EdwardianPromenade

Under the Arches

2012-02-02T00:15:00.000-08:00

Walter Sickert painted there; Kipling could see it from his window; Ada Reeve reminesced about it and many great stars appeared there. Gatti's at Charing Cross was one of the most popular London music-halls.

Variously called 'The Hungerford', 'Gatti's in the Arches' and simply 'Gatti's', the theatre was originally a restaurant. Carlo Gatti launched it as a music-hall in 1867. It was built into a 250-foot arch underneath the South-Eastern railway station near Charing Cross. The old theatre, which was one of the most vulgar music-halls of the day, could hold 600 people when it was filled to capacity.

Ada Reeve and Katie Lawrence were just some of the many stars who appeared here in the late 1800'
s. They scandalised audiences by dressing up in men's outfits and singing risque songs.

I learned about Gatti's because I recently saw Sickert's painting, Katie Lawrence at Gatti's, in the Art Gallery of New South Wales.

Ada Reeve Talks About Gatti's

Douglas Tompkins, A Respected Psychoanalyst

2012-02-01T23:39:00.000-08:00

Douglas Tompkins is an esteemed psychoanalyst, with many qualifications, who practises in New York. He specializes in Jungian psychotherapy.

Jungian analysis focuses on healing people by helping them understand the inner psyche. It also helps them understand and come to terms with their compleses so that they can successfully integrate their inner selves. The interpretation of dreams and reflections on daily life play a large role in this type of analysis.

If you are interested in improving your life by undergoing Jungian analysis it is a good idea to visit Douglas Tompkins. Douglas Tompkins also holds events and classes for those interested in Jung's ideas.

Prowlina Pry and the Empire Theatre

2012-01-05T16:50:00.000-08:00

Laura Ormiston Chant was horrified. A writer of hymns and the editor of the National Vigilance Association magazine, she had been told about the painted ladies who paraded along the promenade of the Empire music-hall. Even the outfits of the ballet dancers who performed there revealed too much. Two American visitors warned her and she decided to prevent the ‘horrid slavery’ of these poor women.

Nicknamed ‘Prowlina Pry’, Chant said that she was no prude and she wasn’t against music-halls. However, she disagreed with Walter McQueen Pope. He wrote that these women were ‘caged tigresses’ who ‘never importuned’ and ‘made good wives and mothers’.

Chant fought against the renewal of the Empire’s licence and it was closed down by the London County Council in 1894. It was soon reopened with canvas screens placed between the promenade and the auditorium. This infuriated the audience who rushed on the ‘barricades’ and tore them down.

Winston Churchill took the opportunity to make a speech. “You have seen us tear down these barricades tonight. See that you pull down those who are responsible for them at the coming election,” he said. The promenade remained at the theatre.

Dan Stevens's Week

2011-12-18T02:21:00.000-08:00

This is how Dan Stevens, who plays the lovely Matthew Crawley in Downton Abbey, spent his week

I am sorry that I haven't posted for a while. I will try to write a new post soon!

Three Excellent Edwardian Dramas

2011-11-17T00:00:00.001-08:00

Read about them here.

Become a Tax Preparer at the Fast Forward Academy

2011-11-15T15:52:00.000-08:00

Would you like to become a tax preparer? The Fast Forward Academy offers students a course and free online practice exams for people interested in becoming registered tax preparers. There is a wide selection of IRS Tax Preparer Study Guides at the Fast Forward Academy for reasonable prices. Some of these include practice exams. Once you have completed the course successfully, you will easily be able to do the exams and prepare taxes.

Students who are doing an income tax course can register for the online practice exams quickly and easily. Fast Forward Academy gives them a detailed analysis of their progress. Another advantage is that the exams can be repeated. This gives students a good preparation for the actual exams.

The Fast Forward Academy has all the information that people interested in becoming registered tax preparers need. It offers a blog, news, and detailed accounts of the requirements that interested students need.

The Symbol of the "Naughty Nineties"

2011-11-11T00:29:00.000-08:00

Fire engines raced to the scene. The young Prince of Wales and his friend, the Duke of Sutherland, were on one one of them. They enjoyed the scene immensely as the horses were made to go faster and faster through the busy London streets of 1865.

Unfortunately, they couldn't save The Eldorado, a music-hall and restaurant. Nineteen years later, a new music-hall replaced the old theatre. Designed by Thomas Verity, an acclaimed theatre designer, the Empire Theatre in Leicester Square was to become one of the most famous music-halls. It had a grand opening with Chilperic by Florimund Horne. It was also the site of the opening of the Lumiere Cinematrographe in 1896.

The music-hall was especially noted for its ballets. Such eminent ballerinas as Adeline Genee appeared there. Madame Katti Lanner, an Austrian dancer, ran a dance troupe. The management even travelled to St.Petersburg to acquire new talent.

Unfortunately, the ballet stars were usually members of variety shows. For example, one evening's entertainment included a juggler, a trapeze-swinging poodle and a contortionist. This was not the only problem encountered by the girls who appeared in the ballet. In those days, actresses and girls in the ballet often had a bad reputation. They were regarded as "easy game" by the young men of the town. One MP, a Mr Winterbotham, later complained that dancers often became prostitutes.

The promenade at the back of the dress circle in the theatre was apparently notorious and the reason why the Empire Theatre was considered "the symbol of the Naughty Nineties". Prostitutes and courtesans strolled here hoping to attract the attention of the young aristocrats and dandies. Winston Churchill wrote that "they also from time to time refreshed themselves with alcoholic liqueurs". These scenes would result in a great scandal - the subject of my next post.

Georges Barbier, A Great French Fashion Artist

2011-10-29T04:32:00.000-07:00

I've finally written my new article. You can see it here: Georges Barbier

Explorer's Remains Found

2011-10-20T06:11:00.000-07:00

Interesting story about Framk Wild, an explorer and friend of Shackleton.

Find An Online Course Easily

2011-10-19T21:11:00.000-07:00

Would you like to complete an online course from the comfort of your own home? An online course makes this possible. It will save you money on transport and it also means that you can study at your own pace. Another advantage is that you may not be able to find the course that you want locally. However, you will probably be able to locate the program that you want online because there are many more choices available. Find an Education will help you find an online course easily.

Find an Education enables students to browse online degree programs and search for the course which they want. Students can browse by subject or by university or college. The site supplies details of each program and university. Students who want more information can also fill in a Request Form which is sent to the college or university.

Students can find online degree programs which will suit them at Find an Education. Many different subjects are offered, including online degree programs in communication. There is a list of featured universities, colleges, and schools. These include Arizona State University and ATA Career Education. There are also several useful articles, such as: “How to Choose the Right Online Degree” and “Find Your Niche.”

http://inces.ed.gov/collegenavigator

2011-10-18T21:47:00.001-07:00

I hope to write a new post this week!

Sydney's Bon Marche

2011-10-02T00:56:00.000-07:00

Two brothers looked at the burgeoning buildings of Sydney and dreamed of creating a great department store which would rival Bon Marche in Paris. They were sure that they could do it because their family background was in retail and they had owned a successful drapery store in Melbourne.

The old, iconic building, which was once Mark Foy's department store, is now a court but the distinctive architecture remains. The turretted mansard roof and the birght terracotta trim advertising 'corsets', 'gloves' and 'hosiery' is still visible to those interested in the history of Sydney.

The Foy brothers, Francis and Mark, opened their first store in Sydney in 1884. It was another drapery business and relatively small. In 1908, however, they caused a sensation by opening a three-storey store near Hyde Park. Soon the three storeys weren't enough and the store grew to six storeys. They built other buildings to house the many departments, including furniture, hardware, and carpets. They even owned a woollen mill.

The great Mark Foy's was eventually the only store to have four frontages - on Elizabeth, Liverpool, Castlereigh, and Goulbourn streets. Paul Keating once criticised people by saying that: "They had more front than Mark Foy's!"

The department store was the first Australian store to have an escalator. People still have fond memories of the elegant galleries, the grand ballroom with its marble, and the restaurant. Women and girls especially loved to shop in the store which was highly regarded as a centre of fashion and had glamorous glass cabinets and wooden ceilings.

Unfortunately, the days of Mark Foy's ended in 1980 when Grace Brothers bought the store. Lovers of old department stores can only look at the building and dream of shopping in elegance.

The Real Lady Cora

2011-09-17T23:43:00.000-07:00

A fascinating article about the the real Lady Cora on whom the character in Downton Abbey is based.

The West Indian Monster: New York's 1893 Hurricane

2011-08-27T23:30:00.000-07:00

The New York Times screamed that it was 'the West Indian monster." It certainly acted like one. The hurricane of August, 1893 hit New York with devastating force.

Gale-force winds and heavy rain lashed the city. The winds tore roofs and chimneys off. Storm surges rose to over thirty feet. Floods swept through low-lying areas. Brooklyn and Queens were devastated. Several buildings and piers on Coney Island were destroyed. More than one hundred trees were torn up by their roots. Dozens of sailors were killed.

Parks were filled with birds killed by the storm. Immigrant boys collected the dead sparrows and plucked their feathers. Some of the birds were sold to restaurants.

The Category 2 hurricane even destroyed a whole island. Hog Island was a resort where people enjoyed eating at restaurants and bathing. The 1893 hurricane is believed to be the only hurricane that actually destroyed an island.

However, the hurricane wasn't as bad as the 1938 hurricane which killed 6000 people in New York and New England.

