20 May 2013

John Wesley's House Blog - May 2013

Exciting times! The refurbished Museum of Methodism is re-opening on the 25th May, and it will tell the story of Methodism’s immense influence on Britain and the world.

Our new museum is being delivered in two phases; phase one opening at the end of May, with phase two to be completed by November 2013. The project has brought together some of the UK’s finest craftsmen and storytellers; and the architects, John McAslan & Partners, as well as the designers, Barker Langham, have come straight from transforming King’s Cross station and the Royal Opera House. Everything is being completed in record time!

Huw Edwards, the BBC presenter, narrates our new seven-minute audio-visual presentation and the latest technology, including tablet computers, provides interactive access to major archival documents, such as John Wesley’s sermons and Charles Wesley’s hymns. 

Three permanent exhibitions will be ready for the official opening:

“The Warmed Heart” tells the story of John Wesley’s conversion.  His Field Bible is one of the objects on display in a contemplative space. 

“Mr Wesley’s New Chapel” traces the history of Wesley’s Chapel using a series of maps of Finsbury and Islington, the earliest of which dates to 1746.

“Connecting the Connexion” illustrates John’s Wesley’s visionary organisational system of Methodist societies, classes and bands.  Exhibits include a range of membership tickets and a print of Francis Asbury, whose enthronement as a bishop in the United States sealed Methodism’s separation from the Church of England.

Three more exhibitions will open in the autumn at the end of the second and final phase of the museum’s development. 

We can’t wait – come visit us after the Bank Holiday weekend and explore the first phase of the new museum for yourself; entry is free and everyone is welcome!

By Christian Dettlaff, Curator at John Wesley's House & The Museum of Methodism

 

 

15 May 2013

Museums at Night 2013

Many of the London Shh houses will be participating in Museums at Night (Thursday May 16 - Saturday May 18 2013): an annual festival of inspiring after hours cultural events in museums, galleries and heritage sites. On 16 May Freud Museum London is hosting an evening with Turner Prize-winning artist, Martin Creed. On 17 May Handel House will be running a special candlelit evening and Keats House Museum is offering twilight guided tours. Benjamin Franklin House is running two evening Historical Experience shows on 18 May. Spaces for all events are limited, so we recommend checking for availability with the houses.

Read more about the festival and other organisations taking place here: http://www.culture24.org.uk/places+to+go/museums+at+night

26 April 2013

Emery Walker House Blog - April 2013

We are very excited about the opening of the Emery Walker House for the new season, as well as the prospect of welcoming both new and familiar faces to our lovely house. We have a dedicated team of volunteers who do fully guided one hour tours, so visitors are sure to experience the full Emery Walker experience yet again this season. From April – October we have 3 tours every Saturday and in addition on occasional Sundays as well from May – September. Please see our website, www.emerywalker.org.uk, for further information.

We would also like to encourage groups to come in for tours out of the normal opening hours. This means we will now be opening the house especially for interested groups, which will hopefully make the Emery Walker House accessible to even more enthusiasts of Emery Walker and the Arts and Crafts Movement.

A very special occasion for us this month was, when the Emery Walker House appeared in the BBC4 documentary ”Hidden Killers in the Victorian Home”; an interesting documentary which mainly focused on how the most common lethal dangers in the Victorian era surprisingly occurred within the home. Although hidden killers are not among the first things that spring to mind when walking amongst the very domestic, floral, and cosy interiors of the Emery Walker house, we of course agree that it is a perfect location for a showcase of the Victorian home.

Although Morris’ wallpaper appears in several Victorian houses, the Emery Walker house is actually the only house that still has original Morris & co. wallpaper, which dates back to when it was originally produced. Speaking of which, as a side note for future visitors who have seen the documentary, we would like to point out that they need not to worry, as we definitely have no arsenic in our wallpaper. Just beautiful patterns.

For those of you, who like us, are looking forward to the beautiful British summer, we are pleased to announce that the Emery Walker House again this year will take part in “The Open Garden Squares”. For this lovely occasion the house will be open on Sunday June 9rd, from 2-5pm, so make a weekend out of it and come enjoy the early summer with us. Tickets for the event are cheaper if bought in advance. Please see www.opensquares.org for further information.

By Helen Elletson, Curator at Emery Walker House and Kelmscott House

 

 

26 March 2013

London Shh Connections

The London Shh group consists of small historic houses built in different time periods, which were home to various famous residents; buildings which all tell their own unique stories. Perhaps, however, there are fewer degrees of separation than you might think. What follows is a series of connections between the houses; be it their inhabitants, construction or collections.

-          Fenton House displays an original Dutch harpsichord which may have been owned by composer George Frideric Handel, who lived and died at Handel House on 25 Brook Street

-          A performance Handel’s Water Music on the musical glasses inspired Benjamin Franklin to invent the glass armonica in 1761, a working replica of which is held at the Benjamin Franklin House

-          Franklin met Dr Samuel Johnson in 1760 at a meeting of The Society to Promote Christian Knowledge. Johnson resided at many different addresses in London including 17 Gough Square known as Dr. Johnson’s House

-          Dr Johnson was plagiarised by John Wesley who officially apologised for borrowing heavily from one of his essays in March 1775

-          In 1804 John Keats’ father fell off his horse outside Wesley’s House and never recovered from his injuries. Keats was 8 when he died, leaving his mother a widow. Keats later took up lodgings at Wentworth Place, now Keats House Museum

-          ‘An American Memorial to Keats’ was published in 1895 by Kelmscott Press, which was founded and run by famed artist and socialist William Morris

-          William Morris was a friend and peer of Emery Walker who lived near Kelmscott House in Hammersmith. The Emery Walker House is full of Morris furnishings and mementos of their friendship

We struggled to connect the remaining houses, but found those located in Hampstead have their own fascinating links:

-          Erno Goldfinger, the Modernist architect, built and lived at 2 Willow Road in Hampstead. He was an idol of architect, Ernst Freud, who resided at 20 Maresfield Gardens (now the Freud Museum) with his father Sigmund

-          Ernst’s son, Lucian, became a famous portrait artist and voiced his great respect and admiration for landscape artist John Constable. An exhibition about Constable is currently on display at Burgh House and Hampstead Museum

So there it is, all eleven houses linked by their history. If you know of any more facts or anecdotes which tie these places together please contact us, or even better, visit the houses in person!

