Kristine Hughes's Blog, page 99

Visiting The Household Cavalry Museum

Opened in 2007 by Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, the Household Cavalry Museum is located in Horse Guards, with an entrance off the Parade. Victoria here, looking forward to another look at the HCM when the Wellington Tour visits on Saturday, September 6, 2014.  Kristine and I hope you can join us...and refer you HERE for the complete details on the itinerary, costs and the fine print. 

  Horse Guards, Whitehall  The history of the Household Cavalry goes back at least 300 years.  Though we are most aware of these soldiers in their colorful traditional uniforms as mounted sentinels at Horse Guards, as they change the guard at Buckingham Palace, and as escorts of the Queen on grand official occasions, the members alternate between active service on armoured vehicles in the “regular army” and ceremonial duties.

A closer view; the Parade is through the central arch  
The Museum provides the history of the Horse Guards Building, designed by William Kent and completed by John Vardy in 1755, after Kent’s death.  The Duke of Wellington, as commander in chief of the British Army in the 19thCentury kept his office in Horse Guards until he retired shortly before his death in 1852.
  Currently, two regiments make up the Household Cavalry, the Life Guards and the Blues and Royals.  Originating after the 1660 Restoration of Charles II to the throne, they provided personal Security for the monarch. Throughout the 17th and 18thcenturies, the cavalry fought in many wars, in Holland, in Germany, in Portugal and Spain. At the Battle of Waterloo, the regiments served bravely, capturing a French Eagle, a prized standard with far-reaching symbolic importance. It was the bloodiest battle of their history.

Museum Entrance, opening onto the Parade  What everyone was looking at on July 11, 2013, on the Parade   The museum also chronicles the service of the Household Cavalry regiments in the Crimean and Boer Wars, among other engagements.  In WWI, WWII, and in numerous later conflicts, the regiments performed their duties in armoured cars, in tanks, and in helicopters.   In the Museum   Ceremonial Uniforms

The horses get their due!! 
The museum covers the choice and training of the horses, a matter of great interest to many of us who love the sleek mounts, groomed to perfection and amazingly well behaved.  Each year, the horses are named with the same initial, thus preserving the year of their arrival in the Cavalry.  As an example, from the museum guidebook, “… Invader, Imogene and India arrived in 2008 and Jubilee Jenna and Jupiter in 2009.”  After an average of six months training, the four- or five-year old “recruits” serve for another 14 to 16 years, before withdrawal to a  private stable or a retirement home.

The Saga of Waterloo, June 18, 1815 The cavalry commander at the Battle of Waterloo was Henry Paget, Earl of Uxbridge and later, 1st Marquess of Anglesey. As the battle wound down, Paget sat on his horse beside the Duke of Wellington when a cannon shot shattered his leg.  Supposedly he said, “By God, sir, I’ve lost my leg.”  Wellington reportedly replied coolly, “By God, sir, so you have.”  After the amputation, Paget urged many improvements in the making of prosthetics for walking and riding.  He served the government and the army for another 37 years before finally passing away in 1854.  One of Paget’s artificial limbs is on display in the Museum.







For a few weeks each summer, the Household Cavalry conducts a retreat for the members and the horses at the Norfolk seashore – which is the reason that in my photographs taken in July 2013, their substitutes, members of the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery take over, wearing their black ceremonial uniforms based on those of the Hussars at the Battle of Waterloo almost 200 years ago. 


  The Duke of Wellington's office as Commander-in-Chief of the British Army was above the center arch leading from Horse Guards' Whitehall façade to the parade ground.  The display photographed above depicts the final departure of the Duke from his position shortly before he died in 1852.  He was 83 years of age and had served his nation for 65 years.     The website for the Household Cavalry Museum is here. Join us on The Wellington Tour! http://wellingtontour.blogspot.com     

Death of Prince Albert December 14, 1861

On the night of 14 December, 1861, Queen Victoria lost her beloved husband Prince Albert. In the custom of the time, most of her subjects learned of his death through the tolling of church bells, traditional alert to crisis.


Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, 1840

Victoria (H, not R) here. In 2011, 150 years after the event, the BBC History Magazine (one of my monthly treats), carried an article about how the death of Prince Albert threatened the continuing existence of the monarchy.  Here is a topic with everything: love, dynasty, death and mourning, royalty, and Future Considerations, the capital letters well-deserved.  Most of the information in this post comes from the magazine article  by Helen Rappaport, author of Magnificent Obsession: Victoria, Albert and the Death that Changed the Monarchy, published by Hutchinson, 2011.

Victoria was already Queen when she and Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha were married on February 10, 1840.  There is no doubt that she adored him -- handsome, clever, and virile, Prince Albert had long been intended to be  her spouse by their mutual uncle, Leopold, King of the Belgians, since 1831 and the widower of the late Princess Charlotte of Wales, who died in 1817.