Flooding on New York's 12th Avenue caused by Irene.
(Ennupoet at Flickr)

Greater Toronto Contractors Provide The Best Design And Renovation Options

2011-08-25T22:14:00.000-07:00

Greater Toronto Contractors is a trustworthy firm that has an excellent reputation for design and renovation. Their expert team is committed to providing customers with professional renovations at reasonable prices within their budgets. Dealing with this firm of Toronto contractors has many advantages, including flexible financing, and an excellent warranty. You can even obtain a free estimate of how much your project will cost within 24 hours.

This firm is noted for their Toronto renovations. They can undertake complete renovations and are noted for building beautiful homes. The team has contacts with most of the flooring and fixture suppliers in Toronto so that you can receive great discounts on these items. The expert design team can show you a picture of the finished design in 3D, a wonderful idea. You can see exactly what your renovation will look like before it is delivered.

Greater Toronto Contractors also has a good reputation for their Toronto kitchen renovations. The kitchen is usually an important place for families. It is usually a place in which families gather to talk for snacks or coffee and tea, so it is imperative that it is a warm and beautiful room. You can leave the schedules, trades, and material suppliers to Greater Toronto Contractors while choosing the lay-out and design. Their team will show you the design in 3D so that you can see what the finished kitchen will look like.

Why not fill out the free estimate form on the website or call Greater Toronto Contractors today?

We Waited

2011-08-25T22:11:00.000-07:00

We waited...and waited until it finally arrived and it was certainly worth it! Downton Abbey was superbly acted, had beautiful settings, and exquisite clothes. There were also some very handsome men in it who pleased the eye.

There were some rather grating modern expressions at times, such as: "Pardon me for living". I doubt that an Edwardian would have used that expression!

I am not sure whether I prefer Upstairs, Downstairs or Downton Abbey. Upstairs, Downstairs was more subtle and authentic, I think. Downton Abbey had more scandals and backstabbing!

Magic Lantern Shows

2011-08-24T23:29:00.000-07:00

Imagine the excitement as you and your parents enter the hall filled with people and the lights darken. You are seven years old and about to see your first magic lantern show. It is Christmas and the show features a happy family enjoying the snow and welcoming their 'prodigal son' who arrives just in time for Christmas dinner. The slides flicker and change and you are lost in the magic of this other

Magic lantern shows were popular well into the twentieth century. They were presented at halls, schools and even churches. The largest could have eight operators and audiences of up to 2000 people. Sometimes they consisted of 'song slides' - picture shows with actors which accompanied popular songs. Photomontages and primitive special effects were sometimes used.

The shows in churches and schools were for educational purposes or special treats for the children. They could show scenes from different lands or missionaries educating foreign children. Sometimes these shows would have a narrator.

Until the First World War magic-lantern slides were also used to present the news at the cinema. Slide shows were presented of depictions by artists of Boer War battles, for example. Slide shows also told the story of the Titanic disaster.

Slides were also shown at the cinema to encourage good behaviour from the audience. For example, gentlemen were asked not to smoke or to remove their hats.

You can find many short Edwardian slideshows on the Internet. I enjoyed this one.

Bishop Auckland Slideshow

Oxford Medical Prepares UK Doctors For Interviews And Teaching

2011-08-19T16:14:00.000-07:00

Oxford Medical has been established since 2004 and an excellent reputation for teaching interview skills, medical management courses, and medical teaching courses. The company's courses include the Consultant Interview Course, the Medical Teaching Course, the Medical Management Course, and the Teach the Teacher Course.

The Consultant Interview Course is held in London and Oxford. It is taught by expert NHS trainers who have experience in the medical interview process. They can prepare U.K. doctors for consultant interviews, GPST interviews, and CT/ST interviews. The course is taught to small groups so each student can have personal attention. The recorded mock interviews and excellent feedback from the teachers is extremely helpful for students. Students also receive the benefits of free post course support and training.

The Medical Teaching Course is held by Oxford Medical in Oxford and London. It takes two days. It can be extremely important for doctors to know how to teach doctors and staff. This course teaches doctors the latest educational theories and prepares doctors to feel confident about teaching. It satisfies the Train the Trainer requirements of the profession.

The Medical Management Course takes three days and is taught by expert clinicians and managers. It is also taught in small groups and has received excellent reviews. The course uses the Medical Excellence Competency Leadership Framework.

The Teach the Teacher Course is taught in Oxford and London. It provides doctors with formal training in teaching. Students learn important skills, such as how to prepare thorough presentations and how to deal with difficult students. This course has an excellent reputation and is considered the best Teach the Teacher medical course in the U.K.

Oxford Medical has a well-deserved reputation for its medical interview and medical management courses.

The Miracle of Echterdingen

2011-08-06T18:28:00.000-07:00

Count von Zepplin, 59 years old and a retired army officer, had reached the age when many people retire. This did not deter him from his big ambition. It was a huge decision for an aged man with no knowledge of mechanical engineering.

The Count wanted to develop airships for military purposes and made a careful study of the engineering involved. The Count was interested in building rigid airships which would consist of cylinders charged by smaller vessels containing hydrogen-gas. He began his company in 1895 and started work at Friedrichshafen on the shores of Lake Constance.

He was able to make test flights over the Bodensee of his first Zeppelin which was 420 feet long and 38 feet in diameter. The first ascents were unsuccessful - the airships had several breakdowns. One descended rapidly and its envelope was ripped on a piling. However, the Kaiser and the King of Wurtemberg were interested in the Count's achievements so the Count was able to build larger airships capable of aerodynamic flight. He undertook further flights in 1905 and 1906.

By 1908 Count von Zeppelin had developed a very large craft containing two motors which could develop 170 horse-power. The King of Wurtemberg and his wife, Queen Charlotte, even flew in the Zeppelin in July 1908.

The LZ-4 flew over the Alps to Zurich and Lucerne and back to Lake Constance at 35 miles an hour. This was a trip of 235 miles. The Kaiser was very impressed and promised the Count much support if he could keep the Zeppelin in the air for 24 hours.

The Count's dream was almost wrecked soon after this. After staying aloft for several hours the Zeppelin was struck by a sudden squall and caught fire at Echterdingen.

The Kaiser and the King of Wurtemberg sent letters of sympathy. Luckily, the public support for the Count was so great that a public appeal raised more than six million marks for his company within a few weeks. Count von Zepplin could continue achieving his dream.

The First Important Woman Jeweller

2011-07-19T18:46:00.000-07:00

(Boivin sapphire necklace at Kaboodle.com)

The great designer, Poiret, wasn't the only talented member of his family. His sisters also became important designers. One, Jeanne Poiret, became the first important woman jeweller.

Jeanne married the jeweller, Jules Rene Boivin, in 1893. Boivin, an expert engraver and jeweler, had founded his first jewellery workshop in Paris in 1890. He acquired more workshops after he married Jeanne, a talented designer who worked with him.

Jeanne actually took over the business when Boivin died in 1917 and continued the company's work and kept talented designers, such as Suzanne Belperron and Juliette Montard. The Boivin company's clients included artists such as Degas, socialites, and stars. They appreciated the Art Deco-style jewellery for which Boivin was famous and flocked to the prestigious shop on the Avenue de l'Opera. Rene Boivin loved flowers, especially orchids, so the jewellery included pieces with floral motifs. Marine life and mythical creatures also inspired the Boivins.

The Art Deco large, mechanistic bracelets are especially famous. Although the jewellery was never signed, it is apparently easy to recognise.

The Boivin's daughter took over the company after Jeanne died. It was sold to Asprey in 1991 and it is still a prestigious jewellery company.

Find A Good Online Education

2011-07-19T18:14:00.000-07:00

The Online Universities website by Find Your Education has a wide variety of online degree programs for students to choose from. These include Art History, IT, and Business courses. Universities include the University of Phoenix and Strayer University. Many students, especially those who are at work, like to study online because they can study in their own time. Students can study during the night, for example. They also don't have to commute so they save money. Also, students who study online can often choose from a wider variety of courses.

Studying online is an especially good idea for mothers with children and the disabled. Mothers can choose when to study if they study online and they can also watch their children while they are studying. The disabled don’t have to commute and they will find it helpful to study at their own pace.

This is a very helpful site which students can easily use to search for suitable courses. For example, students can find a list of Online Degree Programs in Art History. It also includes articles about such subjects, as choosing the right online degree, military education benefits, and finding your niche.

http://www.fafsa.ed.gov

Another Edwardian Invention

2011-06-25T22:10:00.000-07:00

Think of Edwardian women next time you do the vacuuming. They were so thankful for this new invention that vacuum cleaner parties became very popular!

The first power-driven vacuum cleaner was invented by H.Cecil Booth, a British engineer in 1901. It was so large that it had to be mounted on horse-drawn carts. Using it involved extending the 100-foot hose through the windows! Before the invention of this modern new convenience, cleaning machines blew or brushed the dirt away. The new machine was used for all sorts of strange jobs, such as cleaning the dusty girders of the Crystal Palace. Booth formed his own company, specialising in industrial vacuum cleaners.

Murray Spangler invented the first electric vacuum cleaner in Ohio. William Henry Hoover's wife was so impressed with it that she showed it to her husband. He bought the patent rights and he also formed his own company. In fact, his name practically became synonymous with the vacuum cleaner.

Unfortunately, I couldn't watch this video. Some of you will be able to, however.

Edwardian Farm - The Vacuum Cleaner

One of New Zealand's Favourite Opera Singers

2011-06-11T19:09:00.000-07:00

A tribute was being held for the great conductor, Toscanini. A ghost in the audience watched as the conductor held his concert. Flowers sent to her were placed in a darkened hotel room in Venice.

