19th Century Archives - Lovely Old Tree

The Great Chicago Fire

Posted by Katherine on October 29, 2014October 29, 2014 in 19th Century

This month we have seen the anniversary of the devastating Great Chicago Fire, which took place between 8th and 10th October in 1871, and as it is also fire prevention month I thought I’d devote some time to it. The fire…

A history of pickling

Posted by Katherine on October 5, 2014October 5, 2014 in 16th Century, 17th Century, 18th Century, 19th Century, 20th Century, Food

And now to turn to something I love and explore the wonderful history of pickling. Pickled onions, pickled cucumbers, pickled eggs – you name it, I love it. And like many British favourites, it derives from the need to preserve…

The first photographs: Fox Talbot’s window at Lacock Abbey

Posted by Katherine on October 1, 2014October 2, 2014 in 19th Century

Henry Fox Talbot occupies a fascinating place in the history of photography. He also occupied an amazing house: Lacock Abbey in Wiltshire, which has its own rich history. Henry Fox Talbot was born in 1800 in Dorset and followed a…

The neo-gothic redesign of the Palace of Westminster

Posted by Katherine on April 25, 2014May 30, 2014 in 16th Century, 17th Century, 18th Century, 19th Century, Local, Medieval

The complex of buildings found at Westminster is a little architecturally confusing. We have Westminster Abbey, clearly old from what you see inside it, Westminster Hall and the Palace of Westminster, which look similar, and Big Ben, which screams Victoriana. These buildings can easily blend together if you don’t look carefully and that blending was indeed the intention of the designers.

The facts and fictions of Baron von Münchhausen

Posted by Katherine on February 16, 2014 in 18th Century, 19th Century, 20th Century, Books, Film

Yesterday I watched Terry Gilliam’s 1988 film, The Adventures of Baron Munchausen for the first time. It stars John Neville as the Baron and Eric Idle as Berthold. It’s a fantastic film, completely absorbing and surreal with amazing sets, stunts and action which look…

V&A The Museum of Childhood

Posted by Katherine on January 26, 2014September 26, 2014 in 17th Century, 18th Century, 19th Century, 20th Century, Exhibitions

I went to the V&A’s Museum of Childhood for the first time on Friday. I had always thought it would be interesting to see all the childhood-related objects collected by the Victoria and Albert Museum in one place, but I…

The Inns of Court: Lincoln’s Inn

Posted by Katherine on January 19, 2014 in 16th Century, 17th Century, 19th Century, Exhibitions, Local, Medieval

I have often walked past Lincoln’s Inn on my way to Chancery Lane and the Maughan Library. Lincoln’s Inn Fields is a beautiful little park to stroll through to avoid the busy roads and it’s amazing how quiet it is…

The triumph of morphine: Dr Michael Mosley on pain

Posted by Katherine on October 20, 2013 in 19th Century, 20th Century, Television

Dr Michael Mosley is a wonderful programme maker who is responsible for several other great documentaries I’ve mentioned before, including Medical Mavericks, The Story of Science, Frontline Medicine and several episodes of Horizon. Now he’s presenting a new three-part series called…

Category: 19th Century