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Intro Convertkit Tag Teachable
Earning Cash with hobbies like writing, gardening, Artwork, and fitness are usually not in the cards. You put together a professional class to teach people all about it, unless of course. This Teachable review summarizes among the options that are impressive for developing a site that is beautiful for presenting your courses, from video courses to PDF training. Convertkit Tag Teachable
We've taken a look Teachable's main Competitors: Uscreen and Udemy. Both of those mentioned have their pros and cons, but it's time to summarize Teachable, yet another firm. Teachable has fantastic personalization tools, site ports, marketing options and analytics.
Teachable's online course production supplies Hosting and security, along with all the learning tools you need, to movie courses from quizzes to blogs and discussion forums. So read on to have a look at our comprehensive Teachable review and see whether it is the ideal online course builder for you.
Click here to sign up for Teachable today
What's Teachable?
For those who are Knowledgeable about the stage, Teachable is an internet class platform or Learning Management System (LMS). Why do you want one of these? Because they simplify the course creation and launch process by allowing you to upload your course content and not worry about the engineering and design aspects. Yep, you don't have to stress over using WordPress and plugins for your courses.
I will not go on . I will only say this: there are only A few LMS platforms I urge for online entrepreneurs, and Teachable is just one of them. Here is my breakdown:
Which Teachable Features Stand Out?
Taking a look at the user layouts that are current, it is Evident that Teachable is doing something right. Along with that, the pricing appears pretty solid. What are some of the features you can look forward to?
Teachable's Drag and Drop Builder
Drag and drop contractors are getting better and And if you look at the user designs from Teachable it's clear they have done a good job in that region. Not every Teachable user has tons of knowledge in web development, and that's kind of the point.
Courses can move around, organize pricing Packages, drop text and imagery on the site, and quickly develop earnings pages (which we'll talk about below).
You have The option to upload media and lecture documents (such as audio and PDFs) straight from the PC.
What is also interesting is that you can work with Your site to bring the course pages on the market. Or, you can begin a new website with a domain name by starting from scratch on Teachable. Convertkit Tag Teachable
Advanced edits
One of the advantages of Teachable is you simply Do not need to be a coder or developer sell and to create courses online. It enables you to start with a template, upload your articles, and start earning money as long as your classes are good enough.
It makes sense that some individuals and Organizations may want to customization the Teachable interface further. This would allow you to move around more advanced elements such as button placement, image size, and the overall branding of your website.
Teachable has something called a Power Editor, Which gives more advanced users the chance to tap in the code and create those customizations if necessary.
Upload All Sorts of Documents
Teachable supports the majority of files you Requirement for a decent program. This includes text, picture, audio, video, and PDFs. You can pull your content from a wide variety of sources such as Google Drive or Dropbox, syncing your storage up areas with the web site.
Learning and Community Tools Like Forums, Websites, and Quizzes
The quizzes will there be to provide content for Your customers. I haven't ever taken a course online where I haven't been excited to test my knowledge at the end. Teachable also offers a forum and website for your website, turning it into more of a community than anything. Should you cultivate this community you're more likely to get some VIP clients who urge you to other men and women.
Some of the Teachable plans supply Course completion certificates. This contributes to the feeling of community and gives students a sense of achievement when they finish one of your classes. You can achieve this for all your courses or just a few of them. It allows you to customize each of the certifications and add your own personal flair to every one. Convertkit Tag Teachable
Sales Pages
Landing pages are often crucial for selling courses. The sales pages are designed by you, then buy some advertisements linking on Google and Facebook. Customers are more likely to buy from sales pages, and also you do not confuse people by sending them into the normal homepage.
In Teachable, sales pages are provided for you. Each the templates are analyzed to improve your conversions, so all you need to do is go in there and personalize the template to fit your brand and classes.
What is also cool Is These sales pages (and all Of those pages on your website ) can be converted into a wide variety of languages. This way, global clients have the chance to look at your courses and potentially sign up. It is not a promise that these folks are going to have the ability to understand your videos, however, the text-based translations would allow you to open your company to people around the world.
Responsiveness for Viewing on All Devices
This ties to the design aspect of Teachable. In short, Google wants to be certain your website is observable and user-friendly all devices, from desktop computers to smaller smartphones and tablets. Therefore, you need to be certain that the media and text are payable on those devices with no issues.
Fortunately, your Teachable content all snaps into Place based on the device found. Consequently, if your student is watching your assignments on a telephone, they can see everything in the ideal dimensions. The same can be said for computers and pills.
Click here to subscribe to Teachable today
Student Management
One of the more tricky parts of conducting an internet Course making sure they take the classes is handling students, and giving them the assistance they want.
1 way to do this is using the student feedback module in Teachable. Basically, it lets you create items like surveys, Google Forms, and other feedback tools to get information from the pupils and determine what they dislike or what they'd love to see in the future.
Teachable's service integrations help out with Student management as well. You can link to tools such as Zendesk and Olark, recalling past conversations that you've had with pupils and bringing you all sorts of options for collecting consumer information. Convertkit Tag Teachable
Student list segmentation is provided to improve On student-relationships and your promotion. In short, the segmentation module includes choices for sending out emails based on particular criteria. For instance, you may send a email when a student enrolls on your program . Or, you might think about having a code salvation for all those pupils who have not purchased one of your courses in quite a while.
Impressive Marketing Characteristics from Teachable
You don't always see marketing features with online Course creation platforms. However, Teachable includes coupons, promotions, affiliate programs, email marketing and much more.
You can also play with innovative pricing Choices, with alternatives like payment programs, bundled subscriptions, and courses.
Customer Support
