CONTENT
- Royal Worcester Porcelain
- London Tours revisited
- Encyclopedia of British History
- UK Travel tips and news
Welcome friends, its time to put the kettle on, settle into a comfortable armchair, and enjoy the best of Britain with Britain Update. But before you do, please take the time to forward this newsletter to someone who loves Britain as much as you do.
David Ross, Publisher
Destinations
Royal Worcester Porcelain Works
Worcester, Worcestershire, England
Worcester Porcelain has been manufacturing fine china since 1751, making it the oldest English porcelain company still active. The company was granted a royal warrant in 1789, and today enjoys the prestige of being the preferred chinaware of Queen Elizabeth. Royal Worcester Porcelain enjoys an avid international following and is highly prized by collectors.
The works are located on Severn Street, a site they have occupied for over 160 years. Included in the complex of buildings are a museum (The Museum of Worcester Porcelain), factory shop, where you can occasionally find excellent deals on "seconds", a theatre where you can view a film on the history of the pottery, and The Manufactory, where you can experience what life was like for a potter at the turn of the 20th century.
More about Royal Worcester Porcelain ...
London Tours revisited
In the last issue of Britain Update, I took a very quick look at some of the options available to visitors interested in a guided tour of London. Bruce Cherry, who runs the respected Backroads Touring Company, was understandably miffed that there was no mention of his company's tour offerings. And that got me thinking. There are so many interesting ways to explore London, and so many companies offering travel-related services. I took some time to put together a list of some of the major companies on this web page: /great_british_sites/tour-ops-london.htm.
Though the resources listed cannot be described as all-inclusive (there are so many companies and individuals offering travel services in the London area that to describe them all would fill a small book), the list should provide a useful overview if you are planning to spend time in London soon.
Resources
I know that many Britain Update readers share my enthusiasm for British History. Here's a useful web resource that provides a lot of interesting reading. Although aimed primarily at students, it provides a valuable amount of information, presented simply.
Encyclopaedia of British History:1700-1960
A comprehensive encyclopaedia produced for the National Grid of Learning, the encyclopaedia currently contains 2,445 entries and is an attempt to show the history of Britain through the eyes of people from all levels of society. This is a reference work that provides as much information about Marie Corbett as it does about Queen Victoria; where Henry Hetherington's life is examined in the same sort of detail as that of the Duke of Wellington. The encyclopaedia is divided into the following sections: Emancipation of Women, Textile Industry, Entrepreneurs, Religion, Trade Unions, Socialism, Members of Parliament, Peterloo, Parliamentary Reform, Chartism, Scotland, Education, Slavery, Prime Ministers, Child Labour, Parliamentary Legislation, London in the 19th Century, Political Parties and Election Results, Engineers, Railways, Artists & Architects, Cartoonists, Poets & Novelists, Theatre, Poverty, Health and Housing, Towns & Cities, Journalists, Newspapers & Magazines, and Publishers.
Travel Tips and News
Darwin Centre Opens in London
Visitors to London's Natural History Museum will, for the first time, have behind-the-scenes access to the museum's vast collections when the first phase of the Darwin Centre opens on September 30.
The new centre will enable visitors to explore the huge storerooms, filled with more than 22 million zoology specimens, previously available only to curators and researchers. They include sea creatures collected by Capt. Cook on his 1768 voyage to Australia, and lizards brought back by Charles Darwin on his historic HMS Beagle expedition.
The second phase of the centre is due to open in 2007, and will house the entomology and botany collections of 28 million insects and six million plants. By then, nearly 80 per cent of the museum's collections will be accessible to the public - currently, it is only one per cent of over 70 million items.
The centre will be the only place in the UK where the public can interact with scientists seven days a week, and see how the collection helps address such issues as air quality, causes of disease and the maintenance of ecosystems. Open daily, admission free.
Website: http://www.nhm.ac.uk/darwincentre
Guide to London Statues
From Peter Pan to William Shakespeare; from Sherlock Holmes to Sir Winston Churchill: London is filled with more than 600 statues and monuments. They are described and many are illustrated in a newly revised book, “Discovering London Statues and Monuments” .
