Kristine Hughes's Blog, page 77

WATERLOO WEDNESDAY: SEAN BEAN TO STAR IN WATERLOO DOCUMENTARY

Actor Sean Bean has been spotted filming at Chatham's Fort Amherst. The star joined dozens of re-enactors at the Napoleonic fort to make a Battle of Waterloo documentary.


Fort Amherst was used extensively during the filming of acclaimed television series Sharpe in the 1990s, which starred Sean Bean as Richard Sharpe, a fictional British soldier in the Napoleonic Wars.



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Actor and director Sean Bean


He was back at the Fort in Dock Road to front the two-hour show to be aired on History UK.
Through the analysis of present-day military experts and the use of historical eyewitness accounts, the programme is planning to provide a ground-level perspective on the events of June 18, 1815.
It will air on the 200th anniversary of the battle in June this year.


Sean spent the day working with a team of soldiers and experts, testing the weapons and tactics that shaped the outcome of the battle. Guns and cannons were fired throughout the day. He said: "I am excited to be following the footsteps of Sharpe and those who fought in the Battle of Waterloo to tell the story of this iconic battle on History."


Guns and cannons were fired throughout the day and could be heard all around Chatham during the filming on Sunday. Chairman of Fort Amherst Trust Les Snowdon said: "It was freezing cold but everyone stayed in great spirits all day, including Sean who arrived at 9.15am and didn't leave until about 6pm."




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The Fort was filled with re-enactors. Picture: Colin Davis




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      The filming at Fort Amherst. Picture: Colin Davis


Edmund Gulvin, a trustee and a Napoleonic re-enactor, enjoyed the day from start to finish.
He said: "It was amazing to see the artillery being used surrounded by so many uniformed soldiers.
"It really brought history alive - and as that’s one of our main objectives here at Fort Amherst we’re very grateful to the documentary makers for choosing our site for filming."


Executive producer Patrick McGrady said: "We are excited to be embarking on a partnership with History to tell the story of Waterloo. "His interest in this period makes Sean Bean the perfect choice to present this special program."










From the website The Mighty Bean:


Actor Sean Bean is to present a two-hour documentary marking the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo for pay-TV broadcaster History.

The A+E Networks UK channel has commissioned Wavelength Films, which produced BBC4’s Stephen Fry And The Gutenberg Press and Suggs’ Italian Job for Sky Arts, to make The Battle Of Waterloo Presented By Sean Bean (w/t).

It will air in June 2015 around the anniversary of the epic battle, in which Napoleon’s French Army was defeated in Belgium. Game Of Thrones star Bean will be familiar with the story, having played Richard Sharpe in ITV’s Napoleonic War drama Sharpe, based on Bernard Cornwell’s novels about a fictional soldier.

History and H2 director of programming Rachel Job said Bean was top of the list of talent to front the documentary. “We didn’t go after him in a massive way because we thought he’s really busy and really famous, and then Wavelength came to us with him and the idea about Waterloo,” she said. “It’s about picking the subject matter that the talent wants to do, and he’s always been interested in Waterloo and the Napoleonic War.”

The Battle Of Waterloo Presented By Sean Bean will use evidence from eyewitness accounts alongside present-day military experts to tell the story of the battle. Bean will work with these experts to test the weapons and tactics that shaped the outcome of the conflict and compare them with modern strategies.

Job said the commission highlights History’s strategy of presenting traditional documentaries “through a different lens” and follows Bannockburn, a graphic novel-style film produced by Sky Vision and Arcadia Content.


The Battle Of Waterloo Presented By Sean Bean has also been prebought by History’s sister channels in Germany, Latin America, Italy, Iberia, Australia and New Zealand. Job said although it is a UK commission, these deals will help boost the show’s budget. “As soon as I mentioned it to the other channels, they jumped on it. Game Of Thrones is massive around the world,” she added. The doc begins filming in the UK and Belgium this month. It will be executive produced by Wavelength Films’ Patrick McGrady.

HAPPY 200TH BIRTHDAY TO ANTHONY TROLLOPE

Anthony Trollope (24 April 1815 – 6 December 1882) was a remarkable man. After an unhappy childhood, and an unpromising start to his career, he went on to write 47 novels and rise to the top of his profession as a senior civil servant in the Post Office. Visit The Trollope Society here.





Victoria here, marveling at the achievements of a prolific author whose work is familiar to me more from the television adaptations than from the novels themselves. Shame on me. But I excuse myself on the grounds that a year of Dickens, Elliott, Hardy, et. al.  in a college English Victorian lit class filled my head with so many characters I dared not take on Trollope.  So now is the time for all those novels, a delightful prospect ahead.





