For The Jeremy Brett Fans

[Strawberry Curls]

If you are as much a fan of Jeremy Brett as my friend and I are, you can't go to London and then not make the pilgrimage down to Clapham (funny was that deliberate on Ms. King's part when she had Holmes mention that Mahmoud and Ali were from Clapham?) to see Jeremy's building and the tree that was planted in his honor in Clapham Commons. He loved to spend time in the park area and there are several pictures of him there. The Commons is very large and his flat overlooked it, a lovely setting.

The first photo is of his tree, it stands upwards of twenty feet tall and was planted this past March. The second is his tree shown in the meadow where it stands. The third was taken from the Commons looking toward his building. His flat was on the left. This Victorian bandstand is very near the tree and children play in and around it and their laughter fills the air around the tree. He loved children and I think this would have pleased him. I have been told the tree is a Horse Chestnut. I didn't recognize the variety but then I'm not familiar with Horse Chestnut trees.

[VictoriaMisselthwaite]

If you are as much a fan of Jeremy Brett as my friend and I are, you can't go to London and then not make the pilgrimage down to Clapham (funny was that deliberate on Ms. King's part when she had Holmes mention that Mahmoud and Ali were from Clapham?) to see Jeremy's building and the tree that was planted in his honor in Clapham Commons. He loved to spend time in the park area and there are several pictures of him there. The Commons is very large and his flat overlooked it, a lovely setting.

The first photo is of his tree, it stands upwards of twenty feet tall and was planted this past March. The second is his tree shown in the meadow where it stands. The third was taken from the Commons looking toward his building. His flat was on the left. This Victorian bandstand is very near the tree and children play in and around it and their laughter fills the air around the tree. He loved children and I think this would have pleased him. I have been told the tree is a Horse Chestnut. I didn't recognize the variety but then I'm not familiar with Horse Chestnut trees.

Beautiful pictures! And now I have an excuse to go to London again sometime! Thanks for sharing!

[Nara]

What a thoughtful act for both Jeremy (though he may be beyond caring, who knows?) and for his fans. I hope I'm able to visit it myself, sometime! (And dine at Simpson's, of course. :p )

[Strawberry Curls]

Simpson's is very, very good and very, very elegant and very, very expensive. A must if you are in London, though. We had a great evening. :D

[vicki]

Those are great pictures--thank you so much for sharing them, SC! That's a beautiful building he lived in, and the commons are lovely, too. I'll definitely go to check out his tree if I get to London again.

If anyone goes to Simpson's in the foreseeable future, it would be great to have some pictures of the place here in the Gallery. I've often wondered what it's like. There is a scene in the Petherbridge Wimsey miniseries where he takes Harriet to an elegant restaurant (I think it's the Gaudy Night episode)--I've wondered if that was filmed at Simpsons or some other long-established place where Russell and Holmes or Wimsey and Vane would have eaten.

[Strawberry Curls]

Those are great pictures--thank you so much for sharing them, SC! That's a beautiful building he lived in, and the commons are lovely, too. I'll definitely go to check out his tree if I get to London again.

If anyone goes to Simpson's in the foreseeable future, it would be great to have some pictures of the place here in the Gallery. I've often wondered what it's like. There is a scene in the Petherbridge Wimsey miniseries where he takes Harriet to an elegant restaurant (I think it's the Gaudy Night episode)--I've wondered if that was filmed at Simpson's or some other long-established place where Russell and Holmes or Wimsey and Vane would have eaten.
My pictures from Simpson's didn't come out. It is a dim room and even with the flash it wasn't the best shot. It has very very high ceilings with dark oak paneling from the floor up about 15 to 20 feet. Then the paneling stops and a broad border of plaster ornaments runs to the ceiling which is also very heavily ornamented. Both are white and this gives the ceiling a sense of additional height. Banquets run along one side away from the window side of the room. Huge crystal chandeliers hang from the ceiling and give off a soft light. The linen is white and quite plain but heavy damask. The silver heavy and tasteful. The waiters are friendly but very formal and the whole ambiance is staid formality and graceful service. You truly feel you have stepped back in time to a place where service was an art and dining a social event of immense import.