By Luke Holmes, Intern at Benjamin Franklin House. Edited by Sally James, Operations Manager at Benjamin Franklin House.

06 February 2013

Burgh House and Hampstead Museum Blog - February 2013

Penguins at Burgh House!

We love kids in our museum and so our new year’s resolution was to make the museum at Burgh House more kid friendly than ever before. Thanks to a generous grant from the Tana Trust we have been able to do just that and today – 6th February – we see the launch of the Penguin Kids Corner.  Named after everyone’s favourite penguin, the High Hill Penguin, who lives in Hampstead Museum, Penguin Kids Corner is there to give all our young visitors something fun to do, be they babies, toddlers or school age.  Our new cosy reading corner is packed full of fun and interesting books for all ages, and with comfy beanbags it is the perfect place to get lost in a good book.  You can also dress-up as your favourite character from history (the staff at Burgh House have already had a lot of fun trying out the costumes), delve into the toy box or get your creating juices flowing on the colouring table.  We may even display some of our favourite creations in the museum! Now all we need is for you to come and have fun!

To celebrate we have two fantastic kids events coming up, on Friday 22nd February half term family fun for 5-9 years starts at 2pm (£3) and on 2nd April the Mad Hatters Easter Tea Party for 2-7 years olds is an afternoon not to be missed (£15).  Book Here! http://www.burghhouse.org.uk/events/family.aspx  

14 January 2013

Handel House Museum Blog - January 2013

Charles Jennens: the man behind Handel’s Messiah

The Messiah is widely acknowledged to be one of the greatest pieces of music of all time, but little is known of its inception. An exhibition at Handel House aims to shed light on Handel’s friend and collaborator Charles Jennens who came up with the subject and libretto which inspired him to write this extraordinary work in just 24 days.

Charles Jennens (1700-1773) was a wealthy landowner, devout Protestant and musical innovator with an addiction to Handel’s music. He compiled an unrivalled collection of every note that Handel wrote and became a loyal friend of the composer. He was a private man with no profession but was an immensely generous supporter of charities and the arts. He inherited his father’s 736-acre estate of Gopsall in Leicestershire and transformed the Jacobean Gopsall Hall, filling it with one of the largest picture collections in the country, as well as an immense library, containing many Shakespeare texts.

Handel held Jennens’ creativity in high regard, respected his opinion and used several of his suggestions in his most celebrated pieces of work. As a result, Jennens became Handel’s best English librettist, producing the texts for such mould-breaking works as Saul and Belshazzar. His influence on Handel is unquestionable but his work was always anonymous, never credited and he remains largely unknown, even by classical music scholars.

But Jennens’ work with Handel is just one of his unsung achievements. He was also the first person to publish Shakespeare’s plays in single volumes, producing the first modern editions of King Lear, Hamlet, Othello, Macbeth and Julius Caesar between 1770 and 1774. At the time of publication, Jennens came under vicious attack from influential rival George Steevens, whose profound jealousy was legendary and whose connections (which included Samuel Johnson) helped perpetuate the allegations he spread. Steevens, who was known to alter Shakespeare’s text in his own editions to throw suspicion on the work of others, made attacks on Jennens’ personality and work which persist to this day until now.

 

Charles Jennens: the man behind Handel’s Messiah

21 November 2012 – 14 April 2013

For more information please visit www.handelhouse.org  

Image: portrait of Charles Jennens (© The Handel House Trust Ltd)

14 December 2012

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Thank you to everyone who joined us for Christmas carols, mince pies and fruit punch at our concert on 12th December. We were delighted to see you there!

If you are planning on visiting  the Shh houses over the festive period, then we would recommend checking individual house websites for details about special events and opening hours.

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas from all at London Shh.

06 November 2012

Christmas Carol Concert

Join us for a festive evening of Christmas carols and festive pieces at Wesley’s Chapel on 13 December 2012, 6.15pm-8pm.  The programme, introduced by a short ecumenical service, will include Handel's Largo, Mozart’s Kyrie: Mass in C minor, pieces from Handel’s ‘Messiah’ and a selection of well-known Christmas hymns and sing-along carols.

Doors open at 6.15pm for refreshments, concert starts at 7pm. Please note that seating is unreserved.

Book online here: http://www.eventsbot.com/events/eb334342373

Image: Olivia Mann Photography

06 November 2012

Fenton House Blog - November 2012

We are coming to the end of our open season now at Fenton House, and looking back, it has certainly been a busy year.

The packed calendar of public events began with our popular Easter Trail in the garden and continued with our High Spirits Tea Party to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee. We held Open Garden Squares Weekend in June, and our annual Apple Weekend in September which attracted over 1500 people. We also welcomed a record number of visitors during Open House London weekend, despite the dismal weather. Apple Weekend was a particularly special event this year as we celebrated the bequest of Fenton House in the 1950s with plenty of rock n’ roll music accompanying brilliant lindy hop dancers on the formal lawn, as well as tasting platters of traditional English apple varieties, sumptuous cake stalls, a gin bar in the orchard and a zip-line in our front garden for the more adventurous among you!

Our ‘Linear Collections’ exhibition by the artist Venetia Norris, featuring botanical drawings inspired by the gardens at Fenton House, was well received by our visitors when it ran for three months earlier in the year, and our series of summer concerts were popular as always. This year we began a series of afternoon talks in the house, with ‘Musical Wednesdays’ giving the public a chance to learn more about our early keyboard instrument collection, and ‘Object in Focus’ talks on Thursdays are providing a more detailed analysis of the various and unique items in our collections. We plan to continue these talks next season following the positive feedback we’ve received this year.

As we enter in the winter months and our closed season we will be preparing the house for a ‘deep clean’ and all the essential maintenance and conservation needed for both the building and the collections. However, following our very successful Christmas opening last year, Fenton House and Gardens will be open for weekends in December (1st-2nd, 8th-9th, 15th-16th). The beautiful interiors of the house are particularly atmospheric at this time of year and will be festively decorated; we are also hosting a fabulous Christmas Fair in the garden run by Oakleigh Fairs on 15th-16th December featuring a wide range of arts, crafts and gift stalls, as well as a chance to meet Santa and his reindeer in their Christmas grotto. We look forward to seeing you there.

