the Royal Borough of Richmond, Twickenham is a delightful place to spend a day. If you have not yet been there, then here are 10 reasons why you should visit.

old map in the Twickenham Museum showing Twickenham

CHURCH STREET – The principal way through Twickenham, Church Street took its name from St Mary’s Church which was, and remains, its focal point on the bend at the top of Church Lane. For those who chose to travel by land it was the principal way through Twickenham for travellers between Richmond and the West. This traffic increased when Richmond Bridge was built in 1777 and in 1899 York Street was opened, so easing vehicle traffic along Church Street and reducing its importance.
When the monarch passed through Twickenham, going to Hampton Court, Church Street (if not the river) might have offered passage and the bells of St Mary’s Church rung, or the parish fined if they did not sound…

St Mary's Church Twickenham

Perhaps the most remarkable event to have taken place in Church Street was the paving of the street early in 1716 with stone taken from the churchyard. This stone was almost certainly masonry rubble from the collapsed nave for which no other use had been found while rebuilding the church in 1714.

Today Church Street is home to a wonderful array of little shops and eateries.

Church Street, Twickenham

SWEETIE PIES BOUTIQUE BAKERY – (my favourite) – pots of tea served on fine china with china tea-cups making us feel very posh, the interior of the shop is tiny and cosy. Boasting the best scones in town and a delightful range of themed cupcakes with seasonal delights for easter, mothers day, halloween and christmas amongst others.  The proprietor’s are a delightful couple who make you feel welcomed as if you are old friends dropping by.

afternoon tea at Sweetie Pies

THE FOX PUB – probably the oldest pub in Twickenham, steeped in local history and first mentioned in the Sion Manor Court Books dated October 1700, by it’s previous name The Bell. It changed it’s name to The Fox around 1749.  At one time time there were at least 4 other pubs in Church street none of which remain, besides The Eel Pie Pub est 1777.

The Fox, pub in Church Street, Twickenham

YORK HOUSE - This Grade II listed house is scheduled as an ancient monument, dating back to the 17th Century.Construction on York House began in 1633. Initially occupied by Edward Montagu, 2nd Earl of Manchester in 1656 and later by Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon, it is now the figurehead building of the headquarters for the London Borough of Richmond on Thames.

York House, Twickenham

YORK HOUSE STATUES – The greatest surprise a visitor can have is to come unexpectedly upon the statues of winged horses and naked female figures; the Oceanides, a cluster of naked nymphs, either sitting on rocks or attemptimg to climb them, all gazing up at the beautiful venus that rides standing up and naked on the backs of two rearing, winged sea-horses which adorn a cascade and pool in the riverside portion of the gardens. Imported from Italy by a fraudulent financier who took his own life on conviction in 1904, they were acquired by the last private owner of York House, an Indian grandee called Sir Ratan Tata.    There is quite a story behind these beautiful creatures and they were very nearly destroyed at one stage of their lives; thankfully for us….they were not!

Oceanides; York House Statues, Twickenham

MARBLE HILL HOUSE - Both Alexander Pope and Jonathan Swift spent many happy hours at Marble Hill as Henrietta Howard’s guests. Marble Hill House was widely known through engravings; its compact plan and tightly controlled elevations, after the interval of a generation, furnished a standard model for the English villas built throughout the Thames valley and further afield, as well as a model for plantation houses in the American colonies, where such a house was a “mansion”.  The Great Room has five architectural capricci by Giovanni Paolo Pannini and lavishly gilded decoration. The Marble Hill house also hosts a collection of early Georgian furniture and paintings as well as the Lazenby Bequest Chinoiserie collection.

Marble Hill park and house, Twickenham

MARBLE HILL PARK –  is an English Heritage site that surrounds Marble Hill House, a Palladian villa, set in 66 acres of parklend that was originally built in 1724-1729 for Henrietta Howard, the mistress of King George II.

EEL PIE ISLAND – is connected to the Twickenham embankment by a narrow footbridge, the first of which was erected in 1957. Before this, access was by means of a hand-operated ferry that was hauled across using a chain on the riverbed.  Although the island is a private dwelling, if you slip across the footbridge for a quick walk-about and stick to the pathways, it’s worth a few minutes of exploration.

footpath bridge to Eel Pie Island Twickenham

THAMES WALK TO RICHMOND – talk a meander along the Thames Path alongside the Thames to the historical town of Richmond.  Along the way you will see canoeists, picnicers, rowers and the ferry that plies it’s trade between Hampton and Richmond.

how to not go rowing on the Thames

There are a large number of fine houses in the area, many of them Victorian.

Dial House, Twickenham

10 Famous people associated with Twickenham:
Alexander Pope 1688 – 1744  Poet, satirist, letter writer, designer of gardens and grotto maker.

Charles Dickens 1812 – 1870  Visitor to Twickenham in 1838.