The ghost was the famous opera singer, Frances Alda.

More about Melba

2011-05-27T17:03:00.000-07:00

Dr. Louise Mahler has a wonderfully interesting post on her blog about Dame Nellie Melba's business tactics.

Sarah Bernhardt's Two Princes

2011-05-14T19:06:00.000-07:00

Sarah Bernhardt wasn't always 'The Divine Sarah'. She despaired at 18 of ever becoming an actress, let alone a great one. Her mother told her that her acting was ridiculous and the distraught girl resigned from The Gymnase. This was a theatre which showed light comedies.

Bernhardt decided to go on a trip. She may have gone to Spain. She fell in love with the Belgian Prince Henri de Lignes, the great love of her life. He wanted to marry her but his family persuaded her that he would lose his inheritance and be looked down upon by society if she accepted. She gave him up.

She did have his son, however. Bernhardt called him Maurice. When Maurice was much older the prince officially recognised him and offered him his name and a large fortune. He decided to remain 'Bernhardt'.

There is a legend that Maurice and his father were catching a train but they'd lost the tickets. The ticket officer told the prince that he'd never heard of him. However, he knew the name 'Bernhardt' so they got on the train!

The Prince of Wales

Did 'the Divine Sarah' and Edward, Prince of Wales have an affair? Her granddaughter said that they were the best of friends. We will probably never know.
However, his first acknowledged mistress, Lily Langtry, certainly got quite jealous of the frizzy-haired, beautiful Frenchwoman.

The prince and the young actress often dined together in Paris. He also showered her with expensive jewellery and loved to go to her performances. When she went to London in 1879 the air was buzzing with gossip about the couple.

Lady Cavendish complained that Bernhardt was 'shameless' yet she was invited everywhere. She probably wasn't very happy about the speculation that Bernhardt and the prince were involved!

The only evidence of an affair seems to be that they spent many hours together and Bernhardt told her theatre manager that she was late because she was with the prince until the early hours of the morning.

Syria Lamonte, An Australian Opera Singer

2011-04-19T03:45:00.000-07:00

A young barmaid working at Rules Restaurant in London was invited to make the first recording on flat disc for His Master's Voice. She had an excellent and large soprano voice. The year was 1898 and the song was 'Coming Through The Rye'. Her name was Syria Lamonte and she was an Australian opera singer.

This is the myth. Syria Lamonte worked as a singer at the restaurant, not a barmaid. She is probably turning in her grave at the very thought!

Born in Sydney, Lamonte was trained in opera by two highly skilled teachers, Madame Chambers and Signor Checi. They also taught Nellie Melba. The young and beautiful soprano soon started getting musical engagements. She sang at the Tivoli in Sydney at the beginning of her career. The Sydney Morning Herald described Lamonte as having 'a fine soprano voice.'

Lamonte sang in various opera companies in Australia and visited many capitals and country towns. According to The Brisbane Courier, she made 'a very favourable impression' in the opera 'In Town' and 'her vivacious singing of 'The Gay Parisian' was warmly applauded.'

The young opera singer decided to try her luck in London. She sang at music-halls there as well as the restaurant. She was also engaged for the opera 'Lohengrin' in Berlin. Lamonte sang in many countries, including Russia and America. Eventually she came back to Melbourne where she retired.

(The Tivoli, Sydney from The Dictionary of Sydney.org)

The History of Whiteleys

2011-04-10T22:04:00.000-07:00

This is a Victorian story rather than an Edwardian one. However, I am going to include it here anyway. Read about it here: The History of Whiteleys.

Australia's Idol

2011-02-23T22:59:00.000-08:00

There was Australian Idol and there was also 'Australia's Idol'. Read about Nellie Stewart.

Buy Attractive Scrubs at Blue Sky Scrubs

2011-02-15T20:59:00.001-08:00

Medical professionals worldwide can now buy designer scrubs. These are only available online. They can be bought in many different and attractive colors, including pink, lilac, and chocolate. One pretty example is the Poppy hat - this is a bouffant style hat with 'blue sky flare'. Another very popular example is the Pixie hat.

There is no need to wear an unfashionable uniform any more. If you are a medical professional, you can buy a very fashionable scrub uniform. These uniforms feature a slimming fit and two back pockets on the pants with matching stitching on the pocket of the tops.

You can also buy a fashionable lab coat. These lab coats are made of wrinkle-free, protected cotton and feature a slimming cut and ample storage for such necessary items as notebooks and pens. These coats will make you look attractive and confident.

Queensland's Worst Cyclone

2011-02-14T01:03:00.000-08:00

Devastated banana plantation after Cyclone Larry

Before Cyclone Yasi and Cyclone Larry, there was Cyclone Mahina. This cyclone struck with great force, killed hundreds of people and caused much devastation. Unfortunately, it had been forgotten until the history of cyclones became news-worthy again.

Cyclone Mahina, a Category 5 cyclone, struck Bathurst Bay in North Queensland in 1899. It brought powerful winds with it - they reached 175 mph. The cyclone still holds the world record for the biggest storm surge of any cyclone. This was between 13-14 metres or over 40 feet high. Constable Kenny, an eye-witness, stated that he was camped on a ridge 40 ft above sea level. He was inundated to the waist during the cyclone.

Over 400 people were killed by the cyclone. These included the crews of a whole pearling fleet headed for Thursday Island. The beach was strewn with dead fish, snakes and birds. Fish and dolphins were found on top of high cliffs.

It was very lucky that few lives were lost in Cyclone Yasi and that it did not strike a city like Cairns. More preparation is certainly needed for these huge weather systems.

The Great Brisbane Flood of 1893

2011-02-03T03:05:00.000-08:00

"Great sawn logs snatched from timber-yards and timber-getters, uprooted trees, tossing and tur ting; dead bullocks, dead sheep, dead horses; haystack after haystack, the half drowned family cat riding on the summit of one, a collection of bedraggled fowls on an- other, a pumpkin vine with a pumpkin at- tached adorning a third; sheds, panels of fencing, outhouses, whole houses, and snakes of all kinds colled on debris, all went floating and whirling past In cotinuous procession round bends, along reaches, away to the wide open bay and its beaches."
This is what Steele Rudd saw from his office window in February 1893. The raging Brisbane river swept all before it.

After a long period of heavy rain, the river rose and almost 'washed away the city'. The Indooroopilly Bridge, a strong structure which contained 1272 tonnes of iron, was destroyed. Its designer, Mr Stanley, placed a loaded train on it and blocked the expansion rollers to prevent swaying but this was to no avail. This was not the only bridge that Brisbane lost in the flood. Houses, barges, and other debris crashed into the Victoria Bridge which also went.

The business district was submerged. Queen Street was under water. Businesses were devastated. Whole suburbs were inundated. Most of Auchenflower and Toowong were covered in water. The water rose to the roof of Auchenflower Railway Station and the second level of the famous riverside Regatta Hotel. People had to be rescued by boats.

The flood even devastated two storey buildings. One large two storey house was actually lifted away by the force of the wind and rain which beat down on the city. Telegraphic communication was cut and the ravaged city was practically isolated by the terrible flood.

Luckily, few deaths occurred, The flood only caused eleven known deaths. Seven of those killed worked in an Ipswich colliery inundated by the Bremer River, a tributary of the Brisbane River. Two hundred people were admitted to hospital.

Many people fled their houses with their 'smalls' or belongings, terrified by the wind and rain. Hundreds were probably left homeless by the incredibly high waters.

The economic cost of the flood reached the huge amount of two million pounds but the emotional loss was even more devastating for most 'Brisbanites'.

Tutor Vista Provides Expert Tutoring In Science

2011-02-03T01:41:00.000-08:00

Tutor Vista provides comprehensive online tutoring in all subjects for only $99.99 per month. Tutors and students use an interactive whiteboard on which students can do sums, problems, and other tasks. One of the subjects that Tutor Vista's tutors helps students with is science.

Students can obtain chemistry help from Tutor Vista's expert tutors who will provide assistance with such difficult concepts as substances and atoms. The company also provides organic chemistry help. Organic chemistry is a branch of chemistry that also needs to be clearly understood by chemistry students. The company provides chemistry homework help by giving students a list of questions to answer, and an online tutor if they need further assistance.

Tutor Vista also provides excellent physics help for students. Knowledge of physics requires that hard concepts such as Newton's Law of Gravitation, heat, and thermodynamics be learned. The company provides each student with their own expert tutor who will help them understand these concepts. Students can obtain physics homework help at any time.

Tutor Vista has online tutors who are available to give homework help in every subject at any hour of the day or night. Students should be able to pass their exams and do their assignments easily with this personal online tutoring.

Great French Actress, Gabrielle Rejane

2011-01-28T21:13:00.000-08:00

Comedienne, Gabrielle Rejane, rivalled Eleanora Duse and Sarah Bernhardt, in her day. Read about this interesting actress here: Gabrielle Rejane

New Post Soon

2011-01-22T13:56:00.001-08:00

I now know what 'overland flooding' means! Luckily, only my entrance, garage and lift were affected. I've also been lucky enough to have a short holiday!

I hope to write a new post soon!

An Edwardian Christmas

2010-12-25T03:19:00.000-08:00

Compliments of the Season! An Edwardian Christmas

The Stray Dog

2010-12-16T00:46:00.000-08:00

Imagine that you are a young artist in St.Petersburg in 1912. Perhaps you are a talented musician, a futurist painter, or a dreamy poet. You are deciding on a night out. There would probably only be one choice for you - The Stray Dog.

