March 2014.indd - Website Builder

Kensington
MAGAZINE
THE
March 2014
HISTORIES OF KENSINGTON
Kensington
THE
MAGAZINE
Front Cover:
Stained glass window of HM King
George VI at the Chapel of the Chelsea &
Westminster Hospital. See page 12 for
more information
(Kind courtesy of Philip Smyth)
As most of our readers will know we love history, and the history
of Kensington in particular, so this month we are examing various
aspects of ‘histories’ of this area. Sarah examines the changes in
ownership of Wright’s Lane; Maria, herself an historian, regails
encounters between historians past and present and Jenny explores
the history of the former St Mary Abbot’s Hospital, now home to
luxury flats and houses at Kensington Green in the Marloes Road.
Guest writer Cecila Mann provides an in-depth history into her
family who used to live at No. 1 Norwood Place, which is now
known 99 Kensington Church St.
As you will see from the Kensington News pages a lot has
happened in the past month and we give our congratulations to
those businesses or societies who celebrate various anniversaries,
Lucy Elliott, Editor
Lucy
CONTENTS
Hidden Kensington: St Mary Abbot’s Hospital
4
Maria Perry: Of Historians and History
6
History of Kensington: Wright’s Lane
10
Kensington News:14/15/18/19
Cecilia Mann: Shadows of War
20
Hidden Talent: Bertie Portal - Blazing a Trail
22
Restaurant Review: Acciuga
24
25
Get Well Spoon: Broccoli Frittata
What’s On:26/27
28
Landscape & Horticulture: The English Yew
Science Bites: Science for Everyone (especially girls) 29
GET IN TOUCH
editor@thekensingtonmagazine.com
Editor & Photography: Lucy M Elliott
0203 667 8762 07921 558520
PUBLISHER: The Kensington Magazine Ltd
WEBSITE: www.thekensingtonmagazine.com | www.lucyelliottphotography.com
CONTRIBUTORS
Jenny Davis-Peccoud, Raphaella Thomas, Dr Alex Anderson, Benedict Bull,
Sarah Goldsmith, Victoria O Neil, Aletta Richie and Maria Perry
Guest Contributor: Cecilia Mann and Mark Burrage
Read by 34,500 residents and businesses each month. The magazine is also available
at Sainsbury’s Local, Virgin, RBKC Library, Waitrose, Waterstones, Marks & Spencers,
St Mary Abbots, the Copthorne Tara Hotel, The Royal Garden Hotel, The Milestone
Hotel, Peter Jones in Sloane Square and many other smaller outlets in W8.
Whilst every care has been taken to ensure that the data in this publication is accurate, neither the publisher nor the editor, not its editorial contributors can
accept, and hereby disclaim, any liability to any party for omissions resulting from negligence, accident or any other cause. All artwork is accepted on the strict
condition that permission has been given for us in this publication. The Kensington Magazine Ltd does not officially endorse any advertising material included
within this publication. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, without prior permission of The Kensington Magazine Ltd.
2
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3
HIDDEN KENSINGTON: St Mary Abbot’s Hospital
What do the Victorian poor, the modern-day rich and Jimi Hendrix have in common? They have all
passed through the gates of St Mary Abbot’s Hospital, Marloes Road. Local resident
Jenny Davis-Peccoud sets out to discover the hidden history of this hospital. Or hospitals, in fact…
Today it’s a development of luxury flats and
houses, a gated community in the heart of
Kensington. But for years it was home to several
institutions catering to the sick and poor of the
parish and beyond. Its tale begins in 1834…
In that year the New Poor Law Act was passed,
with the intention of discouraging the provision
of poor relief to anyone who refused to enter
a workhouse. Workhouses were meant to be
horrible places, designed so that only the truly
desperate would want to apply. But with free
medical care and children’s education, they could
actually be quite attractive (in their own way).
Result… overcrowding in the existing workhouse
near Kensington Gate.
transferred from the hospital to the institution for
convalescence.
In 1940 four people were killed and one block
demolished by a German bomb. Eighteen
more lost their lives to a direct hit in 1944, after
which the hospital was temporarily evacuated.
Following the war, the hospital was transferred
to the newly-formed NHS, becoming a general
hospital with 400 beds, but over time the facility
specialised in geriatrics and psychiatry.
After the “long and violent struggle” (according
to the records) which accompanies many
planning debates in Kensington, the decision
was finally taken to proceed with building a new
workhouse on a market garden site south of the
High Street. The Kensington Workhouse opened
in 1871.
4
The main workhouse was a 3-storey building
in the “Jacobethan” style, a term coined by
John Betjeman to describe the mix of Jacobean
and Elizabethan architecture that was popular
in the mid-1800s. It housed 400 people but
quickly became overcrowded, resulting in the
construction of a new 4-storey infirmary next
door. The complex soon grew to include a
dispensary, chapel and mortuary, with several
wings being added to the accommodation blocks
and several new buildings being developed over
time.
In 1970 Jimi Hendrix, then 27, was brought here
after being found unresponsive in his hotel in
Notting Hill. Despite attempts at resuscitation,
he was pronounced dead of asphyxiation, having
choked on his own vomit after taking 18 times
the recommended dosage of sleeping pills.
While the site offered an integrated service,
the workhouse and the infirmary were actually
separate entities known as the Kensington
Institution and the Kensington Infirmary
respectively. They were both renamed to St. Mary
Abbots Hospital (I and II) in the 1930s because
patients who weren’t destitute didn’t like being
The hospital continued operating through the 70s
and 80s but closed in 1992 when the new Chelsea
and Westminster Hospital opened. Many of
the buildings were demolished, but the original
building, known as Stone Hall, survives, visible
through the gates that now keep out those who
were once welcomed within.
St Mary Abbot’s Hospital, Marloes Road.
Better known today as Kensington Green
(Image from ‘Images of London - Kensington’
by Brian Girling)
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OF HISTORIANS AND HISTORY....
By Maria Perry (Actress, Historian and Journalist)
"I don't think you understand how much
historians hate each other!"
The remark provoked the heartiest laughter I
have ever heard. I was the lunch guest of the
historian, Jasper Ridley, who had just reviewed
my first book, The Word of a Prince (London,
1990) for The Sunday Times. This fulfilled a
prediction by my publisher, who said, 'If we get
The Sunday Times, we'll get them all! ' We did.
Thirty reviews followed - twenty-nine rapturous,
one critical. The grandees by whom I was
suddenly accepted, advised me to take no notice.
It was, they said 'just sour grapes'.