The Pallisers was filmed over 13 months and shown in 1974 in 26 episodes.  It is available wherever BBC CDs are sold or streamed. Many of your favorite British stars are featured: Susan Hampshire, Derek Jacobi, Penelope Keith, Anthony Andrews, Anna Massey, and Jeremy Irons.,






The Barchester Chronicles was broadcast in 1982, also by the BBC. It combined several of Trollope's novels set in Barsetshire: The Warden, Barchester Towers, and others.

I was surprised to see that many consider the series to be Alan Rickman's break-out role.  He plays Rev. Obadiah Slope, an oily character who duels verbally with Mrs. Proudie, the Bishop's wife.
In the series, Geraldine McEwan plays Mrs. Proudie, with other stars such as Donald Pleasence, Susan Hampshire, and Nigel Hawthorne in starring roles.

To watch an excerpt here, click on the arrow on the BBC site.  Clive Swift appears as Bishop Proudie, Geraldine McEwan as Mrs. Proudie, and Alan Rickman as Obadiah Slope.
In the above illustrated set, Barchester Chronicles is combined with two additional Trolloppe stories produced by the BBC, both scripted by Andrew Davies.The Way We Live Now :Trollope's story of power, greed and corruption set in the political and financial world of London is startlingly contemporary, with many parallels to recent city scandals. Its four episodes won the BAFTA for Best Drama Serial in 2002, and featured David Suchet.

He Knew He Was Right  2004, was also scripted by Andrew Davies and had four episodes


Trollope wrote every day from 5-8 am before going to his job in the Post Office. this is an example I would dearly love to emulate. Alas, I have too little self-discipline!

Trollope traveled the world in his capacity as an inspector for the post office.  He also instituted the use of the famous pillar box in 1853, familiar to all travelers in the UK.

One of many varied styles of Royal Mail Pillar Boxes

Anthony Trollope's mother, Frances Milton Trollope (1779 – 1863) was an English novelist and travel writer. She took her children to America to live in a utopian community, but their fortunes fared no better there than in England.


Fanny Trollope by Auguste Hervieu c. 1832

After their return to England, she wrote Domestic Manners of the Americans (1832), which sold well. Subsequent novels were also moderately successful and she is cited as an influence on the anti-slavery movement. Her novels generally dealt with social issues, though she was also well known for her travel writings; her books number over a hundred. She spent most of her later life in Florence where she died and is buried.

The contemporary British novelist Joanna Trollope (b. 1943) is an indirect descendant of Anthony Trollope.  She has written almost twenty novels and received an OBE from the Queen in 19996.

Joanna Trollope, 2011

She is the author of last year's re-working of Jane Austens Sense and Sensibility, part of a project to have illustrious modern writers re-do the famous plots and characters of the Austen novels after 200 years. Her website is here.



Angela Thirkell ia not in anyway related to Anthony Trollope, but she is a popular writer who has used his imaginary Barsetshire as the setting for many of her novels.

Angela Thirkell by John Collier, 1914

Her novels are witty and often ironic examinations of county and parish life in 1930's, 1940's and post-war England. Educated in London and Paris, she moved to Australia with her second husband. Never happy there, she returned to England in 1929 and stayed. High Rising, her second novel, published in 1933, was the first of many set in upper middle class circles.Getting to know here work is a delight.  I am a proud member of The Angela Thirkell Society; click here to learn more.

Pomfret Towers by Angela Thirkell, a good place to start if you are not familiar with her work
To return to our birthday boy, I am sure it will be easy to find a readers group pursuing a deeper knowledge of Anthony Trollope in this bicentennial year.  Want to join me?

Royal Mail Stamp to be issued soon
It seems only fitting that the Royal Mail will issues a stamp honoring Trollope on his bicentennial, After alll, he was one of their own.  For more information, click here,

LOOSE IN LONDON: A DAY AT OSTERLEY PARK

Osterley Park

Victoria, here, reporting on the day Kristine and I spent at this jewel in Robert Adam's architectural crown. Osterley Park is managed by the National Trust and a very good job they do! I had visited the estate several years ago, and this time I was excited to learn that we could take pictures INSIDE.  So, prepare yourselves for a set of interior shots of many rooms. All pictures in this post were tken by me or Kristine, unless otherwise noted.


We could not stop snapping!