The Stray Dog was a dark and smoky cellar on a corner of Mikhaelovska Square, decorated by Sudeikin, where artists with new ideas congregated. Here one could watch Tamara Karsavina dance in giant mirrors, listen to Anna Akhmatova recite her latest poem, or flirt with the handsome Gumylov. In her autobiography, Karsavina described how she danced in 'the midst of the audience in a small space encircled by garlands of fresh flowers' to the music of Couperin. Here the latest plays were performed and exhibitions were held. Even the manager, Boris Pronin, was an actor.

People entering the club signed their names in a pigskin book. Those who were not artists were given the derogatory name of 'pharmacists'. They had to pay to watch the artists perform.

The 'Queen of The Stray Dog', Anna Akhmatova used to sweep in dressed in black silk. In spite of her husband, Gumylov, flirting with the beautiful women, she must have had a good time there. She wrote:

"We are all revellers. We are all whores.
How unhappy we are together."

Tamara Karsavina (1910)

The Stray Dog lasted until 1919. It has reopened and is now a hip cafe in St.Petersburg: The Stray Dog

(This is a little bit out of time but I couldn't resist learning about this favourite haunt of Russian artists in the early twentieth century.)

The Well-Dressed Music-Hall Star

2010-12-05T17:31:00.000-08:00

Imagine having your leg amputated at 82! This happened to Albert Whelan, one of the most famous Australian music-hall entertainers. Yet he still made appearances and even did a stint on the BBC TV show, Life Begins at Eighty. One has to admire this kind of attitude!

Born in in Melbourne in 1875 as Albert Waxman, he made his start by singing for the miners in the goldfields in Western Australia. He changed his name and became part of the musical comedy team, Whelan & Wilson.

Whelan must have been extremely ambitious because he soon went to London. He made his debut as a dancer and singer at London's Empire Theatre in 1901. He was very versatile - he could play the piano and the violin, sing comic songs, and tell funny stories.

He toured the United States and appeared with Anna Pavlova at the Palace Theatre in 1912. I wonder what she thought of him! She might not have liked his singing, but she probably approved of his appearance. He always dressed immaculately for the stage. His outfit included an opera cloak, top hat and tails and white gloves.

Whelan was the first person to use a signature tune - The Jolly Brothers - which he whistled at the beginning and end of his performance.

Albert Whelan died in 1961.

Here he is singing with his son Gordon at the piano.

Albert Whelan Sings My Secret Passion

2010-12-05T00:06:00.000-08:00

I found this article the other day. I was so pleased to see that Lucile Duff-Gordon was vindicated by her former secretary for the role that she played in the escape from the ill-fated Titanic: 95-Year Old Letter Settles Titanic Controversy.

A Substitute For A Spouse?

2010-11-27T19:54:00.000-08:00

When I told my husband about the Teasmade, he asked: "Is that a subsitute for a spouse?" Surprisingly he hadn't heard of it even though he's English.

This handy invention which wakes one up with an alarm and the sound of hot water bubbling away was invented in Edwardian times. The first ones were heated by methylated spirits which set off the automatic striking of a match. Many fires were triggered by these, apparently.

The first patent for an automatic teamaking machine was granted to Samuel Rowbottom in 1892. He was an electrical engineer who helped invent the first armed tank with Fred Simms.

In 1902 the first commercial tea-making machines were made. They featured alarms clocks and kettles which tipped hot water into the cups. Goblin started mass producing the machines which they named the Teasmade in the Thirties.

They proved to be extremely popular and other brands such as Pye also began making the machines. By the late 60's over 300,000 units were sold every year. Sadly, they began to be regarded as old-fashioned and eccentric in the Eighties. They gained a reputation for 'naffishness'.

However, who wouldn't want to be woken up by the sound of water boiling and a soothing cup of tea? (Some strange people prefer coffee in the mornings - this blog isn't for them. Just kidding!) Recently, the Teasmade has returned to fashion. The latest machine made by Swan includes an illuminated LCD clock, an alarm, and even a reading light! The alarm souns when the water has finished boiling.

What do you do if you like milk in your tea? I don't think that that's been solved, unfortunately. You still have to put it in yourself!

Wood v. Lucy, Lady Duff-Gordon

2010-11-27T14:58:00.000-08:00

The famous designer, Lucile, was involved in a case which is very important in contracts law: Wood v. Lucy, Lady Duff-Gordon.

New Post Soon

2010-11-21T22:22:00.000-08:00

I hope to have a new post here tonight. If not, it will be this week!

Tutor Vista Offers Affordable Tutoring Online

2010-11-21T22:05:00.000-08:00

Tutor Vista offers school and college students online tutoring at affordable prices. Students can obtain help with many subjects from graduate tutors at any time. They can also schedule sessions regularly. Students interact with their tutors by using an interactive whiteboard on which they can post assignments, answer problems, and do other tasks.

Tutor Vista offers help with math questions, which can be very difficult. Students can also obtain geometry help. The organization also offers help with .prime numbers.

Many students also find chemistry and physics hard. Chemistry help and are offered. Physics help can be obtained.

Why not find out about Tutor Vista's tutoring today?

A Stunning Edwardian Actress

2010-11-12T19:40:00.000-08:00

The Edwardian actresses are fascinating. Here is my article about Lily Elsie.

How Do You Measure Wealth?

2010-11-09T21:39:00.000-08:00

Would you rather be middle class now or wealthy in 1910? Most people choose 1910. What The Future.tv has a great article about this: How Do You Measure Wealth?

10 Awesome Blogs for Steampunk Designers

2010-11-09T21:35:00.001-08:00

Steampunk is a fascinating combination of Edwardian technology and fashion and modern sensibility. I haven't made a study of it, but I enjoy reading about it. Here are some great links for those of you who like it: 10 Awesome Blogs for Steampunk Designers

The Chicago World's Fair Premier Attraction

2010-10-27T22:57:00.000-07:00

When George Ferris invented his eponymous wheel he probably never thought that it would reach the height and sophistication of the London Eye. This popular London attraction reaches the height of 450 feet. Stunning views of London can be seen by riding on the London Eye which was designed by the London architects, Julia Barfield and Marks. They won the design competition for the millennium with their construction.

The organizers of the World's Chicago Exposition in 1893 wanted an attraction which would rival the Eiffel Tower which was opened in 1889. Ferris designed the wheel because he was inspired by the old Merry-Go-Round. When the young engineer, George Ferris, presented his plans for a giant wheel on which passengers could ride, he was regarded as crazy. Eventually the Committee gave in and granted the 32 year old permission to begin construction. He had only four months to have it built before the opening of the fair.

The christening of the first Ferris Wheel was a big event. Imagine the excitement of seeing this huge wheel all lit up in the brilliant Chicago night. VIP's dressed in ball gowns and evening clothes celebrated the occasion by drinking champagne and smoking cigars. Each ride was clapped.

According to Chicago: It's History and it's Builders, people thought that the Ferris Wheel would not be able to stand the strains that it incurred while revolving or that a severe gale would topple it. There were many fears about public safety and some people were very tentative about riding on the giant wheel.

However, the Ferris Wheel proved to be probably the most popular attraction at the fair. Passengers loved the wonderful view of the city, the lake, and the prairies which were visible from the wheel's height of 264 feet. Eventually 2,160 passengers rode on the wheel. Each ride cost fifty cents.

This Ferris wheel was eventually moved to the St. Louis Fair. It was also a popular attraction there. After that it was broken up for iron, which is a bit sad.

New Post Soon

2010-10-19T00:07:00.001-07:00

I hope to write a new post about an Edwardian subject tomorrow!

Funeral Insurance Policies from Real Insurance

2010-10-18T23:48:00.000-07:00

Arranging your funeral plans is a good idea. If you know that your loved ones won't have to worry about the expenses of the funeral one added burden can be taken off your mind. Funeral plans Australia can be made here.

Your family will also be covered by Real Insurance for any unexpected funeral expenses when you die. There is even a triple benefit of up to $45,000 for accidental death.

An instant quote can be obtained at Real Insurance. Prices for funeral insurance policies are very reasonable and start at only $1.72 per week, subject to certain conditions. A free information pack is available from Real Insurance and you can request a call from a customer service officer for help.

Atiya's Journey

2010-10-14T01:38:00.000-07:00

This is an interesting article about a well-educated Indian lady's journal of her trip to England in Edwardian times: Atiya's Journey. I must buy the book!

Excellent Products at Cameras Direct

2010-10-13T17:34:00.000-07:00

Cameras Direct has a wide range of photography products and a helpful and thorough web site. This is the place to buy a digital slr camera and there are many special offers available. The range includes the well-known brands, including Canon, Nikon, and Sony.

Cameras Direct also has tips and articles on how to be a better photographer. There are also free videos on various photography topics. Other features include long and informative reviews, which discuss the pros and cons of various cameras.

There are more than one thousand testimonials from satisfied customers on the Cameras Direct web site. The store certainly goes to a lot of trouble to please customers. The more expensive cameras and products are delivered overnight in Australia and postage is insured, for example. Longer warranties are also available. Why not ring today and ask for advice?

A Music-Hall Singer on the Goldfields

2010-10-11T16:59:00.000-07:00

NB: This post is about a music-hall singer in the Victorian era. I wanted to write about Australian singers so I will include him.

Charles Thatcher has been described as 'the most acclaimed music-hall singer of the Australian goldfields'. This popular Englishman certainly led a successful and interesting life which varied from digging in the goldfields, singing, and importing.
He also lived in three different countries.