 

Author: Ann Hartigan, Visitor Experience Assistant

November 2012

Image copyright: Claudia Sottile

19 October 2012

Christmas Carol Concert

The Medici choir will be singing a repertoire of favourite Christmas carols and festive pieces at Wesley’s Chapel on 13 December 2012, 6.15pm-8pm.  The programme, introduced by a short ecumenical service, will include Handel's Largo, Mozart’s Kyrie: Mass in C minor, pieces from Handel’s ‘Messiah’ and a selection of well-known Christmas hymns and sing-along carols.

The Medici Choir was established in 1951 to perform during the Festival of Britain; today, it is over sixty voices strong and performs nationally and abroad, including Paris, Prague and further afield.  Recent engagements have included Westminster Abbey and London City churches.

Doors open at 6.15pm for refreshments, concert starts at 7pm. Please note that seating is unreserved.

Book online here: http://www.eventsbot.com/events/eb334342373

Image: Olivia Mann Photography

19 September 2012

Open House London 2012

Open House London is an annual celebration of buildings and architecture across the city. During the weekend of 22nd-23rd September over 750 buildings will open their doors to the public for free. This festival provides a unique opportunity to explore some facinating places.

Please see below for details of the London Shh houses participating.

* 2 Willow Road will be open Saturday and Sunday 11am-5pm. Entry will be via limited timed tickets only, available from the house on the day on a first come first served basis. Last entry 4.30pm.

* Benjamin Franklin House will be open for pre-booked only half-hourly tours over the weekend from 10.30am-4pm. However, there may be some additional spaces available on the day.

* Dr Johnson's House will be open on the Saturday 11am-5.30pm with short introductory talks throughout the day. Last entry is 5pm. Max 100 people at one time.

* Emery Walker House will be running regular tours on both days from 11am-4pm. Max 15 people at one time.

* Fenton House will be open on both days 11am-5pm. Timed entry may be used if very busy. Last entry is 4.30pm.

* Handel House Museum will be open on a first come basis on Saturday 10am-6pm, and Sunday 12noon-6pm.

* Kelmscott House will be open with regular tours running on both days from 11am-5pm. Max 40 people at one time.

 

 

 

 

 

08 August 2012

London Shh...Summer Garden Party

Join us on Thursday 23 August, 6-8.30pm, for a late summer soiree in the garden of an English poet: an evening of poetry and romance in Keats’ secret garden in the company of London’s Small Historic Houses.

There will be guided tours of Keats House, poetry readings and a creative writing challenge inspired by John Keats and his garden. Also available on the night will be a pay bar and a fabulous raffle with prizes donated by each house.

Tickets cost £10 including a drink on arrival and canapés.

Book online here or send a cheque payable to London Shh to Keats House, 10 Keats Grove, Hampstead, London NW3 2RR

For further information, please contact Holly Booth at Keats House, email: holly.booth@cityoflondon.gov.uk, Tel: 020 7332 3868.

02 July 2012

Benjamin Franklin House Blog - July 2012

We will be busy hanging up red, white and blue bunting at Benjamin Franklin House this week in preparation for our US Independence Day Party on the 4th of July. It is perhaps the most fitting location for such an event in Britain: the House served as the first de-facto American Embassy. For nearly sixteen years between 1757 and 1775, Dr Benjamin Franklin –diplomat, inventor, Founding Father of the United States and more – lived behind its doors. Franklin was the only statesman to have signed all four documents that created a new nation, including The Declaration of Independence, the Treaty of Alliance with France, the Treaty of Paris, and The Constitution. The first of these signed on 4 July 1776, formalising the separation of the 13 colonies from British rule, is celebrated annually with a US national holiday, traditionally marked by fireworks, parades, and barbecues. It has been celebrated in London since 1882, when this “novel international festival” was held at the Westminster Palace Hotel, attended by members of Parliament and others.

On the 4th of July, we will be serving cake kindly donated by Konditor & Cook, and bubbly to guests in Franklin’s Parlour on the first floor of the House. Our Georgian interiors are looking especially beautiful, following some recent redecoration and conservation work to our eighteenth century floorboards.

We have many family events, and lectures planned throughout the rest of the summer including our Children’s Summer Fete. Upcoming US themed events include a Presidential Debate held in association with the Eccles Centre for American Studies on 19 October, and our annual fundraising Thanksgiving Dinner on 22 November. Find out more about all our events here.

Author: Sally James, Operations Manager

July 2012

14 June 2012

Keats House Blog

Following a hectic Keats Festival from 1st – 10th June, the museum is enjoying a brief period of calm before the influx of summer tourists and day trippers. Like many museums, summer is our busiest period and it’s always a fine balance between making the house accessible to the public and preserving the delicate interiors of the museum. In 2009 the museum was completely refurbished with funds from The Heritage Lottery Fund, but with a house this small the impact of thousands of visitors is already starting to show. We will be arranging a deep clean and fresh lick of paint for the winter months, but in the meantime we are working hard to promote our exciting range of summer events.

The vibrant gardens at Keats House become the setting for our annual Teddy Bear’s Picnics where we sing songs and read stories to families. This year these are taking place every Wednesday during the school holidays at 3pm. Arrive early to get a good spot!

We are also running our most ambitious programme of Regency Sewing Workshops, inspired by Keats’s fashionable fiancée Fanny Brawne who originally lived in the larger part of Keats House. You can make an entire Regency outfit from scratch and by hand, including bonnet, Spencer jacket and slippers. Everything you need to be the belle of the ball!

Finally, if the sun is shining and you fancy a lazy day in Hampstead, why not visit our garden? It is free to visit and something of a hidden gem in Hampstead. We recommend bringing a blanket, a well stocked picnic hamper and a chilled bottle of fizz. We can’t promise Nightingale song, but we can promise the peace and tranquillity of an English poet’s garden. 