Henry Fielding – 1707-1754  Novelist & lawyer

J M W Turner – 1775 – 1851  Painter and poet

Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown – 1716 – 1783  Landscape Gardener

Nóel Coward – 1899 – 1973  Dramatist, actor and cabaret artist

Sir Christopher Wren – 1632 – 1723  Architect and Scientist

Sir Francis Bacon – 1561 – 1625  Statesman, essayist, philosopher and scientific theorist

Thomas Twining III – 1806 – 1895  Noted scientific educationist and polymath

Elizabeth Twining 1805 – 1889 Philanthropist, painter and writer. Leaves Dial House, Twickenham to the parish.

a view of the river form the first floor of 25 The Embankment, Twickenham

TWICKENHAM MUSEUM – a short walk from the river, this delightful old house is reputed to have been built in about 1720. It has enjoyed a long association with the river and with watermen and ferrymen. Although it can’t be said with certainty who all the occupiers have been, the house was occupied by the Hammerton family from 1896 until about 1952. This family, of watermen, ferrymen and boat builders are first recorded in Twickenham in 1610.  The Twickenham Museum opened in 2001 at 25 The Embankment following restoration of the house. A tiny museum in comparison to London’s more well know museums, it is most certainly worth the time spent.  With an impressive collection of artefacts that dates back to the Mesolithic and Neolithic periods right through to WW2 and current times.

There is much else beside these 10 place to see in Twickenham; Orleans House, The Swan Pub, Sion Road and Twickenham Green.  King Street – a busy main road on the route from Richmond and onwards to Teddington  is home to a number of high street shops and stores, charity shops, eateries, coffee houses and pubs.

A day in Twickenham is a day well spent. Meander over some time!

For more about Twickenham click here.

785 years of history and this year was just as enjoyable as last year!  Not sure what folks 785 years ago thought of the show, but for sure….I can say that I loved it this year (as I did last year)!

I did not arrive as early as I had in 2010 and . . . → Read More: Lord Mayor’s Show 2011]]>

The Lord Mayor's Carriage

785 years of history and this year was just as enjoyable as last year!  Not sure what folks 785 years ago thought of the show, but for sure….I can say that I loved it this year (as I did last year)!

I did not arrive as early as I had in 2010 and of course then I found myself a spot at St Paul’s Cathedral….something we could not do this year due to the ongoing unsightly ‘tent city’ that currently houses the protesters (or hanger-ons).  Due to this ongoing ‘protest’ the route had to be changed and the usual stop had to be left out.  This year I found a spot on the embankment near Temple station and my view from the pavement was interesting to say the least.

Like no other procession in the world; the Lord Mayor’s Show is nearly 800 years old. There has been a Lord Mayor of London ever since 1189, and probably the most well-known of whom was Dick Wittington.  In 1215, by charter of King John, it became one of the earliest elected offices in Britain.
Thousands of people take part in the Lord Mayor’s Show, one of London’s most spectacular annual displays including servicemen and women, vehicles, Livery Companies, charities, colourful floats, marching bands, and carriages including the glorious State Coach and of course the giant figures of the City’s guardians Gog and Magog; 3 miles of procession along 1.7 miles of city road.

Gog one of the guardians of the City of London

The head of the procession leaves from Mansion House and follows the traditional route through the streets of the City to the Royal Courts of Justice where the Lord Mayor takes his oath of allegiance to the Sovereign before the Lord Chief Justice and the Judges of the Queen’s Bench Division.

Along the way, the State Coach and other officials usually pause at St Pauls for the Lord Mayor to receive a blessing, but this year thanks to the protesters, they were unable to do that. He then takes the oath of loyalty at the Royal Courts, after which the whole procession reforms near Victoria Embankment for the return journey to Mansion House, where the newly sworn-in Lord Mayor is greeted by the City Aldermen and Livery Company Masters.

The Lord Mayor has been making the journey every year for 785 years, surviving plague and fire and countless wars and insurrections. The modern Lord Mayor’s procession is a direct descendant of that first journey to Westminster and the pageantry of Pepys and Canaletto is recognisable today.

At the end of the Show and the beginning of a new mayoral year, London’s newly confirmed Lord Mayor starts a fantastic firework display on the river Thames at 5 o’clock.  The display, which can be seen for miles, includes more than half a tonne of giant fireworks, some of which shoot over 600ft into the sky before exploding, and takes a team of eight pyrotechnicians two days to set it all up.

a fabulous display of fireworks at the Lord Mayors show

On the day of the Show many of the road in the City of London are closed and becomes a cyclists dream  Many people could be seen cycling around on the Barclays bikes.  Most sensible….I should have hired one myself.  A great place to see the tail end of the show is near the Museum of London as the parade and mounted soldiers make their way back after the show.

getting up close and personal with horses and mounted guards

A major clean-up takes place after the show and a group of people get stuck in to clear the streets of garbage, horse dung and sand by the end of day.

cleaning the streets of London after the Lord Mayors Show 2011