Kristine Hughes's Blog, page 13

HELLO, HANDSOME – COURTESY OF SIR THOMAS LAWRENCE

by Kristine Hughes Patrone Recently, I was Googling portraits of the Duke of Wellington by Sir Thomas Lawrence (as one does) and the search returned images that were decidedly not Wellington. And I must say, some of the sitters were exceedingly handsome, and some of them were portraits I hadn’t seen before. So I Googled … Continue reading "HELLO, HANDSOME – COURTESY OF SIR THOMAS LAWRENCE"

The Wellington Connection – Beer

Once upon a time in England, an alehouse/tavern licence was very expensive and was based upon the size of the premises. Many who sought to open such an enterprise were financially prohibited from doing so until the Duke of Wellington’s Beer House Act of 1830 changed the playing field dramatically. The Act reduced the licence fee to … Continue reading "The Wellington Connection – Beer"

THE TREASURE HOUSES OF ENGLAND – HAREWOOD HOUSE

There are ten stately homes that have been designated as “The Treasure Houses of England,” and three of them are included on our 2021 Country House Tour – Harewood House, Castle Howard and Chatsworth House. Edwin Lascelles, 1st Baron Harewood, started building Harewood House in 1759, selecting Robert Adam as architect who, in turn, selected Thomas … Continue reading "THE TREASURE HOUSES OF ENGLAND – HAREWOOD HOUSE"

Aristocratic Kennels

John Russel, 4th Duke of BedfordSir Joshua Reynolds Aristocratic gentlemen have always enjoyed a good hunt, one of the finest being the Oakley Hunt, formed by the 4th Duke of Bedford at Woburn Abbey in 1793. The Field Book (1833)  says: “The Duke of Bedford’s is an immense establishment, upon a scale of too great … Continue reading "Aristocratic Kennels"

MISSING LONDON?

Take an hour long stroll through the streets of our favourite city as you walk from Charing Cross to Buckingham Palace. Or how about a ferry ride from Embankment to Greenwhich? Don’t forget to send us a postcard!

The Queen’s Masterpieces on Exhibit

by Victoria Hinshaw Opening December 4, 2020, sixty-five of the greatest paintings in the Royal Collection will hang in the Queen’s Gallery in Buckingham Palace until January, 2022. That gives us a year to get to London and binge on the Real Thing, usually seen only inside the Palace where the very nice but firm … Continue reading "The Queen’s Masterpieces on Exhibit"

The English Mails Part Two

Fast mail coaches were introduced in 1784, with recognized mail routes springing up across the land soon after. There were two types of fast coach upon the road and with the exception of the wealthy, who travelled in their own carriage or by post-chaise, and of the very poor, who used wagons or slow night … Continue reading "The English Mails Part Two"

The Low Down on the English Post

Here are a few elusive details regarding the British postal system that may prove helpful – Before the introduction of the prepaid penny post (Post Office Act of 1765) and adhesive stamps (6 May 1840), postage was usually collected from the recipient. Rather than paying in advance, one paid on delivery. In order to save … Continue reading "The Low Down on the English Post"

THE 2021 COUNTRY HOUSE TOUR

  Putting an `Upstairs, Downstairs’ spin on our Country House tour this year, Number One London Tours is offering an up-close look at six of Britain’s finest stately homes, each showcasing fabulous state and family rooms and well preserved servants’ quarters, allowing you to truly experience both worlds and to do hands-on period research. In … Continue reading "THE 2021 COUNTRY HOUSE TOUR"

THE DEATH OF PRINCESS CHARLOTTE

Had she lived, Charlotte would have been Queen of the United Kingdom. Princess Charlotte Augusta of Wales was the only daughter of George IV, then Prince of Wales, and his wife and first cousin, Caroline of Brunswick, who loathed one another and who separated soon after Charlotte’s birth, never to live together, nor indeed be civil … Continue reading "THE DEATH OF PRINCESS CHARLOTTE"