This weekend, instead of reading about history, I decided to go out and experience it (I still did some reading). I spent most of my Saturday experiencing what Doors Open London had to offer. My first stop was The Grand Theatre which had guided tours of the theatre. Our tour guide told us about the fascinating history of the theatre, including the tale of the Grand's original owner, Ambrose Small, who disappeared shortly after cashing a large cheque, which he received for selling his chain of theatres. The Grand was reportedly his favourite, and some believe his body was hidden here and that his ghost still haunts the property. It was interesting to see that after all the renovations the theatre has gone through, some original architecture still remains.
Plaque outside of The Grand Theatre
Next, I went to The Dominion Public Building. This building originally held the Post Office and a number of other governmental departments. I was impressed with the original marble, limestone, bronze and brass detailings. Although it is no longer used as a post office, the wickets still remain as decorations. During the tour I learned that the construction of the building, which started in 1935 and completed in 1936 was a make work project during the Depression. Some of the adults on the tour with me recalled their memories of London during the Depression. One older lady told me that families would line up for three hours just to get five potatoes. Could you imagine lining up for three hours for just five potatoes?
The main lobby of The Dominion Public Buliding
The place I was most looking forward to visiting was Eldon House. Being built in 1834, it claims to be the oldest remaining house in London. I was overwhelmed by the house's size and the variety of artefacts found within it. Built by John Harris, it has remained in the family until donated it was donated to the city in 1960. Some members of the Harris family have traveled all over the world, and brought back unique treasures. One of my favourite artefacts was the elephant leg used to hold walking sticks. I have never seen anything like it before in my life. The staff at the house were very helpful, explaining how the bells worked to summon the servants and unraveling the Harris family tree.
Eldon House
My very last stop was St. Peter's Cathedral Basilica. While I had been in the Cathedral before, the tour guides took the time to elaborate about the history and architecture of the church. I was able to see the corner stone of the church and the conservation steps taken to protect the outside. I also learned that there were suppose to spires added to the towers, to complete the Gothic look, but were deemed to heavy and nixed from the construction plans.
St. Peter's Cathedral Basilica
While I enjoyed seeing various buildings in London that I would normally not be allowed into, what made this experience special for me was the different people I encountered while touring the buildings. Everyone from the guides to other visitors were willing to share their personal experiences and expert knowledge. While it is great that museums and other historical sites are available on the Internet, in my opinion, it is harder to get inside, spontaneous, and personal stories from a website. And sometimes, it's in the often overlooked nooks and crannies where you find the most interesting things... like an elephant leg.
1 comment:
I definitely agree that one of the best parts of the whole Doors Open experience was interacting with people at each different facility. Many of the people conducting tours were people who had lived through the development of a specific institution and could easily relate changes in society to changes in building design. It was great to see people of all ages and backgrounds being enthused about history and to see public history educating people about their city's past.
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