The book in question, a biography of Queen
Elizabeth 1, is dedicated to Sir Geoffrey Elton,
Regius Professor of History at the University of
Cambridge. In British Library circles it became
known as 'the PhD without the Doctorate.' I
was later offered one, which I refused, thinking
it not a useful acquisition for an actress. Next
I wrote for fun, but was recalled to the fold by
Geoffrey, who, 'fed-up with those wishy-washy
wives', suggested I should use my new fame to
write about Henry VIII's sisters. Sisters to the
King followed. As it has gone into six editions,
I can scarcely complain. When Geoffrey died,
his most egregious pupil, Dr David Starkey
supervised instead. (Yes that one - the telly don)
They loved to battle in public. It fuelled the sales.
Then David's father died and my publisher, Tom
Rosenthal offered to supervise. He had wanted to
'do a Henry VIII book since Cambridge.' When
Tom's mother died, I (who am M.A. Oxon and
read English) felt it was like the last act of Hamlet
with bodies all over the stage.
To return to the theme of historians' hatred,
modern ones are pretty tame. Kensington
resident, Lord Macaulay, who died in 1859 wrote
a famous History of England. His prose is
unrivalled, but his prejudices were undisguised.
6
Lord Macaulay who lived at
Holly Lodge, Campden Hill
Image source: Wikipedia
Karl Marx called him 'a falsifier of history ';
Winston Churchill reviled him as 'a Liar' and in
1931 Herbert Butterfield denounced him in The
Whig Interpretation of History.
My favourite quote is from his Essay on Horace
Walpole. On finishing it, Macauley wrote to his
sister, 'This is one of the happiest moments of my
life: a stupid task performed: a weight taken off
my mind.' The first twenty-three pages dismiss
Horace as a dilettante; the next twenty-seven are
devoted to his father, Sir Robert Walpole.
I wonder if Lord Macaulay actually read the
proofs ?
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7
N
HA
W
DO
S
KE
Just off Kensington Church Street, tucked away
in the aptly named Edge Street, is Hawkesdown
House School, an independent pre-preparatory
school for boys aged 3 to 8. Founded in 2001, the
school’s reputation has spread through word of
mouth and nearly all the boys live within walking
distance. You may have seen them walking to the
Park in their distinctive red and navy uniform.
HOUSE
SC
H
OL
O
W
Advertorial
the boys conduct themselves around the school.
“Consideration for others is very important at
this school,” says Mrs Bourne. “The boys need
to know that school is a safe place where people
are kind and encouraging. Our house system
rewards good behaviour and teaches teamwork
and responsibility as well as some healthy
competition!”
The school is dedicated to providing an
outstanding early education for the boys, who
are prepared for examinations at 8 to the leading
London Prep Schools including Westminster
Under, Colet Court and Sussex House.
The headmistress, Mrs Claire Bourne, a
Cambridge Classics graduate, is warm and
welcoming and clearly relishes her job. “I am a
firm believer in single sex education for this age
group, boys learn in such a different way from
girls and we understand that completely here and
can cater to their needs.”
She leads an enthusiastic staff who all have high
expectations of the boys. “Our main curriculum
focus is on literacy and numeracy to meet the
exacting and still very traditional demands of
the next schools but our syllabus is wonderfully
broad. We want the boys to leave Hawkesdown
House with a joy of learning so we ensure that
the boys’ education is enriched in every way.
Drama, chess, judo, fencing and Mandarin are
just some of the subjects on offer. And this year
we are starting to teach computer coding to the
top year.”
The school is certainly a busy and purposeful
place. Parents are also impressed with the way
8
Mrs Claire Bourne,
Headmistress of Hawkesdown House School
(By Lucy Elliott)
There is certainly an easy relationship between
the boys and the staff and parents are welcomed
at every opportunity too. The Friday assembly
for parents where the boys’ achievements are
celebrated is always packed. “Hawkesdown
House is a big family” says Mrs Bourne, “we are
immensely proud of our boys and everyone here
is valued for their contribution and effort.”
www.hawkesdown.co.uk
27 Edge Street, Kensington, W8 7PN
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9
HISTORY OF KENSINGTON
Wright’s Lane
By Sarah Goldsmith
In 1682, Francis Barry purchased a fifteen-acre
plot called Browman’s Field, encompassing what
is now Wright’s Lane, Cheniston Gardens, Iverna
Gardens, parts of Marloes Road and Scarsdale
Place. Capitalizing on the emerging popularity of
Kensington as the “court suburb,” on the frontage
of what became High Street Kensington, Barry
built The Terrace, originally five buildings that
housed shops, houses and flats. With the money
he raised, he also built himself a grand house in
the 1690s at the corner of the high street and what
was then Barrow’s Lane stretching to the east to
the modern-day tube station and to the south,
down what is now Wright’s Lane. According to the
Survey of London, Wright’s Lane at that time was
little more than a dirt road with a ditch leading to
Earl’s Court.
The house Barry built, later called Scarsdale House,
was surrounded by a walled garden. The Survey of
London records the house as “a neat, symmetrical,
four-square, sash-windowed house, of two main
stories in brick with a modillion cornice and
dormers set into a hipped roof.” Along with the
main house and gardens, coach houses, stables and
offices also occupied the large plot of land.
Unfortunately for Barry, he over-speculated and
was forced to forfeit his fifteen-acre holdings to
creditors. He moved to a more “modest” home on
the south end of the Lane where the Kensington
Close Hotel now stands. In 1720, the freehold was
bought by William Curzon, described by Horace
Walpole as “a nasty wretch, and very covetous.”
The house became known as the Scarsdale House
after his nephew Sir Nathaniel Curzon was given a
peerage of that name in 1761.
When Curzon died in 1749, Kensington was no
longer fashionable, and the Curzons let it to a
series of schools until the 1840s when Edward
Cecil Curzon refurbished it. In the 1860s, the
arrival of the railroad marked the beginning of
the end for Scarsdale House. Some of the land was
taken by the railroad, and after Edward Curzon’s
death, Pontings, a fashionable department store,
bought the house and the upper plot of land. The
land to the south had been let to a series of tenants
10
before 1893, and then sold. The Curzon family
bought it back and developed Scarsdale Terrace,
a row of terraced houses, which was bought in
1893 by the railroad, later demolishing them in the
1930s.
The Terrace was sold in 1720 to Dr. Samuel
Clarke and the plot of land to the west/southwest
of Wright’s Lane was sold to Sir Isaac Newton.
The land bought by Newton passed through the
generations to the Viscount Lymingtons, who,
heavily indebted, sold the property to Gregory
Wright. Wright widened the road in the 1770s,
gave the Lane its name, and built large private
homes, including Abingdon House, Scarsdale
Lodge, Cedar Villa and Wollsthorpe House.
Woolsthorpe House became the National
Industrial Home for Crippled Boys in 1869,
which remained until the 1930s. Clarke’s holdings
encompassed the western side of Wright’s Lane
and the frontage of High Street Kensington (The
Terrace), which passed to William Mair, whose
descendants sold it in the 1890s to Jubal Webb.
Webb, a cheesemonger and local politician,
redeveloped it into flats and storefronts. The
Terrace Gardens became Iverna Gardens.