I remember the scene and it was in "Gaudy Night." My guess is it was meant to represent the Savoy tea room. The Savoy Hotel is adjacent to Simpson's and we walked through it that night.

[vicki]

My pictures from Simpson's didn't come out.

Waaah! :..( But thank you for the great word-picture--it makes me feel as if I've actually been there! And thanks for the info on that scene from GN--I've often wondered where that was supposed to be.

[Strawberry Curls]

I should have added there is an immense fireplace at the end of the room away from the entrance and the small table for two in the corner on the left side of the fireplace or the banquet in the far right corner would have been Holmes' preferred tables. He would have had a view of the entire room, yet enough privacy to not be disturbed while dining. I could imagine a roaring fire at that hearth and the warmth would have been delicious in those tables on a damp cold London evening.

When you enter the building you step into a large vestibule area with the Ladies on your right and a coat check on your left. The manager greets you and summons your waiter who shows you to your table through large doors in to the great room of the restaurant. My friend had eaten there years ago and at that time they took you to a lounge area where you ordered drinks and were presented with the menu. You made your choices and then had your drinks. After a time the waiter came for you and escorted you to your table where your food started arriving almost immediately.

We stayed at a lovely hotel (a converted country house) in Lincoln. It was called Washingbough Hall and this was how dinner was conducted. Very civilized I must say.

[Strawberry Curls]

Vicki,

As you seem so disappointed I didn't have a shot of Simpson's I borrowed this from my traveling companion. It is still a bit blurry, but far superior to mine.

You are looking toward the fireplace the booths are on the right and the windows are on the left.

[vicki]

Oh, lovely, lovely! <Drools> Thankee so much for the lovely word-picture and for posting the photo, which gives a good, soft-focus impression of the place. I'm really enjoying being able to visit all these wonderful places vicariously through your travel-memories and photos!

[Arcadian]

Beautiful photos. Horse Chestnuts bloom once a year and are gorgeous. You might know them better as buckeyes. Not that we plant many of them here in Ann Arbor where we generally have a bad attitude about "buckeyes." Go Blue.

[Strawberry Curls]

Beautiful photos. Horse Chestnuts bloom once a year and are gorgeous. You might know them better as buckeyes. Not that we plant many of them here in Ann Arbor where we generally have a bad attitude about "buckeyes." Go Blue.

Funny. :p They don't plant them much in So. Calif. either. I believe I have never seen one before. It was a lovely tree.

[vicki]

There was a funny Monty Python bit eons ago about the Horse Chestnut tree, and I always wondered what kind of tree it was. It's good to finally discover that it's a buckeye!


Not that we plant many of them here in Ann Arbor where we generally have a bad attitude about "buckeyes." Go Blue.


Hehehehe!

[Strawberry Curls]

While doing some research on the horse chestnut tree I came upon the British game of Conkers. The conker is the nut of the tree and it seems you choose a nice hard nut and string it on a line and find someone else with a conker and take turns bashing each others conkers until one breaks. Anyway if you are dying to know about Conkers here is a link.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conker

Seems a bit odd to me. :confused:

[vicki]

Not meaning to sound like the mom from "A Christmas Story," but it sounds like a great way to put someone's eye out. That thought occurred to someone already, it appears (http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2004460644,00.html). But there was a backlash against the safety concerns, according to the wikipedia article--


In 2004 a headmaster was reported to be outfitting pupils with goggles to play the game. This in turn prompted DJs on BBC Radio 1 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BBC_Radio_1) to start their own Radio 1 Conker Championships. Top Gear (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Top_Gear_%28current_format%29) later did a show where they played a game of conkers using cranes instead of string, and mobile homes instead of conkers. After putting on safety goggles, presenter James May commented "I now feel perfectly happy about being hit in the face by a caravan."


That's just hilarious--I'd love to see the crane/trailer conker-match! I also thought this bit from wikipedia was interesting:


In 1993 ex-Python (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monty_Python) Michael Palin (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Palin) was disqualified from a Conker Championships in the United Kingdom for baking his conker and soaking it in vinegar.


I googled this and it was apparently part of a TV series he did where he explored the Isle of Wight. The conker episode was titled "I Came, I Saw, I Conkered." Hehehehehe!