Authored by Margaret Baker, the book (available from Shire Books http://www.shirebooks.co.uk (£10.99) is a useful statue-spotters’ guide, complete with maps. The 224-page book also mentions significant omissions. Why is there no statue of J.M. Turner, England’s greatest painter, or the composer Handel, for example?
New Scottish Highland Gardens
Horticulture meets the performing arts in an unusual new garden taking shape in the Scottish Highlands. Six acres of overgrown woodland next to the celebrated Pitlochry Festival Theatre is being transformed into a series of spaces dedicated to the arts – including an amphitheatre overlooking the River Tummel.
These spaces will be used for musical and theatrical performances based on the lives and legends of Scotland’s plant collectors, such as David Douglas who introduced more than 200 new plants to Britain including the Douglas fir, sunflowers and lupins.
The Scottish Plant Collectors’ Garden, Pitlochry, which opened in June, is home to a wide range of rare and unusual varieties. It makes an interesting stop for visitors going north from Edinburgh to the Highlands. It opens daily, admission £2. Website: http://www.scottishplantcollectorsgarden.com.
Work on a separate garden attraction has begun to the south near the ancient city of Perth. Scotland’s Garden is a £40 million project to establish a world-class horticultural attraction on a 45-acre site, including demonstration and themed gardens, glasshouses and an arboretum. It is expected to open in 2003. Perthshire Tourist Board website: http://www.perthshire.co.uk
Channel Island is Wildlife Haven
Alderney, the most northerly of the Channel Islands, is promoting itself as a haven for wildlife enthusiasts. The newly formed Alderney Wildlife Trust has produced a series of free leaflets describing an all-year programme of walks on the 3½ mile-long by 1½ mile wide island -- it is the first Channel Island to join the Wildlife Trust partnership. Website: http://www.alderney.net.
New London Guides
Four new guides have been published covering London attractions.
The London Borough of Tower Hamlets has produced two of the guides. ‘Walks in Wapping and Limehouse’ and ‘Walks in the Isle of Dogs’ take in walks past many historic buildings and landmarks in this corner of East London. These free leaflets can be obtained from local libraries, council buildings and tourist information centres. http://www.britainexpress/TIC/London.htm
‘Museum of London: Talking Guide’ is the new official guide to the Museum of London and the first of the Scala Talking Guide. It covers all aspects of London life and includes an audio CD of the Acoutiguide tour. Further information: http://www.scalapublishers.com
The Worldwide Guide to Movie Locations - This new guide is dedicated to movie locations in London and the South East. It has behind the scenes information and anecdotes on movies such as ‘Notting Hill’, ‘American Werewolf in London’ and ‘Harry Potter’. It also has full-colour features on major locations providing an in-depth guide for travellers with a passion for movies. Further information contact Alice Gledhill Hall at alice.gledhill.hall@titanemail.com
London Events and Attractions
Hungerford Bridge
The second Hungerford Footbridge is now open to the public with the official opening scheduled for Spring 2003 when all the work on the site is complete. An estimated 7 million people each year will cross the bridges providing easy access between Waterloo, Charing Cross and Embankment.
The British Library
Produced in Cairo seven hundred years ago, a Qur'an known as Sultan Baybar's Qur'an is the first Islamic manuscript to benefit from the British Library's 'turning the pages technology'. Visitors to the library can now 'turn' a selection of pages on screen with this new touch screen facility. http://www.bl.uk
Black History Month
Taking place across the capital during October, Black History Month provides the opportunity to learn about and celebrate the contribution made by black men and women, through exhibitions, dance, theatre and talks and debates.
The Vault - Unlocked
See Buddy Holly's glasses, the 'Flying V Gibson' played by Jimi Hendrix or the lyrics 'Imagine' by John Lennon all at the Hard Rock Café's new exhibition 'The Vault'. Music fans can take a guided tour through the history of rock 'n' roll seeing such other memorabilia as Jim Morrison's leather trousers and Elvis' custom-finished Harley Davidson. The Vault is open daily from midday until 10pm, admission is free.
