Let's sit in the Conservatory

Photo by Mike Peel
Conservatory at the Horniman Museum

It may not come as a big shock that Great Britain does not have an overabundance of sunny days, but the people of Britain make the most of what they have. To that end, the English Conservatory (English pronunciation:  Con servtry) became wildly popular to the upwardly mobile in the 1970’s. A conservatory is defined as having a glass roof with at least three walls of windows. While the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are adding a 16ft by 16ft conservatory to the kitchen of their new country home, Anmer Hall. For those who don’t have country estates gifted to them from their "gran," they can buy do it yourself kits for as low as £995. The 19^th century was the height of conservatory building in England and reached it’s peak with the Crystal Palace, which housed the 1851 Exhibition in London.

Their are many magnificent public conservatories that are built of iron and glass scattered all over Great Britain. Humbler versions can be found attached to houses all over the sun challenged, garden loving nation. As a side note, the Crystal Palace had the first major installation of public toilets, which were then called Retiring Rooms. During the exhibition, visitors paid one penny to use them. This is the origination of the euphemism, "spending a penny."

God Save the Pub!



Photo by David Monniax
Ye Olde Man & Scythe in Bolton



Photo by Ashley Pomeroy
Interior of English Pub

When visiting Britain, I make it a point to visit a pub a day. I love British Pubs with their cozy welcoming atmosphere steeped in history. I’m not a huge drinker, but I love architecture, and there’s nothing better than an English Pub for preserving historical architecture. But Pub’s are in decline in Great Britain at the moment. According to CAMRA/British Beer & Pub Association, up to 18 pubs a week closed in 2012. There are many reasons for this including the ruling by the British government in the 1980’s that no brewery was allowed to have more than 2,000 tied houses by November 1992. Before then, the six big breweries owned about 80% of British pubs. It was thought that the "Beer Orders" would break up that monopoly. Instead, pubs were sold to "pubcos." Because they did not actually make the drinks, they were exempt from the law and just created a different type of monopoly.
Another reason for the decline of pubs is the change of British society. Many younger people favor drinking in bars or clubs. Traditionally Public Houses served as a community meeting place. Most people did not entertain at home, as their rooms were too small. But people today are spending more and more time at home.

Pubs are changing and have not only added food to the menu, but gastropub’s are popping up everywhere. A gastropub is concerned with the quality of the food and sometimes even concentrating on making certain the food is bought locally. This has helped reinvigorate the pub culture and British dining. Some communities are creating cooperative pubs. Locals raise money to buy a pub and then become shareholders. This originated in rural areas where the pub is essential to a small community. No matter how times change, there will always be a need for a good British pub!

Richmond and Kew Gardens

  Photo by Stephen Boisvert
Kew Palace 

The majority of American visitors to London, come only once and that is a real shame because it is when you get past the first time must see places, that the true wonder of London exposes itself. There is always a new place to explore. One of my favorites lies just outside of London and is easily accessible by tube. The Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew www.kew.org  is a great mix of history with beauty and a favorite British pastime, gardening. I am currently reading a biography of the six daughters of King George III and they spend their childhood at Kew. Having actually visited where the scenes take place really helps bring history alive. 

Visitors walking into Palm House cannot help but be amazed by the size of the glass building. It was the first large-scale structure to use wrought iron and was finished in 1848. All of the panes of glass are hand blown. The Palm House is the largest Victorian glasshouse in existence and is a must see. Kew Palace was also known as Dutch House and was the royal palace of George III. As a side-note, George III married Princess Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz in Chapel Royal, St. James Palace, which was featured in yesterday’s post. Dutch House is the smallest of the British royal palaces. George III prided himself on living a simple life. It was built around 1631 and uses the Flemish Bond style of brick laying which involves laying the bricks with the long and short sides alternating. The gabled front combined with the Flemish Bond style gives the building a definite Dutch appearance.

The Palmhouse  Photo by David Hawgood

The nearby town of Richmond is also worth a visit. It is one of the wealthiest areas of London and has many pubs and shops that are worth visiting. Richmond Green is at the heart of the town, which sits on the River Thames. Richmond village green features the renowned Maids of Honour Row of three story houses. These were built for the maids of honour, or trusted wardrobe servants of Queen Caroline, queen consort of George II. Amazingly enough, this area is only 8 miles southwest of Charing Cross
  

 

Intimate Christening for Prince George



Wedding of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in Chapel Royal

Once again the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are abandoning tradition and doing things their way. Normally, a future King’s Christening is held in the large Music Room at Buckingham Palace. The christening of Prince George will be taking place in the much more intimate Chapel Royal in St. James Palace. The christening will be held on October 23^rd. Until recently, William and Harry’s offices were run out of St. James Palace. The Chapel Royal is special to William, as it was the place where his mother Princess Diana’s coffin lay before her funeral at Westminster Abbey. It was also the Duchess of Cambridge had her formal confirmation into the Church of England in April 2011, before her marriage to Prince William.

Originally the term Chapel Royal referred to a body of priests and singers who served the spiritual needs of the Sovereign. It now refers to the buildings where the monarch worships. The two main Chapels Royal are both located in St. James Palace, the Chapel Royal and the Queen’s Chapel.

Henry VIII built it in 1540 after his fourth marriage to Anne of Cleves. The Chapel has been a witness to much history. Elizabeth I chose to pray here during the Spanish Armada. George Frederick Handel was an organist here. He was appointed by George II as "Composer of Musick of His Majesty’s Chappel Royal" in 1723. Prince George’s great, great, great, grandmother, Queen Victoria was married in 1840 to Prince Albert. Their marriage certificate still hangs in the chapel’s vestry.

