Showing Tag: "south" (Show all posts)

Festival of Britain and its Art Legacy

Posted by Hazel Baker, Director of London Guided Walks on Friday, May 7, 2021, In : 20th century 

The Festival of Britain was one of the first occasions where many women artists and designers had opportunities to take part. The famous sculptor Barbara Hepworth received two important public commissions; Turning Forms which was a motorised abstract piece, made of reinforced concrete, painted white and 84 inches (just over 2m) in height was commissioned by the Festival of Britain authorities. In 1952 it was moved to Marlborough Science Academy, in St Albans and in October 2020 was moved to a...


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What is left of the Festival Britain in London?

Posted by Hazel Baker, Director of London Guided Walks on Friday, May 7, 2021, In : 20th century 

Much of what was built for the Festival of Britain was temporary and after the event was dismantled. In both Wales and Scotland, little remains. In London some remarkable examples have survived, which is what I will be sharing with you today...


The Southbank

One could argue that the greatest legacy of the Festival of Britain is the stretch of former industrial riverside near Waterloo we call the South Bank. Since then it has grown to embrace the London Eye, the BFI and the Tate Modern (the most...


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What was the Festival of Britain?

Posted by Hazel Baker, Director of London Guided Walks on Friday, May 7, 2021, In : 20th century 

3rd May 1951, King George VI declared The Festival Britain open with venues in London and across the country.


It was a national exhibition designed with the aim of promoting a feeling of recovery from both world wars. It was a large-scale demonstration of Britain’s contribution to civilisation; past, present and future in the arts, science and technology, industrial design and the viability of democracy.


Projecting and celebrating a sense of national identity was closely linked to Memory, rem...


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Festival of Britain 1951

Posted by Hazel Baker, Director of London Guided Walks on Friday, May 7, 2021, In : 20th century 

As the centenary of the Great Exhibition approached, politicians had begun to ask whether a celebration in the same vein might operate as a tonic to lift the nation’s spirits.


1951 Britain was very different from the context in which the Great Exhibition took place. Britain had lost its sense of purpose and place in the world. The Second World War had sounded the death knell for the days of the Empire, which had been in a phase of steep decline since 1918.


Where the Great Exhibition had been ...


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London's First Theatre

Posted by Hazel Baker, London Tour Guide on Saturday, April 10, 2021, In : Theatre 

Well, London's first two theatres were built in Shoreditch. The first theatre was built in 1576 and was called The Theatre, not only London's first ever permanent Playhouse. And it was also Britain's the benefit of shortage, much like Southern was that it was just outside the walls of the city of London.

Even though plays were highly censored. The mayor of London had banned players from being performed within the City walls, but he couldn't ban them out of it. Before specific theatre buildings...


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Why did the Globe theatre close?

Posted by Hazel Baker - London Tour Guide on Saturday, April 10, 2021, In : Theatre 

Shakespeare's and John Fletcher's Henry VIII was originally a script called "All is True", which was a historical thriller. The play was based on the divorce of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon. Sir Thomas Lovell is a minor in the play. He's present at the Duke of Buckingham's trial and execution, and also at the festivities at Wolsey's residence. Later on in the play, Lovell is accosted by Bishop Gardner while he's on his way to inform the King that queen Anne is in labor, but may not su...


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Lockdown Street Art – A Tribute To The NHS

Posted by Susan Baker, City of London Tour Guide on Friday, August 14, 2020, In : Art 

Lockdown has been such a strange time for us all but there has been so much culture available to us online.  However, the other day whilst making my way through the back streets from the South Bank to Waterloo Station I came across a physical example of what has been produced.  A celebration of the heroes of our time – the NHS - through street art.


Under the railway bridge between Waterloo and Waterloo East is this tribute - the NHS as Superman - by Lionel Stanhope. He trained as a sign writ...


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NEW: Smartphone Photo Walks in London

Posted by London Guided Walks on Friday, December 13, 2019, In : Smartphone Photo Walks 

Learn how to take great photos with your smartphone with professional photographer Alastair Hilton.

During the photo walk, Alastair will set photography challenges, nurture your photographic eye and help you develop a better understanding of what makes a great photo. 

At the end of the 2 hour tour you will have gained a collection of photos you will feel proud of and having gained insight as to how to improve your smartphone photography. 


Our smartphone photo walks are external focu...


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It's oh so quiet...

Posted by Hazel Baker on Tuesday, October 2, 2018, In : Quirky 

So, you may have noticed that I am not offering many tours in October and November. Well, that's because something unexpectedly wonderful is happening...

I'm getting married! 

Who knew my guiding would lead me down this path. I met my future husband several years ago when he came on one of my guided walks in Camden. Like many other people he came back time and time again until he had done all the walks I had offered which finally led to him asking me on a date. 

Our first date was a mo...


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