Thomas Moore email: TMooreSr@me.com Telephone: 801.791.9918
April 29, 2013
April 12, 2013
March 21, 2013
SPRING IS THE PERFECT TIME TO VISIT THE POET KEAT’S MUSEUM IN NORTH LONDON NW3
The KEATS MUSEUM has been closed for refurbishment for several years. Fortunately, it is again open to the public, and it is a great pleasure to see it in its beautiful new restoration. Last spring, Stephanie and I decided it was the perfect day to take off to London NW3 to see the gardens and museum dedicated to John Keats who died at such a young age, leaving behind some of the most beautiful poems in the English language. We had a wonderful visit, and the Regency house is beautiful; the gardens as nostalgic. TIME OUT wrote an article about visiting which I would like to post.
Thomas Moore email: TMooreSr@me.com Telephone: 801.791.9918
March 6, 2013
March 5, 2013
“GROSVENOR HOUSE” – THE RESIDENCE OF THE DUKES OF WESTMINSTER IN THE 19TH CENTURY
We all know the Grosvenor Hotel on Park Lane, and we realize that the building is new. Actually, I have never wondered about the buildings which occupied this site before the famous hotel. One of my contributors sent me a couple of images of the old “Grosvenor House Screen” which once graced the entrance to Grosvenor House, once the residence of the Marquis and Dukes of Westminster. The residence and screen were torn down early in the 20th century. I thought my readers might like to see these images of the Grosvenor House Screen and House, once on the site of the Grosvenor Hotel. Very interesting bit of history of the city of London.
Thomas Moore email: TMooreSr@me.com Telephone: 801.791.9918
February 25, 2013
THE QUEEN ELIZABETH GATES, HYDE PARK — CELEBRATING THE QUEEN MOTHER’S 93RD BIRTHDAY
Many years ago, I read that Queen Elizabeth and King George VI had hired a truck and in the middle of the night went to Apsley house–bombs falling right and left. They had heard that the Duke of Wellington had not been able to remove the contents of Apsley House before the bombings began. I was so impressed with this bit of history; it is so in character with the Royal Couple. So, I decided I would wander over to Apsley House and enjoy the art collection. When I arrived near Hyde Park Corner, there was a lot of security and congestion. I waited until the congestion started to clear and three royal cars passed by. I learned that it was the dedication of the Queen Elizabeth Gates on Hyde Park Corner. I walked over to see them. My first impression was the shimmering confusion of steel made no sense. Then I realized it was creating in metal an English garden with a profusion of flowers. The gates were named after the Queen Mother, and I realized the gates were an effort to capture the light-hearted spirit of one of the most popular members of the Royal Family in generations. They were her gardens. There was a great deal of discussion about the gates, but like all things different, there were those for and those against. For me, they made me smile.
Thomas Moore email: TMooreSr@me.com Telephone: 801.791.9918
February 19, 2013
ST JAMES’S PALACE: HENRY VIII’s PALACE ON THE MALL
St James’s Palace seems to be the place where no one goes and certainly is not found on a visitor’s itinerary. This very ancient place is not open to the general public but serves as London residence to many members of the Royal Family including Princess Eugenie, Princess Beatrice, Princess Anne, and Princess Alexandra. Even though the old palace is closed to the public, its facades are fascinating. I love walking down Cleveland Row, enjoying all the windows, weather vanes, clock, Chapel Royal windows celebrating the Queen’s Jubilee, Henry VIII Gate, and that old London brick. I enjoy walking up and down St. James’s Street past all the clubs, always having St. James’s Palace in view. For years, my family kept a home in a mews behind Clarence House before we moved to Belgravia to a much larger residence because of a very quickly growing family. But my many years walking down Cleveland Row and being best friends with this building were some of the best years of my life.