Courtauld Institute of Art
The Courtauld Institute Gallery will unveil more than a hundred works of 20th Century art on 10 October. Ranging from the 1890s to the 1960s the works will comprise of paintings, sculptures and works on paper.
Handel House Museum
To celebrate its first anniversary the Handel House Museum in London is hosting a series of events throughout November. These include an exclusive day at Chapel Royal and a masterclass with founder and director of The Academy of Ancient Music Christopher Hogwood. In addition to special events, there will be more weekly events, family activities and study events.
The Handel House Museum is located at 25 Brook Street, London. It was home to the baroque composer George Frideric Handel from 1723 until his death in 1759. It was there that he composed some of the greatest music in history, including Messiah, Zadok the Priest, and Fireworks Music.
The Museum celebrates Handel's life and works, displaying portraits of Handel and his contemporaries in finely restored Georgian interiors and bringing live music back to his house. A meticulous restoration project has restored as faithfully as possible the early Georgian interiors Handel would have known. The museum visit is a tour through Handel's home introducing the visitor to the composer, his music and his time through displays of fine and decorative arts including important works from the Handel House Collection.
Further information visit http://www.handelhouse.org/
London Christmas Shopping Highlights
Its not too early to think ahead to Christmas in London! Details of several popular events have been released already.
The luxury emporium, Fortnum & Mason is providing a ‘sumptuous selection of treats to eat’ for Christmas. On offer will be a Christmas cheeseboard of Fortnum’s finest cheeses, gentlemen’s relish in pewter pots and authentic farmhouse-made hams. There will also be a selection of presents for ‘someone who has everything’ – including a dinosaur egg, a mammoth bone necklace and a Mesopotamian arrowhead.
The Regent Street lights will be turned on Wednesday 13 November and will remain lit until 6 January 2003.
Bluebird food store’s new Christmas ranges include striped candy canes, silver and gold candies, chocolate caviar and edible Christmas tree baubles. Other delights include an exploding French chocolate bomb, Turkish delight, German gingerbread and Italian pan fortes, plus free-range turkeys, home-made stuffing and ready-to-go canapes. Bluebird, 350 King’s Road, SW3.
At Harrods, a range of traditional hams from all over Europe will be stocked in the charcuterie department, along with a Kosher section, Japanese sushi and Halal foods. Some of the world’s finest caviar and foie gras are also on offer. A wide selection of Christmas cakes and specialities will also be on sale, from mince pies and pudding through to panettone from Italy and Spanish nougat.
http://www.harrods.co.uk
Enamel specialist, Halcyon Days, has launched their 2002 Christmas box; its inspiration was a Russian lacquer box. This year’s box is the 30th in the annual series and shows children embracing Santa Claus. There also is a choice of enamel tree ornaments, entitled ‘Kissing under the mistletoe’ and a holly-decorated quartz desk alarm. Seasonal items are priced between £59 and £98.
For more information visit http://www.halcyondays.co.uk
CHRISTMAS PARTY VENUES
Lords
Lords cricket ground is offering Christmas packages from £31 per person. It includes room hire, Bucks Fizz on arrival, dinner and festive novelties on each table.
Eventwise
EventWise has re-released three of the most popular Christmas dates - Friday 6, Saturday 7 and Saturday 14 December - for party packages at the prestigious No 4 Hamilton Place, home of the Royal Aeronautical Society. Christmas at No 4 has a sophisticated London Splendour theme. Prices start at £85 per head and include reception drinks, a three-course meal, theming, party novelties, disco and full EventWise event management. Upgrades are available on drinks packages and the team can easily arrange other tailoring of the basic party package. Further information from Jill Gaskell at eventnews@eventwise.co.uk
More information on London events can be obtained from the London Tourist Board website http://www.visitlondon.com
That's all for now. Until next issue, let me remind you that laughter is contagious. Be a carrier.
David Ross, Publisher, Britain Express