Born in Bristol in 1831, Thatcher was the son of a curio seller. When he was quite young the family moved to Brighton where his father ran a curio shop. Young Charles showed musical talent early - he learned the flute and played in London orchestras.

The seemingly easy fortunes to be made on the Australian goldfields attracted -Thatcher when he was only 21. He soon came to Australia on the Isabella. He quickly made friends and started digging. He was lucky enough to make one thousand pounds and decided to leave the hard labour of digging for gold.

Thatcher decided to become an entertainer in the music-halls. Although he apparently had a weak voice, he was handsome with broad-shouldered, clean-shaven looks. He also had a knack for writing humorous lyrics which he set to old songs. These qualities soon helped him become a success. He toured the goldfields with these songs.

The singer's lyrics concerned timely topics, such as the goldfields and cricket. He also sang political songs at times. Thatcher's comments about the gold commissioners and police were criticised. Thatcher regarded his songs as 'a popular history of the time'. He was nicknamed 'the Colonial Minstrel'.

When Thatcher was 30 he married a widow, Annie Vitelli, who was also a singer and entertainer. They had two daughters. The couple lived in Dunedin for some years where Charles continued to sing but they returned to Victoria.

They eventually decided to go back to England where Thatcher ran a successful curio shop, following in the footsteps of his father. He died of cholera in Shanghai, where he was on a business trip in 1878.

You can see a drawing of Thatcher here in the middle of the page:
Charles Thatcher

A Historic London Hotel

2010-09-29T21:19:00.000-07:00

The Strand Palace Hotel is centrally located, still inexpensive, and full of atmosphere. I haven't stayed there, but I looked around and I liked this charming, old London hotel.

Last year the extensive renovation of the hotel was finished to celebrate the 100 year anniversary. One hundred years ago a single room with breakfast cost six shillings and sixpence! The hotel now features 24 hour room service, a carvery, a traditional English pub, and a business centre. These facilities make it a match for any modern hotel.

Art Deco features were added in the 1920's. Some of these can still be seen at the hotel, but others are at the V&A Museum. These include the 1930's entrance.

The hotel was popular as a night venue during the 1920's when the 'bright young things' did the Charleston, and members of the American forces also danced the night away at the hotel whenever they could.

The Edwardian House

2010-09-23T00:13:00.001-07:00

Would you like to renovate your house in the Edwardian style? This site has excellent tips.

Site of the Week: Fin de Siecle

2010-09-10T22:11:00.000-07:00

“The fin de siècle may have been at once a swan song and a death-bed repentance…” ~Holbrook Jackson

The Fin de Siecle is a lavish site which is full of images of great paintings and information about the era. It also has articles about obscure illustrators, Edwardian magazines, and Edwardian fashions. I could spend hours at this site!

2010-09-05T19:18:00.000-07:00

I have been neglecting the Australian music-hall singers! I will start off with Florrie Forde.

Florrie Forde was called 'the world's greatest chorus singer'. She was a quintessentially Australian music-hall singer with a broad Australian accent. She was proud of being Australian and helped other Australian singers, such as Billy Williams.

Forde, a Melbourne girl, was one of eight children. She had an unhappy home life and longed to go on the stage. When she was very young the ambitious girl ran away to her aunt in Sydney. She may have worked as an under-housemaid at Government House before being discovered by a theatre manager.

She began to sing and dance at the theatre and often appeared as a principal boy in pantomimes. She appeared at the Theatre Royal in Sydney. Forde also had seasons in Adelaide and Melbourne. She sang 'After the Ball' at the little Alhambra music-hall in Melbourne's Bourke Street for many weeks. She was also honoured to ride Tarcoola, the 1893 Melbourne Cup winner, onto the stage.

When Forde was only 21 the British comedian, G.H.Chirgwin, heard her and offered her a large sum of money for her work if she'd go to England. The irrepressible Florrie Forde agreed. She appeared on the stage at three music-halls on her first night!
She also continued to act in pantomimes.

Forde popularized the great songs: 'It's A Long, Long Way to Tipperary' and 'Pack Up Your Troubles In Your Old Kitbag' during the First World War. She also sang 'Hold Your Hand Out, Naughty Boy' and 'Down at the Old Bell and Bush'. Forde made many recordings and had small parts in films. I also read that she had a club in Shoreham, Sussex, where she lived that was notorious for drinking and rowdiness. The neighbours apparently frowned on it.

One wonders what her husband, who was an art dealer, thought of the club.

Florrie Forde was very popular and had a wonderful stage presence. Even Melba praised her strong, clear voice. She said that: "Florrie's is a voice of true Australian quality."

Forde became very plump - she eventually weighed over sixteen stone. This may have contributed to her death at sixty-five in 1940. The music-hall singer collapsed and died after singing for patients at a naval hospital in Scotland.

Skirmish of Wit

2010-08-29T00:57:00.000-07:00

I used to love looking at Skirmish of Wit. Now it's been protected and I can't visit it any more. It's very disappointing when that suddenly happens!

I miss Miranda's posts about touring historic houses, visits to the theatre, and books that she'd read. I used to look at it a lot.

Cleo de Merode, An Edwardian Beauty

2010-08-27T23:59:00.001-07:00

Here is my article on the beautiful Cleo: Cleo de Merode

The Luxurious London Ritz

2010-08-17T23:07:00.000-07:00

Edward VII was painted there. King Alfonso of Spain stayed there. Even James Bond stayed in a sumptuous room overlooking Green Park in the movie, Diamonds are Forever.

Lady Furness famously asked her friend, Wallis Simpson, to take care of the Prince of Wales in the hotel. Wallis took a little too much care of him, to Lady Furness's chagrin!

The Ritz, which opened in 1906, has always been a favourite of royalty and the wealthy. The seven-storey building was designed by the architects, Charles Mewes and Arthur Davis, to resemble a Parisian chateau at the height of the Belle Epoque. It was also the first large building in London to have a steel frame.

Ritz managed the hotel for a long time and placed the famous French chef, Escoffier, in charge of the meals. It must have been wonderful to dine at the Ritz in those days or stay in one of the rooms furnished in Louis XVI style. The beautifully restored rooms have gold leaf mouldings, chandeliers, and marble fireplaces.

If you can't afford to stay at the Ritz, perhaps you can take Afternoon Tea in the gorgeous Palm Court.

Tutor Next's Math Tutoring

2010-08-17T22:49:00.000-07:00

Tutor Next is an excellent online tutoring service which provides online tutoring to K-12 and college students at a cheap rate. Students can try the service for free before deciding to use it, by using the online demonstration.

Tutor Next delivers personal tutoring to students. Their tutors can provide math help with exam preparation, math questions, and the various types of math problems.

Tutors from the service will deliver excellent homework help for students at their own place and during their own time. They will help with difficult questions and individual math problems.

Tutor Next provides students with algebra help, calculus help, and physics help.

Tudor Vista Offers Math Tutoring

2010-08-15T19:13:00.001-07:00

Tudor Vista offers online tutoring for K-12 and college students for only $99.00 per month in all subjects. They have an online demo which enables first time users to try the service for free. Students can have live chats with tutors in any subject that they choose.

Tudor Vista helps students to identify an acute triangle, for example, by providing diagrams and questions about acute triangles. This is invaluable for a math student. The service also helps students with such difficult concepts as line segments and indices.

You can also learn about the diameter of a circle
and the definitions of algebraic expressions.
The tutors at Tudor Vista can also help you with the square footage calculator.

Tudor Vista is the perfect way for K-12 and college students to learn in their own place and in their own time at a cheap price!

A Most Luxurious Hotel

2010-08-06T23:50:00.000-07:00

(The Savoy Hotel by Strollerdos at Flickr.com)

Little George loved staying at the new Savoy Hotel in London. He sometimes pushed the buttons in the elevator if the elevator boy let him, and the hall porter sometimes let him take care of the guest's top hats. Little George's mother, the great Nellie Melba, also loved it and held many fabulous dinner parties there.

Richard D'oyly Carte built the Savoy to accommodate tourists and out-of-towners who traveled to London to see the theatre and the sights. He had managed Gilbert and Sullivan and spotted a niche in the market. He also wanted to expand into a new business.

The Savoy, built in 1889, was extremely luxurious because D'oyly Carte wanted to attract wealthy Americans who were used to the best in their own country. The hotel was the first in the British Isles to have electric lights in every room, and it also boasted new Otis elevators. D'oyly Carte employed the best people for his grand hotel, including the great Ritz and the famous French chef, Escoffier. The great chef introduced haute cuisine to Great Britain. Escoffier delighted Madame Melba by inventing a new recipe, Peche Melba, for her.

Since then many famous people have stayed at the Savoy. Monet painted there. Edward VII met his mistress, the beautiful Lily Langtry, at the hotel. The young Princess Elizabeth made her first public appearance with her handsome beau, Prince Phillip, at the Savoy. A grand Coronation Ball was held for her after she became Queen.

The luxurious hotel is undergoing an extensive renovation which is costing over 200 million pounds. It is due to open later this year with the celebrity chef, Gordon Ramsay, in charge of the Savoy Grill. A suite will cost over 2000 pounds. Unfortunately, I won't be staying at the Savoy any time soon!

Marie Studholme

2010-07-30T17:47:00.000-07:00

Marie Studholme was another Edwardian stage beauty who appeared in musical comedies and was also on the stage of music-halls.