Actually, it is difficult to find adequate images of the old palace. It isn’t like Buckingham Palace where there are fabulous virtual tours and endless photographs of state room after stateroom. But while gathering images and histories, I have answered several questions which I have been curious about. So, here we go. The Royal Apartments were on the east side of the Palace and were connected to the Queen’s Chapel, built in Stuart times for the King’s Catholic wife. A fire consumed the Royal Apartments which were never rebuilt, leaving the Queen’s Chapel standing on its own. That answers that question. Around the Palace, there are row after row of Georgian-style windows, obviously not Tudor in style or date; these windows were added during George III’s time when he lived at Buckingham House down the road but held court functions at St James’s Palace. We know about these afternoon receptions from writings of Ben Franklin who was snubbed by the King when the American wished to acknowledge the King. It was the moment when Ben Franklin became an American in spirit, untying his allegiance to his King and became the wise old man of compromise in Philadelphia. The Tudor Palace had taken on several refurbishments and the interior became a Georgian residence in all regards. Thus we have the exterior Georgian windows on a Tudor building. Looking at the Henry VIII Gate from the top of St. James’s Street, the clocks dominates the building. Again, it is obviously not 16th century created by Henry VIII; it was added by William IV in the 1830′s. The old palace has evolved over the centuries and now has large reception rooms, several royal apartments, and an addition: Clarence House. Clarence House was added for William IV, Duke of Clarence, son of George III. He loved the old house and refused to move into unfinished Buckingham Palace after the death of George IV. These days, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother enjoyed fifty years in Clarence House. And now, the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Clarence and Prince Harry (soon to move to Kensington Palace near his brother) live in Clarence House, the Georgian addition to St james’s Palace. For those who are in London during the late summer/early fall weeks, Clarence House is open to the public. Once arrives for a summer visit through the garden side of St James’s Palace which gives a visitor a wonderful view of the south side of the old Palace. It is really wonderful. My articles about St James’s Palace are adequate, but the images are small and rather pool. But that is all that I could find for my article. So, please enjoy the history of this amazing building which I have grown to love. The photograph at the top of this article was taken by my camera as I was standing on the Mall waiting for the Queen’s Carriage Procession, hosting the Saudi royal family.
Thomas Moore email: TMooreSr@me.com Telephone: 801.791.9918
February 2, 2013
(THE) ALBANY, PICCADILLY — LONDON’S BEST ADDRESS AND HOME TO SOME OF LONDON’S HISTORIC PERSONALITIES
Several years ago, my three daughters and I were reading SOMERSET MAUGHAN’s ”Of Human Bondage.” We were in London and decided that we would find some of the London locations that Maughan included in his novel. We were living in our home in St James’s so the first search and discovery was prostitute Mildred’s haunt down Piccadilly up Air Street and down Regent Street. We also stood on the main porch of the National Gallery overlooking Trafalgar Square where both the initial and closing paragraphs are identified. As we wandered down Piccadilly back to St James’s Street and home, we decided that we would see if the porter would show us around (The) Albany where many famous London personalities lived over the years including W. Somerset Maugham. The porter was fantastic and brought the old 18th century alive. Since it was a building of private apartments, we were asked not to take photographs, so I found numerous images on the Internet which give a good impression of the building.
Albany was first known as Melbourne House and was the residence of the 1st Viscount Melbourne; it was designed and built by William Chambers. The residence was then purchased by Frederick, Duke of York and Albany (1763-1827) who gave his name to the building. In 1803, Henry Holland who designed Brook’s Club redesigned the interior to include 69 “sets” or bachelor apartments for gentlemen and aristocrats. The residents have been legendary. I often walk New Bond Street looking in the windows of some of the most famous Jewelers and turn left at Ralph Lauren’s lovely shop and continue on to Savile Row to look at the tailoring shops. At that corner, there is a black door, between two art shops, which is the small, private, and very secure back door of Albany. The door opens on to a long covered walk way called THE ROPE WALK. The entire setting is exclusive, stunning–it’s a time capsule on the highest level. Here is a list of people who have lived in Albany over the years, and I know of several others which are not included such as W Somerset Maughan.
The back entrance off Savile Row:
The Rope Walk:
I love this mid-18th century architecture and especially the few William Chambers works still standing in London. It must be preserved at all costs–the building and its history. While you are exploring, wandering, and snooping around London, take a look at this wonderful site which is such contrast to the modern noises of Piccadilly.
Thomas Moore email: TMooreSr@me.com Telephone: 801.791.9918
