When I wrote The Day Parliament Burned Down I didn’t know anything about the economics of the book trade. Now I do. What I know is a lot more about how high-street bookshops are struggling in the face of massive competition from supermarkets and Amazon, and that we should do all we can to support […]
The 1834 Fire
An Unknown Painting of the 1834 Fire Surfaces
Over 44 artists captured the terrible accidental fire which devastated the old Palace of Westminster on 16 October 1834, and its consequences. Renditions ranged from quick pen and pencil doodles to full-scale oil paintings and commercial engravings. The most frequently-painted view of the fire was from the eastern, Lambeth, bank of the river (the most […]
Another Relic of the Old Houses of Parliament
News has reached me from British Columbia of yet another snuff box made from the salvaged wood of the Painted Chamber. So far this is the most far-flung one I know of: taken there by someone who emigrated in 1929. Can anyone do better? Any in Australia or New Zealand, for example? Keep hunting!
Yet More Relics of the Old Palace
I blogged this time last year about the snuff boxes made from salvaged wood from the old Palace which still occasionally turn up at antique dealers, and early in 2013 about the mysterious ornaments made from stonework of St Stephen’s for the delight of antiquaries. Now I’m thrilled to report that this week I acquired two pieces of fabric from […]
Talking Books 2: How to be the Perfect Talk Host
I’ve been in two minds about whether to publish this post. You see, this one is about what makes a good experience for a speaker. Not what makes a good talk, but the view from the other side of the mike: what makes a good host. It may offend some people, but here goes, because […]
Happy Anniversary, Great Fire of Westminster!
Yes, it’s 179 years since the old Houses of Parliament burned down. Last year there was the very successful real-time tweet of the events of 16 October 1834 (you can still see the story as it unfolded on Twitter), and this year there are more treats to mark the anniversary. Firstly, there’s a brand new […]