Kristine leans in for a close-up

But I am getting ahead of myself!  The approach to the house is suitably dramatic, viewed across a pond laced with water lilies in full bloom.  Queen Elizabeth I visited the first manor house here after its completion in 1676. Thomas Gresham, a wealthy banker, built the house, Another wealthy banker, Sir Francis Child, hired Robert Adam to remodel it in 1761, and the current look - both inside and out - is very much that of the Adam period in all its glory. Adam had one section of the square house replaced with handsome Georgian columns, framing an open courtyard. The great house and estate passed down in the line of the Child banking family. Sarah Sophia Fane inherited the house from her grandfather, Robert Child; she married George Villiers (who added Child to his surname) who became the 5th Earl of Jersey. Thus the house for almost 200 years, belonged to the Earls of Jersey. The  9th earl presented it to the National Trust in the 1940's.


The Approach
Blooms in the Pond
Entering....

The Courtyard

Before we go any farther, we've written on this blog about Osterley before.

Click here to read about my previous visit and the history of the house.

Read here about The Two Lady Jerseys. 
Click here for the obituary of Lady Jersey, Almack's patroness, in a Gentleman's magazine of 1867.

We arrived in time for a curator's tour, but we had time to take a quick look around before it began.

The Entrance Hall
The Entrance hall has identical alcoves at each end with a fireplace and two classical statues in each.

Entrance Hall
This room was used as a saloon and reception room and occasionally for dining; Adam designed it to replace the original hall demolished for the columned entrance. The colors are subtle and effective in pleasing the eye with their near-monochromatic, soothing effect.
The floor of black marble on white reflects the design in the ceiling, a frequent Adam feature.




Wall designs are classical and yet light, in the rococo manner.
The Eating Room
The large painting between the doors is by Antonio Zucchi (1726-1795) entitled Figures Sporting in a ruined Roman Bath, part of a set of paintings he did, including The Four Continents, above the doors. Twelve mahogany chairs with lyre backs and two arm chairs were designed by Robert Adam and probably made by John Linnell (1729-1796) of London; Linnell executed the designs for the rest of the room's furnishings as well.  The chairs are placed around the perimeter of the room in the 18th C. manner. Tables of several sizes were kept in the servant's passages; they could be set up when needed.
The Eating Room
The NT guidebook quotes Agneta Yorke commenting on the sideboard "'magnificently furnished with plate, and under the Table was a Massy and large silver Cistern', reminding them of the fact that the Childs were goldsmith bankers and extremely rich."  The painting, in this slightly blurry picture, is another of Zucchi's capricci of 1767, Turkish figures dancing among classical ruins.
Pier table topped with antique marble mosaics, one of a pairboth topped by ornate 7-foot tall mirrors
Marble Fireplace, with Doric columnsPainting by Giovanni Battista Cipriani (1727-85) An offering to Ceres

A small group gathered in the Gallery to hear the curators speak about the house, its design and its treasures, its history and the continuing restorations of various rooms both above and below stairs to their appearance when completed by Adam. We found some places to sit, but not, of course, on any of the antique furniture.

The Gallery  photo ©National Trust
The gallery is 130 feet long and faces the garden. It once housed a billiard table and a fortepiano. Henry James described the room as 'a cheerful upholstered avenue into another century.' 

A gilt girandole, one of six in the Gallery
Above is one of six mirrored girandoles (ornamental branched candlesticks),  also made by John Linnell for Robert Adam.
Two pairs of Chinese mandarin jars date from the reign of the Chinese emperor Qianlong (1736-95)
One of several settees, also part of Linnell's suite of furniture made for the gallery; the matching chairs can be seen below.

The Marble Fireplace, one of two by Joseph Wilton. 

A copy of the NPG painting of Robert Adam, c. 1770-75; attributed to George Willison


one of the two beautifully gilded floral candelabra above the fireplace

The frieze includes marigolds, the symbols of Childs Bank

The model Chinese Junk is made of Ivory and bone, and comes from Guangzhou, c. 1750
The porcelain pagoda is if a similiar date.
At the conclusion of the curator's talk, we explored the rest of the house, and what an exploration it was. Our pictures can only give a hint of what it was like, an abundance of magnificent paintings, furniture, rugs...all dazzling to us poor mortals.
Adam's touch at the doorway of the Drawing room

Ceiling design in the Drawing Room
According to the Guidebook, this ceiling is based on the drawing of the Temple of the Sun in ancient Palmyra, adapted to the rectangular shape of the room.
The Drawing Room   photo ©National Trust
Even while moving from one magnificent room to another, the next two were jaw-dropping in effect.
Horace Walpole thought this room 'the most superb and beautiful that can be imagined." We agreed.Adam designed the ceiling first.
Tapestry Room ceiling  photo ©National Trust
The Tapestry Room
Boucher's Tapestries were delivered to the house in 1776 from the Gobelins factory in Paris, though run by a Scot, Adam's countryman.The four large medallions in the tapestries (two seen above) represent the elements: earth, fire, air, and water.

