London

The Wallace Collection, London

Posted on November 1, 2022 by Louise Jayne

Back in May I went to the Wallace Collection to visit the Inspiring Walt Disney: The Animation of French Decorative Arts exhibition. In collaboration with New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art this exhibition, which finished recently, focused on how 18th century French art influenced Disney animators, particularly for the original Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast. I enjoyed the exhibit, particularly the hand drawings of the transformation of Cinderella’s dress from rags, and the audioguide which was included in the £14 for adults admission price was really well done. Somewhat inevitably photography wasn’t allowed in the exhibition. Photography is allowed however in the Wallace Collection itself, which is free to enter.

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Special Operations Executive Memorial, London

Posted on September 6, 2022 by Louise Jayne

The Special Operations Executive, headquartered in London, was formed in the Second World War to secretly recruit men and women who would perform acts of sabotage in countries occupied by Germany. The lengths that these brave men and women went through is truly remarkable and I’ve read a fair few biographies of some of the women recruited – I’d recommend A Woman of No Importance: The Untold Story of the American Spy Who Helped Win World War II by Sonia Purnell.

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Throwback Thursday: Dolphin Lamps Along the Thames, London

Posted on July 28, 2022 by Louise Jayne

George John Vulliamy, the superintending architect of the Metropolitan Board of Water, created these electric lamps that stretch along the Thames in 1870. Although they are referred to as dolphins – possibly because they are supposed to be modelled on dolphin sculptures that are part of the Fontana del Nettuno in Rome – they are actually sturgeons.

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Throwback Thursday: Boadicea and Her Daughters Sculpture, Westminster Bridge, London

Posted on July 14, 2022 by Louise Jayne

Representing Boadicea (or Boudica or Boudicca or any other manner of spellings), the queen of a British Iceni tribe who led an uprising against the Romans in AD 60-61, this sculpture can be found by Westminster Bridge opposite Big Ben. It was created by Thomas Thornycroft with help from his son William and was commissioned in the 1850s but not completed until 1898, over ten years after the sculptor had died. It was installed at the bridge in 1902.

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St Mary’s Garden, London

Posted on June 7, 2022 by Louise Jayne

St Mary’s Garden is a small public garden located next to the Garden Museum. It was created by Lambeth Borough Council in around 1932. It was originally part of the road which lead to the original Lambeth Bridge in 1862 which has since been replaced by a bridge further to the south.

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Throwback Thursday: Bowtell’s “My Children” Statue, Duke of York Square, London

Posted on June 2, 2022 by Louise Jayne

This statue, known as both “My Children” and “Two Pupils”, represents children from the Royal Military Asylum that was based at the Duke Of York’s Square, London. It’s full title was the Royal Military Asylum for the Children of Soldiers of the Regular Army and mostly educated children who were orphans or who had fathers serving overseas.

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The Garden Museum, London

Posted on May 31, 2022 by Louise Jayne

I’ve walked by the Garden Museum a few times whilst in London and when I found myself with an afternoon free I decided it was the perfect time to visit. I was largely prompted by their temporary exhibit at the time – on until 19 June – called Wild & Cultivated: Fashioning the Rose.

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Throwback Thursday: County Hall, London

Posted on May 26, 2022 by Louise Jayne

A Grade II* listed building near Westminster Bridge, it used to be the headquarters of the London and Greater London Councils. Built of Portland stone in an Edwardian Baroque style its construction began in 1911 and it was opened by George V in 1922. After 1986 it ceased its council function and the building was sold – it now houses several businesses including the Sea Life London Aquarium and two hotels.

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Holland Park/Kyoto Garden, London

Posted on May 24, 2022 by Louise Jayne

On my last trip to London there was such glorious sunny weather that I decided to head to Holland Park which I last visited in 2018. I wanted to see if the blossoms were in bloom yet on the trees – they weren’t quite but there were lots of lovely colourful flowers.

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Throwback Thursday: Statue of Hans Sloane, Duke of York Square, London

Posted on May 12, 2022 by Louise Jayne

Unveiled in 2007 this statue, made of Portland stone, is of Sir Hans Sloane, a doctor, naturalist and collector who left his collection of 71,000 items to the nation. These were the beginnings of the British Museum and the Natural History Museum.

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