Leopold 1, King of the Belgians; portrait by Winterhalter King Leopold was the brother of both Victoria's mother, the Duchess of Kent, and Albert's father, Ernst I, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.     Queen Victoria  and Prince Albert with their children in 1846;Painted by Franz Xavier Winterhalter  Queen Victoria and Prince Albert were parents of four sons and five daughters and eventually 42 grandchildren, most of whom married into European royalty and aristocratic families.   A film version, somewhat exaggerated, of the early years of the marriage.  There is little doubt from her writing that her marriage to Albert was a love match for Victoria.  If those early years were difficult for Prince Albert, he was confident of her adoration, and he worked hard to win the confidence of her advisers, government officials, and the public.   2010 Exhibition at The Queen's Gallery, Buckingham Palace, London  Three years ago, Kristine and I attended the exhibition "Victoria and Albert: Art and Love" and feasted our eyes on the lovely portraits and objects they gave each other. According to the catalogue, "This exhibition is the first ever to focus on Queen Victoria and Prince Albert’s shared enthusiasm for art. Bringing together more than 400 items from the Royal Collection, it celebrates the royal couple’s mutual delight in collecting and displaying..."  We examined each item, until we could hardly stand on our tired feet.  Seeing their love so obviously expressed gave us a new appreciation of their mutual trust and dependence upon one another   Prince Albert, 1859, by Winterhalter  By the time he died, most people (according to Rappaport) considered Albert to be King in all but name. Regarding the press accounts of his death, Rappaport writes, "Many of them were tinged with a profound sense of guilt that Albert had never been sufficiently valued during his life time for his many and notable contributions to British culture as an outstanding patron of the arts, education, science and business." The Queen was plunged into a profound depression which lasted for many years.   The Death of Prince Albert At the time of Albert's death at age 42, he was less than pleased with Prime Minster Palmerston's attitude toward the American Civil War, the PM being more sympathetic to the cause of the Confederacy due to the British import of American cotton.  We will hear more about this controversy, known as the Trent Affair in an upcoming post about the Civil War, coming soon on this blog.   Victoria and Albert, 1854  As seemed to be common in the British Royal Family, first sons and their ruling fathers often did not see eye to eye.  Prince Albert was disappointed in his eldest son, known as Bertie, who succeeded his mother as monarch King Edward VII in 1901. Albert had kept Bertie to a strict regimen of preparation for his eventual role as King, but Bertie, being young and mischievous, managed to involved himself in troublesome activities.  The Queen, in part, blamed her son for her husband's illness and death.  Helen Rappaport, Daily Mail The fear grew in Britain that the Queen would never recover from her grief, and her exaggerated mourning would endanger the continuation of the monarchy.  Victoria and Albert had, during their 20-year reign, re-established the dignity of the royal family, so greatly reduced during the period of the Hanovers, the first four Georges and William IV.   Prince and Princess of Wales, wedding in 1863 Rappaport writes, Victoria "became increasingly intractable in response to every attempt to coax her out of her self-imposed purdah...the only thing that interested Victoria now was her single-handed mission to memorialize her husband in perpetuity."   The Albert Memorial, Kensington Gardens, London, one of many memorials to the Prince Consort Not until 1871 did Queen Victoria begin to appear in public again. Rappaport writes, "...discontent escalated into outright republican challenges and calls for Victoria's abdication...when Queen Victoria attended a thanksgiving service at St. Paul's Cathedral" to celebrate the recovery of the Prince of Wales from an attack of typhoid fever, the disease which may have killed his father ten years earlier.  From then on, public sympathy was recovered for the Queen and her son.   Queen Victoria, 1899, NPG  With the help of her favorite PM, Disraeli, and her beloved Scottish servant, John Brown, the Queen became "...a respected figure of enduring dignity and fortitude, ageing into her familiar image...only now that people started calling themselves 'Victorian's'..."    Although the book is a couple of years old, I think Santa will get an order from me! RIP, Prince Albert  Albert and Victoria, side by side, on their tomb      Royal Mausoleum at Frogmore where Victoria and Albert rest      

Death of Prince Albert December 14, 1871

On the night of 14 December, 1861, Queen Victoria lost her beloved husband Prince Albert. In the custom of the time, most of her subjects learned of his death through the tolling of church bells, traditional alert to crisis.


Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, 1840

Victoria (H, not R) here. In 2011, 150 years after the event, the BBC History Magazine (one of my monthly treats), carried an article about how the death of Prince Albert threatened the continuing existence of the monarchy.  Here is a topic with everything: love, dynasty, death and mourning, royalty, and Future Considerations, the capital letters well-deserved.  Most of the information in this post comes from the magazine article  by Helen Rappaport, author of Magnificent Obsession: Victoria, Albert and the Death that Changed the Monarchy, published by Hutchinson, 2011.

Victoria was already Queen when she and Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha were married on February 10, 1840.  There is no doubt that she adored him -- handsome, clever, and virile, Prince Albert had long been intended to be  her spouse by their mutual uncle, Leopold, King of the Belgians, since 1831 and the widower of the late Princess Charlotte of Wales, who died in 1817.