The tapestry medallion above the fireplace is Cupid and Psyche.
The furniture was built by Linnell and upholstered to match the deep rose background of the tapestries.  Similiar tapestries in a drawing room designed by Adam can be seen at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, where the Tapestry Room from Croome Court in Worcestershire now resides. Read more about this room here.  This is the ante-room to the State bedroom, which almost overwhelms the visitor.  Imagine what it would be like to try to sleep in this bed.

The State Bed



Ceiling Medallion by Angelica Kauffman, Aglaia, one of the Three Graces being enslaved by Love
The Fire Board,  in the Etruscan style

Black and Gold Japanned Commode, probably ChippendalePier Glass mirror reflecting the State Bed

A repository for the necessary, aka chamber pot
Then, to add to the phenomenal variety of decorative motifs, comes the Etruscan Dressing Room, with designs drawn from ancient Etruscan vases discovered in Italy.  These designs were eagerly adopted into architectural decor and into popular patterns manufactured by Josiah Wedgwood and others in the mid 18th Century.

The Etruscan Dressing Room

Ceiling of the Etruscan Dressing Room
Fire Screen designed by Adam and embroidered by Mrs. Child
View towards the windows, Etruscan Dressing Room
The crest of the pier-glass is painted to match the medallions on the walls. The japanned commode is another attributed to Chippendale.
The Great Stair
The north side of the house is less dramatic that the south side where the State rooms are.  The library looks exactly like the kind of place we need for our most capable work.  What are the chances?

The Library
The painting above the mantel is by Antonio Zucchi (1726-95)  Virgil reading his works to Augustus and Octavia
Think of the work you could do at this desk! What a joy.

The last room on the north side, formerly known as the Breakfast Room, was under renovation. We found it fascinating to see a work in progress.



In the room were several beautiful pieces of what appeared to me to be valuable oriental-style furniture. No explanation was given for the state of the room or the random placement of these items. Guess I'll just have to go back and see what happened!!


We have much more to tell you about Osterley -- below stairs, the farm market and the horses. Come back soon!

WATERLOO WEDNESDAY: THE COSTUME SOCIETY CELEBRATES WATERLOO

Saturday, May 9th

To celebrate the bicentenary of the Battle of Waterloo, the Costume Society is holding the first of their Jubilee Year Study Days in Bath.
The morning will have Uniformly Splendid: Dress and Death on the field of Waterloo. Nigel Arch, former Director of Kensington Palace and a military dress historian, will be considering the Battle of Waterloo, fought on Sunday 18 June 1815, as the last great encounter between European armies wearing the superb uniforms of the eighteenth century.

 Rosemary Harden, Manager of the Fashion Museum, will be discussing A Brilliant Affair: Dress and Fashion at the Waterloo Ball, looking at some of the dresses worn at the Duchess of Richmond’s famous ball held in Brussels on 15 June 1815 just before the Battle of Waterloo. Two of these dresses are now in the collection at Bath.
In the afternoon there will be a ‘dressing’ of two of Bath’s residents in outfits of the period from their linens out.

You are invited (encouraged even) to come in costume - rest assured that you will not be alone! But you might need a bit of time to arrange an outfit.

 Some members have agreed to join in with advice and possible hands-on help. If you’d like to help (with or without professional charges), can provide advice or even an outfit, please contact Fiona Starkey: email membership@costumesociety.org.uk who is compiling a list of the willing and the wanting.

 And if you really want to push the boat out - the Jane Austen dancers are holding their Waterloo ball in the Assembly Rooms, Bath on the same evening. www.janeaustendancersbath.co.uk for details.

For more information download the poster Waterloo_trailer.pdf

The Study Day is being held at The Old Theatre (Masonic Hall) in Orchard Street, Bath BA1 1JU. Five minutes' walk from Bus and Train stations and worth a visit in its own right.

10.00 Coffee on arrival
10.30 Rosemary Harden on A Brilliant Affair: Dress and Fashion at the Waterloo Ball. Ballgowns in the fashion museum
11.30 Nigel Arch on Dress and Death on the field of Waterloo: military uniforms12.30 lunch break. Buffet available as an option (see booking form)
14.00 The 'Crinoline' group with two 1805 outfits (his and hers) recreated and dressed on stage from shirt out. Based on Janet Arnold patterns.
15.15 tea
16.00 end
 Click here for Costume Society Website and Booking Details     1/5CC [image error]

GODS AND HEROES: MASTERPIECES FROM THE ÉCOLE DES BEAUX-ARTS, PARIS

Catalogue of the Exhibition

Victoria here. The Baker Museum in Naples, FL, is currently hosting the exhibition Gods and Heroes, through May 17, 2015. Organized by the American Federation of Arts (AFA) and the École des Beaux -Arts, Paris. it has been shown previously in Oklahoma City and Albuquerque and will travel to Portland, OR, June 13-September 13, 2015.