I remember walking into the Queen’s Chapel which, is connected to St. James Palace on my first visit to London. It was exceptionally dark and filled with dark wood. St. James Palace is still a working palace even thought it is not mentioned much. Before the Queen Mother died and left him nearby Clarence House, this was the London home of Prince Charles and his sons, William and Harry. It is currently the London home of the Princess Royal, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie of York.


St. James Palace, London  

London Housing



Houses in Holland Park, London by Danny Robinson

When visiting London, it’s always fun to think about what it would be like to live there. It sounds so nice to be in an exciting international city until you learn about the cost. I remember my first look at an estate agents window and thinking that the prices were pretty reasonable. That was until it was explained that those prices were weekly! This is undoubtedly to prevent sticker shock! London is one of the most expensive housing markets in the world. The average rent in the posh Kensington area for a two bedroom flat is approximately £4,000 or $5,395! And the average price to buy London Property is $3,890-$4,300 per square foot.

Americans are used to space, it’s the first thing you learn to live without in London. A case in point is the refrigerator. In America, refrigerators are big and bigger, but in London, you might easily find what we would refer to as a dorm size refrigerator to serve a two-bedroom flat! Every resident is also required to pay a council tax which is based on the specific area that your are living in. It can range from £700 per year to about £2000 per year. The local council is responsible for running most local services such as schools, waste collections, social services and roads. There is also tax for the Greater London Authority.


London Row Houses by Supermac1961

I did a cost comparison of Chicago to London and London was 84% higher. To compare where you live, please visit http://www.expatistan.com/cost-of-living.
The one nice thing about the London housing markets is the individuality of properties. There are not as many cookie cutter apartment buildings as most flats are in pre-existing homes. Of course, it does all depend upon where you live. London is quite large and the further out you live, the less expensive it is. If you would like to do a little snooping there is a great site to give you a picture of what you could expect should you move to London http://www.foxtons.co.uk/.   Happy dreaming!


Fancy a cup of Tea?

Betty’s Tea Rooms Photo by Harry Wood

I remember coming back to my friends’ house after a long afternoon walking the wet streets of London, feeling as if I was about to catch a major cold. She said, "Don’t worry, I’ll put the kettle on. A cup of tea is all you need." I have drunk herbal tea for 20 years, but I had never had a proper cup of English tea before. She added milk and sugar and it made all the difference. It was so soothing and really invigorated me. It was then that I understood the allure of a good cuppa. It restores you. The word "cuppa" emanates from the fondness of Brits towards tea – you would never have to ask a cup of what?

Tea is still the drink of choice for Brits for good reason. It warms you on a chilly day, it’s good for your health as it contains antioxidants and may even reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke. The custom of drinking afternoon tea began with Anna, the 7^th Duchess of Bedford in the 19^th century. Before this it was the custom to only eat two meals a day – breakfast and their dinner around noon. Eventually, dinner was moved to late evening, which left the Duchess with a sinking feeling around 4 o’clock. She asked for a pot of tea along with sandwiches and cakes, which is now referred to as teatime.

Milky Tea Photo by Brett TaylorLike many things in Britain, class enters into the discussion of tea. While tea is the light afternoon meal we Americans think of, for other classes tea is the evening meal served around 5 or 6pm after coming home from work. Instead of saying, "What’s for dinner? as we would in America, they would say, "What’s for tea?" Americans tend to call tea time, "High Tea" thinking it is the delicate tea that is served to the upper classes around 4pm, when in actuality, "High Tea" refers to the working class tea served at a dinner table with high chairs. Afternoon tea is served on low tables, which explains the two names.

British tea is usually Black tea, which is served with milk and possibly sugar. The cream in "Cream tea" actually refers to clotted cream, which is served on scones, usually with strawberry jam. Tearooms can still be found around Great Britain and are part of the great British Tradition. Perhaps the most famous is Betty’s Cafe Tea Rooms in the fashionable spa town of Harrogate which opened in 1919. 

Going to Uni?

Oxford University

Like many things in Britain, college life is somewhat different than in the U.S. Many British students choose to take a "Gap Year" between their version of high school and going on to University. It is felt that a Gap Year can help a student to grow and explore their opportunities. The practice began in the 1960’s in Great Britain and several other countries have adopted the practice. Often Times a Gap Year is taken abroad in order to immerse the student in another language and culture. It is also a way to provide some voluntary charity service. Work done during a Gap Year is seen as a way to gain real life work experience and build social and business networks.

Upon entering University, often referred to as "Uni" pronounced You Knee, they will partake in "Freshers’ Week". The idea is for a student to become acclimated to a new city, and form friendships early. During this week their is often a Fresher’s Fair with all the University clubs and societies setting up booths, making it easy for a newcomer to see all the options that are available. Their are tours of the town and historical sites. Music plays a large role in Fresher’s week and there are many concerts and parties. Edinburgh University’s Baking Society threw an afternoon tea. Their are pub and coffee crawls and the obligitory University tour. More than anything, it is meant to be a fun introduction to University Life.

Dining Hall during formal dinner at Cambridge University

One of the most interesting differences between American Universities and British Universities, is the cost. Harvard University’s 2012-14 tuition is $56,407, while Oxford and Cambridge University is £9000 or $14,500 for British Students!