Above: Looking North up Wright’s Lane to
Kensington High St. 1976
(Kind courtesy Local Studies Department, RBKC)
Below: ibid Feb 2014 (Image: Lucy Elliott)
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11
Advertorial
Service
JH
Kenyon
Service with Care and Discretion
Funeral Directors Serving Kensington for over 130 years
ST. JAMES’S, SUSSEX GARDENS, LONDON W2
th
Thursday 6 December 2012
7 o’clock
Today, the name of JH Kenyon is known not only
in Kensington but throughout the capital as a
All Are Welcome
funeral
director with a distinguished reputation.
Although funeral ceremonies and the firm have
changed since James Harold Kenyon established
the business in the 1880s, one facet is constant:
the high standard of service and facilities
extended to the bereaved in their hour of need.
enyon
The founder was born in 1841 and by the 1860s
was a partner in a Brighton-based undertaking
firm. In 1879, James moved to London to
establish a carriage master business at 107
Edgware Road, where he hired horse-drawn
hearses and following carriages to undertakers.
Realising the opportunity to arrange and conduct
funerals, he established himself as an undertaker
and by 1880 had relocated to 45 Edgware
Road. Shortly afterwards he opened an office in
Kilburn. Regrettably, James died suddenly in July
1891. The business was then run by his wife, sonin-law and other members of the family. In 1899
the important step was taken of acquiring the
firm of George Hunt based at 12 Church Street,
Kensington, opposite St Mary Abbots church.
Renamed as JH Kenyon, the office continued
in this location until 1974 when it moved to
Marloes Road.
FROM
HERE
New address:
Tel: 020 3667 8664
James Kenyon’s son, Harold, was active in local
government and was three times Mayor of the
Borough of Kensington. He was also Mayor
of Paddington on five occasions. His son,
Norris, was active in political circles becoming
Mayor of Paddington in 1950 and leader of the
Conservatives at County Hall.
The firm’s standing increased during the
twentieth century as it built on its reputation for
providing a discreet yet comprehensive service.
In 1938 large premises in Westbourne Grove
were redesigned as a funeral home with offices, a
service chapel and private chapels of rest.
As central London’s most prominent funeral
director, JH Kenyon have been privileged to
carry out many high profile funerals. In 1942 the
connection with the royal household was formed
12
Stained Glass window of HM George VI in
The Chapel, Chelsea & Westminster Hospital
(Image: kind courtesy of Philip Smyth) Christmas
Memorial
through the firm's contribution to the funerals
Service
of the Duke of Kent and the Duke of Connaught.
Two years later the arrangements for Princess
Beatrice were cared for, then His Majesty JKing
H
George VI in 1952 and Queen Mary a Kenyon
year later.
JH Kenyon were involved in the State funeral of
Sir Winston Churchill in 1965 and also The Earl
’ ,S
G
,L
Mountbatten of Burma in 1979.S . J Thursday
6 December 2012
JHK
T
AMES S
USSEX
ARDENS
ONDON
W2
th
7 o’clock
Are Welcome
The move to premises in Kensington All
High
Street
is the third relocation in just under 120 years,
and JH Kenyon remain proud to be one of the
longest trading firms in the Royal Borough.
Coinciding with the move to the new office is
the publication of JH Kenyon - A Short History,
which tells the full story of this unique firm with
an extraordinary and unparalleled heritage.
Complimentary copies are available from the
branch.
JH Kenyon Funeral Directors
279 Kensington High Street,
London, W8 6NA
020 3667 8664 / 020 7937 0757
jhkenyon.kensington@dignityuk.co.uk
TO
HERE
New address:
24 Hour Service, Funeral Plans, Floral Tributes
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Tel: 020 3667 8664
www.dignityfunerals.co.uk
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13
KENSINGTON NEWS I
HISTORIES OF KENSINGTON
With this edition exploring the various Histories
of Kensington, it seems appropriate to highlight
those businesses and groups celebrating
their own anniversaries and longevity. We
congratulate those mentioned who have stood
the test of time, and who, to this day, provide
service to the community of Kensington, in their
own various ways.
JH Kenyon have been a constant presence in
Kensington for over 130 years, and have arranged
funerals for many thousands of families in the
Royal Borough. They also assisted in the State
Funerals of King George VI, Queen Mary, Sir
Winston Churchill, and Earl Mountbatten of
Burma, as well as Field Marshal Montgomery of
Alamein. This month JH Kenyon will re-locate
from Marloes Road to brand new premises at 279
Kensington High Street, W8 6NA. (See page 12
for more information.)
Kensington has managed to retain more of its
architectural style and heritage than most of
London, and its residents are constantly having
to be vigilant that developers and planners do
not compromise that. This was the general view
by speakers at the Sixtieth Birthday Celebration
Dinner in Kensington Town Hall in January
for The Kensington Society. The Duke of
Gloucester, Patron of the Kensington Society,
spoke flatteringly of the Society’s efforts. As the
Society’s Chairman, Amanda Frame, pointed
out, when the group started sixty years ago there
were two planning proposals, one submitted by
Russians and another by the Council and they
galvanized Mrs Gay Christiansen into getting
her friends including the first patron, Princess
Alice, to form the Kensington Society. Now
there is an avalanche of applications. One of the
main reasons people are queuing up to live in
the Royal Borough is because its buildings and
environment are so attractive and desirable.
Sir Malcolm Rifkind, MP for Kensington, pointed
out that an earlier Kensington Society had
been a suffragette movement, and praised the
efforts of the current one for protecting the built
14
environment and working to preserve its status
as a conservation area. What was particularly
praiseworthy, he added, was the society’s
recognition that the health of the community
depended also on the shops and businesses
in Kensington in providing employment and
servicing the needs of the residential community.
Turning every building into housing would not
be in the interests of the people living there.
The keynote speaker, architect Julian Harrap,
demonstrated with photographs how it was easily
possible to retain the character and proportions
of old buildings without losing the possibility of
development. And how effectively that had been
done not just in Britain but also in Germany and
the Netherlands. It is possible to make even new
buildings attractive and to harmonise with what
is there already, he added. If you are interested
in becoming a member of the Kensington
Society (£15 p.a.) please email martinframe@
outlook.com or www.kensingtonsociety.org,
go to Subscriptions: click Membership Form.
(Submitted by Michael Becket)
Also speaking about history and histories and
picking up a similar theme was Simon Thurley
CEO of English Heritage. At the invitation of
the Mayor, Cllr. Charles Williams, Simon gave
an excellent talk entitled ‘Back to the Future’.
Here he explained how looking through the
history of London, planners, architects and
builders have, whilst taking their inspiration from
history, modernised it to suit their contemporary
environment. For example, Norman architecture
was influenced by Romanesque design and
Victorian by Gothic and Renaissance. Charles
Barry’s design of the Houses of Parliament, that
of the grandest of Victorian architecture, was
based on Gothic design.