As you may have noticed in the pricing strategy area, Every plan has product support. The higher and skilled Volume Plans provide priority product support, so I'm assuming when calling the corporation you get bumped to the front of the line.
As for the Way of contact, Teachable provides a Live chat on the site to submit your queries. But they route you through the knowledge base until you send a message to them.
Teachable also offers a site and Weekly assignments for an academy and learning, Tips!
Overall, Teachable'service alternatives look great. That does not seem to be in the cards, although it would be nice to see some phone support. Convertkit Tag Teachable
What I Enjoy
- Teachable is not difficult to utilize – I will not deny itTeachable is pretty damn easy to use. Sign up, create a new course and upload your own articles. Done.
- Teachable is focused on assisting you to build your new – Teachable isn't just setup that will help you produce a program, it motivates you to build a school filled with classes. They would like you to be successful and make courses part of your business design.
- Teachable is designed for entrepreneurs – When you start working with Teachable, you realize that they know their audience very well. They know you do require a solution for building your path, you need help with selling and marketing your program. And they've built in features together with your requirements.
- Plenty of built in sales and marketing tools – Earnings pages. Promo videos. Plus articles and weekly webinars .
- Flexible pricing options – Multi-tier pricing, recurring subscriptions, bundle courses, and coupon/ promo codes
- Great alternative for free classes – They have a free program. If your courses are free, it will not cost you a dime.
Areas for Improvement
- Can Not Drip Content – This is really a characteristic a lot of entrepreneurs utilize. It needs to be an option.
- Course Builder is Unintuitive – The section of this program builder where you create your structure and content is called a Syllabus. Apart from being a misnomer, the Syllabus is not intuitive. You need to click around to find things out. To add content, you click on"New Lecture," whether you are incorporating a lecture. . .or a quiz, or a dialogue . This is confusing and unintuitive. It could be make more sense to have a dropdown with options to add activities, quizzes, projects, etc..
- Lack of Focus on Learning Elements – I'd love to see more than just media, text and very basic quizzes. For instance, the capability to perform live, synchronous workshops or office hours. Or the ability to state learning objectives. How about projects or course portfolios? These are all features which other platforms have.
- Integrations -There are not enough of these. They've got the basics but this is. At the moment, there are just six native integrations. For everything else, they rely on Zapier. For example, wish to integrate the platform with your email service? You're out of luck, if you don't use Mailchimp. . .unless Zapier is used by you. I like to view integrations with Dropbox and Google Drive.
- Navigation menu – It feels weird. The main navigation menu is overlaid by a sub-menu After you click like Website or Courses. I find a menu or drop down, like in WordPress.
As you can see, the majority of the areas of improvement have related to learning components . That's my main gripe with Teachable: you get the bare bones out of a teaching standpoint. You realize that they have put nearly all of the job after doing some digging.
Among the coolest parts of Teachable is that you Don't need to venture out to get and cover your own hosting. It is all contained in the pricing bundle, which is fine for keeping your website up constantly and fast for users.
However, the best part is that the number of Courses and students supported by Teachable. It seems like more often than never stumble until more cash is paid by you upon comparable services that have maximums for courses and students. That's NOT the case with Teachable–because you can have students and courses. Convertkit Tag Teachable
In Terms of the pricing, here's what Teachable offers:
Fundamental — $29 a month for all base attributes, 5% transaction fees, instant payouts, two admin customers, product service, course founder training, customized domain support, coupon codes, trickle class content, incorporated affiliate marketing, integrated email promotion, and third-party integrations.
Professional — $79 per month for everything in the fundamental program, instant payouts, five admin users, priority product service, graded quizzes, advanced theme customization, advanced reports, Teachable branding removed, and course completion certificates.
Business — $399 a month to get everything from the previous two plans, no transaction fees, immediate payouts, 100 admin users, priority product service, manual student importing, bulk student enrollments, custom user functions.
The reason I like this pricing plan set up much Because it allows you to try out your courses with the Basic 14, is. The 5 percent transaction fees are not perfect, but you get 95 percent of everything comes in for the courses.
Recently, instantaneous payouts have been added to all Without having to wait for a couple of weeks or a month the plans you get your cash upfront.
Basic features:
We said that all foundation features are contained in The Basic program, therefore it is reasonable to outline what some of those attributes are:
No charges should you give away classes at no cost.
Basic quizzes to check your students.
Chat forums for developing a community around your courses on Teachable.
Student management applications.
An integrated payment processing system to collect all payments safely.
Teachable offers nlimited hosting, students, courses, and movie. Convertkit Tag Teachable
A few notes on pricing:
During my Teachable review, I noticed that Teachable doesn't charge any setup charges or cancellation fees. This usually means that for is trade fees and the plan you may be incurring. You should also keep in mind that there are always likely to additional transaction fees for payment processing, which is all dependent on which option you go with.
A trial isn't, however you can configure an Accounts and play with the Teachable backend for as long as you would like. In my eyes, this is much better than a free trial, since it allows you to build your course site and understand how it's likely to function before launch. Teachable then begins charging your credit card as soon as you start the website.
Finally, the pricing programs are predicated On annual payments. You need to pay to get that pricing. Paying month-to-month for Teachable means your monthly pricing will increase. If you don't cover a year in advance, for instance, the fundamental plan goes up to $39 per month.
Who Should Consider Teachable as a Way to Make Money Online?
Teachable is great for YouTubers, bloggers, Publishers, niche experts, writers, and much more. My Teachable review revealed that so long as you have some sort of skill you can sell courses teaching that ability on Teachable.
You can try out Teachable without Punching so that's cool for people who are thinking about earning classes. There's no reason until you have any of your classes made to pay for a plan.
The sky's the limit, As soon as a program is made by you. I'd Recommend trying to get out of Teachable's Fundamental Plan since it's possible to benefit from the zero transaction fees.
Any sort of class can go on Teachable. For Example, Teachable supports everything from YouTubers to artists and writers to designers. Convertkit Tag Teachable
Click here to subscribe to Teachable today