École des Beaux -Arts, Paris.

According to the AFA, "This rich overview of masterpieces from the École des Beaux-Arts—the original school of fine arts in Paris and a repository for work by Europe’s most renowned artists since the fifteenth century—includes approximately 140 paintings, sculptures, and works on paper dating from the seventeenth through nineteenth centuries. The focus is on epic themes such as courage, sacrifice, and death, as well as the ways that changing political and philosophical systems affected the choice and execution of these subjects."



Pierre-Charles Jombert Apollo and Diana Killing the children of Niobe 1772


Describing the exhibition, the AFA writes:  "The epic deeds of gods and heroes, enshrined in the Bible and the works of Homer, were the primary narratives from which both aspiring and established academicians drew their inspiration.  Their ideology was rooted in the study of the idealized human form as envisioned in classical art. At the École, learning how to construct persuasive and powerful paintings from carefully delineated anatomy, expressive faces, and convincing architectural and landscape settings was understood by aspiring artists to be the route to success and recognition."


Jacques-Louis David, Andromache Mourning Hector, 1783


Jean-Honoré Fragonard, Jeroboam Sacrificing to the Idols, 1752
You will encounter paintings by David, Fragonard, Ingres and Bouguereau, among many others. Also many prints and drawings used for teaching are included by artists such as da Vinci, Titian, Durer, and Rembrandt.

Pierre Monier The Conquest of the Golden Fleece 1663
The painting above, based on the Greek stories of Jason, was the first winner of the Grand Prix fro the Ecole in 1663, a reminder of how long the school has been in operation.

Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, Achilles Receiving the Ambassadors of Agamemnon, 1801


William-Adolphe Bouguereau. Disdain, 1850. 
Some of the paintings on view were executed for annual competitions on themes chosen by the school, such as expression (see above) or the male torso (see below.)  These competitions were watched closely for new approaches and growing expertise.
Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, Painted Half Torso 1800
Wandering among these paintings, illustrations of teaching techniques and as 'simple' as the two above and elaborate tableaux of assorted gods or heroes on crowded canvases, I could not help thinking of what college professors taught at the time I took art history courses. Speaking of the late 19th century, they told us that the academicians were stuck in the rubble of the past and ignored the new currents being developed by the Impressionists (then a title of derisiion) -- while those staid old-fashioned paintings of the academicians admitted to the official salon were admired, Monet, Renoir and their like were being ignored and had to organize their Salon des Rufusés to show their work.  Thus I never really developed an appreciation for the academicians.  This show went quite a ways towaards remeding that situation. I found I could enjoy these works for their own sake -- though if I were to chose one to hang on my own walls, I might have had a tough time. 
Julie Duvidal Montferrier  Self Portrait 1818

Full name, Louise Rose Julie Duvidal Monferrier (1797-1865)  exhibited works at the Salon. She married Abel Hugo, the brother of Victor Hugo.  I admire the direct gaze in this self-portrait, and it reminds me of the work of the artist below, who also did many self-portraits, though none of them are in this exhibition.

Louise Elisabeth Vigee-Lebrun: Portrait of Hubert Robert, 1788
Robert was a painter who specialized in idealized landscapes for persons such as Madame du Barry. This portrait, said to be among her finest, shows Vigee Lebrun's close rapport and respect for him. 
If you have the opportunity to visit this exhibition in Naples or Portland, I hope you will enjoy it as I did.  Always time for something old -- becoming something new!

LOOSE IN LONDON: STROLLING LONDON

After leaving Sir John Soane's House, Victoria, Marilyn and myself made our way over to Covent Garden - land of flower sellers, ladies of ill repute and some nefarious goings on. And that's just today. Seriously, though, it would have been nice to see some of the old street sellers who once haunted this market. As usual, I found that with a little imagination, there are glimpses of the old market to still be seen today.




Before we explored any further, we decided that a spot of lunch wouldn't go amiss and we left the Market in search of food.









We soon found ourselves in front of the Marquess of Angelsey pub. Now, this would have been a spot that spoke to Waterloo hearts if Victoria and I hadn't known what was waiting for us just a street away.