Simon stressed how important it was to
understand history in order to see where
we were going. He highlighted one of the
most important buildings in Kensington, the
Commonwealth Institute, where he felt the
building itself would become one of the key
exhibits. His key message was “... [to take]
precious care to preserve the historic and
KENSINGTON NEWS II
character of places”. Since the room was packed
with residents and members of the Planning
Committee, we hope they were taking note!
Celebrating their 25th Anniversary in 2014, CiC
provides an independent 24 hour confidential
care adviceline, offering emotional and practical
support in the workplace. Based in Kensington
Square, the Employee Assistance Programme
can assist with any manner of stresses and
wellbeing issues ranging from coping with
cancer/bereavement counselling, child care,
legal/financial advice, to kidnap, stress and
resilience training for journalists or NGO staff.
Under the direction of Kate Nowlan, currently
President of the Employee Assistance European
Forum, the 25 staff in W8 are augmented by a
further 1000 affiliates in the UK working with
HR, Health and Safety Departments across
some 150 businesses. Their clients range from
leading law firms and financial institutions to
NGOs, NHS Trusts, and police forces. The staff
in Kensington (including Russian and Arabic
speakers) include expert clinicians at the end of
the phone. Each programme is tailored to the
specific requirements of the company where
staff have unlimited access to an expert helpline,
a comprehensive online resource and up to six
sessions a year of face to face counselling. CiC
are delighted to support SMEs as well as larger
companies. For more information please call
0207 937 6224 ( www.cic-eap.co.uk).
Cadogan Hall celebrates its 10th Anniversary
this year. From its beginings as a New Christian
Science Church, the Cadogan Estate purchased
the Hall in 2000 and it reopened as a Concert
Hall in 2004. Now it is considered one of
London’s leading venues. This year they will be
hosting a variety of events from jazz to choral.
For more information see www.cadoganhall.com
NEW BUSINESSES IN KENSINGTON
Opening in March, the Grade II listed One
Kensington will offer an exciting and stylish
new space in which to enjoy all day dining or to
socialise with friends or colleagues. Designed
along the lines of a private club, but without
the need for membership, guests can visit at
any time, either for a leisurely breakfast, a light
bite, a corporate lunch, a romantic dinner,
afternoon tea or simply a drink. The menu of
international dishes has been created by executive
chef Massimiliano Blasone, previously of Nikita
Malibu and Apsleys at The Lanesborough
One Kensington will also house an elevated
champagne table with glorious views over
Kensington Palace Gardens. Called the John
Tann table, it is named after the famous 19th
century safe maker, one of whose creations was
uncovered during the refurbishment.
Eleanor Linden launches their debut collection
this month T the label’s focus is to update classic
styles and apply them to the modern woman,
by creating elegant easy to wear pieces. Quality
fabric and hand-designed printed details are at
the core of the brands’ identity. All their materials
are produced and sourced from the UK. See
www.eleanorlinden.com for more information.
Doggy Bones at 20 Kensington Church St. is a
well hidden restaurant (next to Triology). Hard
to find with no signage, the small kiosk style
entrance gives way to a large area downstair. With
low lighting and loud music this new restaurant
specialises in hot dogs, burgers and cocktails. A
retro place, ideal for the young. 020 7920 6434
Vince Camuto at 133 Kensington High St.
provides high quality designer shoes and
accessories. 020 7937 3716 vincecamuto.co.uk
Bioresonance Therapy is a painless therapy which
deals with the hidden causes of disease and
poor health by assessing and then normalising
energetic imbalances. All matter, including
the human body, resonates at a particular
electromagnetic frequency. Toxic substances
in the body such as infections, chemicals, and
heavy metals alter the body’s normal pattern
and the body begins to adapt to the new
frequency, causing illness or other disorders.
Using bioresonance to modify and correct energy
patterns aids the body to return to its natural
healthy state, allowing people to become free
of addictions, allergies, pain and many other
ailments. www.bioresonancelondon.co.uk
15
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KENSINGTON NEWS III
Killik & Co’s refurbished Kensington Branch
re-opened last month under new Manager
Julian Chester. The branch has been expanded
in size and now has seven highly qualified and
experienced advisors. Killik & Co’s clients
benefit from the firm’s expertise in stock and
bond markets, portfolio management, pensions,
retirement and inheritance. All advice is
impartial and is based on the firm’s award
winning independent research. Call into the
branch for further information or to arrange a no
obligation meeting. Alternatively, please contact
the team on 020 7603 3818.
281 Kensington High Street, London W8 6NA.
Email: kensington@killik.com www.killik.com
The Builder’s Arms has had the Builders in...
After an extensive refurbishment this well known
local pub now has cosy wraparound leather
banquette seating, whitewashed eaves and
exposed brickwork upstairs. Downstairs it now
features wood panelled walls, glass chandeliers
and exposed brickwork fireplace. Traditional
British food served. 1 Kensington Court Place,
London W8 5BJ Tel 020 7937 6213
www.thebuildersarmskensington.co.uk
Cancer survivor and bargain-hunter Verite Reily
Collins opened Cancer Research UK’s newest
shop in Kensington High Street – and then found
herself some designer bargains. The shop has
bright lighting and colourful lampshades which
give it an upmarket, contemporary look. Every
pound spent there will help the charity beat
cancer sooner. www.cancerresearch.uk/shop
A bright open atrium, stunning new galleries,
a dedicated learning suite, new research centre,
café and shop facilities are all part of the £23.25m
plans to transform the National Army Museum.
These plans have been developed in collaboration
with local communities, the Museum’s visitors,
staff and consultants, who called for a more
modern, welcoming and social environment for
families and for displays and programmes that
foster dialogue and debate about the Army.
18
The Museum will announce whether its proposal
for Round Two £11.5m Heritage Lottery Fund
bid and planning application has been successful
in the spring. To find out more about Building for
the Future, please visit: www.nam.ac.uk/future
Are you the owner of a small business? Would
you like to increase your turnover during 2014?
Then why not consider joining The Kensington
Business Networking Group who meet once a
week in central Kensington? Check out www.
kensingtonbusinessnetwork.
GENERAL
‘Ask Nick’ is a great initiative by the Leader of the
Council, Cllr. Nick Paget-Brown, giving residents
the opportunity to meet him in person and
ask those niggling questions causing concern.