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Founder and CEO, Extreme E and Chairman, Formula E
At GIMS VIP Day leading executives and thought-provoking personalities from automotive and tech will discuss the topics that are shaping the future of mobility.
At GIMS VIP Day attendees will have the chance to to see world and European car premieres.
It's the perfect place for networking opportunities!
Location: GIMS Plaza, Stand 4250, Hall 4
From the Racetrack to the Road
Bringing Cutting-Edge Technology and Performance to the Consumer Experience
10h00 – 11h00
Extreme E is bringing electric racing to some of the most remote corners of the planet to highlight the climate change challenges faced by different ecosystems, while showcasing the performance of all-electric SUVs in extreme conditions. In this fireside chat, pioneers of Extreme E will discuss how the learnings from e-racing impact our everyday life, and more importantly, our planet.
• Alejandro Agag, Founder and CEO, Extreme E and Chairman, Formula E
• Jean-Éric Vergne, Two-time Formula E World Champion, DS Techeetah
• Claire Ritchie-Tomkins, Founder and CEO, Sine Qua Non (moderator)
In just five short years, Formula E has revolutionized motorsport. Beyond delivering the thrills of high-performance street racing, the series is helping to refine the design of electric vehicles and improve the driving experience for consumers around the world. In this exciting panel session, Swiss Formula E stars and global partner Julius Baer will offer views on the electric-powered future of motorsport and share how technologies they push to the limits on the circuit are changing how we drive.
• Sébastien Buemi, Driver, Nissan E.Dams
• Simona De Silvestro, Test and Development Driver, TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team
• Neel Jani, Driver, TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team
• Nico Müller, Driver, Geox Dragon
• Marco Parroni, Head of Global Sponsoring, Bank Julius Baer & Co.
• Roger Atkins, Founder and Managing Director, Electric Vehicles Outlook (moderator)
Autonomous Vehicles
Building the World's Most Experienced Driver
11h30 – 12h15
This session will examine the current state and future of autonomous vehicles, explore new services and business models enabled by this major transition and debate the opportunities and challenges presented in this exciting new world.
• John Krafcik, CEO, Waymo
• Rajeev Chand, Partner and Head of Research, Wing Capital (moderator)
Electric Vehicles
Key to a More Sustainable Future?
13h00 – 14h00
Against the backdrop of the Paris Climate Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals, taking action to address climate change and ensure sustainability has never been more urgent. This keynote session will examine how the automotive industry is working to accelerate the electric vehicle revolution and, in doing so, creating a more sustainable future.
• Thomas Ingenlath, CEO, Polestar
• Michael Perschke, CEO, Automobili Pininfarina
• Mate Rimac, Founder and CEO, Rimac Automobili
• Denis Sverdlov, Founder and CEO, Arrival
• Roger Atkins, Founder and Managing Director, Electric Vehicles Outlook (moderator)
Digital Transformation in the Automotive World
14h30 – 15h45
The near ubiquity of 4G networks, the first deployments of 5G, the rapid proliferation of the Internet of Things and the growing use of artificial intelligence (AI) are all changing the driving experience, ushering in new capabilities in entertainment, location-based services, virtual assistants, telematics and security, to name just a few. What will the next developments be and how will broad-based partnerships deliver these exciting new capabilities?
• Dr. Florian Baumann, CTO – Automotive & AI, Dell Technologies
• Serguei Beloussov, Founder and CEO, Acronis
• Graeme Hackland, CIO, ROKiT Williams Racing
• Steve Newmark, President, Roush Fenway Racing
• Dr. Johannes Springer, Director General, 5G Automotive Association
• Hui Zhang, Vice President, Europe, NIO
• Shaun Collins, Founder and CEO, CCS Insight (moderator)
Driving Diversity in Motorsport
16h15 – 17h00
In this session, pioneering women will share their unique and inspiring stories, underscoring how they have been able to break down gender and cultural barriers and overcome challenges in the male-dominated world of motorsport. These leaders will offer their views on the direction of the industry, the positive impact that women are having in automotive and what we must do, collectively, to encourage greater diversity across motorsport.
• Aseel Al-Hamad, Board Member, Saudi Arabian Motor Federation
• Jamie Chadwick, 2019 W Series Champion and Development Driver, ROKiT Williams Racing
• Michèle Mouton, Former World Rally Championship Driver and President, FIA Women In Motorsport
• Claire Williams, Deputy Team Principal, ROKiT Williams Racing
• Dr. Cheryl Robinson, Founder, Ready2Roar and Contributor, ForbesWomen (moderator)
Former World Rally Championship Driver and President, FIA Women In Motorsport
GIMS and GIMS mobile app
Partner Ticketmaster
Ticketprice: CHF 250
Registered media have access to GIMS VIP Day as part of their accreditation.