 

Author: Holly Booth, Interpretation Officer

June 2012

25 May 2012

The London Shh Loyalty Card

You can pick up loyalty cards at eight of Shh houses plus two National Trust properties.* Remember to bring your card when you visit a Shh house and ask the admissions assistant to stamp the back for you. Visit five or more London Shh… houses by 31st December 2012 and receive a limited edition goodie bag!* To collect your bag, please hand your fully stamped card to a Shh house staff member.  

We hope the card will encourage visitors to discover London Shh… houses across the capital during this Olympic year. Tucked away down intriguing streets and alleys, off the beaten tourist track you will find some of the city's best kept secrets. Visit our map to find out where we’re hidden.

* Participating houses include: 2 Willow Road (National Trust), Benjamin Franklin House, Burgh House, Dr Johnson's House, Fenton House (National Trust), Freud Museum, Handel House Museum, John Wesley's House, Keats House Museum and Kelmscott House

* Goodie bags are limited to one per person and subject to availability.

01 May 2012

John Wesley's House Blog

May is always a special time here at John Wesley’s House and Wesley’s Chapel, built by John Wesley in 1778 on London’s busy City Road. It is the month in which John Wesley had his conversion experience in 1738, when he “felt his heart strangely warm’d” and he suddenly realised he had faith in God and was called upon to serve the Lord as best he could for the rest of his life.  Wesley of course was instrumental in establishing what later came to be known as “Methodism”, a very practical or “methodical” approach to the Christian faith based on a belief in personal mission and service to one’s fellow human beings.

The days just before and after Wesley’s conversion day on the 24th May are always very busy with visitors and pilgrims. There is a bustle about the historic site and a sense of energy and renewal – partially, no doubt, due to the gardens of the house and chapel breaking into bloom. This spring however is particularly exciting for us at Wesley’s Chapel. Following the installation of new signage around the site last year, further fundraising has resulted in a very generous donation to the Museum of Methodism (also on campus) and John Wesley’s House. Both will be re-developed and the house will become an integral part of the overall site and museum experience. Much more so than now, John Wesley’s House will quite literally become the gateway to The Museum of Methodism whilst offering a historic experience in its own right. The redevelopment of the museum provides an excellent opportunity to stand back and consider how we present John Wesley’s House and how the house can become the starting point for our visitors’ history experience on site. It will of course continue to function as a historic house and remain much as Wesley knew it, but with the added bonus of helping to orientate our visitors and introduce them to the rich history which lies beyond our gates. Our refurbishment is scheduled to start later this year, so if you haven’t been yet to visit us, spring is the best time to come – go on a (free!) tour led by enthusiastic and knowledgeable guides, listen to a concert in the chapel and have lunch in the chapel grounds!

Author: Christian Dettlaff, Curator

May 2012

05 April 2012

Dr Johnson's House Blog

Behind the scenes at Dr Johnson’s House we are hard at work cataloguing our library.  Samuel Johnson owned thousands of books on his death and these were sold at Christies in 1784 over several days’ sale.  Today we have three of those books in our library along with other highlights including two first editions of Johnson’s Dictionary, a growing collection of eighteenth-century dictionaries and books belonging to Johnson’s contemporaries James Boswell, Hester Thrale and Elizabeth Carter.  However, until this year there had been no electronic catalogue of the books and many people simply don’t realise the library is there as a research facility, open to all. Our Library Cataloguing Project is aiming to change all that. 

Following a successful fundraising appeal, the House has contracted specialist rare books cataloguer, Dr Sarah Cusk, to catalogue the books.  Our volunteers are also creating photographic records of each book, starting with the early printed works of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.  We have now catalogued over 600 books and these will be available online – along with the launch of our new website – later this year.  So keep checking our website for the most up to date information: www.drjohnsonshouse.org.  Dr Johnson’s House will also be launching an ‘Adopt a book’ scheme to help conserve some of our valuable books and later this year we will install a new purpose-built display case in the library so that we can start showing the gems in our collection to our visitors.

“Alas, Madam! How few books are there of which one can ever possibly arrive at the last page ...” – Samuel Johnson

 

 

Author: Stephanie Chapman, Curator

April 2012

 

15 March 2012

Burgh House and Hampstead Museum Blog

Artist John Constable’s love of Hampstead and the Heath is largely overlooked but, now, as the second centenary of his first visit there approaches, a new exhibition at Burgh House will redress the balance, thanks to a grant of almost £50,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Burgh House and Hampstead Museum will be marking the event this year with a major six-month exhibition of some of Constable’s original works, currently in storage at the V&A.  For the first time they will be on display just a few steps from the views that inspired them. The exhibition will also draw from Burgh House’s existing collection including works by CRW Nevinson, Donald Towner and Duncan Grant to reflect the development of village and Heath through the artworks of those it has inspired.

Constable first came to Hampstead in1812 to walk and ride over the Heath as an escape from London city life. His visit made a strong impression on him and he returned many times before finally moving there with his family in 1820. At the time he wrote: “I have settled my wife and children comfortably in Hampstead. I am glad to get them out of London for every reason.”

The Constables lived at a number of different addresses including some directly opposite Burgh House. In addition to his painting he became actively involved in local life and lectured on painting and the study of clouds and the sky to the Hampstead Literary and Scientific Society. It was while living in the village that he developed his technique for capturing these elements on canvas; he also represented a number of local houses and streets in his work.

The artist died in 1837 and is buried in Hampstead parish churchyard next to his wife and six of their seven children. His grave and commemorative plaques on the homes in which he lived are the only official memorial to his life and work in the village.

Now, with the support of the HLF, Burgh House’s major exhibition will explore the heritage of the area using its own collections combined with various loaned artworks.

Rebecca Lodge, Curator at Burgh House, said: “We are very excited at the prospect of being able to show these wonderful works of art in their natural home.  It will be a real treat for the local community and a fantastic resource for schools in Camden.  We are enormously grateful to the Heritage Lottery Fund for making this 100 year anniversary celebration possible.”

 

Author: Kate Streeter, General Manager

March 2012

01 March 2012

London Shh Loyalty Cards

We are pleased to announce the launch of the London Shh… Loyalty Card! You can pick up the new loyalty cards from the 1st March 2012 at eight of Shh houses plus two National Trust properties.* Remember to bring your card when you visit a Shh house and ask the admissions assistant to stamp the back for you. Visit five or more London Shh… houses by 31st December 2012 and receive a limited edition goodie bag!* To collect your bag, please hand your fully stamped card to a Shh house staff member.  