The meetings are held around the Borough;
the last one attracting some 130 residents with
questions relating to street cleansing, basement
development and RBKC housing market. If you
are interested in raising your concern (and being
heard), please see www.rbkc.gov.uk/asknick
At the Royal British Society of Sculptors,
Cornelia Parker and Sarah Kent announced the
three winners of Sculpture Shock 2014. The only
award of its kind, Sculpture Shock invites artists
to create temporary installations into unusual
subterranean, ambulatory or historic spaces. This
year’s winners are: Patrick Lowry (subterranean);
Alexander Costello (ambulatory); and Joanna
Sands (historic). Each artist will receive £3,000
and undertake a 3 month residency in a studio
in Kensington culminating in a 4-day pop-up
exhibition. For more information, please visit
www.sculptureshock.rbs.org.uk
The Cadogan Arms has recently employed the
talents of chef Sam Hawkes (previously of the
Bull and Last in Highgate) who has redesigned
their menu with a host of new, seasonal British
dishes. As well as three course dining there is an
all-day bar menu & an international wine list.
KENSINGTON NEWS IV
The venue is available for events of up to 50
guests. 020 7436 1111
www.thecadoganarmschelsea.com
The Kensington Close Hotel, which has recently
undergone a £40M refurbishment, held a special
Aldo Zilli evening. Local resident Aldo was
prominent on the floor of the restaurant for most
of the evening and spoke with all the guests as
well as presenting an excellent demonstration
of how to make pasta by hand (no strange pasta
making machines – just a rolling pin and hand
cutter!) – the chefs had been flown in from
Venice that morning. The food comprised four
courses of intense Italian flavours washed down
with fine wine and Prosecco. For those who
attended it was a thoroughly enjoyable, relaxing
evening appreciated by all and Aldo made it extra
special with his presence. (Submitted by John
Leyden.)
CONGRATULATIONS TO:
Kensington resident Christina Courtenay who
has recently had two novels shortlisted for this
year’s Romantic Novel of the Year Award. Both
published by Choc Lit ‘The Gilded Fan’ is an
historical romance and ‘New England Rocks’ is in
the Young Adult category.
Laura Del-Rivo must be quite unique. She is one
of the first female writers of the Beat generation
in the UK; she turns 80 just after her new book is
published, runs a stall on Portobello Market on
Fridays & Saturdays, and has had her debut novel
turned into a film (West 11) by the late Michael
Winner. Laura Del-Rivo’s new book, ‘Where is
My Mask of an Honest Man? can be purchased
through www.hollandparkpress.co.uk
Daisy’s Meerkats: On 29th January many
children attended a special Mayoral event
recognizing the winners of this year’s Road
Safety and School Travel calendar competition.
The winning illustration of meerkats waiting at
a zebra crossing was done by Daisy Field, 8, of
Balby School. For a free calendar email
road.safety@rbkc.gov.uk. Daisy’s excellent
winning entry is below.
And lastly, for our older members of the
community; a great website for the over 60s who
are ‘fed up with being patronised and treated as
being past it’. This site offers informative articles
about a variety of lifestyle topics, including travel,
health and money. You can also share your views
on the ‘Grey Natter Forum’.
See www.retired and kicking.com
19
Shadows of War: 99 Kensington Church Street
Formerly No. 1 Norwood Place (Off Bedford Place) W8
by Cecilia Mann
Michael Fennessy, my great grandfather, was
baptised 22nd August 1840 in the Catholic Church
of The Assumption in Mooncoin, Kilkenny,
Ireland. Michael emigrated to England in about
1865. He married Catherine Palmer, daughter of
Charles Palmer, a clerk at Crystal Palace. During
their married life, Catherine was to bear Michael
ten children. Michael obtained an apprenticeship
as a carpenter, moving the family in order to
obtain employment.
In 1870, Michael, Catherine and their first
child, moved from North London to No. 19
Swinbrooke Road, Kensington. Only No. 1 exists
of the original street of early Victorian houses,
comprising three storeys and a basement. Eleanor
Fennessy also lived at No. 18 with her parents,
James and Honoria, and a journalist, his wife and
their five children. Michael and Eleanor were not
related.
Michael and Catherine now had three daughters.
They returned to North London to move once
more to Kensington in 1874 to live at No. 1
Portland Place, now No. 1 Pottery Lane next to the
Prince of Wales Public House. These dwellings
were originally stables and as such they were
very small with two bedrooms and two rooms
downstairs.
In 1877 the family moved to No. 27 Ball St. near
Kensington High St. where they lived until 1880.
However not a vestige of Ball Street remains due
to the site being cleared for the development of
Barker’s Emporium (now the site of Whole Foods
Market).
Michael, Catherine and their children moved a
short distance away to No. 1 Norwood Place, off
Bedford Place, which is now No. 99 Kensington
Church Street. No. 99 is one of a pair of listed
Regency buildings each comprising three storeys
and a basement providing shared facilities for
cooking, washing and laundry. There is a also a
small yard with one Victorian toilet. The Census
for 1881 lists seventeern occupants, two families,
a married couple, a servant and a boarder. Three
of the adult men were craftsmen, a Decorator who
20
employed three men, a Housepainter and a Joiner.
It was in to this household that my grandfather,
Richard Fennessy (RMLI 1881-1914 HMS
Aboukir) was born on the 16th August 1881 after
the Census had been completed.
Michael moved his wife and family again, to No. 27
St Albans Road, now 27 Adsell Terrace. This house
had been originally purpose built as four flats. In
1884 Catherine died of Tuberculosis leaving the
three youngest children. Then in 1887 Michael
married Eleanor Fennessy, both her parents
having now died. By 1888, Michael Fennessy had
obtained his Cabinet Maker Indenture Papers and
the family moved to Chelsea where Michael was
able to rent a house and a yeard. He could now set
up business on his own.
Below: Richard Fennessy - Born in Kensington 1881
(Image: kind courtesy of Cecilia Mann)
99 Kensington Church St. (one of a pair of remaining
Regency houses) is now a private residence and
home to two businesses.
my
favourite thing
99 Kensington
Church Street,
London W8 7LN
020 7727 3300
IN BLOOM
my-favourite-thing.com
21
HIDDEN TALENT: Actor and Charity Fundraiser
Bertie Portal - Blazing a Trail
by Raphaella Thomas
For most, a 63 day expedition rowing across
the Atlantic would be adventure enough. But
Kensington raised actor Bertie Portal is not one
to back away from a challenge. In April he will be
dashing across the Sahara desert in the 'Marathon
des Sables', a 6 day multi-stage 250km run that
will push his stamina to the very limit. He's
doing so in order to raise £200,000 for Rainbow
Trust, a charity dedicated to supporting the
families of children with terminal illnesses.
In 2012 Bertie successfully raised over £400,000
for the charity Facing The World by completing
the Talisker Whiskey challenge to race across the
Atlantic in a row boat, armed only with friend
James Cash and, what he in hindsight notes as, a
lack of experience.
With this challenge the days and journey might
be shorter but the conditions are far harsher with
participants having to race the equivalent of five
and a half marathons in 5-6 days, tackling the
merciless climate of the Sahara and carrying all
essential supplies such as food and equipment
on their backs. Around 1000 people compete
in this race every year and the drop-out rate
is high. And of course there are checkpoints
which provide those worn out a chance to retire whether it is resting in a tent between marathons
or announcing defeat and being safely escorted
out. (And to prevent anyone from falling behind
there is a dreaded camel that will automatically
disqualify anyone it surpasses.)