subset: commoncrawl


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Schedule Boiler Maintenance Now So You're Ready for State Inspection
If your school district is on cycle for a Pennsylvania state boiler inspection this summer, call HB McClure now to schedule your maintenance and repairs and make sure your boiler is ready to pass the test. HB McClure is the area's leading expert on boiler services, and we have the resources and expertise to handle all of your mechanical needs. Our expertise means we get the job done quickly and correctly to save you time and money.
In addition to providing standard maintenance, HB McClure carries "R" Stamp Certification from the National Board of Boiler and Pressure Vessel Inspectors, which means our technicians are qualified to make repairs, alterations, and tube replacements should your boiler require these services.
We'll make sure your boiler will pass inspection, and we'll give you peace of mind knowing your boiler is ready for another school year.
- The Area's Most Experienced Boiler Technicians
- "R" Stamp Certification
- Skilled Maintenance and Repairs
- Our Expertise = Your Time and Cost Savings
One company. One call. HB McClure.
Call 717-232-4328 (Central PA Service Center) or 717-846-8858 (South Central PA/ Northern Maryland Service Center) to discuss your needs or request an appointment online.


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Tickets to see Michelle Obama at sold out Southbank Centre event advertised for thousands of pounds
Tickets to see Michelle Obama speak in London have been offered for re-sale online for hundreds of times their face value after rapidly selling out.
The former First Lady is due to appear at London's Southbank Centre on December 3 to talk about her upcoming book 'Becoming'.
The venue's capacity is just over 2,700, but such was the demand for tickets that more than 55,000 people were in an online queue at one point.
Unsurprisingly tickets soon sold out after going on general sale on Thursday morning, but some have been listed on resale site Viagogo.
Official prices for the event varied from £30 to £125, but there were tickets on sale on Viagogo for thousands of pounds, with reports some had been offered for more than £70,000.
The Southbank Centre said any tickets being sold "without our authorisation by any unauthorised third parties" will be cancelled.
"We are aware that a small number of tickets to this event have appeared on third party resale sites," the centre said in a statement. "We take secondary ticketing very seriously and aim to discourage this by stipulating that tickets should not be resold for profit or commercial gain.
"If we find tickets on sale without our authorisation by any unauthorised third parties they are identified and cancelled.
"We are in the process of identifying touted tickets and we have contacted third person resale sites and asked them to remove the tickets as resale is against our terms and conditions.
"Tickets will only be available to collect on the night and ticket holders for this event will be required to bring a form of identification."
Southbank Centre members were able to apply for pairs of tickets on Wednesday, with a further allocation then going on general sale on Thursday.
Many who had logged online in an effort to get tickets shared their struggle to get to the front of the queue.
The event will see Mrs Obama discuss her memoir with novelist Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.
All those attending will receive a hardback copy of 'Becoming'.
The centre is donating 300 free tickets to secondary schools across the UK, as well as some local charities.


