The Truth behind the National Holocaust Memorial in Victoria Tower Gardens
A History of the Victoria Tower Gardens
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.
Read more: Save Victoria Tower Gardens - Planning Inquiry 6th October - 13th November
Victoria Tower Gardens - Judicial Review brought by the London Gardens Trust
UPDATE ! 20th October 2020
The London Gardens Trust (Previously LPGT) will APPEAL the decision reached at the Judicial Review.
UPDATE ! 5th October 2020
The Judicial Review has now come and gone, a moment of great excitement that resulted in LPGT winning one argument and losing another. The Government was castigated for not having implemented sufficiently convincing “handling arrangements” to guarantee a total separation between its two internal functions (applicant and also decision-maker – It is considered this is a conflict of interest), but the judge sadly did not consider the arguments sufficiently serious to suggest that a final decision on this matter should be taken away from the Minister who is currently designated to make it. LPGT and SVTG (Save Victoria Tower Gardens Campaign) are of course troubled by this decision and currently very seriously considering an appeal….
Read more: Victoria Tower Gardens - Judicial Review brought by the London Gardens Trust
Proposed destruction of Victoria Tower Gardens - Background to our Opposition
WE STRONGLY SUPPORT THE SAVE VICTORIA TOWER GARDENS CAMPAIGN.
https://www.savevictoriatowergardens.co.uk/
CoExistence - Elephants in the Parks, June/July 2021
We will be sad to see the public artwork of herds of lifesize elephants leave St James's Park and The Green Park on 23rd July. Made from lantana camara, an invasive weed whose removal from protected areas benefits wildlife in India.
Brought to us by Elephant Family, 'they arrived at a unique moment in time when a global reduction in human activity has had a positive effect on wildlife. Elephants may be giants but they tread softly. This 100-strong herd reminds us that when we lighten our footprint, wildlife bounces back.'
Find out how, where and why they were created and how to support the project: Co-Existence
Sketch below, inspired by The Green Park elephants, by Yoke Shun Broom (known as ‘Sam’ to fellow singers in The South Westminster Community Choir who will be singing at our Christmas party on 6th December !)
A Military Musical Spectacular - July 2021
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.
Articles
- Events 2023/2024
- The Secret Diaries of Charles Ignatius Sancho - Performed by Paterson Joseph
- Whitehall - New Public Spaces Development Proposals
- Lambeth Bridge Safety and Security Project
- Victoria Tower Gardens
- Research Visit to the Archives - Tufton Street Tree & Plaque to Siegfried Sassoon
- New research into the 'Letter Purse' in our Archives collection
- Thorney Island Article in January issue of The House
- CONGRATULATIONS ! New Year Honours, January 2023
- The Society's Christmas Party 2022
- WCC Review into Replacement of Heritage Gaslights
- The Society is looking for a new Chair and Membership Secretary
- Our 36th AGM - 8th November 2022
- The Queen is dead, long live the King!
- The Royal Parks Panel - Sign Up!
- The Society's Summer Party - June 2022
- Local Choir Sing for Jubilee!
- Act of Queen Victoria rescues Victoria Tower Gardens
- Europe's 6th Most Gorgeous Park - February 2022
- Thorney Tales (22) - Rosamund's Pond
- News ! Victoria Tower Gardens
- The Stag Brewery, Palace Street - Collection of Photographs held at the Westminster Archives
- Thorney Tales (21) - Aphra Behn, playwright, poet, feminist, spy - Ahead of her times (1640-1689)
- Proposed destruction of Victoria Tower Gardens - Background to our Opposition
- Caring for the Poor & Vulnerable on Thorney Island, a Zoom talk - July 2021
- CoExistence - Elephants in the Parks, June/July 2021
- The IncrEDIBLE Collections at the RHS Lindley Library - A talk via Zoom by RHS Librarian Susan Robin, July 2021
- The Gardens of Westminster Abbey - A talk by Jan Pancheri, June 2021
- A Military Musical Spectacular - July 2021
- Westminster's Royal Aquarium - A talk by Victor Keegan, May 2021
- In the Shadow of St John's Smith Square - A Talk by Rosalind Vincent, May 2021
- Rediscovering the Medieval Palace of Westminster, Talk by Dr Elizabeth Biggs - April 2021
- St Stephen's Church, Rochester Row, A Talk by John Turpin - April 2021
- The History & Restoration of The Queen Anne State Bed - A talk by Ian Block, March 2021
- Plague - A talk by author Julie Anderson, March 2021
- St John's Smith Square Online Concert - Recording from 15th February 2021
- The Buildings of Green Park, A talk by Andrew Jones, February 2021
- LIVE Carols & Thorney Christmas Quiz via Zoom - December 2020
- 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
- The definitive book on the history of VTG ......
- A History of St James's Park through Trees, Talk by Greg Packman - October 2020
- Westminster Coroner's Court
- 10 Greycoat Place - Developer's Consultation
- St. James's and The Green Park Update and Movement Strategy - 10th July 2020
- Stephen Myers
- The Truth behind the National Holocaust Memorial in Victoria Tower Gardens
- Bearskins, Bayonets and Bravery - New Guards Museum podcast
- Victoria Tower Gardens - Judicial Review brought by the London Gardens Trust
- Two Africans with strong links to Thorney Island escaped slavery to become role models in London over 250 years ago
- Collecting fine bookbindings Zoom Talk - June 2020
- RUSI, The Royal United Services Institute, Whitehall
- London History Day, 31st May 2020 - 10 Old Pye Street
- Urban Tree Festival 2020 - Online
- Live Video of Feeding St James's Park Pelicans
- St Stephen's Church, Rochester Row
- Westminster Kingsway College
- Save Victoria Tower Gardens - Planning Inquiry 6th October - 13th November
- Thorney Tales (19) Revd James Palmer and Palmer's Village
- Workshop by Jens Jakobsen, Master Florist at the Blewcoat School - March 2020
- Consultation Begins - Southside, Victoria Street
- Ignatius Sancho, Short Talk by Victor Keegan - February 2020
- Christchurch Gardens Reconstruction Short Talk - January 2020
- Christmas Party 2019
- 55 Broadway - Planning application
- Richmond House, Whitehall - The Northern Parliamentary Estate
- 20mph Throughout Westminster ? YES !