In order to succeed at this task Bertie has
been preparing for months with back-to-back
marathons, extreme runs on a regular basis and
even training in a sand dune in South Wales to
build him into an 'ultra runner'. During this time
he's also managed to cram acting work into his
busy schedule, most notably on the film 'Turner'
which will be released later this year.
He says his experience with the row across the
Atlantic "stood me in good stead" and that he is
as ready as he wants to get.
22
Rowing across the Atlantic...
Running Marathons across the Sahara ...
All in a day’s work for Bertie Portal
(Image: Lucy Elliott)
Armed with three pairs of socks, shoes half a
size too big (to allow for swelling) and more
blister packs than he could ever use, it will be one
immense personal battle. We wish him the best of
luck in this venture.
If you would like to support Bertie in his efforts
to raise £200,000 for Rainbow Trust please visit
the site below:
Website: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.
com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/
showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=Blazinga-Trail
To find out more about the work of Rainbow
Trust, please see www.rainbowtrust.org.uk
P R AC T I C E SA F E S K I - I N G
ski-lift (heading to the top of a
After the recent tragic news of
mountain with only the clothes
Michael Schumacher’s accident
on your back always struck me as
I realised with a jolt that I was
a strange custom) to the slightly
sorely underprepared for my
more space age. Helmets were on
own upcoming ski-holiday. Most
offer for concerned parents that
of my ski-safety gear dated
could display GPS signals from
back to when grunge was a hip
their children’s own helmets, as a
new trend. I had been suddenly
result meaning a parent can take
reminded that my chosen holiday
it easy on the slopes all the while
required a bit more fi nesse than
having an exact idea of where
just lying on a beach. Looking at
their children are at any given
my skigear I realised that most of
time. Not only is this startlingly
it was held together with equal
useful it also gave me a strange
parts sticky tape and happy
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decided
short notice, you can get an exact sense
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the youth
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the that I was day
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you’re buying
and how
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having
to go halfway up
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some ski-supplies today
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in rebellion,
combination sportswear
found myself
but on the slopes it’s a godsend.
specialist footI care
shop undergoing
on High a free biomechanical assessment to get a full sense of
Every single item you could hope
Street Kensington
to
kit
myself
my feet’s strength and weaknesses and
for was on offer, leaving me as
out for the modern
age.idea of what kind of boots
get an exact
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the proud owner of an avalanche
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than which in the case of being
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offered a free
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as well
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having things Jeremy
for free.
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choose
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deal with anything the mountains
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your holiday bill. As it to make walking
for my feet. The
could throw at us. Casting my
was I was equipped, enthused and ready
explained to me
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to show the mountains who was boss
but a pleasure
footwear can Ieventually
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When
skiCall today for Free
which is not exactly
the
kindyouofbuy a pair ofThanks
to Altimus all I have to
boots Altimus gives you a free ski-lesson
souvenir you want
to
bring
back
worry Biomechanical
about now is going back to
on Ski-Plex’s indoor slope that would
from the slopes.
After
my
feet
normally cost a full £70.
the offiassessment
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had been sortedNot
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skiing
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at the rest of their ski-gear and
only wrong but borderline dangerous, I
was happy to was
realise
that
most
also able
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138 High Street Kensington, London W8 7RL
of it could double
JamesSoBond
boots as
themselves.
rather than strap6-7 Broad Street Mall, Reading RG1 2LN
ping
them
on
for
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time
on
the
gadgets. Rather than running
mountain
and then
find out when you’re Tel: 020 7937 7177
a lottery of buying
online
and
then discovering that you’ve
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knock-off that can’t even fend off
a stiff breeze, Altimus stock gear
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high quality manufacturers such
as Canada Goose.
form
The items on offer ranged from
backpacks that were calculated
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FORM FOLLOWS
FUNCTION
AS WELL AS
FASHION
We stock over 200 styles
of footwear specializing
in extra narrow and extra
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the Pyrenees.
Thanks to Altimus I’m liable to
finally be king of the mountain. Now I
just need a bright red ski-suit covered in
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SHOPPING FOR
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23
RESTAURANT REVIEW: ACCIUGA
Review by Mark Burrage
Another week of rain and gales, when will all this
awful weather end? As January has come and
gone, we are now at the end of February with no
end in sight.
I have to admit it leaves me wishing for summer
again and holidays in the sun. There is nothing
better than relaxing with family and friends in a
villa with all that wonderful local produce, not
to mention the wine! A firm favorite in the past
has been Italy. A country that does the food, the
wine, and the weather just about perfectly.
So with thoughts of escape in our minds and
the wind and rain at our backs we head down
to Acciuga, an Italian restaurant hidden away
next to the Iranian caviar and fruit shops at the
bottom of Kensington High St.
Acciuga (meaning anchovy) specializes in cuisine
from the Liguria region of Italy with influences
from Piedmont and Tuscany.
My wife Maggie and I are met at the door, slightly
windblown and wet, by Jean Luca the general
manager. The restaurant itself is beautifully laid
out, with banquette seating around the walls and
comfortable leather chairs, soft pastel tones and
a solid oak floor. The work of local artists adorn
the walls. Tables have white linen table clothes,
and most importantly are large with plenty of
space between them for you and your fellow
diners. Too many places these days cram you so
close together you feel you are at a public canteen
rather than in a restaurant for a special night out.
We asked Jean Luca to choose selection of dishes
from the menu for us. A good litmus test for any
restaurant is if they bake their own bread.
Here the home made focaccia with caramelized
onions was about the best I have ever tried.
What then followed was one mouthwatering dish
after another. A sublime salmon granita with
24
Interior of Acciuga
(Kind courtesy of Acciuga)
deep fried pasta. Little parcels of seared tuna
with drops of aged balsamic. A dish of simple
homemade pasta and pesto (Trofie al Pesto) that
took our thoughts straight back to those sunny
days in Tuscany. The freshest seafood medley
beautifully presented with saffron flavoured
coral and the perfect “fake” risotto where the rice
has been substituted with potato. An ingenious
idea that really worked. For dessert we had Flan
al Cioccolato and Chocolate Zabaglione, both
delicious.
Head chef and owner Guglielmo Arnulfo offers
some of the best traditional and experimental
Italian food you will find anywhere in London.
Enjoyed in sumptuous and spacious
surroundings, served by wonderfully friendly and
knowledgeable staff. With dinner for two and
wine at around £120.00, you don’t have to save it
for a rainy day.