We hope the card will encourage visitors to discover London Shh… houses across the capital during this Olympic year. Tucked away down intriguing streets and alleys, off the beaten tourist track you will find some of the city's best kept secrets. Visit our map to find out where we’re hidden.

* Participating houses include: 2 Willow Road (National Trust), Benjamin Franklin House, Burgh House, Dr Johnson's House, Fenton House (National Trust), Freud Museum, Handel House Museum, John Wesley's House, Keats House Museum and Kelmscott House

* Goodie bags are limited to one per person and subject to availability.

13 February 2012

Freud Museum Blog


This is quite possibly the busiest time any of us can remember… 

 

Phase one of our plans to develop the museum began in mid January when the builders arrived to remove the wall between the exhibition and film rooms to give us a much larger event and exhibition space.  Between now and the summer, we will also be introducing an orientation space, better lighting and information for Freud’s study, displaying more of Freud’s personal possessions and much more besides.

 

Meanwhile, we are hosting Jane McAdam Freud’s exhibition, Lucian Freud My Father which has attracted huge interest from press and visitors alike and gives a very personal take on the passing of one of the greatest British painters.

 

In addition, it’s all hands on deck for the preparation of our forthcoming exhibition, Louise Bourgeois: The Return of the Repressed.  The exhibition will show original documents from the artist’s recently discovered psychoanalytic writings, as well as drawings and sculptures, in the house of the founding father of psychoanalysis.  It should be our biggest show yet.

 

Earlier in the month film star Viggo Mortensen visited the museum for drinks and a Q&A session before our screening of the David Cronenberg’s A Dangerous Method, in which he plays Freud. The film charts the early days of psychoanalysis and the complex and fiery relationship between Freud and Jung and has been on general release since 10 February. 

 

Keep in touch and follow what’s happening at the museum via our e-news, facebook and twitter

 

Author: Marion Stone, Development Director

February 2012

18 January 2012

What's On 2012

The London Shh...houses are looking forward to another exciting year, filled with events ranging from lectures to concerts. Visit our What's On to find out about what we have planned for 2012.  You can easily search the What's On section by type of event, historic house, and date. Upcoming highlights include new exhibitions at Burgh House and the Freud Museum, both starting on 25 January 2012. Stay tuned for details about joint London Shh... events throughout the year too!

 

 

20 December 2011

Season's Greetings

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from all at London Shh!  We recommend checking the individual Shh houses' websites for full details about opening hours over the festive period.

16 November 2011

London Shh participates in Audience Research Network project

Earlier this year, London Shh was successful in its bid to take part in a project supported by Audiences London and Renaissance. The Audience Research Network scheme has been devised to encourage a new or existing networks London museums, such as London Shh, to work together with assistance from Audiences London to understand, share and compare their audience information.  

 

Our goal since inception has been to share audience research in order to assist each other with the development of individual audiences.  With very different staffing and volunteer structures, and resources, we all have different capacities for gathering and analysing visitor information.  It has been our hope to find a way of running audience research that benefit London Shh whilst providing useful information for each individual member house to increase capacity, apply for funding and extend reach.

Audience surveys are being conducted at Burgh House & Hampstead Museum, Dr Johnson’s House, Emery Walker House, Freud Museum London, Handel House Museum, and Kelmscott House. The survey information is captured using SNAP software, which will be used to create final reports.

We aim to achieve the following objectives by completion of the project:

- Build an accurate audience/visitor profile

- Analyse visitor patterns over different seasons

- Cross reference findings between the different houses

- Identify gaps in audience and develop strategies for London Shh and individual houses

- Evaluate services provided at each house

- Share findings with the houses unable to take part in the project

- Use the end of project findings/report as evidence of value for money of London Shh membership for both existing and future members

 

 

13 September 2011

Beyond the Blue Plaque

Blue plaques are a common sight around London. The scheme, founded by the (Royal) Society of Arts in 1866, is now run by English Heritage and to date around 850 plaques (not always blue!) have been installed in the capital to commemorate the residence of notable figures.

Benjamin Franklin House at 36 Craven Street is marked by a unique decorative scroll plaque, installed in 1914, revealing that it was home to Benjamin Franklin, the printer, scientist and Founding Father of the United States. An earlier Society of Arts plaque was commissioned for the house, but confusion over a change of door number resulted in the large brown plaque being mounted on the wrong building. The mistake was rectified this year and Franklin’s original 1869 plaque can now be seen at the correct address, on an interior wall.

Two other London Shh houses feature Society of Arts plaques. In 1876, a plaque was installed at Gough Square to commemorate the residence where Dr Samuel Johnson compiled his great Dictionary of the English Language. Dr Johnson’s House was a fitting venue for the launch of the book ‘Lived in London: Blue Plaques and the Stories Behind Them’, published by Yale University Press in 2009. The Society of Arts plaque celebrating John Keats’ residence in Hampstead, the setting that inspired his most famous poetry including ‘Ode to a Nightingale’, was erected in 1896. Fewer than half of the thirty five Society of Arts plaques remain in existence; London Shh is proud to display three of these.

In 1901, the scheme passed to the London County Council, and became known as the 'Indication of Houses of Historical Interest in London'. Two London Shh houses are adorned with these plaques including 7 Hammersmith Terrace where Sir Emery Walker, the typographer and antiquary lived. Another ornate porcelain plaque on City Road, Islington, denotes John Wesley’s House and chapel. Plaques varied in colour in the early stages of the scheme – blue, brown, terracotta, sage – and were made of different materials. Only in the 1940s was the iconic ‘blue’ plaque standardised.

Since 1986, English Heritage has managed the blue plaque scheme and has awarded a total of four plaques to just two London Shh houses. Separated by two centuries, composer George Frideric Handel and guitarist Jimi Hendrix lived in adjoining properties at Brook Street in the West End – now Handel House Museum. The plaques on the exteriors hint at the story of two hugely influential international musicians who both made a career and home in London. Hendrix first found fame in the UK and Handel composed some of his most famous pieces at Brook Street, including Messiah and Zadok the Priest.