- The Society's 33rd AGM, 12th November 2019
- Visit to the Palace of Westminster & Jewel Tower - October 2019
- Thorney Tales (18) The Buxton Memorial Fountain
- Mission: Invertebrate, The Green Park - August 2019
- Tour of Buckingham Palace Gardens - August 2019
- From Beer to the Bard - A Victoria Walk by Anthony Davis - July 2019
- Special Tour of Westminster Abbey - July 2019
- Gems of Thorney Island, A Walk by Victor Keegan - July 2019
- The Guards Museum, Wellington Barracks - Volunteers
- Victoria Tower Gardens, poem by Elizabeth Witts
- The Green Park Tree Walk - May 2019
- Visit to Bonhams Auctioneers - May 2019
- Visit to Westminster Cathedral - May 2019
- Visit to The Speakers House - April 2019
- Ann Carlton our Co-founder
- Thorney Tales (17) Westminster Coke and Gas Company
- Duck Island Volunteer Project
- Illuminated River
- Dolphin Square Redevelopment
- AGM 2018
- Centenary of Armistice Cenotaph Service and Exhibition in St James's Park
- Visit to The Queen's Jubilee Galleries, Westminster Abbey - September 2018
- Thorney Tales (16) College Hall, Westminster Abbey / School
- Relocation of Emmeline Pankhurst statue from Victoria Tower Gardens
- Visit to The Church House - August 2018
- "The Devil's Acre before Peabody" Talk - August 2018
- Visits to Westminster School - July 2018
- Purcell Musical Tour of Westminster Abbey - June 2018
- Reception to mark the opening of The Queen's Jubilee Galleries, Westminster Abbey - June 2018
- Proposals for Christchurch Gardens, Victoria Street - June 2018
- Thorney Island Sources Tour of Westminster Archives - June 2018
- Visit to the Institution of Civil Engineers - May 2018
- St James's Park Tree Walk - May 2018
- Unveiling of Millicent Fawcett Statue in Parliament Square - April 2018
- Visit to Watts & Co, Ecclesiastical Furnishers & Outfitters - April 2018
- Broadway & Carteret Street
- Thorney Tales (15) Henry Purcell's Birthplace
- AGM 2017 & Talk
- Townsend House, Greycoat Place
- Thorney Tales (14) Siegfried Sassoon
- Chelsea College of Art & Design Collaboration
- Introducing our New Chair
- Lambeth Bridge Roundabout
- Tour of St James the Less church in Pimlico - September 2017
- Local Tree Walk with Paul Akers, WCC Arboriculturalist - September 2017
- Visit to HM Treasury building - July 2017
- Thorney Tales (13) - Elizabeth Woodville
- Suffragist Millicent Fawcett - First women honoured in Parliament Square ?
- Visit to St Margaret's Church - July 2017
- Parks: Our Shared Heritage Exhibition - July/August 2017
- Consultation by WCC on Future Growth/Building Height
- Proposed memorial statue to Lady Margaret Thatcher in Parliament Square
- Thorney Tales (12) The Jerusalem Chamber
- 61-71 Victoria Street
- Vauxhall Bridge Road/Tachbrook St Draft Development Opportunity
- Visit to Tate Britain's Archives & Library, November 2016
- Thorney Tales (11) - The Abbey Garden
- St Andrew's Club - 150th Anniversary, October 2016
- June Stubbs 1927 - 2016
- Henry V's Chantry Chapel Visit, October 2016
- Thorney Tales (10) - Oliver Cromwell v Charles I
- The Victoria Tower Gardens & The National Holocaust Memorial & Learning Centre
- Old War Office, 57 Whitehall
- Our visit to Parliament's hidden medieval places, 28th July 2016
- Westminster Fire Station
- Thorney Tales (9) - Governor of Duck Island
- Thorney Tales (8) Westminster Opera House
- Fundraising Gala Dinner September 2016
- Fundraising Gala Dinner September 2016
- New Scotland Yard, 10 Broadway
- What is Thorney Island ?
- Millbank Tower grows taller
- Welcome
- Thorney Tales (7) - Storey's Gate
- Thorney Tales (6) - St Margaret's Church, the amazing history of a window
- Paddington Tower
- WCC say "No" (AGAIN!) to proposed sculpture outside Westminster Central Hall
- Objection to proposed cycle stands in Queen Anne's Gate
- A visit to the hidden archives of Westminster Abbey, 4th November 2015
- Visit to new Parliamentary Education Centre, 28th October 2015
- Thorney Tales (5) - Westminster Hall Roof
- Thorney Tales (4) - The tomb behind one of Britain's biggest fortunes
- Thorney Tales (3) - The Jewel Tower
- Visit to the RHS Lindley Library, 14th July 2015
- Thorney Tales (2) - The River Tyburn
- The Garden Bridge Controversy
- Visit to Bridgewater House
- Queen's Walk Cycle Route, The Green Park
- Thorney Tales (1) - Britain's Hidden Treasure Trove
- AGM 2016 & the Panorama of The Thames Project
- Annual Review 2014-15