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Daniel Ash
Daniel O. Ash is associate vice president of community impact at The Chicago Community Trust. Ash previously served as the Trust's chief marketing officer from 2013 to 2019.
Prior to joining the Trust, Ash spent 10 years as vice president at Chicago Public Media, production home of WBEZ/91.5FM (Chicago's primary NPR station), This American Life, Sound Opinions, Wait Wait…Don't Tell Me and Vocalo.org. In this senior management role, Ash was responsible for the organization's two largest revenue categories—corporate sponsorship and individual giving—and led double-digit growth during his tenure. Additionally, he oversaw marketing and strategic partnership. He was a key voice in shaping Chicago Public Media's overall strategic focus.
Ash's professional career has been focused on developing and using marketing and communication tools to advance social causes. He has worked exclusively in the nonprofit sector on issues including poverty, adolescent health and HIV/AIDS care and prevention. The early stage of Ash's professional career included leadership roles at Shriver Center on Poverty Law, Chicago Department of Public Health, Center for Family Policy and Practice and the Illinois Caucus for Adolescent Health.
Ash earned a M.P.P. from the Harris School of Public Policy at the University of Chicago, and a B.A. in Economics from Oberlin College. He also completed a Woodrow Wilson Fellowship at Princeton University.


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December 30, 2018
My "Go-To" Yellow Thai Curry
|Prep Time
|15 minutes
|Cook Time
|25 minutes
- 1 tbsp coconut oil (olive oil or ghee would work too)
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 inch fresh ginger, grated
- 1 tbsp yellow thai curry paste
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1 can full-fat coconut milk (make sure to get full-fat)
- 2 tbsp tamari (soy sauce if not GF)
- 1 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 3 medium-sized organic carrots, chopped into rounds
- 1 large zucchini, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1 russet potato, diced
- 1 small head cauliflower, cut into florets (or 2 cups frozen cauliflower)
- 1 cup frozen or fresh organic peas
- 1 bpa-free can dark red kidney beans (could sub chickpeas or other protein)
- salt, to taste
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro for garnish
- Melt the coconut oil on medium-high heat
- Add the diced onion and cook until starting to soften, 2-3 minutes
- Add the garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute
- Add the curry paste and stir until coating the onion
- Add the coconut milk and stir until well combined with the curry paste. Add all vegetables except for the peas and the beans. Stir in the tamari, the turmeric, and the pure maple syrup, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until potatoes and carrots are soft, about 20 minutes.
- Stir in the beans and the peas and allow to heat through, about 5 minutes
- Serve over brown rice or grain of choice, garnish with cilantro, and enjoy!
Author: taylorpaynenutrition
Tags: curry, dairy-free, gluten-free, thai food, vegan, vegetarian


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Sevilla's Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan stadium will compete with Vienna and Tbilisi for the right to host the 2021 Europa League final.
The Andalusian club have a special relationship with the tournament having won it more than any other club and five times since 2006.
The stadium in southern Spain will be directly up against bids from Austrian capital Vienna and Tbilisi, in Georgia.
The formal proposals from each venue must be submitted to UEFA by 15 February 2019 with an executive committee then sitting to decide upon the winner.
The city of Seville hosted the 2003 UEFA Cup final, when FC Porto defeated Glasgow Celtic 3-2 in La Cartuja – a stadium without a host club.


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Ever wanted to try a new sport with your four-legged friend?
Checkout these unusual canine sports – from Canicross to Bikejoring. There's a sport out there for every person and pooch.
Dogs need daily activity to keep them physically fit and mentally stimulated. Trying a new sport is a great way to keep your dog entertained and happy.
We reckon it's worth giving one of these sports a go during this warm, sunny, summer weather.
See the full Creative Canine Fitness article.


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Family Fun at Fort Pierce Farmers' Market
Looking for a great way to spend a Saturday morning with the whole family? The Fort Pierce Farmers' Market is a perfect solution! The market is family friendly and pet-friendly, so bring your four-legged family member with you as you wander through the market.
Exploring the Farmers' Market
Ranked #1 Farmers' Market in Florida and #3 nationally for America's Favorite Farmer's Markets, Fort Pierce's Farmers' Market is a gem. There is a lot to discover as you stroll through the market. There are uniquely crafted items, tasty food offerings and the freshest veggies, fruits and meats. With over 70 vendors you are sure to find something for each member of the family!
As you meander through the various stalls, you may begin dancing to the live music! Or better yet, stroll over to the wide bricked area and show off your fancy footwork as you dance to the toe-tapping sounds of local bands.
Explore Fort Pierce
From the youngest to the oldest family member there is lots of fun to be had at the market. After a morning of exploring, why not stroll the streets of historic Fort Pierce? Take a trolley ride through downtown Fort Pierce and explore the historic Sunrise Theatre.
Offering something for the entire family Fort Pierce will not disappoint. Come and visit today!
The Farmers' Market
Located across from the Downtown Fort Pierce Library at Marina Square along the waterfront, the Farmers' Market is open every Saturday, rain or shine, 8 am to noon. There is plenty of FREE parking.
More Florida Travel Ideas
While visiting Fort Pierce, stop in and grab a drink or some eats at 2nd Street Bistro. Located just steps from the Farmers' Market, 2nd Street is a great way to relax and people watch from the huge outdoor seating area.
Planning to road trip through Florida? The Florida Keys offer a great options for the whole family. John Pennekamp State Park is a great choice for water lovers, and offers fabulous snorkeling and diving.