343 Kensington High Street
London W8
020 7603 3888
www.acciuga-london.com
25
WHAT’S ON IN AND AROUND KENSINGTON
Symposium: FIRST PERSON PLURAL: THE CULT
OF THE PHOTOGRAPHER AND THE CULTURE OF
SOCIAL MEDIA £15.00 (£8 concessions)
1st March 10.00 am - 17.30 pm
This event considers the changing nature of
photography and its subjects in the age of
the ‘selfie’ and social media. Professor Julian
Stallabrass from the Courtauld Institute will be
jointed by other contributors. To book tickets call
0870 780 4868. Venue: The Science Museum.
MOGADISHU - LOST MODERNS
7 March — 26 April 2014
Tuesday-Saturday, 11.00am-6.00pm
A multimedia exhibition by architect Rashid Ali
and photographer Andrew Cross exploring the
urban transformations in Mogadishu from the
early 20th Century until the present day.
The Mosaic Rooms, London SW5 OSW
020 7370 9990 info@mosaicrooms.org
www.mosaicrooms.org
YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD:
3 SIMPLE QUESTIONS
Saturday 1 March 2014 – 3:00 pm. FREE
Public lecture about Christian Science
Second Church of Christ, Scientist, London,
104 Palace Gardens Terrace (Notting Hill Gate
End). Contact: Philip Wylie 07977 263399
secondchurchlondon.org/events
SOFT OPENING: NEW RESTAURANT
ONE KENSINGTON
Saturday 8 - Thursday 11 March 50% discount
off food only during various lunch and dinner
services for local residents. Opening in March,
the grade II listed One Kensington, at One
Kensington High St. will offer international
cuisine in an exciting and stylish new space. Soft
launch discount limited in number of spaces,
so please book asap to avoid disappointment.
Also please note the time and date you request
may not be available. Reservations available by
calling 020 7795 6533 or emailing:
info@one-kensington.com
www.one-kensington.com
THE LECTURE CLUB:
HOW TO INVEST IN DIAMONDS
4th March 6.30 pm - 8.30 pm. £15.00
Monica Bortolin-Cossa, Managing Director of
MBC diamonds will give the lecture.
10% of ticket price donated to the Alzeimer’s
Society. Wine and Nibbles.
Venue: 9 Ilchester Place, London W14 8AA.
www.thelectureclub.com
26
KENSINGTON & CHELSEA WOMEN’S CLUB
(KCWC) Celebrate International Women’s Day
Guest Speaker: Sunday Times Columnist AA GILL
Royal Geographical Society, London SW7
Thursday 6th March 10am - 12noon
Please join us for a fascinating talk. Coffee and
networking. To find out more about upcoming
events please see website. £10 on entry for non
KCWC members. www.kcwc.org.uk
email: programmes@kcwc.org.uk
GERMAINE GREER TALK
Tuesday 11th March, Drinks at 6pm, Talk at
6.30pm
Tickets £25 including a hardback book
Academic, journalist and feminist Germaine
Greer will be giving a talk on her new book,
White Beech, a chronicle of her experience
rebuilding a corner of wild rainforest in her
native Australia. The event is being hosted
by Bloomsbury Publishing at 50 Bedford
Square. Price of admission includes a hardback
copy of the book. Please visit http://www.
bloomsburyinstitute.com/ to book your tickets
LEON McCAWLEY, PIANO: EATON SQUARE
CONCERTS Thursday 6th March, 7.30pm; Tickets
£18/£12 Leon McCawley is firmly established as
one of Britain’s finest pianists and is returning
to Eaton Square Concerts to perform music
by Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Brahms and
Rachmaninov. St Peter’s Eaton Square,
119 Eaton Square, SW1W 9AL 020 7288 6511
www.eatonsquareconcerts.org.uk
DESIGNING FOR MILLINERY MASTERCLASS
Wednesday March 12th 18.30-20.30 hrs £1
Kensington and Chelsea College has teamed
up with the organisers of London Hat Week to
host a special masterclass exploring the art of
hat design. It will be led by established couture
Milliner, Sarah Cant. The illustrated talk will
use examples of work from many professional
milliners. Venue: Hortensia Road, SW10 0QS.
WHAT’S ON IN AND AROUND KENSINGTON
FRONT ROW CHARITY FASHION SHOW
12 March, Tickets £75 per person
Debut fundraising charity event organised by
Back Up and hosted by Peter Jones. Inaugural
charity event in an exclusive venue including
drinks reception, sumptuous afternoon tea,
fashion show and charity auction. Help us
to transform lives! Sloane Square, Chelsea
02088756722l Contact jo@backuptrust.org.uk.
www.backupteam.org.uk/ladies-evening
STEWARTS LAW RCA SECRET
13-22 March
The Royal College of Art’s anonymous
postcard exhibition gives you the chance to
see over 2,500 pieces of art in one room. Past
contributors include David Hockney, Yoko Ono
and Tracey Emin. All postcards are sold for £50
each to help support Fine Art students.
RCA Battersea, London www.rca.ac.uk/secret
Lunchtime Concert: SCHUBERT AND BEETHOVEN
BY STUDENTS OF THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF MUSIC
Friday 14 March 1.05 pm. FREE
Schubert Sonata in A minor for arpeggione and
piano D821; Beethoven Violin Sonata no 7 in
C minor op 30 no 2. Florence Petit cello, Elias
Sibley piano, Jian Ren violin, Miklos Veszpremi
piano.
CELEBRATE MOTHER’S DAY WITH KENSINGTON
MUMS
15th March from 3-6pm at the Mosaic Room.
Guest speakers includes Jo Tantum baby sleep
expert, Saira Khan TV presenter and Founder of
Miamoo, Amanda Frolich UK’s leading celebrity
children’s entertainer. VIP goody bag for the first
30 guests. For bookings please visit
www.kensingtonmums.co.uk or email
info@kensingtonmums.co.uk
THE GIFT OF HEALTH
15th March 2014 1pm-5pm Cost: Donations
Charity Health and Well-Being Event in W11 in
support local kids www.justforkidslaw.org
Demonstrations/workshops, with a huge variety
of well-being & health techniques. Gifts &
vouchers kindly donated by local business and
health practitioners. St Georges Church, Aubrey
Walk, W8 7JG For info pls call 07540 442 769
CLOSER TO THE EDGE: Moving landscapes and
abstract forms 18 March - 22 March 11.00
am - 18.00 pm An exciting exhibition of
contemporary photographs, featuring works by
several photographers, who have never shown
their work together before. The images capture
transcendental views from Tibet, valleys and
canyons at dawn, misty mountains and ethereal
natural forms. The photographs are available in
strictly limited edition sizes.