The Blue Plaque explains that the offices of Charles Dickens' magazine, All The Year Round, were once located in this building.



And just down at the corner . . . . . our favourite Duke of Wellington pub, not to be confused with the Duke of Wellington pub near our hotel in Kensington where we'd already eaten twice.




It was a glorious day and we opted for an outside table, where we ordered small plates and shared a meal.



Afterwards, we went back to Covent Garden so that Marilyn could see more of it.


Buskers/mimes in front of St. Paul's Church, Covent Garden











We were lucky enough to be strolling by as an opera singer was belting out Ave Maria.


 The flower market now (above) and then (below).





We strolled by the ubiquitous Covent Garden pigeons. Alas, no Audrey Hepburn in sight.


The entrance to St. Paul's Churchyard, now (above) and then (below).







Rear of St. Paul's Church, Covent Garden which opens on a small rose garden that happened to be gloriously in bloom when we visited.











Roses behind St. Paul's Church




Leaving the churchyard, we found ourselves near Bedford Court, where we grabbed a cab and went to my favourite antique dealer in Cecil Court.






To my great delight, they had a Copeland bust of the Duke of Wellington after Comte D'Orsay, 1846.


The Duke and all his acquaintances thought that D'Orsay's work was the best likeness of Wellington. I did, too, and so Reader, I bought it. I was smart enough to ask them to hold on to the bust until my return to London in a week's time.  
Being that Victoria and Marilyn were still in a shopping mood, we hoofed it over to Liberty's before meeting up with Diane for dinner at Burger Lobster in Curzon Street.  Diane had been meeting with her Mills and Boon editors in Richmond, so she had lots to tell us in between our accounts of a busy day.  Here's her website and book info.





After a fabulous meal, Victoria and I took Diana and Marilyn on an impromptu walking tour of Mayfair, which included a stroll past Beau Brummell's house in Chesterfield Street.



The Beau's House, #4 Chestnut Street, sports two blue plaques: one for the Beau (1778-1840), the other for former PM Anthony Eden, Lord Avon (1897-1977), in office 1955-57.



At the top of the street, we turned onto Charles Street, which is chock full of period architectural detail. Here is #22 Charles Street, once the home of HRH Prince William, Duke of Clarence, later King William IV who reigned from 1830-37.
We walked the Regency streets for a while longer, but by this time, we were all fairly tired and so we headed back to the hotel and called it a day. And what a day it had been. Needless to say, the four of us laid our tired heads upon our pillows and looked forward to our next adventure.
More Loose in London coming soon!

WATERLOO WEDNESDAY - WELLINGTON AND THE BATTLE OF WATERLOO - FREE ONLINE COURSE

Wellington and the Battle of WaterlooMark the bicentenary of the Battle of Waterloo in 2015 and explore the Duke of Wellington’s archive with this free online course.
About the courseThe Battle of Waterloo was one of the key events of nineteenth-century history, but why was it fought, who was involved and what were consequences? This free online course will answer these questions, marking the 200th anniversary of Waterloo on 18 June 2015.

Forming a coalition to defeat Napoleon
We will explain why Europe had been at war almost continuously since 1793; how a peace settlement in 1814 had followed the abdication of Napoleon as Emperor of the French; and how further negotiations were under way at the Congress of Vienna when Napoleon escaped from Elba in February 1815.

The process of gathering military support and a legal basis for a further campaign against Napoleon will be explored, as well as the ways in which a coalition of Allied Powers assembled an army, led by the Duke of Wellington, to fight the French.

We will examine sources from the Battle of Waterloo itself — from official despatches to the voice of the individual soldier — and consider the ways in which different interpretations arise, before discussing the immediate consequences of the battle and the peace settlement that followed.
The course will conclude by examining the longer-term place of Waterloo and Wellington in commemoration and memory, the arts and popular culture, and the connections that were made to nineteenth-century ideas of heroism, nationality and identity.

Exploring the Duke of Wellington’s archive
We will use the University of Southampton’s Wellington Archive — a collection of over 100,000 items from the Duke’s military and political career — to contextualise the battle and the role of Wellington in commanding the allied forces against Napoleon.

