One of the most valuable things about living in Bloomsbury is having the British Museum (with free entry) on our doorstep. On Friday night we took advantage of the museum’s extended opening hours, spending time in the galleries sponsored by Lord Duveen of Millbank. On a Friday night, the museum is usually much less crowded than in… [Read more…]
February 22, 2012
Yorkshire-born John Harrison (1693 – 1776) was an accomplished, obsessive and indomitable designer and manufacturer of time pieces, the art of horology. He was an innovator in his field, with his inventions literally helping to change the course of history, and his marine timekeepers were adapted for use by navigators including Captain James Cook (1728 – 1779). There… [Read more…]
February 10, 2012
If you happen to be in the local area over the next few months, with half an hour to spare, pop in to University College London‘s Art Museum, where a small exhibition is showcasing the life of French philosopher and author Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778). This event marks the 300th anniversary of his birth, and features books and… [Read more…]
September 16, 2011
This being the 100th anniversary of the death of Francis Galton (1822 – 1911), and having discovered that UCL‘s Galton Collection is not currently open to the public (due to staffing & relocation issues), I’ve delved into my photo album to bring you some pictures from my own visit to the archive a few years ago. Francis… [Read more…]
April 27, 2011
What is a caryatid? If you’ve ever walked along Euston Rd, just past the northern edge of Bloomsbury, you will have probably seen them adorning the north side of St Parish Pancras Church. They can also be found on the south side. The church itself sits roughly midway between the British Library to the east, and… [Read more…]
April 12, 2011
In the South Cloisters of the main building at University College London (above), is an unassuming wooden cupboard. Inside is the auto-icon of a philosopher. Dressed in his own clothes, and topped with a wax head (the original is preserved elsewhere in the college collections), he has proudly occupied the site since 1850, as specified in his will. The… [Read more…]
London Bytes
February 26, 2012
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