text: Beautifully handcrafted silver Renaissance Curb bit with hooks and chain. A work of Art in itself With intricately hand engraved detailing on the shanks, finished off with the ornate filegree button in contrasting gold. Available in 1/4" sizing to ensure the perfect fit. These bits are all handmade and hand engraved, due to this there may be inconsistencies in the finish which gives each bit that Antique Old World finish and makes them special and unique.


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Students in the Law Enforcement and Public Safety Magnet Program were able to see first-hand some of the work performed by members of the United States Air Force through the group's "Buddy Program."
Representatives from the Air Force visited Manalapan High School students on May 31st. They discussed different career options within the Air Force, showed some technology they utilize, and provided demonstrations in subduing subjects and working with a military dog. Students were even offered a chance to defend themselves during training exercises.
The "Buddy Program" aims to enhance the Law Enforcement program's curriculum in various areas, while demonstrating who the Air Force is as a culture within the Department of Defense.


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Published on April 3rd, 2015 | by Millennium Magazine Staff0
Brigadier General Calvin H. Elam
Air National Guard Brigadier General (Retired), Financial Advisor and Business & Civic Leader
Brigadier General Calvin Elam was born in Greenwood, South Carolina. He enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in 1980 and remained on active duty until 1986. He joined the South Carolina Air National Guard in 1986, and became a commissioned officer two years later after graduating from the Air National Guard's Academy of Military Science.
While serving his country, Elam also earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of South Carolina's Darla Moore School of Business in Marketing, and graduated from the United States Air Force's War College. He became the first African American to be promoted to the rank of General in the South Carolina National Guard and served as Assistant Adjutant General for Air at McEntire Joint National Guard Base in Eastover, South Carolina. He commanded more than 1,500 base personnel and 24 F-16CJ fighter jets and received several military awards for outstanding achievement, including the Legion of Merit, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Force Commendation Medal, the Air Force Achievement Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Medal and the Palmetto Cross (the state's highest military award).
Elam currently serves on or has served on the Palmetto Health and the Palmetto Richland Memorial Hospital Board of Trustees and Claflin University Board of Trustees. In 2013, he was named Distinguished Trustee of the Year by the SC Hospital Association.
He is CEO and Senior Financial Consultant of Elam Financial Group and the author of Self-Reliance: What Do You Mean You Didn't Know' Elam is a member of Brookland Baptist Church in West Columbia, SC, where he serves on the Board of Trustees.
He and his wife Mary Elam have three children — April, Erin and Forbes.
Source: AT&T 2015 South Carolina African American History Calendar


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Ruby "Colleen" Hartley, 92 of Kincaid, passed away December 10, 2018 at 4:15 a.m. at Meadow Manor Nursing Home.
She was born October 8, 1926 in Benton IL, the daughter of Commie and Mae Dixon. She married Harold W. Hartley in 1942 and they were later divorced after 43 years of marriage. She was a member of the Bulpitt Gospel Mission and the Kincaid Baptist Church.
Surviving are her daughters, Diana (Bob) Smith of Niles, OH, Barbara (Lonnie) Caulk of Springfield, IL and Mary Ann Brown of Las Vegas, NV, a son Harold F. (Tami) Hartley of Taylorville, IL, a sister Maria Cavatorta of Tovey, IL, a brother Earl Dixon of Morrisonville, IL, 3 grandchildren, 6 great-grandchildren, 2 great-great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, a sister Waunita Homan and brother John Dixon, and grandsons Douglas Lash and Kevin Hickman.
Funeral Services for Colleen will be held at 1:30 pm on Friday, December 14, 2018 at Masterson Funeral Home and Cremation Service in Kincaid, IL . Reverend Tom Eggly will officiate. Burial will follow at Glenhaven Memorial Gardens in Taylorville, IL. Visitation will be held from 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm on Friday, December 14, 2018 at Masterson Funeral Home and Cremation Service in Kincaid, IL.
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Ruby "Colleen" Hartley, please visit our floral store.


