Visits & Events 2021

Our visits and events are open to all unless specified and we hope non-members will enjoy our programme and consider joining the Society.   Visits may be transferred to virtual events where possible (or postponed) in accordance with UK Covid 19 restrictions.

Read further details and book on our Eventbrite page   CLICK HERE TO BOOK.

If you do not wish to book online, please contact us and we will be happy to make your booking (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by post to 10 Old Pye Street, London SW1P 2DG)  A full description of visits is on our Events/Visits page.

2021

Tuesday 2nd February 2021, 6.30pm   The Buildings of Green Park, A talk by Andrew Jones via Zoom - £7 members/£10 non members

Saturday 3rd April 2021, 2pm     Visit to St Stephen’s Church, Rochester Row, SW1P 1LE - £15 members/ £20 non members

Wednesday 5th May 2021, 12.30pm    SOLD OUT - Westminster/Kingsway College, Vincent Square, SW1P 2PD  Lunch in The Vincent Rooms Restaurant and tour - £20 members/ £25 non members

Tuesday 1st June 2021, 3pm     Visit to RUSI (Royal United Services Institute), 61 Whitehall, SW1A 2ET £15 members / £20 non members  (This visit is likely to be POSTPONED TO 2022 due to building refurbishment)

Tuesday 15th June 2021, 10.15am    SOLD OUT - Tour of Shepherd’s Bindery and Talk on Antiquarian Books by Anthony Davis, 76 Rochester Row, SW1P 1JU - £15 MEMBERS ONLY

 
(DATE TO BE CONFIRMED)  T@36 Celebrations – Anniversary Summer Party, Benugo, St James's Park

Saturday 3rd July 2021, 2pm    ‘Caring for the Poor & Vulnerable on Thorney Island’ - A local walk by Michael Marriott. Meet at Broad Sanctuary, SW1P 3EE - £15 members/ £20 non members

Tuesday 13^th July 2021, 2pm  (tbc)        The IncrEDIBLE RHS Collections Tour, Lindley Library, 80 Vincent Square, SW1P 2PE - £15 members /£20 non members

Saturday 25th September 2021, 2pm       T@36 ‘In Celebration of Thorney Island’ - A new local walk by Victor Keegan. Meet at our Archives, 10 Old Pye Street, SW1P 2DG – £15 members/ £20 non members

(DATE TO BE CONFIRMED)   12noon   The Guards Museum and Guards Band Recital in Guards Chapel.  MEMBERS ONLY.  Wellington Barracks, Birdcage Walk, SW1E 6HQ - Free of Charge.

(DATE TO BE CONFIRMED)   T@36 Celebrations - Cocktails and Canapés at The Cinnamon Club, Old Westminster Library, 30-32 Great Smith Street, SW1P 3BU

 Visits & Events 2020-2021

Thorney Tales (20) A History of Parliament in Two Glimpses

History often comes in glimpses and few are more poignant than what you see from the main cloister of Westminster Abbey. If you go into the cloister, which is free and open to the public most days of the week (though not at the time of writing during 2nd lockdown) you will see the top of the Chapter House in the middle of the picture (below) at the back. This is where the monks used to meet daily to discuss the business of the day. In 1352 it became the first place where the King, whose Palace was nearby, formally met Parliament which usually meant he needed to ask for more taxes. In 1362 a statute established that Parliament must approve of all taxation. 

View of the Refectory wall (right) with the Chapter House in the background. 

In 1397 Parliament moved from there to the Refectory, or dining hall, of the monastery. A single remaining wall of that medieval refectory is still in existence and can be seen peeping above the wall of the cloister on the right of the photo (above). 

The other side of the wall is part of Westminster School in the garden of Ashburnham House and can’t be experienced unless you are lucky enough to get on a tour. But it can be glimpsed if you go to the upstairs section of the Abbey’s Cellarium café where if you look out of the window you will see a small section of the medieval wall in all its pristine glory (photo below). The dining hall was much bigger than the Chapter House and more fit for purpose even though it was inconvenient for the monks to have to clear up to make room for King and Commons. 

View from the Cellarium window

After the Reformation Parliament was moved over the road in Old Palace Yard to the chapel of St Stephen’s College after the monks were forced to vacate it as it no longer served any religious purpose. In 1547 the fiercely Protestant Edward VI gave the Commons full use of the chapel where they stayed for nearly 300 years until it burned down in 1834. The Commons retained the shape of the old chapel where monks faced each other in long lines which is why the design of today's Parliament is oppositional rather than circular as in many other countries. 

The evolution of Parliament wasn’t quite as linear as it might seem. Assemblies of one kind and another - such as Witans - had existed for centuries. The first recorded use of the word “Parliament” was in 1236 under Henry III but it was not like the Parliament of today any more than Simon de Montford’s was in 1265 which involved imprisoning the king and packing parliament with cronies. 

 Thorney Tales (20) A History of Parliament in Two Glimpses

Refurbishment of 7 Millbank

 

The Society's 34th AGM & Talk via Zoom - Tuesday 10th November

Our AGM was held on 10th November.  After the business of the meeting, we were pleased to welcome historian Dorian Gerhold to talk on The history of Victoria Tower Gardens - From Palace and Abbey to public park.  Please click the image below for a recording of the talk.    

 The Society's 34th AGM & Talk via Zoom - Tuesday 10th November