Jose Collins

2010-07-16T21:51:00.000-07:00

You can read about Jose Collins here: The Maid of the Mountains

Lottie Collins

2010-07-13T18:18:00.000-07:00

Read about Lottie Collins, who made the song 'Ta-ra-ra-Boom-de-re' famous here:

New Posts

2010-07-07T15:08:00.001-07:00

I've been very busy this week, but I hope to write new posts next week!

The Ingenious Mr.Tich

2010-06-25T17:38:00.000-07:00

Harry Relph was only a little over four feet tall with six digits on his hands and toes. This didn't worry him very much, however. Other people would have considered these characteristics disadvantages, but little 'Mr.Tich' used them to his advantage in his bright career.

The sixteenth child of a 77 year old Kent publican, Harry Relph was born in 1867. He soon decided that he wanted to go on the stage. At the tender age of 12, he was aa 'blackface' singer in one of London's remaining pleasure gardens,
the Rosheville. He soon started singing in the music halls, starting at the Middlesex
.

He decided on the name of 'Mr.Tich' because of the Tichborne Claimant. This man claimed to be the heir to an ancient baronetcy, but the real heir was lost at sea. The claimant weighed 25 stone, so Mr.Tich chose the name to emphasize the differences between them. It was catchy and short, and turned out to be a wise choice.

Mr.Tich's act was alternatively grotesque and hilarious. He became famous for impersonating many different kinds of people, including grocers, fairy queens, and Spanish dancers. He also satirized famous people, such as Louie Fuller.

One of his most popular acts was the one in which he danced on boots that were almost half his size. They were 28 inches long. Audiences loved to see him balancing on these tall boots.

Mr.Tich was very popular in Paris as well as London. He appeared at the Folies Bergere in Paris many times. The French honoured him by admitting him to the Academie Francaise.

Mr.Tich's Boot Dance

Yvette Guilbert and The Wit of the Staircase

2010-06-21T14:37:00.000-07:00

The French call the sharp and witty retort, l'esprit de l'escalier, which means 'the wit of the staircase'. Yvette Guilbert was a past master at this, apparently.

She attended Marguerite Charpentier's salon, frequented by the wealthy and the famous. One of these grand ladies recognized her. According to The Private Lives of the Impressionists by Sue Roe, this grand lady exclaimed: 'My dear...I bet you don't remember me. We used to meet often a long time ago, before you became a star, when you were still a little seamstress.'

'Of course I remember,' replied Guilbert. 'I'll never forget how difficult it was to get you to pay your bills.'

The Fast Set

2010-06-21T03:30:00.000-07:00

Art and Architecture, Mainly has written a fascinating post about this: The Fast Set in Edwardian Times. The comments are also interesting!

I don't agree that being an aristocrat in Edwardian times was boring.

St.Paul's in 1905

2010-06-21T03:21:00.000-07:00

You can see a photo of St.Paul's in 1905 here at History Pin. This site is a great idea!

Online Auto Insurance

2010-06-21T00:10:00.001-07:00

Do you need insurance for your motor vehicle? You can save money by obtaining quotes on the Internet. The cheapest way to get insurance for your car is probably by buying it online. If you type your postcode into the box at Online Auto Insurance you will be provided with a list of quotes to choose from.

It's a great idea to get lots of quotes, but it is also best
to look into other ways of saving money on your car insurance.
Online Auto Insurance provides lots of articles and tips about buying insurance and saving on your car insurance. You can also ring them up if you need extra advice.

According to one article at Online Auto Insurance, for example, you can save money on your vehicle insurance by driving smartly. This involves avoiding collisions, and avoiding distracting activities, such as using your mobile phone while driving. If you have a good driving record, you should be able to save on your insurance.

Another French Music-Hall Star

2010-06-07T22:52:00.000-07:00

The beautiful Yvette Guilbert was another star of the French music-halls. She led an interesting life - she began by singing risque songs and then she became quite a scholar!

The Anarchist Singer

2010-05-17T20:07:00.000-07:00

Aristide Bruant cut a dashing figure in his red scarf, black velvet jacket, matching red shirt and boots. In his portraits by Toulouse-Lautrec, he is the epitomy of the Bohemian 'artiste'.

Born in Cortenay in 1851, the young Brunt grew up in a middle-class family. When his father died when he was just 12, however, he had to come to terms with poverty and join the workers. He became a jeweller's apprentice at 12. After that he worked for the Northern Railway's Company. He started travelling to Paris where he found another world - a world of music-halls and clubs that he wanted to join.

The young boy with stars in his eyes left home at just 15. He started his own singing and comedy act which impressed the club, Chat Noir. He was engaged by the club and eventually became its manager. Bruant changed the name to Le Mirliton.

The handsome singer became very popular. He dabbled in anarchist politics and sympathized with the struggles of the workers. He wrote songs that have been called 'narratives of poverty and prostitution'. These were called 'naturalist songs' and were in the same tradition as Zola's great realist novels about life on the streets and the sorrows of the working-class and poor.

Bruant's audience was mostly middle-class and he loved to insult them. He called them names like 'pig' and 'prostitute'. Whenever a woman came in, she was greeted by an audience chorus of: "Oh, How pale she is." Surprisingly, the audience loved all this.

The only person that he greeted nicely was his great friend, the artist Toulouse-Lautrec. When he came in, Bruant told the audience to welcome the 'great artist'. Bruant was one of the artist's first friends and helped his work become known. He commissioned a portrait for his poster for the club, Les Ambassadeurs, which is still one of Lautrec's most famous paintings.

Aristide Bruant was a great showman, who became a star of Montmartre, and made a lot of money. He eventually retired to run a farm, but he made a brief return to the stage at 73. He put on an act at the Empire Theatre and made a gramophone recording.

New Post

2010-05-15T16:10:00.000-07:00

A new post will be up soon. Sorry for the delay!

The Queen of the French Music Hall

2010-04-29T14:47:00.000-07:00

Who was 'the queen of the French music hall'? Find out here: The French Queen of the Music Hall

Music Hall Women and Gaiety Girls

2010-04-24T05:54:00.000-07:00

Who was The Flying Arrow? What was a 'masher'? Where did the term 'stage-door Johnnies' come from? Find out by listening to Music Hall Women and Gaiety Girls.

I had trouble listening to this programme because the file is a RAM file. I found this helpful: How to Convert RAM Files to MP3.

Caroline Reboux

2010-04-14T14:29:00.000-07:00

Caroline Reboux was nicknamed 'The Queen of the Milliners' in the Edwardian era.

Toulouse-Loutrec's Favourite Dancer

2010-03-27T21:23:00.000-07:00

The lithe redhead captivated the audience with her dancing. They liked her beauty charm and grace. Yet they found her melancholy.

Jane Avril had good reason to be melancholy. She had had to overcome great odds to achieve her dream of becoming a successful dancer. She had had very inauspicious beginnings.
Born in 1848, Avril was the daughter of La Belle Elise, a society girl, and Count Luigi di Font, a nobleman. Her father was mostly absent and her alcoholic mother beat her and even wanted her to be a prostitute.

Unsurprisingly, Avril ran away from home. She was picked up by the police who thought that she was insane and placed her in Paris's famous Salpatriere Hospital. Here she was put into the care of the nuns and Charcot, the expert on women's 'hysteria'.

Luckily, the nuns and Charcot discovered that the young girl loved to dance and determined that she was not insane. They released her at 16. Avril didn't return to her mother, however. (Who could blame her?)

She became a rider at the Hippodrome and a cashier at the World's Fair but she really wanted to dance. Eventually she became a dancer at the Moulin-Rouge and then the Jardin de Paris. The artist, Toulouse-Lautrec, identified with the young woman's sadness and used her as his model for many posters. They became good friends and shared a love of intellectual society. Avril was cultured and liked to mix with great writers such as Paul Verlaine. There is even speculation that Lautrec fell in love with the slim redhead.

In 1895 Avril seized her chance. She was offered a lot of money to replace Louise Weber, who was retiring. She accepted and became a lead dancer at the Moulin-Rouge. She even toured London.

In 1910 at the age of 42 Avril married the journalist, Maurice Blais. He was unfaithful and didn't have much money. After he died she was penniless and died in a nursing home.

Toulouse-Lautrec's art has made Jane Avril, with her sad look, her grace, and her flaming red hair, immortal.

Links

I was delighted to find this site devoted to Jane by Craig: Jane Avril of the Moulin Rouge Here you will find a detailed biography and interesting links.

Back!

2010-03-21T22:01:00.000-07:00

Since we last met I've walked around the Golden Mount in Bangkok, been lost in beautiful San Gimignano, lamented being snowed in in Venice, and had a sleepless night on a train from Venice to Paris. I apologise for being away for so long but I had a lovely holiday.

I hope to write about Jane Avril, the famous singer of the Cafe Concerts soon.

Thirza Cove: A Brave Suffragette

2010-02-20T19:11:00.000-08:00

This is an interesting article about a domestic servant who became a suffragette: Thirza Cove.

Hotels and Hospitality Management Library of NSW TAFE

2010-02-10T19:50:00.000-08:00

The Hotels and Hospitality Management Research library provides resources to assist in the study of hospitality management, including the showing of global hotel pricing using the Cheaperthanhotels booking tool .

The Hotels and Hospitality Management Library of NSW TAFE has many useful links for students. These include links to hospitality management websites, accommodation websites, and websites about the environmental management of hotels.