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So very proud of you Isaac...Great job :)
Isaac killed this doe yesterday evening with a muzzleloader! We process the meat into burger,steaks,roast,etc. Thankful for a great hunting season so far.
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Another Muzzleloader Kill :)
Labels: Sports/Hunting
1 comment:
- Jules said...
your kids sure are hunters!
- November 8, 2011 at 4:29 PM
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


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Ajax have extended the contract of Abubakari Yakubu with one year. The improved contract runs to July 2006. As usual, Ajax do not disclose financial details of the agreement.
Yakubu comes from FC Ghapoha in Ghana and signed his first contract for Ajax in 1999. The Ghanese defender made his debut in Ajax's first team against FC Den Bosch (1-1) on 19 April 2000. Yakubu has played 58 league matches for Ajax. He has also played 3 matches in the Amstel Cup, 5 in the UEFA Cup and 12 in the UEFA Champions League.
Before the 21-year old Yakubu made the step to Ajax 1, he played for the A-juniors and Ajax 2. Yakubu played 42 matches for Ajax 2 in which he scored 5 times.
Yakubu has played 3 matches for the national team of Ghana. He made his debut for his country on 9 September 2002 in a qualifying match for the African Nations Cup against Uganda (1-0 loss).


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Road Warrior Pulse: 5 Business Travel and Travel Tech Trends That Defined the Week of Jan. 9-15
Business Travel Michael Isenbek January 17, 2016
Photo courtesy of Thinkstock
Marriott is planning to do away with an innocuous but essential helper to road warriors the world over: the in-room desk. The hospitality chain cites the miniaturization of technology as a reason for the furniture ouster. It will be years before every desk is eliminated, so there's plenty of time for goodbyes. Click for details.
TravelPulse Editor-In-Chief Tim Wood's latest "Gadget Guy" tech review has dropped, and it's an odyssey through phone-charging wallets, the ultimate device-toting jacket and a high-performance cooler. Click to check it out.
In-flight Wi-Fi: Frequent fliers demand it for as fast as they can get it. But what is it, exactly? And why is it sometimes lightning quick, but other times tortoise-like? All those questions and more have been answered by a recently-released Icelandair infographic. Click to explore the many elements that go into the airline Wi-Fi infrastructure.
It's that time of year again: when winter weather delays can stop a trip cold and lay waste to a carefully-planned itinerary. But there are some apps that can mitigate those delay doldrums and tip the scales in your favor a bit. For example, Freebird, an insta-flight rebooking app, is a frequent flier must-have. Click to find out the other indispensible apps.
Booking a hotel room just for the day? Yep, there's a demand for it, and Paris-based Dayuse.com has started a site that taps into this underappreciated market. According to the company, 70 percent of hotel rooms are vacant during the day. Click to find out more.
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London Pub Signs – The Victoria, Paddington…
December 18, 2017
No prizes here for guessing that this pub owes its name to the long serving 19th century monarch, Queen Victoria.
There's apparently a story that the Queen stopped off here on her way to Paddington Station and that, as a result, the pub was named in her honour.
Whatever the truth of that, the now Grade II-listed pub – located at 10a Strathearn Place (on the corner with Surrey Place) – was apparently built in 1838 – the first year if Victoria's reign (and possibly a more valid reason for its name) and remodelled around the turn of the 20th century.
It features a luxuriously decorated interior with fireplaces, mirrors, and an original counter as well as paintings of the Queen, Prince Albert and their family.
The upstairs Theatre Bar features decorative elements taken from the former Gaiety Theatre which were installed in the late 1950s.
The pub, which was apparently patronised by the likes of author Charles Dickens (he is said to have written some of Our Mutual Friend here), Sir Winston Churchill and Charlie Chaplin as well as David Bowie – who did a live performance when launching an EP here in the 1960s.
It's also been associated with more recent celebs like musicians Ronnie Wood and Liam Gallagher, artist Damien First and actor Keira Knightley.
There's also a story that in 1960s one of the paintings on the walls was found to be a valuable portrait of a member of the Royal Family. It's now apparently in the Royal Collection.
The pub is now part of the Fuller's group – and has twice won their 'Pub of the Year' award. For more, see www.victoriapaddington.co.uk.
PICTURE: Ewan Munro (licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0)
10 small, 'secret' and historic gardens in central London…4. St Mary Aldermanbury Gardens…
August 12, 2015
Like St Dunstan in the East, these gardens at the corner of Love Lane and Aldermanbury are also based inside the remains of a medieval church.
The church of St Mary Aldermanbury (the name may relate to its proximity close to Guildhall, or the 'Alderman's Bury' or 'Alderman's Hall'), mentioned as far back as the late 12th century, was destroyed in the Great Fire of London but was among those rebuilt to the designs of Sir Christopher Wren only to be destroyed again during the Blitz in 1940.
This time there was to be no rebuilding and instead, in 1966 the walls – all that remained – were moved more than 4,000 miles away to the town of Fulton, Missouri, in the US.
There they were reconstructed in the grounds of Westminster College – site of Winston Churchill's famous "Iron Curtain" speech in 1946 – and the church restored as a memorial to the former British PM. The National Churchill Museum is located beneath.