The Freud Museum also has more than one blue plaque, in this case honouring two generations of the same family. The plaques for Sigmund Freud, father of psychoanalysis, and his daughter Anna Freud, a pioneer in the same field, were unveiled in 2002 by comedian John Cleese, making them the most recent of the London Shh plaques.

 

Next time you are exploring the capital, see how many plaques you can spot. The plaques are often an indication of the fascinating stories to be found inside. The London Shh houses are more than just buildings, they help visitors explore historical stories and the personalities of the people who called them home.  We also want to encourage people to venture off the beaten path, beyond the blue plaque. Burgh House, a beautiful Grade I listed building and home of the Hampstead Museum and William Morris’ Kelmscott House may not have plaques, but they are wonderful heritage gems.

By James Spellane, Operations Intern at Benjamin Franklin House

Photo credits: all images are courtesy of London Shh houses, except John Wesley’s plaque image courtesy of Jamie Barras

05 September 2011

How do houses become museums?

London Shh... is a collection of nine small historic houses which tell the stories of fascinating and famous former residents. Each house has a different way of interpreting the past and presenting history. Learn about the transformation from home to museum in an upcoming lecture on the 28 September 2011, 7pm at the Freud Museum.  

Dr Antony Hudek, Mellon Research Fellow at University College London, will explore some of the thought provoking issues around how homes, such as the Freud family home at 20 Maresfield Gardens, become museums. When, and how, does a house become a museum – a ‘house museum’? How does this passage from one function to another affect the visitor’s experience? Taking Freud’s 1919 text ‘Das Unheimliche’ (‘The Uncanny’) as point of departure, this presentation seeks to identify what subsists, what survives when a house turns into a museum: the ghosts of its former occupants, the archive (once a personal collection of papers, books, memorabilia), and a sense (reassuring or unsettling) of domesticity. But Freud’s text does more than provide a useful guide to what lingers in the house museum, in particular his own. It plays out the paradox of the uncanny: that if the house museum, like the psychoanalytic text, depends on the veracity of its portrayal of the subjective matter it tries to exhibit/expose, it can only do so in the fractured guise of theatre and fiction, lest it fall prey to the very myths and phantasies its stated mission it is to dispel. This talk is part of the Freud Museum’s 25th anniversary programme.

Booking: £10/£7 Concessions and Members of the Museum. Book online here. Advance booking is highly recommended. Doors open 6.30pm, event starts promptly at 7pm. For further information please contact us at eventsandmedia@freud.org.uk or +44 (0)20 7435 2002

13 July 2011

Summer events at London Shh Houses

Looking for something interesting to do this summer? Visit London Shh houses for a range of fascinating events including; concerts, art exhibitions, family workshops, and live theatre.

Enjoy concerts at Handel House in July and August featuring baroque harpsichord and flute recitals. Or perhaps join the Freud Museum on the 28th July to celebrate its 25th anniversary. During the final three weekends in July you can also book tickets to see live theatre in the garden of Keats House dramatising the lives and loves of Britian's most influential romantic writers. See Burgh House's new exhibition on The Life and Art of Helen Allingham which runs from late July until early November. Discover more about the Craven Street bones found at Benjamin Franklin House during a family workshop on 26th July, which is part of the 2011 Festival of British Archaeology. Or learn about woodblocks and textile printing at Kelmscott House at a talk on the subject on the 23rd July.

Our What's on section contains full details about all events, ticket prices and how to book. 

13 April 2011

New London Shh...Houses!

We are pleased to welcome two new houses to the London Shh...group; John Wesley's House located in the heart of the city and Keats House Museum in Hampstead.

John Wesley’s House, built in 1779 is a fine example of a Georgian town house. John Wesley, a Christian theologian and founder of the Methodist movement, resided in this house for the last twelve winters of his life. The house today has retained many of Wesley’s belongings and furniture, including his study chair. The house is open to the public Monday – Saturday 10am-4pm, and on Sundays 12 noon-1.45pm. Admission is free but donations are gratefully received.

Keats House Museum, built in 1814 is dedicated to the life of the poet John Keats and also poetry in general. Keats lived in the house from 1818 to 1820. Whilst residing here he wrote 'Ode to a Nightingale', and fell in love with Fanny Brawne, the girl next door. Keats House Museum works closely with local community groups, museums, artists and schools, and runs popular poetry groups. The house is open to the public in the summer from Easter to 31 October, Tuesday – Sunday 1-5pm, and in the winter from 31 October to Easter, Friday – Sunday 1-5pm. Admission tickets are £5 for adults and £3 for concessions.

Christian Dettlaff, Wesley’s Curator has summed up the importance of joining the London Shh…group; “We are very excited to join London Shh.. The association provides an excellent platform for similar small historic London houses to group together, share expertise and increase marketing opportunities. People don’t necessarily realise how many smaller historic properties are open to the public in London, and their associations with famous people and events. Indeed, some of their former celebrity occupants may have heard of and even known each other as many of them lived at the same time in London, for instance John Wesley and Samuel Johnson in the mid 18th century, who were close friends and visited each other at home. The houses are thus linked on many more levels than just location, purpose or style and visiting one, more or all of them provides an excellent opportunity to discover lesser-known London and step back in time!”

 

Details about upcoming events at these houses will be coming soon to the What’s on page.

 

05 April 2011

London Shh...houses featured on Simon Seeks

The travel guide and holiday review website 'Simon Seeks' selected many of the London Shh... houses including Dr Johnson's House and Freud Museum, in a feature about museums open to public which are dedicated to historical figures.

Read the full article on the Simon Seeks website here.

10 March 2011

Johnson's Garret comes alive

Dr Johnson's Garret is playing host to 'A Dish of Tea with Dr Johnson' (now sold out) and the performance has received rave reviews (Guardian ****, Independent**** ).  

