As a reward to myself I visited the London Fire Brigade Museum in Southwark today. I had tried to get on a tour two or three times previously but kept having to cancel due to pressure of work. I really wanted to visit to do some picture research for the book. Anyway, this time I made it, and saw […]
Historic Westminster
Vulgar Clatter and Clamour
Sent off chapters 7 to 10 today to my prospective agent, at the end of a day of leave. Feel very pleased. Also sailed over the 99,000 word mark with some last minute splicing in of new sources. One of my favourite bits added today: Contemporaries described the fire as (amongst other things), “fearfully imposing” […]
Treasures of the Victoria Tower
Delighted to see a really great review of the book I recently finished with colleagues at work. Hits the nail right on the head about what we were trying to do. Here’s hoping my solo effort will get the same reaction…
The Loneliness of the Longdistance Narrative Historian
After my nine-day marathon of writing, and a bit of work over the Bank Holiday weekend, I have now jogged past the 75,000 word milepost. I am very pleased with progress, but the first three and a half chapters are still just a series of half-digested chunks of narrative and references which is annoying. […]
Hidden Treasure
Popped into the St Stephen’s cloisters by Westminster Hall today, which were half destroyed by the fire in 1834 (then again by the Blitz) but half survive. They were built just over a decade before the dissolution of the monasteries, so weren’t used as intended for very long. They are marvellous, and an incredible survival right in the middle […]