Venue: 32 Hereford Road W2 5AJ
info@closertotheedgephotography.com
THE ROYAL BALLET LIVE: THE SLEEPING BEAUTY
Wednesday 19th March, 7.15pm. £17.50 /
£25.00. (Members £14.85 / £21.25)
One of the best loved of all classical ballets - a
perfect combination of all the delight and
virtuosity that ballet has to offer. Conductor
Valeriy Ovsyanikov, Choreographer Marius
Petipa. Curzon Chelsea cinema, 206 King’s Road,
SW3 5XP. Bookings: 0330 500 1331
www.curzoncinemas.com
The Susan Llewellyn Academy of Interior Design
presents a BESPOKE HISTORICAL TOUR OF
LONDON at the time of the BADA Antiques &
Fine Art Fair 21 - 24 March £520 per person
Learn from past designers, artists and decorative
periods and use this knowledge and inspiration
to create wonderful future projects. To find out
more about this special event, please contact
enquiries@thesusanllewellynacademy.co.uk
NCT: NEARLY NEW SALE Sat 22 March 10.00 12.00 £2 admission Baby & children clothing/
equipment, books, toys, maternity wear. www.
nct.org.uk/kensington. Venue Westbourne Grove
Church, London W11 2RW
DAVID SEDARIS @ CADOGAN HALL
27th-30th March, Thur/Fri/Sat 7.30pm, Sun
7.00pm, £35 Critics are raving over the
unique comic mastery of BBC Radio 4 star and
bestselling author David Sedaris as he embarks
on his tour ‘An Evening With David Sedaris’,
playing at Cadogan Hall. It’s set to be a sell out so
hurry if you want this humorous hot ticket! To
book call 0844 8718803 or visit www.seetickets.
com or http.//www.davidsedaristickets.co.uk
27
LANDSCAPE AND HORTICULTURE by Benedict Bull
Taxus Baccata - The English Yew (in Kensington)
Taxus Baccata, the English yew is contrary to
common opinion in England (at least in my
lifetime) rather fast growing and robust and
suited to large hedges and a decent scale of
parterre. It is not very good for small parterre
work as it has such a vigorous intermodal
extension. Box is better suited to knot gardens
and enclose herbaceous beds. Yew is good for
avenues, hedges and topiary. It is a brilliant plant,
very reliable.
It is the backbone of so much of English, French,
Dutch, German, Polish and Slavic formal
gardening. Quercus ilex or the holm oak is often
used more effectively in the large hedge layouts of
Italy and Spain and Portugal because yew suffers
in the hot, dry aspects of southern climates. You
can draw a line across Europe where it favours
sunny or shady aspects like the deodar in the
Himalayas and the pines in Mongolia, this change
in preferred aspect as determined by natural
germination shows the changes in ecological
profile at the level of plant communities. The yew
and its historical significance are fascinating and
informative in the same way in a cultural
landscape, just as the deodar or pines are in a
natural landscape.
The natural landscape is mimicked and diverged
from in systematic ways, by gardeners and the
horticultural elements vary but the continuum
of yew plantings runs right through the lot. The
natural distribution of the yew Taxus Baccata is
western and central and southern Europe, North
West Africa, South Western Asia and lran. It has
been in cultivation in England so long that there
are hundreds of selected varieties and regional
forms, as well as clonal stock dating from its
prodigious role in ornamental
horticulture over the last two centuries.
There are a large number of wonderful forms in
Ireland, especially. At Birr Castle, there is one,
not upright one that is invariably corseted to hold
its upright shape but this one sits naturally,
plumply, its limbs extending down and out is
swooping layers upturned in the last segment,
28
East Front of Kensington Palace showing the
topiary of English Yew
(Kind courtesy of Historic Royal Palaces)
it sits so hoveringly squat, brilliant, with a faint
bronzing of the foliage but otherwise dark green
like an upturned tea cup, it waits in the park each
morning.
In historical reconstructions and remodelling
such as that at Kensington Palace, English
yew has played a central role in the design.
Furthermore, in our age, as in the eighteenth
century too, they are easily planted at a good
size so the effect is immediate. With respect to
upkeep, they respond very well to pruning and
yew topiary is one of the most compelling due to
its dark dense habit and ability to create striking
massed relief.
The fastigiated yew or Irish yew is often found
in early twentieth century plantings as a semiformal avenue on approach to a demesne or near
a gate. This echoes the earlier practice of planting
yews in churchyards all across Europe. The red
berries, technically an aril, are not poisonous, the
red gelatinous flesh is juicy and sweet and prized
by birds. However the hard brown seed is toxic
as is the foliage to livestock.
The wood is highly prized and one of the earliest
spears excavated at Clacton on Sea has a haft
made of yew, the famous English longbow
was made of yew and likewise lutes were often
constructed from yew.
SCIENCE BITES by Dr. Alex Anderson
Science for Everyone (particularly girls!)
This month there will be many opportunities to
get excited and engaged with science, technology,
engineering and maths (STEM). From the
14th-23rd London will celebrate National
Science & Engineering Week (NSEW), with
events to showcase beautiful science, and delve
into the hidden wonders of the bacterial world.
Further details can be found at: http://www.
britishscienceassociation.org/national-scienceengineering-week).
While NSEW is now well established, a new
science festival debuting this year is Technopop.
This festival aimed at 6 – 19 year olds is taking
place in Stratford City from 1 March – 21 April
2014. Technopop focuses on science, technology,
design and innovation and is free for those under
19. (www.technopop.co.uk/index.html)
One week of this festival will focus on inspiring
women, with talks and mentoring sessions. The
importance of encouraging more women in these
disciplines has been highlighted by several recent
Holland Park Computers
Home and small business IT support
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Virus and spyware removal ‡ Backup ‡ Data recovery ‡ Printer setup
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Wireless networking ‡Remote assistance ‡ Phone support
020 8811 8812
www.hollandparkcomputers.com
Allergy testing &
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Bioresonance London
Kensington Olympia
bioresonancelondon.co.uk
078-4937-4766
Image source: www.nerdywithchildren.com
reports. Research from the Institute of Physics
reports that nearly half of mixed, state schools
sent no girls on to study physics A-level in 2011,
while last month a government inquiry into
women in STEM careers showed that women
are still under-represented at senior levels in
academia and hi-tech industries. So this month
take advantage of London’s science festivals,
because science can be for everyone!
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Visit the Kensington branch or contact Julian Chester for further information about
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AR
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281 Kensington High Street, London W8 6NA
020 7603 3618 / julian.chester@killik.com
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31
Escape to the Sun
Book by 31 March for savings of up to £950
Holidays including breakfast, transfers & flights from Heathrow
Thailand 10 nights
Barbados 7 nights
Mauritius 7 nights
5 Indigo Pearl, Phuket 4+ Ocean Two Resort
5+ The Oberoi
was £1339 now £995
was £1299 now £1049
was £2599 now £1649
Call today for a huge choice of offers worldwide
Prices are per person based on twin/double share for select May & Jun stays. Subject to availability.
For award winning holidays speak to the travel experts at
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32
020 7368 1200
020 7368 1300
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