You will learn with Professor Chris Woolgar, Professor of History and Archival Studies, who has an international academic reputation as a Wellington scholar and archivist, and Karen Robson, Head of Archives at the University of Southampton Library.
FREE online course Duration: 3 weeks 4 hours pw Certificates available
                 
Educators
Chris Woolgar
Karen Robson
Requirements - This course is aimed at both A-level students and anyone with an interest in politics or European and military history.
Get a personalised, printed certificate - You can buy a Statement of Participation for this course — a personalised, printed certificate to show that you’ve taken part.   Join the conversation on social media- Use the hashtag #FLwellington to join and contribute to social media conversations about this course.
 JOIN NOW - STARTS 8 JUNE

THE WATERLOO ANTHOLOGY RELEASE PARTY

Victoria here, with blatant and shameless self-promotion for an anthology I participated in, released April 1 (no joke). Nine authors explore the experiences of fictional participants in the spectacle that unfolded 200 years ago in this new e-book anthology, Beaux, Ballrooms, and Battles: A Celebration of Waterloo, available for $.99 for a limited time.  You can find it on Kindle, iBooks, Kobo, Nook (if not this minute, then very soon).  



Aileen Fish and others created the cover, using details from this picture of the Duchess of Richmond's Ball by artist Robert Alexander Hillingford. The original hangs in the Richmond's country home Goodwood House in West Sussex.
Here is part of the article I wrote for The Regency Reader: "What is more poignant than a warrior kissing his beloved farewell as he leaves for battle, perhaps never to return? What is more intense than her emotions as she faces hours and days of waiting helplessly, fearful, and ignorant of developments on the battlefield? What is more dramatic than their reunion as worry dissolves into the ecstasy of being together again?"
Summoned to Waterloo by R.A. Hillingford
We held a Release Party on Facebook, following up our Cover Reveal party also on FB a couple of weeks ago.  It was lots of fun, with almost 200 people posting about what they were wearing, their escorts, doing their own promotion, greeting old and making new friends...and answering lots of questions.   Our guest authors are a very impressive group of regency specialists, all of whom offered prizes for responders to their questions,some of which had specific answers and others which solicited opinions and favorites.. They all entered into the fantasy of the event.


Eileen Dreyer arrived with her escort, Colonel Sharpe, leaving us all swooning. And she modeled her lovely gown.

Sheri Cobb South asked a tricky questions about the Bow Street Runners, but many of us were more  diverted by her escort, the esteemed Horatio Hornblower as portrayed by Ioan Gruffudd.








Jessica Jefferson asked which Darcy is your favorite? Mine is Colin Firth.  If only Matthew had combed his hair ONCE!

Collette Cameron had a quirky take on castles, including this one of white chocolate! Yum!!


Bronwen Evans responded with  picture of New Zealand's only castle,



I chose my escort based on his stellar appearance at Horse Guards, a member of the Blues and Royals.  We had a wonderful time together!

On duty at Horse Guards
Annie Burrows showed us pictures of the military unit imagined by a group of Harlequin authors who've done a trilogy on the rouges and their Waterloo brides.

Re-enactors re-imagined


Popular and prolific author Cheryl Bolen sought opinions on whether readers prefer Alpha or Beta heroes. Results were decidedly mixed, with may saying they like the Alpha heroes in fiction, but prefer their Betas in real life.  Yep.
Janice Preston  asked which three qualities best describe a regency hero.
Vivien Jackson invited readers to tell us how they were originally hooked by Regencies stories. 
Maggie Robinson wrote about The British Army's Redcoats and asked about favorite genres to read.
Here is a hint about my story in Beaux, Ballrooms, and Battles: A Celebration of Waterloo, called "Folie Bleue:"
On the night of the 30th Anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo, Aimée, Lady Prescott, reminisces about meeting her husband in Bruxelles on the eve of the fighting. She had avoided the dashing scarlet-clad British officers, but she could not resist the tempting smile and spellbinding charm of Captain Robert Prescott of the 16th Light Dragoons who— dangerously to Aimée— wore blue.
The Waterloo Banquet by artist William Salter hangs in Apsley House
The inspiration for my story came from standing in Apsley House last summer and looking at the painting above -- and wondering who the lonely wives of all the heroes were -- and what they did on the evening of the anniversary of the battle, June 18, when the Duke of Wellington hosted his annual reunion.
Diane Gaston, another of our wonderful guest authors at the Release party, was standing right beside me in Apsley House.  Diane posted a picture of the battleground, and talked of the effects of the conflict. Diane Gaston's posted picture shows the dreadful confusion and carnage of the battle.




Regina Scott enquired about what kind of pictures you like on your walls... 
Regina Jeffers wanted to know if readers think villains possess redeeming qualities. 
Ella Quinn  indulged in the conversation and perhaps one of the delicious glasses of champagne?
The prize for one of the commenters on my posts was a copy of my first Regency, The Fontainebleau Fan.  And the winner was Denise Duvall who wants to see Hever Castle, Hsmpton Court, the Victoria and Albert Museum, and Stirling, Scotland, where she has relatives.Thanks for coming to the party, Denise and watch the snail mail for that book soon!