Leopold 1, King of the Belgians; portrait by Winterhalter King Leopold was the brother of both Victoria's mother, the Duchess of Kent, and Albert's father, Ernst I, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.     Queen Victoria  and Prince Albert with their children in 1846;Painted by Franz Xavier Winterhalter  Queen Victoria and Prince Albert were parents of four sons and five daughters and eventually 42 grandchildren, most of whom married into European royalty and aristocratic families.   A film version, somewhat exaggerated, of the early years of the marriage.  There is little doubt from her writing that her marriage to Albert was a love match for Victoria.  If those early years were difficult for Prince Albert, he was confident of her adoration, and he worked hard to win the confidence of her advisers, government officials, and the public.   2010 Exhibition at The Queen's Gallery, Buckingham Palace, London  Three years ago, Kristine and I attended the exhibition "Victoria and Albert: Art and Love" and feasted our eyes on the lovely portraits and objects they gave each other. According to the catalogue, "This exhibition is the first ever to focus on Queen Victoria and Prince Albert’s shared enthusiasm for art. Bringing together more than 400 items from the Royal Collection, it celebrates the royal couple’s mutual delight in collecting and displaying..."  We examined each item, until we could hardly stand on our tired feet.  Seeing their love so obviously expressed gave us a new appreciation of their mutual trust and dependence upon one another   Prince Albert, 1859, by Winterhalter  By the time he died, most people (according to Rappaport) considered Albert to be King in all but name. Regarding the press accounts of his death, Rappaport writes, "Many of them were tinged with a profound sense of guilt that Albert had never been sufficiently valued during his life time for his many and notable contributions to British culture as an outstanding patron of the arts, education, science and business." The Queen was plunged into a profound depression which lasted for many years.   The Death of Prince Albert At the time of Albert's death at age 42, he was less than pleased with Prime Minster Palmerston's attitude toward the American Civil War, the PM being more sympathetic to the cause of the Confederacy due to the British import of American cotton.  We will hear more about this controversy, known as the Trent Affair in an upcoming post about the Civil War, coming soon on this blog.   Victoria and Albert, 1854  As seemed to be common in the British Royal Family, first sons and their ruling fathers often did not see eye to eye.  Prince Albert was disappointed in his eldest son, known as Bertie, who succeeded his mother as monarch King Edward VII in 1901. Albert had kept Bertie to a strict regimen of preparation for his eventual role as King, but Bertie, being young and mischievous, managed to involved himself in troublesome activities.  The Queen, in part, blamed her son for her husband's illness and death.  Helen Rappaport, Daily Mail The fear grew in Britain that the Queen would never recover from her grief, and her exaggerated mourning would endanger the continuation of the monarchy.  Victoria and Albert had, during their 20-year reign, re-established the dignity of the royal family, so greatly reduced during the period of the Hanovers, the first four Georges and William IV.   Prince and Princess of Wales, wedding in 1863 Rappaport writes, Victoria "became increasingly intractable in response to every attempt to coax her out of her self-imposed purdah...the only thing that interested Victoria now was her single-handed mission to memorialize her husband in perpetuity."   The Albert Memorial, Kensington Gardens, London, one of many memorials to the Prince Consort Not until 1871 did Queen Victoria begin to appear in public again. Rappaport writes, "...discontent escalated into outright republican challenges and calls for Victoria's abdication...when Queen Victoria attended a thanksgiving service at St. Paul's Cathedral" to celebrate the recovery of the Prince of Wales from an attack of typhoid fever, the disease which may have killed his father ten years earlier.  From then on, public sympathy was recovered for the Queen and her son.   Queen Victoria, 1899, NPG  With the help of her favorite PM, Disraeli, and her beloved Scottish servant, John Brown, the Queen became "...a respected figure of enduring dignity and fortitude, ageing into her familiar image...only now that people started calling themselves 'Victorian's'..."    Although the book is a couple of years old, I think Santa will get an order from me! RIP, Prince Albert  Albert and Victoria, side by side, on their tomb      Royal Mausoleum at Frogmore where Victoria and Albert rest      

On The Shelf: A London Year

A London Year: 365 Days of City Life in Diaries, Journals and LettersEdited by Travis Elborough and Nick Rennison


Not since Hibbert and Weintraub edited The London Encyclopedia has there been a book that has taken London history and served it up in so enjoyable, usable and entertaining a package. Taking entries from letters, diaries and journals written by over 200 people, from Tudor times to nearly the present, editors Elborough and Rennison break them down by date and offer them up in daily entries covering the 365 days of the year. Often, days have more than one entry and it's amusing to hear the different voices of diarists who have lived in the same place across the centuries.

By turns chatty, introspective, informative, superfluous, descriptive, evocative and nonsensical, A London Year is a big, doorstop of a book that should be kept at the bed or fireside and dipped into at intervals as a treat. You'll want to devour it at one sitting, but I urge you to instead savour it's contents a bit at a time - and then go back to the beginning and start again. Otherwise, the book may prove addictive. This is truly a Christmas present of a book for everyone who loves London, even if that person should happen to be yourself.

Here are just a few entries from A London Year to whet your appetite:

William Bray, Diary, 1757

To Drury Lane Theatre: King Lear by Garrick. Agreed with the barber for shaving me at 6s. a quarter.

