Author: Candy Blackham

I love making things - gardens, food, clothes - and I would like to share my new discoveries

Free Evening Recital at Guildhall School of Music & Drama

February 23, 2013

On Thursday evening I went to one of the many free events at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama in Silk Street, next to the Barbican. Lada Valesova directed an evening of Russian Song with a wonderfully talented group of singers - there were at least two voices which should be watched for future…

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Bradshaw’s Hand Book to London, Second Day, District IV completed (no.6)

February 23, 2013

Bradshaw in hand I left St John's Priory and walked back down St John's Street. Having been trained by Mr Bradshaw to be aware of trade in the City, I noticed the warehouse of George Farmiloe, Merchant in lead and glass. The building has hardly changed since it was built in 1868. The company traded until…

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Bradshaw’s Hand Book to London & The London Tavern

February 15, 2013

When we visited Bishopsgate Mr Bradshaw drew our attention to The London Tavern. This restaurant also offered banqueting facilities for up to 2,500 people - it must have been nightmarish to work there! John Farley was the Head Chef at The London Tavern, and produced his cookery book, The London Art of Cookery, in 1783. (You can…

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Bradshaw’s Hand Book to London & Warehouses

February 14, 2013

I was worried that although Bradshaw told me I would easily identify warehouses around Queen Street, Thames Street, and Eastcheap by the activity around them I was not easily able to do so. I wondered if Pevsner would be able to help, and returned to London. The '..warehouses and industrial premises [were cleared] by bombing…

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Bradshaw’s Hand Book to London, Second Day’s Route continued, District III completed (no.4)

February 13, 2013

Mr Bradshaw sets the scene for a visit to the Tower of London: '..The very streets that introduce us to the spot, remind us of the city in its olden days, before gaslights and the new police had made the ways clear and the paths safe - when each house had its sign [wonderful…

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Bradshaw’s Hand Book to London, Second Day’s Route continued, District IV (no.5)

February 13, 2013

Mr Bradshaw, if he had been so-minded, could have named his tour through District IV as 'Crime and Retribution' - I leave you with that thought... Mr Bradshaw and I set off from St Paul's Cathedral again, '..through the great bookselling district..', (other sources say it was a 'book publishing' area - no…

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Gresham Lecture – Journal of a Georgian Gentleman

February 13, 2013

The Gresham Lectures are free, and last night I attended the lecture given by Mike Rendell at the Museum of London. He was presenting his book, Journal of a Georgian Gentleman, a detailed picture of the life of one of his ancestors in the late 1700s. Richard Hall owned a haberdashery shop at One London Bridge…

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