The Gardens of Westminster Abbey - A talk by Jan Pancheri, June 2021
Jan is head gardener at the Abbey and has worked there for 20 years. She gave a marvellous talk with photos, slides and her own beautiful illustrations. She covered the history of the monastic garden and her work returning it to something closer to what it had been with herbs, vegetables, vines and fruit trees. She also described the work to preserve the special trees and the use of particular plants in the right setting. The recording of the talk will be available on our YouTube channel 3 months after the live event.
Westminster's Royal Aquarium - A talk by Victor Keegan, May 2021
Historian, Committee Member and Author of "Vic Keegan's Lost London", Victor gave a fascinating and suprising talk about the rise and fall of an extraordinary entertainment colossus, wrongly named The Royal Aquarium, that stretched from Westminster Abbey down Tothill Street almost to St James's Park Station. The recording will be on our YouTube channel 3 months after the event.
In the Shadow of St John's Smith Square - A Talk by Rosalind Vincent, May 2021
A big thank you to Rosalind for her super talk and virtual walk around Smith Square and neighbouring streets, pointing out even the tiniest architectural details we might otherwise have missed. A well researched description of history, buildings, personalities and activities of this unique area with a video slideshow of images and streetscapes. Bringing the talk right up to date, Rosalind managed to include photographs taken recently by Thorney members of the filming for a new period TV drama called 'Estuary' set in 1890's, produced by See Saw Films. Rosalind is a Member and Westminster Guide. A recording will not be publicly available for this talk, but Rosalind's future virtual walks can be booked here: https://www.wideeyedlondon.com
Rediscovering the Medieval Palace of Westminster, Talk by Dr Elizabeth Biggs - April 2021
Historian and author, Elizabeth explored the story of Westminster before 1512, using the three remaining buildings which have survived fire, bombs and floods. She described how, all at the same time, it was the King's most important palace, the home of royal administration and justice, and the meeting-place of Parliament.
During her talk, Elizabeth mentioned the visualisation project of St Stephen's Chapel that she worked on with the University of York. Please find these extraordinary and beautiful images here: https://virtualststephens.org.
Her book St Stephen's College, Westminster 1348-1548: A Royal Chapel and English Kingship (Woodbridge: Boydell, 2020) is now available in hardback and ebook format CLICK HERE Members should contact us for a 40% discount code.
A recording of the talk will be available 3 months after the live event on our YouTube channel.
St Stephen's Church, Rochester Row, A Talk by John Turpin - April 2021
Member John Turpin, who attends St Stephen's, described how it was built in the mid-19th century to reclaim and improve the Devil's Acre, the Baroness Burdett-Coutts connection and later developments to the church. A fascinating talk adapted from a postponed in-person visit. A recording will be available on our You Tube channel 3 months after the event.
The History & Restoration of The Queen Anne State Bed - A talk by Ian Block, March 2021
Master Upholsterer and Member, Ian Block, shared with us via Zoom, the history of this fine and rare Angel Bed. Its travels to America to be exhibited in Ford Motor Company Museum, then its journey back to England and its restoration by Ian and his team at A.T. Cronin. A recording will be available here 3 months after the live talk. Many thanks to Ian for this wonderful story.
Plague - A talk by author Julie Anderson, March 2021
Julie is extremely qualified to set her Westminster thriller in the Palace of Westminster and Whitehall having worked in a number of Government Departments. A self confessed history geek, Julie clearly enjoyed the research she carried out to enable accurate historic references to the banks of the River Tyburn, the plague pits, sewers and more (Reading List below). During this very enjoyable talk, Julie discussed how the layers of history and the unique legal position of the Palace of Westminster inspired her book.
Julie also created a self-guided walk to accompany the novel, starting at Bond Street Underground Station and concluding at the Thames on Millbank.
DO YOUR OWN 'PLAGUE' WALK: CLICK HERE
TO PURCHASE THE BOOK: CLICK HERE
JULIE'S BIBLIOGRAPHY / READING LIST FOR 'PLAGUE': CLICK HERE
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
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