Lord Byron, Journal, 1813

Two nights ago I saw the tigers sup at Exeter Change. Such a conversazion! - There was a 'hippopotamus,' like Lord Liverpool in the face; and the 'Ursine Sloth' hath the very voice and manner of my valet - but the tiger talked too much. The elephant took and gave me my money again - took off my hat - opened a door - trunked a whip - and behaved so well that I wish he was my butler . . . .

Frank Hurley, Diary, 1916

All London is excitement on account of a Zeppelin raid which took place in the small hours of this morning. Four Zeppelins participated and two were brought down. Late at noon, a German seaplane dropped a bomb just in front of Harrods.

Noel Coward, Diaries, 1951

Went to the Tower Pier at six to go on a yacht party up the river. Very grand and enjoyable, particularly coming back and looking at the South Bank, which looks like a dog's dinner, and the North Bank - floodlit - which with St. Paul's, Somerset House, The Houses of Parliament, etc., was breathtakingly lovely. Felt tears spring to my eyes when one of the ship's crew nudged me and said, "How's this for `London Pride', eh?'"

Charles Greville, Diary, 1830

I went yesterday to the sale of the late King's wardrobe, which was numerous enough to fill Monmouth Street, and sufficiently various and splendid for the wardrobe of Drury Lane. He hardly ever gave away anything except his linen, which was distributed every year Theses clothes are the perquisite of his pages, and will fetch a pretty sum. There are all the coats he has ever had for fifty years, 500 whips, canes without number, every sort of uniform, the costumes of all the orders in Europe, splendid furs, pelisses, hunting coats and breeches, and among other things a dozen pair of corduroy breeches he had made to hunt in when Don Miguel was here. His profusion in these articles was unbounded, because he never paid for them, and his memory was so accurate that one of his pages told me he recollected every article of dress, no matter how old, and that they were always liable to be called on to produce some particular coat or other article of apparel of years gone by. It is difficult to say whether in great or little things that man was most odious and contemptible.

Sir Roy Strong, Diary, 1969

I arrived early at 115 Ebury Street . . . . in a flat painted all over in a particularly awful shade of 1940s green. But he did have good pictures by Mathew Smith and Graham Sutherland. It had never crossed my mind what kind of party this was to be but that began rapidly to dawn on me as not a woman appeared and twenty men gradually filled the room. I left as soon as I could decently extricate myself, appalled at the sight, amongst other things, of all those bottles of cosmetics ranked above his dressing table.

Nathaniel Bryceson, Diary, 1846

Old Walker, proprietor of the hotel, 33 Dean Street, Soho, corner of Queen Street, has had his house lately pointed down and painted, and has this day had a square lamp fixed, lit with gas which till now has been a round one with tin top and lit with oil, and which was no doubt the original one put up when the house was built, which is about 160 years. This is an alteration which I am both surprised and displeased at as the house preserved its ancient look so like hotel and tavern of the 17th century. The proprietor thereof is very old both in years and fashion, wearing at all times a black suit with breeches and black stockings, and as I have heard saw Margaret Nicholson attempt to stab George III.

Evelyn Waugh, Letter to Nancy Mitford, 1955

I knew a woman who could not bear to say `W.C.' for the London postal district because of its indelicate associations and always said `West Central.'

R.D. Blumenfeld, R.D.B.'s Diary, 1900

Yerkes, the projector of the new Charing Cross, Euston, and Hampstead electric underground, said to me that in spite of the opposition which he meets at every turn he proposes to go ahead with it. He has secured the backing of some large American financiers to the extent of $30,000,000, and he predicted to me that a generation hence London will be completely transformed; that people will think nothing of living twenty or more miles from town, owing to electrified trains. He also thinks that the horse omnibus is doomed. Twenty years hence, he says, there will be no horse omnibus in London. Although he is a very shrewd man, I think he is a good deal of a dreamer.

Sydney Smith, Letter to the Countess Grey, 1834

I am better in health, avoiding all fermented liquors, and drinking nothing but London water, with a million insects in every drop. He who drinks a tumbler of London water has literally in his stomach more animated beings than there are men, women and children on the face of the globe.


Dickon Edwards, Diary, 2005

After viewing Mr. Nicholson Senior's art at the RA, I sit in Borders Books Café, Charing Cross Road. The café is now a Starbucks, so I only use it if the one in Foyles (still an independent family business) is full up. And then, as I do in all Starbucks, I only ever order tea. Tea drinking as a revolutionary act, I like to think. The joke's on me, as their tea is revolting. Clever, very clever . . . . .


 A London Year, Frances Lincoln, ISBN 9780711234499

Victoria Station and the Grosvenor Hotel

Guoman Grosvenor Hotel
The Wellington Tour, 4-14 September, 2014, will begin at the Guoman Grosvenor Hotel, 101 Buckingham Palace Road. The hotel is connected to Victoria Station, home of several rail and tube lines, plus hundreds of busses, coaches, and taxis.  It is super-convenient and appears quite lovely in its newly restored state.