Students studying hospitality management and tourism should be able to find most of the resources that they need at the TAFE library. It is an extremely useful website

Cafe Chantants

2010-02-07T23:28:00.000-08:00

The original cafes chantant (concert cafes) were probably quite enchanting. They consisted of performers (often singers)entertaining audiences in outdoor cafes in France. These first began as long ago as the eighteenth century. Eventually they evolved into famous 'music-halls', such as the Folies Bergere.

The cafes chantant were extremely popular in the Belle Epoque. They had become rather dark, smoky, crowded places by then and the atmosphere was probably a bit rough and unpleasant. They were very popular with the working-classes and aristocratic young men looking for a good time. (The hero of Colette's Cheri comes to mind.) Theodore Child wasn't impressed with the cafes chantant. He found them 'inept and stupid.' He describes the Parisian cafes of 1889 here: Parisian Cafes.

The concert cafes soon became popular in other countries. They began in Italy in the 1890's. Here is a description of the

Cafe Margherita in Naples.

Singers at the cafe chantants included Lina Cavalieri and Yvette Guilbert.

More refined concert cafes became very popular amongst the English aristocracy and the American upper classes during Edwardian times. Often cafe chantants were staged for charity. I would have liked to attend this .
charity evening.

The Music Hall Wars of 1907

2010-02-01T12:56:00.000-08:00

(This is a poster designed to canvass support for the strike. Wikimedia Commons)

In 1907 there were no standard rules for employers and workers in the crowded and smoky music halls. Contracts were variable and the courts were filled with law suits between the workers and employers. The Variety Artistes Federation was formed in 1906. By 1907 the Federation, designed to improve conditions, had almost 4,000 members.

The final straw for artistes came in 1907 when many music-hall owners demanded additional shows for little or no extra money. Artistes, musicians and stage-hands at over 22 variety theatres decided to go on strike.

The most successful music-hall star in Britain, Marie Lloyd, was sympathetic to the plight of the workers. She understood that she was in a position to negotiate for better conditions but many of the people who worked in music-halls weren't.

The music hall owners tried to break the strike by engaging acts that were not well-known and retired workers. The union decided to picket the theatres. When Marie Lloyd saw a girl that she knew she shouted, ""Let her through girls, she'll close the music-hall faster than we can."

Eventually the dispute was referred to arbitration at the Board of Trade. Surprisingly, this was suggested by the author, Somerset Maugham. The Board solved the issue by holding hearings involving more than 100 witnesses and several meetings. The music-hall workers received more money and they were granted a guaranteed minimum wage and maximum working week.

Lucile Duff-Gordon

2010-01-20T03:39:00.000-08:00

Lucile Duff-Gordon was a famous British dress-designer who was in the same class as Madeleine Vionnet and Paul Poiret. Her designs have recently been re-discovered. Here is my article about her: The Designing 'It' Girl.

Poems for the New Year

2009-12-30T22:16:00.001-08:00

Here is some special poetry to see in the New Year! This is my personal favourite by Alfred, Lord Tennyson:
Ring Out, Wild Bells

Memorable Marie

2009-12-28T03:44:00.000-08:00

In Marie’s dreams she sang in a beautiful blue dress on the music-hall stage to an audience who clapped enthusiastically after each song. When she woke up and found herself sleeping in a small, cramped room with her little sisters, she sighed and turned her face to the wall. How would she ever escape? The London girl wouldn’t take long to make her dreams come true.

After wandering around the music-hall precincts and theatre streets of London with her father, a waiter in a tavern, Marie Lloyd was determined to sing on the stage and be successful. Born Matilda Victoria Wood in 1870, she soon changed her name to Marie because it ‘sounded classy’. Lloyd was obtained from the name of a weekly newspaper.

The pretty blue-eyed blonde formed a singing troupe with her talented sisters. They called themselves the ‘Fairy Bell Minstrels’. Soon Lloyd branched out on her own and made her first stage appearance in a music hall at only 15. She danced an Irish jig which she said ‘went down immense.’

Marie Lloyd’s first hit song was ‘The Boy That I Love Is Up In The Gallery’. During the song her brother would wave a red hanky pretending to be her true love.

The young singer quickly became quite successful and was soon admired by men. She fell in love with smooth-talking Percy Courtney, who was much older, and married him when she was only 17. He was 25.

Unfortunately Percy liked drinking, race-horses and living ‘the good life’ much more than being married. Although they had a daughter, Marie, within a year of marriage, the marriage didn’t last long.

Humiliated by his wife earning more than him, Courtney drank more and more heavily. Finally he assaulted Marie and her reputation was tarnished when this was reported in the press.

Lloyd’s career flourished, however, and she toured South Africa to great acclaim. She also toured America a few times although she got into some trouble there because of her ‘blue’ songs. Apparently the press gave her a hard time.

She was called before the Vigilance Committee because of her ‘rude’ songs and gestures and winks. They didn’t like her dancing which revealed colourful petticoats and drawers either. She convinced them that her songs were completely innocent, however, and that any risqué meaning that they had was in the minds of the audience.

Marie Lloyd’s second husband was the singer, Alec Hurley. She toured Australia successfully with him but the marriage ran into trouble when she got her eye on a much younger Irish jockey called Bernard Dillon.

The Music-Hall Strikes

Marie Lloyd spoke out about the poor working conditions and lack of pay when music-hall performers went on strike in 1907. She supported the workers who were being expected to put on many extra performances for little pay or even no pay at all.
“These poor things have been compelled to submit to unfair terms of employment, and I mean to back up the federation in whatever steps are taken," she said.

It was a huge strike involving many of the London variety theatres and over 2000 of the performers in the Variety Artistes Federation, and took a long time to be resolved. The performers were eventually paid more money and granted a guaranteed minimum wage and musicians gained a maximum working week.

The managers of the theatres never forgave Marie for her involvement. This may have been the reason why she wasn’t invited to perform in the Royal Command Performance of 1912. She was not daunted and put on her own ‘Command Performance’ in a nearby music-hall to great acclaim.

Marie Lloyd was good-hearted in other ways as well. She performed for the troops during WW1 and was greatly involved in charity work for the homeless and the children of London.

Bernard Dillon

Marie was earning huge amounts of money but her private life wasn’t happy. The young jockey that she married at 40 (he was only 22) was just as bad as Percy Courtney. He drank heavily as well and eventually got into trouble for assaulting Marie’s father.

Marie Lloyd became ill in the early 1920’s and practically died on the stage. Her performance was affected and she became wobbly and distraught. She died three days later.

Over 100,000 people watched the funeral procession of the greatly loved ‘Queen of the Music Hall.’

Here is an extract from the film which stars Jessie Wallace and the handsome Richard Armitage:

Miss Marie Lloyd - Queen of the Music Hall

Paul Iribe

2009-12-26T17:42:00.000-08:00

The Aesthete's Lament has a post about the eclectic designer, Paul Iribe, which is well-worth reading.

About Decorative Style

2009-12-26T17:28:00.001-08:00

It's a pity that these wonderfully interesting online magazines have been discontinued. There are articles on Belle Epoque fashion, the history of fans, corsets, and many other Victorian and Edwardian topics. You can find them here:
About Decorative Syle.

Fortuny

2009-12-19T22:37:00.000-08:00

My article about the great Spanish designer, Mariano Fortuny, can be seen here:
The Magician of Venice.

A Very English King

2009-12-19T22:35:00.001-08:00

Edward VII. (Part One)

Blue-eyed and blonde-haired, young Prince Albert Edward impressed everyone with his sweet nature, except his parents. Queen Victoria and her consort, Prince Albert, were disappointed in the young Prince because they didn’t think that he was as clever as their favourite, his elder sister, Princess Vicky.

They subjected the little boy to a vigorous and strict school-room regime and kept him away from other boys in case he was exposed to bad influences. The young Prince lacked playmates and was teased rather mercilessly by his elder sister. It was no wonder that he was given to frequent rages and his parents found him hard to control.

Even Baron Stockmar, who had advised this extreme method of education, thought that the routine was too rigorous for the young boy and felt sorry for him. However, the Queen and Albert were determined. They didn’t realise that the young Prince’s talents lay in diplomacy and charm. One of his tutors, Henry Birch, praised the Prince’s ‘very good memory, very singular powers of observation.’

Edward also preferred outdoor pursuits, such as shooting and riding to his studies. He was not one for reading but this didn’t affect his capacity to work when he became King. Queen Victoria, eventually realised that she’d underestimated her son but this took many years.

The Affair with Nellie

Edward studied at the universities of Oxford and Edinburgh but his parents were not pleased with his progress. They thought that he spent too much time enjoying hunting and rich food instead of concentrating on his work. They were to be even more disappointed in him.

When the young Prince trained with the Grenadier Guards his fellow officers discovered his lack of experience with women. They sneaked the pretty actress, Nellie Clifden, into his room to surprise him. Edward was delighted with Nellie and she became his mistress. The problem was that Nellie began boasting about the affair.

Queen Victoria and Albert were outraged. It was not only his lack of morals that caused them concern. Princess Vicky had found a good match for Edward – the Danish Princess Alexandra. His parents were worried that his affair could affect the planned romance.

Prince Albert died of typhoid shortly after the affair. The Queen was so upset that she blamed Edward for causing his death. It would take some time before she forgave him.

Princess Alexandra

Luckily Princess Alexandra was still available. The Prince had met her before but he wasn’t that impressed because he preferred Nelly. After his father’s death he felt very contrite and he thought about the beautiful Danish Princess more and more.

Queen Victoria was very impressed with the young woman and the Prince eventually proposed. The young couple were in love and the Queen thought that their marriage would be happy.

