The Titanic Walk - Jack Phillips the "Local Lad!"

We were very lucky and managed to dodge the April Showers as we met at Farncombe Station for a guided walk about Jack Phillips, radio operator who stayed at his post summoning help as the Titanic went down.

Expert Mandy Le Boutillier was our guide for the walk.  She took us to his birth place, first school and the family grave in Nightingale Road before we met with Nick Baxter.  Nick opened up for us the restored Phillips Memorial. He talked us through the history of this and the renovations. The Memorial and its park was bought with money donated by the public at the time in honor of Jack's sacrifice in staying at his post as the ship went down.  The Memorial was designed by Thackeray and planted by Jekyll.

We finished up in Godalming Museum for coffee and cake and a look around the Titanic Exhibition which Mandy had a hand in designing.

Visit to Windsor Castle and Eton College

Following our lecture by Oliver Everett, the Emeritus Librarian of Windsor Castle, and in the Queen's Golden Jubilee year, we set off on a delightfully sunny Spring Day to the Royal Borough of Windsor and Eton.

Our coach took us to Eton College where we started the day with a guided tour of the College, its fine Gothic Chapel, housing 'the most remarkable medieval wall paintings in Northern Europe' and four John Piper stained glass windows; and the Museum of Eton Life.

Eton College was founded by Henry VI in 1441, as a charitable school, to provide free education to 70 poor boys, who would then move on to his newly founded King's College, Cambridge. It is perhaps the most famous boys public school in the World and has educated amongst others; 19 British Prime Ministers, the current Mayor of London and Princes William and Harry. Old Etonian, the 1st Duke of Wellington, professed that, "The Battle of Waterloo was won on the playing fields of Eton."

We then enjoyed a leisurely lunch in Brown's and some of us did a bit of sightseeing/shopping in Eton and Windsor before entering the Castle for tour of the outside with a guide (who is a friend of Cherry-Anne) and then an audio guided tour.

Windsor is the largest occupied castle in the World and represents 900 years of British history. Highlights of the tour included the State rooms; Waterloo Chamber, Queen Mary's Doll's House, the 60 photos for 60 years Diamond Jubilee Exhibition and St Georges Chapel; spiritual home of the Order of the Garter; resting place of 10 Sovereigns including Henry VIII and Charles I and venue for the blessing of the marriage of Prince Charles to The Duchess of Cornwall.  When we arrived the Union Jack was flying but as we left the Royal Standard had gone up, announcing the Queen's arrival for the Easter holiday.

GEDFAS Leonardo trip

We started our day with a private tour of The United Grand Lodge of England Freemasons Hall in Great Queen Street near to Covent Garden. Built as a memorial to those Masons who perished during World War 1, this Grade I listed, Art Deco building is magnificent. Particularly striking were the stained glass windows and door panels and extensive gold leaf decoration.  It is not hard to see why at night the space is used for entertainment by the film and theatre industry and also as a film set.

Lunch was in St Martin's Crypt, a 'hidden secret' by Trafalgar Square. This was good value and an interesting environment to eat in.  

Moving on the National Gallery we enjoyed an informative pre- exhibition lecture given by the National Gallery's Rebecca Lyons who studied at Oxford University and the Courtauld Institute of Art. She has worked at the National Gallery for over 12 years, during which time she has written documentary films to accompany exhibitions as well as curating touring exhibitions.

The exhibition itself Leonardo Da Vinci:Painter at the Court of Milan examined Leonardo's extraordinary observation, imagination and technique. It concentrated on his career as a court painter in Milan, working for the city's ruler Ludovico Maria Sforza, il Moro ('the Moor') in the 1480s and 1490s. Bringing together the largest ever number of Leonardo's rare surviving paintings, there were more than 60 paintings and drawings by the artist, as well as pictures by some of his closest collaborators. We were told that nearly every surviving picture that he painted in Milan during this period was included - for example, 'Portrait of a Musician' (Biblioteca Ambrosiana, Milan), the 'Saint Jerome' (Vatican, Rome), and 'The Lady with an Ermine' (Czartoryski Foundation, Cracow). We also enjoyed viewing the recently discovered Salvador Mundi.

 'A Little Night Music' at the Yvonne Arnaud

"What fools these mortals be!'Puck's summing up of human folly makes it easier to understand the words of Desiree's song 'Send in the Clowns'

In this delightful musical play three couples are mismatched - but eventually find partners in love that reflect their age and social situations better.

Sondheim's music is particularly lovely and varied - from the rousing 'Weekend in the Country' to the plangent  'Send in the Clowns' in which Desiree conveys the joys and sadness that love involves - but the final words, 'well, maybe next year...' reflects the happy ending of the play.

The production was excellent in all respects, and received a rapturousreception from a full house. Many thanks to GEDFAS that secured  ticketsfor members, and ensured that we enjoyed a brilliant evening's entertainment.           

 Visit to Pallent House Gallery and Chichester Cathedral

What struck me most was about that this wonderful Gallery are the stories behind the art works, benefactors who were able to have the vision to make collections of British Modern Art for us all to enjoy for years to come.

Our guide explained that Pallent House held a Collection of Collections from some amazing people, from Charles King, with his small collection of Bo porcelain in Room 2, Walter Hussy ,The Dean of Chichester and Charles Keele who set apart £ 700 per month for years to buy Art for the Gallery collecting European masters like Picasso, and Cézanne. Plus the Pop Art collected by Colin St John-Wilson. The work carries on today with some wonderful sponsors, and with passionate volunteers who knew the works intimately and where able to share their knowledge.

Spencer Finch: The Evening Star and 'Passing Cloud after Constable' in the stairwell of Pallent House, is a stunning star-burst of neon light. Our guide showed us how the sculpture manipulated light and perception, providing a startling contrast to the historic chandelier that hangs in the 18th century house.

For me personally the taxidermy at the bottom of the stairwell left quite an impression, Neil Haman's 'The City Lights Shine Brightly in their Eyes' re-imagines a traditional museum diorama as a urban wasteland, in which birds, rabbits and squirrels are caught in a chilling death after an oil-slick or other Man-made disasters.

 
Most of us finished this tour with a delicious lunch in the restaurant at Pallent House Gallery giving us a chance to meet and talk to fellow members and guests the hum of chatting and eating was followed by a short stroll to the Cathedral to enjoy a Lunchtime Recital by Students from the Cathedral School. And then a informative tour of the Cathedral....

Visit to The Anna Lea Merritt Murals at St Martin's Church, Blackheath Village