Victoria Station with Grosvenor Hotel at far right  Map of Victoria Station neighborhoodStation and hotel at red markerSquare tan building just under words 'Green Park' is Buckingham PalaceApsley house at the far left upper corner   The little map above shows the position of Victoria Station and the hotel, which you can see on any London map.  I can't imagine any more efficient location for almost every London attraction.    Victoria Station interior Victoria Station itself is the second busiest in London (after Waterloo Station), with many rail lines to destinations in south and southeast England, including the Gatwick Express.  The Circle and District tube lines and the Victoria line stop here, and the Victoria Coach Terminal is adjacent.  The station has many shops, bars, and food sources, right at hand.  An upgrade of the facility is planned for the next few years, to include more escalators and improved accessibility.  
Guoman Grosvenor Hotel The hotel has been newly refurbished and updated, at a cost of  £20 million. The Grosvenor (not to be confused with Grosvenor House, another London hotel on Park Lane) was opened in 1862, one of the earliest of London's Victorian Railway Hotels built beside railroad stations.    Many of these old hotels had declined into disuse in the past decades, and the Guoman Grosvenor is not the only one to be newly redone.  I recently wrote about the St. Pancras Renaissance hotel, formerly the Midland Grand Hotel, and the Great Northern Hotel at King's Cross, both on Euston Road, here.     Réunion Bar                  In addition to meeting rooms, the bar (above), a gym, a business center, and the Grand Imperial Cantonese Restaurant, the hotel promises all 21st century amenities.  Additionally, the adjacent Victoria Station complex houses many restaurants and a shopping arcade.  Guoman Grosvenor Hotel  The hotel website is here.  Hope to see you on this street in September, 2014. For details on the Wellington Tour, click here. 
     

Dining In Berkeley Square

London residents and visitors alike looking for a peaceful and engaging afternoon spent in good company might do much worse than a stroll around Berkeley Square followed by some fine dining at one of the nearby restaurants.
While it may not be a major London attraction, Berkeley Square certainly has its fair share of history - Maggs Brothers Books has been trading from Number 50 since 1853 and  Gunter's Tea Shop once stood at Nos. 7 and 8. Berkeley Square is still a light and airy space with a number of interesting features; two statues over 150 years apart can be found within the square as well as the iconic pump house dating back to 1800 which sits at the centre of the four quadrants that makeup the space.
From Berkeley Square you can make it to Oxford Street and Regent Street in just a few minutes on foot, however the Square itself remains relatively quiet and laid-back despite its central location. It’s a great location to unwind after a busy day walking the streets for the latest in innovative Christmas gifts and at just 6 minutes’ walk from Green Park tube station you can access the rest of London in no time at all.
A walk in the square followed by dinner at one of the many surrounding restaurants can make the perfect end to a busy day. With that said let’s take a look at some of the top choice for dining near Berkeley Square.
The Guinea Grill30 Bruton Place, Mayfair, London, W1J 6NL ( see map )

 
 
While prices may be just the wrong side of dear The Guinea Grill is the perfect destination for those on the lookout for truly traditional British food. An atmospheric, dimly lit location provides the perfect setting to warm up, with a selection of cooked-to-perfection steaks and a fine assortment of savoury pies, during those cold winter months. Seating is said to be a little on the cramped side however the staff are excellent and provide a warm and welcoming front to what it a very class and well established (since 1952) dining location near Berkeley Square. History: A tavern has existed on this spot since the 15th century. Bruton Place formerly housed the stables and coach houses of the residents of the Square. Look closely and you'll find vestiges of this use in the existing architecture and hardware on the street. Mayfair servants, including coachmen and footmen, frequented the Guinea Tavern, as well as the nearby Coach and Horses and The Only Running Footman (below).
The Punch Bowl41 Farm Street, Mayfair, London, W1J 5RP ( see map )


 
 A place brimming with history The Punch Bowl has been around since 1750 as a public house and is currently a grade two listed building. Until recently the pub was owned by Guy Ritchie and has had a stream of a-list celebrities for customers over the past years. On to the dining itself and you can expect the standard range of British fare and pub classics at The Punch Bowl with reasonable prices (for Mayfair) to boot. Maybe not the pick of the bunch when it comes to dining, The Punch Bowl as a location is hard to surpass and is almost always full with happy diners. History: Farm Street takes it's name from Hay Hill Farm, as the area was known in the 1700's. Building began on the stables and mews in the street in the 1740's.
The Only Running Footman5 Charles Street, Mayfair, London, W1J 5DF ( see map )



 
 Just a minutes’ walk from Berkeley Square The Only Running Footman is certainly accessible for that after stroll dinner. The pub come restaurant is set out over four floors with the upper three offering fine dining and the ground floor serving up a well-rounded selection of pub grub. Perhaps better known for its atmospheric and roaring downstairs pub than quiet and relaxed upstairs dining, The Only Running Footman provides a plentiful menu at reasonable prices; you can expect efficient and friendly service from the staff. History: Originally called The Running Horse, a pub has stood on this spot since 1749, at least.
Greig’s Grill26 Bruton Place, Mayfair, London, W1J 6NG ( see map )