In this performance, Dr Johnson is brought alive by actor Ian Redford whilst Russell Barr performs as both James Boswell and many other characters ranging from George III to Johnson's housemate Anna Williams!  The house has been lucky to welcome a guest appearance from Trudie Styler as Mrs Thrale.  Michael Billingham ,writing in Tuesday's Guardian suggested that 'Rarely do a play and its setting match as well as this' and in his four-star review in the Independent, Paul Taylor said the performance was 'seriously site specific' and he 'did not want the evening to end.'

Many of the houses in London Shh provide intimate and quirky venues for a whole variety of performances from music recitals and plays to poetry readings and comedy evenings.

Find out more about 'A Dish of Tea' here and to see all the events at London Shh houses click here.

28 January 2011

London Shh... makes guest appearance at the Museum of London Cultural PR Conference this January

The cultural PR conference sought out London Shh... to speak on marketing small and regional cultural organisations on little or no budget.  This is something we like to think ourselves something of experts, so we jumped at the chance and dispatched Kate and Stephanie to the Museum of London to tell them all about the London Shh... project.  Whilst we had a  lot to say on the subject, the conference also reminded us of all the big plans we have for London Shh... in the future.  We were also able to pick up some top inside tips from our colleagues from other organisations doing great things in challenging times, as well as some pretty influential journalists and PR specialists.  So all we can say is watch this space...

11 January 2011

Benjamin Franklin House original 'blue' plaque finally to be erected

On 17 January 2011 (7-9pm), in celebration of Benjamin Franklin’s 305th birthday, and the 5th anniversary of the opening of Benjamin Franklin House to the public as a dynamic museum and educational facility, the original ‘blue’ plaque intended to commemorate Franklin’s nearly sixteen year tenure at 36 Craven Street, London will finally be erected. One of history’s great polymaths, Franklin is famous for his contributions to science, letters, invention, diplomacy, music, and more.

 

In 1875, the (Royal) Society of Arts, originators of what became the popular blue plaque scheme to recognise the lodgings of London’s important past residents, commissioned a large terracotta plate surrounded by a wooden frame to honour Franklin, their first international member.  However, they accidentally erected it on the wrong building. 

 

Prior to two rounds of renumbering and the construction of new buildings on the street, Franklin lived at 7 Craven Street which had become 36 by the late 19th century.  It was affixed incorrectly, however, to the 7 Craven Street of 1875, but this was discovered too late; it was cemented tight.  In the course of investigations, the Clerk of the London County Council proved by consulting City of Westminster rate-books (which tracked annual assessments) that Franklin’s landlady, leaseholder Margaret Stevenson, had lived two doors from Craven Passage on the east side of the street – number 36 – not at the top of the west side, where number 7 was then located. 

 

In 1914, 7 Craven Street was demolished to make way for a restaurant (which no longer stands) and the plaque was finally removed.  It was donated to the London Museum, then at Stafford House, St. James’s, the forerunner to the Museum of London.  It eventually came to rest in the Museum’s Hackney storehouse where it has been ever since.  It was kindly donated by the Museum to Benjamin Franklin House last year. 

 

In 1914, the London County Council put up a new ‘blue’ plaque on 36 Craven Street, a bronze scroll and the only one of its kind, which denotes Franklin’s only surviving residence anywhere in the world.  But soon there will two plaques.

 

According to Benjamin Franklin House Director Dr. Márcia Balisciano, “For the first time in 136 years, on an auspicious Franklin day, the original plaque [to feature on an interior brick wall] will finally be displayed where it was always intended!”

 

If you are interested in attending the reception please contact Operations Manager, Sally James info@benjaminfranklinhouse.org.

21 December 2010

Season's Greetings!

Merry Christmas from all of us at London Shh...and have a happy New Year!

08 December 2010

Follow London Shh on twitter and facebook!

Follow London Shh... on twitter and facebook to find out about Shh events, news and secrets!

27 July 2010

The Story of London Festival 2010- 'Ahead of their Time' Event

London Shh...will be hosting an evening of hands-on activities on Tuesday 5 October 6-9pm at Benjamin Franklin House for The Story of London festival 2010- a celebration of London’s past, present and future. Visitors will be invited to discover the innovations of some of London’s most famous former residents. Representatives from each of the seven London Shh…houses will present their former residents’ groundbreaking ideas, inventions, works of art and music which helped shape our capital's future.  Activities including arts and crafts, experiments, talks by specialists and quizzes will be available for all to try in the beautiful setting of an atmospheric Grade I listed Georgian House. The evening is an ideal opportunity to uncover some of the capital's most innovative residents and their historic houses over a socialable after work drink. The event will be funded by Renaissance London.

Tickets: £5 per person, and include a glass of wine

Location: Benjamin Franklin House, 36 Craven Street, London WC2N 5NF

Booking details: Please visit http://www.eventsbot.com/events/eb112103358 or send a cheque made payable to London Shh to Benjamin Franklin House, 36 Craven Street, London WC2N 5NF

For more information contact Sally James, Benjamin Franklin House info@benjaminfranklinhouse.org

 

08 July 2010

Shh... We're having a garden party!

On 15 July, the Freud Museum is delighted to be hosting a Summer Party for London Shh…, a group Small Historic Houses which tell the stories of their fascinating and famous former residents.

 

Freud once observed "Flowers are restful to look at. They have neither emotions nor conflicts." The garden at the Museum is particularly beautiful, especially at this time of year, when Freud’s beloved rose garden is in full bloom.

 

All are welcome to come along on the 15th and discover his home in London, see his extraordinary study, crammed with exotic antiquities, the iconic psychoanalytic couch  draped in oriental rugs and walls lined with countless tomes. 

 

Tickets to this fundraising event will include a glass of Pimm’s on arrival and delicious canapés, so why not get some friends together and come and see why Freud loved his garden so much.

 

Also available on the night will be a pay bar, games, two new exhibitions and a fabulous raffle with prizes donated by each house.

 

Tickets cost £15 / £13 (concessions)

To book, please visit: http://shhgardenparty.eventsbot.com/ or send a cheque payable to London Shh to the Freud Museum20 Maresfield Gardens, London NW3 5SX

 

For further information please go to www.freudmuseum.org

 

01 July 2010

Kids Get Crafty at Kelmscott House

“…a danger that the strongest and wisest of mankind, in striving to attain to a complete mastery over Nature, should destroy her simplest and widest-spread gifts, and thereby enslave people to them, and themselves to themselves…”William Morris, 1880

 

Young adventurers put their creativity into action using William Morris's most-loved design principles.  The half-term workshop was organised by volunteers at Kelmscott House, in what was a delightful sunny afternoon in one of London's greatest hidden treasures. Patterns in nature were translated into patterns in art – a contemporary reflection of Morris's methods. Ornamenting everyday objects also aptly demonstrated how both observation and art can enhance self-empowerment.