Princess Alexandra soon became disillusioned with her husband, however. Her deafness tended to isolate her and probably annoyed Edward. She also had a succession of pregnancies and Edward started mixing with a fast set who liked shooting, hunting and women.

He became involved in many scandals, which annoyed Queen Victoria and his wife.
This included the Mordaunt scandal in which Edward was accused of being the father of Lady Harriet Mordaunt’s child. Many of his letters to her were read in court. These were quite innocent but Edward also denied any impropriety. Lady Harriet was declared insane shortly afterwards.

Edward’s many mistresses included the beautiful actress, .Lily Langtry and Daisy Brooke. He also had a long affair with Alice Keppel.

A Decade Like No Other...

2009-12-15T23:08:00.000-08:00

I don't think that the last decade had the glamour or the creativity of the Edwardian age but I'm biased! I also prefer to read the writers of the Edwardian era.
Here is a great article from The Guardian comparing the two decades: A Decade Like No Other.

What do you think?

I hope to write a longer post over the weekend - I'm not sure what it will be about.

Sir John Lavery

2009-12-06T16:05:00.001-08:00

Mrs.Lavery Sketching

Sir John Lavery's art is still deservedly popular, especially in his native land of Ireland where his paintings were attracting high prices recently.

The artist was descended from an ancient King, Labhradh
Loingseach, according to John Lavery and his Work by R.B. Cunninghame Graham. This name means 'Lavery the Mariner'.
He didn't have an auspicious start in life, considering that he was the descendent of a king, however.

Born in Belfast in 1856, Lavery was the son of a failed publican who died at sea while trying to immigrate to America. His mother died soon afterwards and the young orphan was raised by relatives.

He soon showed a talent for painting and studied at the Haldane Academy, Glasgow and the Academie Julien, Paris. He was strongly influenced by the 'Glasgow School' and Whistler's paintings. He also became friends with Whistler.

His break came when he was commissioned to paint Queen Victoria's visit to the Glasgow International Exhibition. He moved to London and became a society painter, with important friends such as the Asquiths and the Churchills. His subjects included Anna Pavlova and the Asquiths.

Lavery painted more than 400 portraits of his beautiful second wife, the Irish-American Hazel Martyn Trudeau who was much younger. He married her in 1909. His first wife, Kathleen MacDermott, with whom he had aone daughter, Eileen, died in 1889 of TB.

The government commissioned Lavery as a War Artist in the First World War bu ill-health and a car-crash prevented him from going to the Western Front. He painted the Home Front and his paintings include the North Sea, The End, and The Cemetery, Etaples. He received a knighthood and was elected to the Royal Academy in 1921.

Lavery became very interested in the Irish 'troubles' and painted pictures of the trial of Sir Roger Casement. He and Hazel held the negotations for the Anglo-Irish
Treaty at their house in London.

Hazel fell for the handsome, young Irishman, Michael Collins, and wrote him poetry and sentimental letters. Whether they had an affair is doubtful because Collins was very Catholic, engaged and the much older Hazel had lost much of her beauty. This did not stop her from trying to throw herself on his grave. (One wonders what her husband thought!)

Lavery went back to his beloved Ireland in the 1930's. He died at 84 in 1941.

Edwardian Style Shoes

2009-12-03T15:24:00.000-08:00

What do you think of these shoes: Edwardian Style Zanotti Shoes? They're much too high for me and look fairly dangerous anyway! I wish that this fashion for very high-heeled shoes was over, actually.

I agree that the style is quite Edwardian and attractive but I think that the shoes would still look good if they had lower heels.

I hope to write a longer post on the weekend.

Poiret dress

2009-11-30T19:42:00.000-08:00

The vintage fashion expert at Couture Allure has a photo of an elaborate Poiret dress which I love: Red Poiret Gown

Learn Math Easily at Tutor Vista!

2009-11-24T20:19:00.000-08:00

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Tutorvista.com makes studying any type of maths easy. Students can study maths, such as Geometry and Calculus, easily over the Internet with the helpful tutors at Tutor Vista’s library, which includes Math question banks and Math animations provides useful information for students.

Useful techniques for solving Math and algebra problems can be seen at Tutor Vista Math Answers. Some of the most difficult problems in Math are word problems. Tutor Vista’s experienced tutors help students learn how to solve Math word problems at any time night or day online.
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The Most Beautiful Girl In The Mid-West

2009-11-08T21:58:00.000-08:00

Cathleen ni Houlihan, one of the symbols of Irish nationhood, is often depicted in literature as an old woman who needs the help of young men to fight for Ireland. She is not usually as beautiful as Hazel Lavery appears on the old Irish pound note.

Born Hazel Martyn in Chicago in 1880, she was the daughter of a wealthy American industrialist descended from an old Irish family. Hazel was a talented young artist and ambitious, but fate had other plans.

The ‘most beautiful girl in the Mid-West’ fell in love with the Irish artist, John Lavery, on a family holiday in Brittany, when she was quite young. The widower was thirty years older and Hazel’s family was not impressed with the match. Hazel agreed to marry Ned Trudeau, a handsome surgeon, who was her family’s choice.

Ned died of pneumonia a short time after they were married when Hazel was pregnant with Alice. Hazel wanted to return to John but her mother still opposed the idea.

After her mother died Hazel was free. She married John in 1910.

John Lavery was a very successful artist who painted Queen Victoria, the Asquiths, the Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova, and other famous people in society. He also painted many exquisite paintings of his wife, Hazel. He was knighted in 1921 so Hazel became Lady Lavery. (I can’t help receiving the impression that she was the type of woman who’d enjoy having a title!)

The Laverys were friendly with the Churchills. After the Dardanelles Campaign in 1915, Churchill’s wife, Clementine, thought that Winston would ‘die of grief.’ He had always wanted to paint and bought a paintbox and brushes. One day when he visited Hazel, she asked: “Why do you hesitate?” She persuaded him to finally start painting.

Hazel and John also helped Winston Churchill by becoming involved in diplomacy. Hazel became extremely interested in Irish nationalism – she even described herself as Irish and put on an Irish accent. She and John offered their house in South Kensington, London, as the site for the negotiations for the Anglo-Irish Treaty in 1922 which formed the basis for the Irish Free State.

Legend has it that forty year old Hazel fell for the handsome Irish nationalist, Michael Collins, and that they had an affair. She and John apparently had a rocky marriage. Michael wrote poems about her ‘delicate sad grace.’ However, Michael Collins was engaged to a young lady and Hazel was twenty years older and dyed her hair, according to one of Churchill’s daughters. There are claims that Hazel would have been shot by the I.R.A. if they’d had an affair.

There are also stories that Hazel wanted to put on widow’s weeds after Collins was shot and even throw herself onto his grave, but this is probably an exaggeration.

It’s a pity that Hazel’s talent for painting has largely been unnoticed. Perhaps her husband was the more talented of the two. Hazel died in 1935 and is buried with John in Putney Vale Cemetery.

(I hope to write about Sir John Lavery soon. They were certainly a fascinating couple!)

Exhibition at the Lady Lever Art Gallery

2009-10-27T00:49:00.001-07:00

If only I could go to this! This is an interesting article about the exhibition:
New Exhibition at the Lady Lever Art Gallery

I hope to write a longer post about a different subject soon.

New York's Grande Dame

2009-10-17T23:06:00.000-07:00

Brooke Astor would probably have been horrified by the trial and conviction of her son, Phillip Marshall, for grand larceny and other charges relating to his abuse of her. However, he obviously made her last years very unpleasant and thoroughly deserves time in jail.

Here is my article about her: New Yorks' Grande Dame

Fashion in Film Link

2009-09-20T17:51:00.000-07:00

Here is a site with beautiful photos and excellent descriptions of costumes from historical films: Fashion in Films at Winterthur. There are also audio-clips about the designs. I listened to one but I found it very short and disappointing.

Paul Iribe

2009-09-09T02:28:00.000-07:00

Paul Iribe was a famous fashion illustrator, designer and graphic artist. He was one of the founders of the art deco movement.

Born in 1883 in Angeloume, Iribe studied at the prestigious Ecole des Beaux-Arts and the College Rollin. He became an apprentice printer at the newspaper, Le Temps.

In 1908 the great fashion designer, Paul Poiret, 'discovered' Iribe. He admired Iribe's use of the pochoir technique, which involved colours brushed onto paper by using stencils. The technique featured bright colours and simple, sharp lines.

Iribe produced Les Robes des Poiret to advertise Poiret's new fashions. Only 250 were printed and each were signed and numbered. This was a great advance in fashion illustration because of the pochoir technique and the very modern poses of the models. They didn't just stand in unnatural poses. These models talked, played the piano, and generally enjoyed life in relaxed arrangements.

Iribe also designed wallpaper, fabrics, furniture, and helped Chanel with her jewellery designs.

He went to Hollywood in 1914 where he designed costumes and interiors for Paramount studios. His designs were used in many of Cecil B.DeMille's epics, including The Ten Commandments.

Iribe eventually returned to France where he continued his design work and set up a political newspaper. Chanel fell for the wonderfully talented fashion illustrator and caused him to separate from his second wife, Marybelle Hogan, an American heiress. He and Chanel were engaged when he died of a heart attack while playing tennis. Coco Chanel was devastated.

Iribe was only 52.

Edwardian Twitter?

2009-09-06T23:49:00.000-07:00

Apparently the Edwardians had their own version of Twitter, according to this article: Edwardians used 'Twitter' Speak

I hope to write a longer post soon.