 
 Another steakhouse, Greig’s Grill is all about the steaks which never fail to get rave reviews. Large, exquisitely cooked steaks are the bread and butter at Greig’s and you’d really be missing out if this was not your dish of choice; not least because of the mediocre reviews accompanying their other offerings. An old-fashioned traditional feel complete with wood panelling and luxurious chandeliers help to give the place an authentic feel. Prices for steak are reasonable although you may find you get a little less than you paid for with some of the other dishes. The staff are dependable and the wine equally easy on the pocket as the steaks.
Annabel’s44 Berkeley Square, Mayfair, London, W1J 5QB ( see map )

 
 
With one of the biggest reputations in London, some may argue the world, Annabel’s is best known as an elegant nightclub where old-time rockers, aspiring business women and of course the regulars converge at this members only location situated within Berkeley Square. You’ll hear little of the food, which is described as good and dependable, because it’s all about the experience of being at one of London’s top and most exclusive clubs. Expect an expensive night and bear in mind that the biggest barrier may well be getting invited; being a members only club you’ll either need to signup or be invited by an existing member. History: Opened in 1963 by Mark Birley, the Club's earliest members included Frank Sinatra and Princess Margaret. Ownership changed hands in 2007, when Annabel's was purchased by Richard Caring, who also owns The Ivy.

On The Shelf: Across The Pond

In Across The Pond: An Englishman's View of America, author and literary critic Terry Eagleton skewers Americans relentlessly - but it's okay, because Eagleton gets around to other nationalities, as well. Especially his own (British, as the title of the book implies).  Eagleton sets a wry tone in his introduction, where he writes, " . . . the discerning reader will note that when I make large generalizations about the British, Irish and Americans in this book, my comments must occasionally be seen as involving a degree of poetic license and a pinch of salt." From there we embark on a tour de force of political incorrectness that's by turns either oddly refreshing or startlingly at odds with what one personally knows to be true.

Eagleton compares the Americans to the British early on while setting forth one cause for the divide in our national characters: "Henry James thought that America lacked mystery and secrecy, that its landscapes were all foreground, but found just such an air of enigma in Europe. This was not, he considered, by any means wholly to its credit. Civilisations which prize the mannered, devious, playful and oblique generally have aristocratic roots, since it is hard to be mannered, devious and playful while you are drilling a coal seam or dry-cleaning a jacket. And aristocratic social orders, as James was to discover, can be full of  suavely concealed brutality. A dash of American directness would do them no harm at all. A culture of irony requires a certain degree of leisure. You need to be privileged enough not to have any pressing need for the plain truth. Facts can be left to factory owners." Of course, this example supposes that British aristocrats make up the whole of the English population. Or at least that part of it which is playful and/or enigmatic. And surely the UK has at least one or two plain talking dry cleaners available to them in a crisis?

In an attempt to rationalize American zeal, willingness and industry, the author writes, "It was a communal act of willing that brought America about in the first place. The nation itself is the work of the will. It is not just a country like any other but a project, a vocation, a mission, a destiny, a spiritual enterprise. Nobody thinks this about Belgium. It is not the case with Wales, Slovenia or the United Arab Emirates, which some Americans might suspect is a movie company. Britain is not the work of the will. The British never planned their empire, for example. It just fell into their laps in a fit of absent-mindedness. They awoke one morning to find that they were governing India, even though nothing had been further from their thoughts. They did not particularly savour the prospect, but it seemed churlish not to get on with it." One can just about hear the Wellesley's turning over in the respective graves now.

As Eagleton warned in his introduction, much salt was pinched in the writing of this book and oddly enough, the majority of it falls on the British Isles, rather than on America, as the title would suggest. "Like comedy, the British are traditionally suspicious of the success ethic. Unlike Americans, they are not an affirmative nation. Among their national icons are a ship that sank (the Titanic) and a calamitous military defeat (Dunkirk). Defeat is what the British are particularly good at. They are maestros of utter disaster. No doubt there are bunkers deep below Whitehall where intensive seminars in how to screw up are secretly conducted. Glorious defeats, like the Charge of the Light Brigade, are almost to be elevated over stupendous victories. The British are not particularly heroic, but brave out of necessity. Unlike Americans, the only kind of heroism for which they have a sneaking admiration is one forced on you when the odds are hopeless and your back is to the wall. After such sporadic bursts of self-sacrificial glory, they resume their normal, grumpy, unheroic existence until the next catastrophe happens along. They need the occasional hardship in order to show what stuff they are made of, and suspect that American civilization is too easy and flaccid in that respect. The States may be full of virile, chisel-jawed, bestubbled types, but all those stretch limos and Jacuzzis are fatally weakening. This is ironic, since quite a few Americans see the British themselves as effete. This is largely because their accents can sound vaguely gay, rather like their prose styles."

Wellington continues to roll, Churchill's moaning aloud and I'm left wondering exactly what England ever did to Eagleton to deserve such treatment. Perhaps Across the Pond would have been funnier if it had been based on truths. Even stereotypical truths. Like this one:

"An American friend of mine once confessed to me that he found a certain philosopher rather standoffish. I told him that he had the word almost correct: it wasn't standoffish, it was Scottish. Scottish men tend to smile less than American men do, a fact that can easily be mistaken for churlishness. In fact, a male Scot will probably smile only faintly if he meets you after a twenty-year absence and you are his mother."