Because all the listings about the Anthology's nine authors are in alphabetical order, I am reversing the trend.
David William Wilkin is not only an excellent writer, but also a tech wizard, who uploaded the versions of the book to various sites....
Sophia Strathmore asked  a question similar to mine -- what is your favorite spot to visit or to dream about visiting in England?  Christa Paige wanted to know what is the most typical drink you see in Regencies. 
Heather King, a horse lover and our UK rep, wrote about the Duke of Wellington's mount, Copenhagen.  Last September at the Duke's country home Stratfield Saye, we left roses on the stallion's grave.

Victoria Hinshaw (me!) I was very pleased to be included and I admire all my colleagues as we nine cooks managed not to spoil our broth. I asked what place in England you most wanted to visit. 
Aileen Fish masterminded our cover design. 
Susana Ellis and Aileen made the Cover Reveal and Release parties happen. 
Tea Cooper brought us the Australian point of view and even discovered some interesting connections to Waterloo in her home country.
Jillian Chantal had a difficult question -- How many horses were shot from beneath French Marshal Ney?  if you don't know, you better study up!
The Release Party was great fun -- and just for good measure, here's one more suggestion to order your copy at $.99 for a limited time.  

LOOSE IN LONDON; VISITING SIR JOHN SOANE'S MUSEUM

Victoria here. reporting on our visit to Sir John Soane's Museum in Lincoln's Inn Fields.



Sir John Soane's Museum has been the topic of several previous posts on this blog. Click here for reprise of my earlier visits.

The museum's website is here.  You can read about the many events scheduled even in the midst of an ambitious £7 million program to restore, refurbish, and improve the museum.



The above print shows the three buildings Sir John Soane built at #s 12, 13, and 14 Lincoln's Inn  Fields.  The Museum,formerly in 12 and 13, purchased #14 and is consolidating offices, enhancing exhibition space and the library and returning the living quarters and teaching rooms to their appearance when Sir John died in 1837. All this is being accomplished while keeping the museum open to the public.  As he decreed in his will, it is free  -- although please consider a contribution to help ensure its future.

Sir John Soane by Sir Thomas Lawrence
Soane (1753-1837) was a distinguished architect and teacher.  Among his many buildings were splendid country houses,  remodeling of the Bank of England which sadly has been almost obliterated by subsequent alterations, the Dulwich Picture gallery (click here), and Soane's country home Pitshanger Manor in Ealing (click here). The latter two institutions are easily accessible from Central London, being now in what we would call suburbs.  Add in one or both on your next  jaunt to London.
We've written about them before (click here), and Guest Blogger Jo Manning detailed renovations plans for Pitshanger here.


Just a  sample of the objects Soane used to instruct his studentsSoane's bust by Sir Francis Chantry in center

But to return to the late summer of 2014, Kristine, Vicky and Marilyn were pleased to poke around among the rooms, some containing scaffolding,and to trot up and down the various back stairs needed while the "front" was being fixed up.  From the catacombs to the attics, Sir John filled his abode with instructional materials, aside from a few rooms in which his family lived and entertained.
#13 Lincoln's Inn Fields, Sir John Soane's Drawing Room
We were there to visit -- or re-visit -- the house as well as experience the small exhibition mounted in 2014 to show a bit of what happened in both Great Britain and France when Napoleon was first expelled and peace established. It is hard of course, to ignore the hindsight we all have, knowing how short that peace lasted, and what the ultimate outcome was by late June of 1815.
Temple of Concord, 1814, St. James's Park
We wrote about this exhibition before we left for London (click here) and we were not the slightest disappointed at what we saw there.
Catalogue

The Catalogue of the Exhibition is available on the website, along with may other wonderful books and objects in the Gift Shop

WATERLOO WEDNESDAY: WATERLOO 200 SITE

At this website, Waterloo 200 (click here), you will find all Waterloo events and information, including lots of pictures of relics of the battle and much much more.



French Army Cuirass, a breastplate worn by the heavy cavalry.  This one was pierced by a cannonball, killing Francois-Antoine Fauveau -- or was it his brother?  A mystery indeed, 


Waterloo teeth
As grisly as it sounds, bodies were mutilated for their teeth, later sold as part of dentures for those who needed them...real teeth, it seems, are far superior to faux ones, but how would you feel if you knew where they came from?
British cavalry carbine (musket)
Real all about it here. 
Take your time exploring this site and you will be multiply rewarded!