Welcome

The Society was formed in 1985 to save from demolition London's first public library in Great Smith Street (above right).  Since then we have kept a watchful eye on developments in this area, which includes the World Heritage Site encompassing the Abbey and Houses of Parliament. We respond on behalf of residents and businesses to local planning applications. Our 350+ members enjoy local visits & talks of historic and other interest, social events and an archive of books, prints, plans and ephemera.

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Events 2021 - New Programme of Talks via Zoom

Please go to our Events/Visits page to view our new programme for 2021 where you will also find the link to book via Eventbrite. 

Thank you to the members, guides, authors and speakers for their help in putting this programme together.

Next Talk - Tuesday 9th March at 6.30pm - The Plague, a Palace of Westminster Thriller, talk by author Julie Anderson

 

 

 

St John's Smith Square Online Concert - Recording from 15th February 2021

THE PROGRAMME:

I) Brahms - Cello Sonata No.1 in E minor   II)  Op.38,  Schumann - Romances   III)  Brahms - Cello Sonata No.2 in F major, Op.99

 

CLICK HERE TO WATCH RECORDING

Donations to the Save Victoria Tower Gardens Campaign can be made here:     https://savevtg.org/
 

Raphael Wallfisch, world famous cellist, and son of Holocaust survivor, Anita Lasker-Wallfisch, kindly suggested that he would hold a fund-raising concert for the Save Victoria Tower Gardens Campaign and St John’s Smith Square hosted the concert. It will be available to view until mid-March.

 

Concert in aid of Save Victoria Tower Gardens Campaign - 15th February

 

 

 

The Buildings of Green Park, A talk by Andrew Jones, February 2021

At first sight it might seem strange to be talking about the buildings of The Green Park which doesn't actually have any buildings on it, but as soon as you look around the edges a whole new world springs up as Andrew Jones illustrated in his gripping talk to the Society on 2nd February, the first in our new series of virtual lectures.

He took us along Queen’s Walk, the southern part of which, near the Mall, contains some of the last aristocratic houses in London including Spencer House and Andrew’s favourite, Bridgewater House.

A high point was the circle of 13 plane trees in the park facing Spencer House which attract Druids and other alternative beliefs. Likened to the Pantheon in Rome of the exact same width with a gap in the trees acting as a portico to the house and the space in the canopy above echoeing the Pantheon's roof.

He took us to the northern end of Queen’s Walk guarded by the iconic Ritz Hotel, where among many other glamerous events, the exiled King Zog of Albania lived. His minder named - what else for the Ritz but - Mr Martini, would pay the weekly bills in gold.

From the numerous interesting buildings on the other side of Piccadilly, Andrew singled out the architecturally extravagant edifice which hosts the Hard Rock Café. Replacing Gloucester House where the Elgin marbles were displayed by Lord Elgin when they arrived in Britain.

It was news to most of us that the 4th Marquess of Hertford got Thomas Cubitt to rebuild 105 Piccadilly to house his paintings which were later to form the core of the wonderful Wallace Collection in Manchester Square. Although the Duke of Devonshire's palatial home (which ran almost to Berkeley Square) has long gone, the gates still form one of the entrances to The Green Park and the wine cellars are now the ticket office for Green Park station.

The talk was based on Andrew’s fascinating new book “The Buildings of Green Park” which will be published shortly but is available to purchase from Heywood Hill booksellers in Curzon Street. It is full of anecdotes, research, old photographs, artworks, is beautifully produced and highly recommended. https://www.heywoodhill.com/shop/the-buildings-of-green-park

 

 

 

 

The definitive book on the history of VTG ......

 

 

To purchase Dorian Gerhold's book, please CLICK HERE to be redirected to eBay.  You do not need to have an eBay account, you can Check Out as a Guest.  Alternatively, please send £12 + £3 p&p per copy; cheques made payable to 'The Thorney Island Society' to TTIS, 10 Old Pye Street, London SW1P 2DG with your name and address.  

 
To read our review :
 

Refurbishment of 7 Millbank

Plans are afoot to rebuild 7 Millbank. The exterior facade will be rebuilt as it is, with a modern interior.
Please see the virtual exhibition here, where the proposals can be viewed and feedback provided:  Click image below:
 
 
 
 
 
 

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

LIVE Carols & Thorney Christmas Quiz via Zoom - December 2020

 

Our normal Christmas party was cancelled because of Covid-19 so we had an experimental one instead in the lovely garden of the Wellington Hotel in Vincent Square. It started with a live carol performance by a small group from our own local South Westminster Community Choir singing to a Zoom audience such favourites as Silent Night, While Shepherds Watched and Ding Dong Merrily amongst others. There was strong brass instrumental accompaniment aided by an occasional bark from a chorister’s guide-dog and passers-by, including families with children and babies, gathered near the gate to enjoy the rare sight and listen.

 

After the break, the Zoom continued with a Thorney themed quiz with enough puzzling questions like “What caused the clock in the Elizabeth Tower to lose nearly 5 minutes in 1949?” to stump some of our finest Thorney Island scholars!

 

It was a special and very enjoyable evening and, hopefully, we will be back to normal next year.

CLICK IMAGE BELOW TO VIEW A SHORT CLIP:

 

 

Carols & Thorney Christmas Quiz LIVE via Zoom - Monday 7th December

 

 

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

 

 

Save Victoria Tower Gardens - Planning Inquiry 6th October - 13th November

UPDATE! OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2020

The long awaited inquiry began at 10am on 6th October and ran until 13th November.  Daily recordings of all Sessions can be seen here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQqDetL1R5aRgbNm8PDViNw    We now patiently await the result which is not expected until the Appeal by the LGT (London Gardens Trust) has been heard.

 

  1. Victoria Tower Gardens - Judicial Review brought by the London Gardens Trust
  2. Autumn/Winter 2020 Newsletter
  3. A History of St James's Park through Trees, Talk by Greg Packman - October 2020
  4. Consultation Begins - Southside, Victoria Street

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