Now, that's funny.


Published by W.W. Norton and Company, Hardcover ISBN: 9780393088984

The Wellington Tour: Frogmore House...in Windsor Great Park

The Wellington Tour will visit Frogmore House on  September 13, 2014, a special treat,  for all of you can come with Kristine and me, Victoria, on our great adventure.  For all the details on the tour, click here.


Frogmore House, from the lake
For the Frogmore House website, click here.


Aerial View, House is center right
Frogmore House has served as a sort of refuge for various members of the royal family for several centuries.  The property became part of the royal holdings in the 16th century and was leased out to others. The land was acquired because it was adjacent to Windsor Great Park, though it was as marshy as its name indicates.  Several houses were built  by the Aldworth family, and the larger, known as Great Frogmore, was eventually leased to the Duke of Northumberland, (1665-1716), who was the natural son of Charles II and the Duchess of Cleveland. Eventually it was purchased for '
Queen Charlotte (1744-1818), wife of George III, in 1792.


Queen Charlotte, c. 1789-90, by Sir Thomas LawrenceNational Gallery, London   Charlotte and her daughters often fled to Frogmore to escape from the confines of palaces and castles, to this comparatively modest house where they could enjoy a bit more relaxation.  Queen Charlotte was an avid gardener and brought a number of unusual plants to this estate. Several of the princesses painted or sketched works shown here. For a brief segment of the conversation of HRH Charles, Prince of Wales with the Royal Librarian about Frogmore interiors, click here. 
The Green Pavilion, 1817, from Pyne's Royal Residences  The Green Pavilion has been restored to its look during Queen Charlotte's lifetime.  Upon her death, Frogmore was left to her eldest unmarried daughter, Princess Augusta, though most of the furnishings were sold for the benefit of all the princesses.   The Mary Moser Room, photographer: Christopher Simon SykesThe Royal Collection © 2009 Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II   The flowered panels by artist Mary Moser (1744-1819) were commissioned by Queen Charlotte, who chose the artist's name for the room.  The unusual four-tier revolving bookstand at the right dates from this same period of time. After the death of Princess Augusta in 1840, the crown repurchased the estate and Queen Victoria gave it to her mother, Victoria, Duchess of Kent, as her home. Many alterations and modernizations were made once more and the Duchess presided over the redecoration of several principal rooms.  The Duchess of Kent's Drawing Room, photographer: Derry MooreThe Royal Collection © 2009 Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II   In addition to artistic interests, reading and stitching, the ladies who enjoyed the informality of Frogmore sometimes organized theatrical programs and concerts by their friends as well as professional musicians. I suspect that after seeing the grandeur of nearby Windsor Castle, we will thoroughly understand why time at Frogmore was so precious.

  The Colonnade  All of the residents of Frogmore have enjoyed the garden, and like the rooms, re-imagination often reigned. After the Indian Mutiny, Lord Canning, Governor-General of India, presented an Indian Kiosk captured at Lucknow in 1858  to Queen Victoria who had it placed near the house.   Indian Kiosk  After the death of her mother and her husband, both in 1861, Queen Victoria often sought seclusion at Frogmore She loved the house and garden where  'all is peace and quiet and you only hear the hum of the bees, the singing of the birds'. She built a mausoleum for Prince Albert and herself on the grounds. It is rarely open to the public due to ongoing restoration projects.   Though no royals have lived at Frogmore for some time, it is often used for meetings and other activities.  Below is the family portrait taken at the reception held at Frogmore after the wedding of the Queen's eldest grandson to Autumn Kelly in 2008.   
This image released by the family shows the wedding group of Peter Phillips, top center left, and his bride Autumn Kelly, top center right, at Frogmore House, Windsor Castle, England and (seated left to right front row) Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth II, Ivy Kelly, Edith McCarthy, (standing left to right) Mark Phillips, Princess Anne, Kitty Kelly, Brian Kelly. (AP Photo/Sir Geoffrey Shakerley, HO)

    I am looking forward to seeing this lovely house which has been so dear to many generations of the royal family.  It is open only a few days each year, so The Wellington Tour is fortunate to be eligible. Consider joining us for The Wellington Tour in September 2014. http://wellingtontour.blogspot.com/    

A Pinterest Post: Chettle House

Those of you who know my penchant for shopping for homes online and my fondness for Pinterest won't be surprised that the photo above piqued my interest. What a beautiful house! Of course, I had to learn more - it's known as Chettle House and it's in Dorset.

Set in 5 acres of lovely gardens, this charming 1710 Queen Anne manor house was designed by Thomas Archer. An example of English Baroque architecture,  Chettle House, the village manor, is a red brick mansion built by the Bastard brothers of Blandford Forum. Yes, their surname was really Bastard. You can read more about them here.  Two rounded ends were added to the house in 1912. One of the highlights of the interior is the elegant Oak Entrance Hall, with its two flights of sweeping oak stairs, lined by fine family portraits, rising separately to meet at the balcony above.  Chettle House is a popular venue for weddings, civil ceremonies, photo shoots and filming. Most recently, Chettle House was William Wilberforce's London home in the film Amazing Grace about the abolition of the slave trade.
  