Again the queen of conkers has stayed in the UK except in 2001 when French lady Celine Parachou was the winner.


I looove the title "Queen of Conkers!"

[Arcadian]

If I can figure out how to post it, I have a photo of a buckeye in bloom. One we gave my father years ago as a sad little sapling, is now a lovely large tree which blooms in his memory every spring.

[AmyLizzie]

I've beenreading through your posts and it seems so strange to hear you all discussing things that I've grown up with :) conkers is a great game, and I remember it was a biog thing at school, in September when all the schools went back, conkers was the game to play, and there were always competitions going on about who could get the best conkers from the big chesnut tree on the school field, the boys were more interested in how big the conkers were while the girls were interested in how shiny they were! The basic idea is that you tie the conker to some string (usually a shoelace) and then the aim is to break the other persons conker with your own by hitting it, sounds silly I know but its a British institution! Even now at 21 I find myself, when September comes along, looking for the best conkers!

I've also been past Simpsons a few times on various trips to London, but I've never been in. I went to the Ritz for afternoon tea for my 21st, which was very grand, I'll have to post some pics, but ended up having a chat with the waiter about school because it turned out he used to go to the same school as me! Well, us commoners must stick together......

[Strawberry Curls]

Sorry if my comments seemed flippant, AmyLizzie, I had just never heard of conkers and coming across an explanation while looking into horse chestnut trees really caught my attention.

I would love to see your pictures of The Ritz. We did have tea at the Brown Hotel and as you say, it was very grand. Next time we may try The Ritz. There will be a next time, England just pulls at me and had I the money I would visit every year. ;)

[Carlina]

*dreamily thinks of Britain, Simpsons, Conkers, Surrey, Sussex, Devon, and the Victorian trains that run once a month*

Blimey...one day...one day...I'm contemplating retiring there...if of course my finances can handle the tax strain. I'd love to in a cottage with a dog and cat over looking the channel. Hey...we all need to have dreams...sheesh...

[vicki]

Oooh--I need Ritz pictures. What a cool 21st birthday thing to do!

I'd never heard of conkers before, even though I've read loads of children's lit from the UK. It might be pretty popular over here, if soneome introduced it. What's not to like about smashing stuff?

[AmyLizzie]

I will post Ritz pics soon!! Your comments did not sound flippant at all Strawberry Curls! Conkers is good, I've noticed a few school kids running around with them recently :) I don't know where it origniates from....:confused: curious....England has its drawbacks! Like the rain...and the taxes...and...I can say that because I live here...I do dream of moving by the sea, or to the country, the city's aren't much fun, but I won't put you off :)

Amy

[vicki]

Here's wishing you a lovely place both in the country and by the sea.

<Waits expectantly for Ritz pictures> :)

[AmyLizzie]

Hi all,

Just to say I haven't forgotton about the Ritz pics but I'm in the middle of changing computers at the mo so I can't find them! As soon as I do I'll put them up, I also have some pics of a country house, Shugborough Hall, that I absolutly love and is about 30 mins from where I live, I have some lovely pics of the rolling English countryside to share :) Quick question though, if the pic is to big how do I resize it?? Thanks,

Loads a love,

Amy xx

[vicki]

Need Ritz pix! <boisterously bangs fork and knife on table> :D

If you want to send them to me, I can resize them and send them back to you for posting.

Since LRK's next book is a country house political thriller, maybe we can alert her to the Shugborough Hall (what a great name!) pix and see if it looks anything like her mental image of the setting of Touchstone.

[AmyLizzie]

Oooh, absolutley! I will upload them and send them to you thanks Vicki :) xx

[jtb1951]

By the way, AmyLizzie, congrats on winning a book last month!!:)

John.

[AmyLizzie]

Thanks John :) I was really thrilled - and shocked!! xxx

[AmyLizzie]

Hi all,

I hope this is ok to do, feel free to remove it if I break a thousand laws! But rather than you all wait for me to post photos with my horrifically slow computer, here's a link to Shugborough Hall which I mentioned in a previous post, it's about an hour from where I live and is currently owned by the Earl of Litchfield and the National Trust. The previous Earl died last year, it was a very sad day for the Midlands - he was a really lovely man.

http://www.shugborough.org.uk/

Amy xx