 

In the timeless spirit of the Kelmscott Press, participants designed their own book covers, ready to bind. They moved through three stages of production, which included an intriguing exploration of the gardens, folding their painted designs to witness the intricacy of repeated patterns, and using stamps to add a personal touch. This event is being planned again for the summer, so stay tuned!

 

02 June 2010

Summer Garden Party Tickets on sale now!

Thursday 15th July, 6-9pm

With spring (if not quite summer) well and truly here the London Shh... gardens are looking stunning!  To celebrate, as well as to do some much needed fundraising, we would like to invite you, our London Shh... supporters to a special evening of entertainment in the garden at Freud’s House. 

Tickets are £15/ £13 (concessions) and will include a free glass of Pimms and yummy nibbles.  If Pimms O’clock lasts longer than just one glass, never fear there will be a pay bar as well.

Buy tickets here.

12 May 2010

Behind the Scenes at the Museum

This three part mini series on BBC4 goes behind the scenes of three small museums in the UK to find out what makes them tick and how they work to keep ahead in the 21st century. 

The documentaries, made by Richard Macer, explore how the museums are striving to reach new and more diverse audiences. 

The first programme (13 May, 9pm) takes place at the British Commercial Vehicle Museum, the second at the Freud Museum (20 May, 9pm) and the third at the National Waterways Museum (27 May, 9pm).

Naturally London Shh... is key to the Freud Museum's efforts to attract new audiences, perhaps less familiar with the man and his work. 

Tune in to discover the people, politics and passions at the heart of these museums!  

For more information, see the BBC4 website or contact info@londonshh.org.uk 

17 March 2010

London Shh... defines 'Museum Chic'

The Times declares London Shh... houses as the place to go for up-to-the-minute interior design inspiration

‘From this day forward’ says Kaya Burgess of The Times Bricks and Mortar Supplement, ‘The Phrase ‘Museum Chic’ will be added to our vocabulary’.  ‘Fashion may be back in the grip of the 1980’s’ he says ‘but interior design is looking back much further, to simpler, less lurid times.  Six homes that once housed London’s most eminent residents (London Shh...) are now...an inspiration for trend-spotters’. You heard it here first!

09 March 2010

Time Out spills the beans on London Shh

 'Some of London's most fascinating museums are its historic houses - thanks to their famous former residents'  according to Time Out's article on London Shh this week (Time Out London, 11-17 March 2010).  London's critical guide to the arts, culture and going out in the capital features a double page spread on London Shh in their family friendly Around Town section.  Complete with stunning images of the interiors, collections, objects and famous residents, each of the houses is featured.   Natasha Polyviou sought out the hidden gems of London Shh, which she found variously 'secreted away in a courtyard' and 'preserved in an atmospheric little square'  and writes that each of the houses 'reveal reams about their one-time occupants and the impact they had on the capital'.

22 February 2010

Free Guided Tours at The Freud Museum

In response to recent requests from visitors, The Freud Museum will be offering free guided tours on the first Sunday in the month, starting on 07 March. The tour starts at 12.30 and will last approximately 40 minutes. You don't need to book, but places are limited, so best to get there a bit earlier.

In addition to the tour, visitors will be able to see the new exhibit, ‘Andy Hope 1930 at the Freud’, which opens 25 February 2010. It is the latest in the critically acclaimed ongoing series of Freud Museum exhibitions curated by James Putnam. The Berlin-based artist Andreas Hofer (b.1963) has created a new series of works ('Andy Hope 1930') for Sigmund Freud’s house that includes paintings, collages, sculptures and site-specific installations.

For more information about The Freud Museum, please click here.

26 January 2010

2 for 1 Offer

Until March 2010, all Listed Property Owners Club Members are eligible for 2 for 1 entrance to all London Shh... Houses! Take advantage of this offer and see where it all started for historical figures such as Freud, Franklin, and Handel. There are 6 houses to choose from, all within London, and each providing a distinct and memorable experience.

To visit a house, click on its name below for more information:

 

Bring a friend - just show your "Listed Property Owners Club" membership card at the door and their entrance fee is on us!

We look forward to seeing you!

11 November 2009

London Shh... goes live!

The launch of London Shh… and our new website took place last night, Tuesday 10 November, in the atmospheric surroundings of 300 year old Burgh House in Hampstead.  A host of guests from the heritage world, as well as the Deputy Mayor of Camden, Councillor Lulu Mitchell, and representatives of the Mayor of London’s Cultural Campaigns Office, heard architectural historian Dan Cruickshank give a rousing speech, outlining just why these hidden gems of London architecture should be brought out into the open.  Introducing the group, Kate Streeter, General Manager of Burgh House, spoke of the challenges facing small, independent historic buildings. With tiny staff teams and often little or no marketing budget, the London Shh... houses recognise that banding together could help to recession-proof their organisations, and introduce new audiences to their rich histories.

06 November 2009

London Shh... Official Launch: 10 November 2009

On Tuesday 10 November, London Shh... an organisation highlighting the capital's hidden gems will be officially launched at a champagne reception hosted by architectural historian, Dan Cruickshank.  The reception will take place at the stunning and atmospheric 18th century Burgh House in Hampstead.

During the evening, guests will be able to see an exhibition featuring the founding members of London Shh... (Freud Museum, Benjamin Franklin House, Dr Johnson's House, Kelmscott House, Handel House Museum and Burgh House) and staff from these properties will be on hand to answer questions about their houses and future plans for London Shh... 

Earlier this year, a BBC4 film crew began documenting the life of the Freud Museum for a programme to be aired in spring 2010.  The film maker, Richard Macer, has been following the development of London Shh... initiative and will be filming at the launch event, and doubtless joining us in a celebratory drink on the night!