 Chettle House is now run as a bed and breakfast and is owned by Fiona and Peter Bourke. As Peter writes on their website "My wife, Fiona, and I are delighted to welcome you to Chettle House. This has been our much loved family home for over 150 years and since we inherited the property in 2002, we have devoted our lives to its restoration and upkeep. We thus take enormous pleasure in sharing it with others."




    The beautiful Chettle Church, whose West Tower dates back to the early 16th century, offers a stunning backdrop to the gardens that surround the house.




  The Castleman Hotel, once the dower house for the estate, is run by Bourke's younger brother, Teddy, and his wife Barbara. Click here to read a Daily Mail article from 2008 asking whether the village of Chettle (pop. about 90) is the perfect English village.   See the Pinterest links in the right sidebar to see all of Kristine and Victoria's Pinterest boards.

On The Shelf: London Villages

In London Villages: Explore the City's Best Local Neighbourhoods author Zena Alkayat breaks down London's current sprawl into 30 villages and introduces readers to each via a short description, maps, photos and five highlighted places of interest in each neighborhood. These are further broken down into areas of the City: central, north, south, east and west.  All of the usual suspects make an appearance: Shepherd Market, Camden Passage, Queen's Park, Little Venice. What truly sets Alkayat's guide apart are the newly evolved villages introduced to the reader, some of which are still works in progress, and her discovery of overlooked gems in well loved areas.

Zayat's chatty tone allows the reader to feel as though they are getting inside information from a local, with all the "need to know" details thrown in for good measure. Here's Zayat's take on Turnham Green (near Chiswick Common): "Though situated a little north of Chiswick's main attractions, Turnham Green has established itself as the commercial heart of the area. To the south runs an incredibly scenic stretch of the Thames dotted with rowing clubs and pubs for walkers. Inland, Palladian villa Chiswick House attracts vast numbers of tourists, as does Hogarth's House . . . For Londoners, the rather upmarket Chiswick car boot sale operates on the first Sunday of every month from the school on Burlington Lane, and the area's centuries-old brewing heritage means there are plenty of historic pubs to enjoy. Frustratingly, there's little to get excited about along Chiswick High Road itself, dwarfed as it is by standard high street restaurants and chains but offshoots Turnham Green Terrace and Devonshire Road lay claim to a stronghold of independent retailers. On Turnham Green Terrace, a number of delis have made the street a destination for fans of fine food, and Foubert's Café (a local institution since 1980) is famous for its Italian ice cream. Devonshire Road, meanwhile, offers clothes boutiques, gift shops and the ramshackle Strand Antiques at number 46." One of the five highlighted places of interest chosen by Alkayat includes Fosters' Bookshop on the High Road: "The Foster family has run this tightly packed antiquarian store since 1968 and continues to acquire and sell a choice selection of rare books and first editions, together with volumes of local history and more general Penguin paperbacks and illustrated children's novels." I don't know about you, but I can't wait to head to Turnham Green some first Sunday soon.

Other places I'm looking forward to visiting thanks to Alkayat include:

The Prince Alfred & Formosa Dining Room (Little Venice): "The Prince Alfred's original snug rooms, snob screens and decorative tiles make it one of the best examples of a late Victorian pub in London. The ornate bar is adjoined to the intimate Formosa Dining Room, which enjoys repeated recommendations in Michelin's Eating out in Pubs guide."

Jane Bourvis (Golborne Road): "Walking into this vintage bridal shop feels like wandering to Miss Haversham's dressing room. Dozens of antique lace dresses hang from the ceiling, corsets weigh down rails, and every available surface is topped with trinkets, strings of pearls and wind-up music boxes."

Cannon & Cannon (Brixton Road): "Cannon & Cannon can sort cheese and charcuterie board dilemmas with minimal fuss. Its selection of British cured meat (sourced from as close as Kent and as far as the Scottish Highlands) is matched by a stellar range of artisan cheese. Pair with the deli's chutneys and pickles and wash down with pale ale from Bermondsey's Kernel Brewery."

Virginia (Clarendon Cross): "Clarendon Cross's concentration of eccentrics and artists may be thinning these days, but long serving establishments such as Virginia keep the area's unconventional personality alive. Virginia Bates opened up shop in 1971 and is renowned in the upper echelons of the fashion industry for her incredible collection of antique apparel from the 1850s to the 1930s."

London Villages should be on every Anglophile's shelf. For visitors to the City, it will be indispensable when either planning your next trip or in order to learn more about the history of London. For locals, London Villages will no doubt keep that age old question, "What should we do this weekend?" at bay for months to come.



London Villages by Zena Alkayat with photographs by Kim Lightbody and illustrated maps by Jenny Seddon is published by Frances Lincoln in paperback, £9.99. 192 pages, ISBN 9780711234666