There's plaque mentioning this in the gardens (and featuring an image of what the church looked like after its reconstruction in Fulton) which still contains the church's footings (these date from the 15th century when the church was apparently partially rebuilt) and give an indication of what the church's footprint would have been along with headstones (among those whose remains were buried here was the notorious Judge Jeffreys).
Other features include a memorial to Henry Condell and John Heminge, both involved in the publication of William Shakespeare's first folio (you can read more about it in our earlier post here).
The garden was laid out after the church was removed. It is a designated Site of Local Importance for Nature Conservation and attracts wildlife including birds such as blackbirds, woodpigeons, house sparrows and blue tits. Plantings were added in 2011 to maximise the attraction to bird as well as bees and butterflies. On the corner outside the garden is a fountain.
WHERE: St Mary Aldermanbury Garden, Aldermanbury, City of London (nearest Tube stations are St Pauls and Monument); WHEN: 8am to 7pm daily; COST: Free; WEBSITE: www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/things-to-do/green-spaces/city-gardens/visitor-information/Pages/St-Mary-Aldermanbury.aspx.
This Week in London – Marking VE Day's 70th; Rut Blees Luxemburg at the Museum of London; and India's Sidi community on show at the NPG…
May 7, 2015
• Three days of events kick off in London tomorrow to mark the 70th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day. Events will include a Service of Remembrance at the Cenotaph in Whitehall at 3pm tomorrow (Friday) coinciding with two minutes national silence while Trafalgar Square – scene of VE Day celebrations in 1945 – will host a photographic exhibition of images taken on the day 70 years ago (the same images will be on show at City Hall from tomorrow until 5th June) and, at 9.32pm, a beacon will be lit at the Tower of London as part of a nation wide beacon-lighting event. On Saturday at 11am, bells will ring out across the city to mark the celebration and at night, a star-studded 1940s-themed concert will be held on Horse Guards Parade (broadcast on BBC One). Meanwhile, on Sunday, following a service in Westminster Abbey, a parade of current and veteran military personnel will head around Parliament Square and down Whitehall, past the balcony of HM Treasury where former PM Sir Winston Churchill made his historic appearance before crowds on the day, to Horse Guards. A flypast of current and historic RAF aircraft will coincide with the parade and from 1pm the Band of the Grenadier Guards will be playing music from the 1940s in Trafalgar Square. Meanwhile, starting tomorrow, special V-shaped lights will be used to illuminate Trafalgar Square, St Paul's Cathedral and the Houses of Parliament as a tribute. For more information, see www.gov.uk/government/topical-events/ve-day-70th-anniversary.
• The works of leading London-based photographer Rut Blees Luxemburg are on show in at new exhibition at the Museum of London in the City. London Dust will feature three major newly acquired works by Luxemburg including Aplomb – St Paul's, 2013, Walkie-Talkie Melted My Golden Calf, 2013, and the film London/Winterreise, 2013. Blees Luxemburg's images – others of which are also featured in the exhibition – contrast idealised architectural computer-generated visions of London that clad hoardings at City-building sites with the gritty, unpolished reality surrounding these. In particular they focus on a proposed 64 floor skyscraper, The Pinnacle, which rose only seven stories before lack of funding brought the work to a halt. The free exhibition runs until 10th January next year. For more, see www.museumoflondon.org.uk.
• The Talk: The Cutting Edge – Weapons at the Battle of Waterloo. Paul Wilcox, director of the Arms and Armour Research Institute at the University of Huddersfield, will talk about about the weapons used at Waterloo with a chance to get 'hands-on' with some period weapons as part of a series of events at Aspley House, the former home of the Iron Duke at Hyde Park Corner, to mark the bicentenary of the Battle of Waterloo. To be held on Monday, 11th May, from 2.30pm to 4pm. Admission charge applies and booking is essential – see www.english-heritage.org.uk/apsley for more.
• On Now: On Belonging: Photographs of Indians of African Descent. A selection of ground-breaking photographs depicting the Sidi community – an African minority living in India – is on show at the National Portrait Gallery off Trafalgar Square. The works, taken between 2005 and 2011, are those of acclaimed contemporary Indian photographer Ketaki Sheth and the exhibition is his first solo display in the UK. They provide an insight into the lives of the Sidi, and include images of a young woman named Munira awaiting her arranged wedding, young boys playing street games, and the exorcism of spirits from a woman as a young girl watches. Admission is free. Runs in Room 33 until 31st August. For more, see www.npg.org.uk.
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What's in a name?…Downing Street…
April 27, 2015
One of the most famous streets (and photographed) in London (though sadly not open to the public), Downing Street in Whitehall is these days most well-known for being the location, at Number 10, of the official residence of the British Prime Minister.
But Downing Street's history dates back to a time before the first British PM moved in (this was Sir Robert Walpole in the 1735 and even after that, it didn't become a regular thing for Prime Ministers to live here until the Twentieth century). And its name bears testimony to its creator, Sir George Downing, a soldier and diplomat described as "a miserly and at times brutal" man who served first under both Oliver Cromwell and, following the Restoration, King Charles II (and was, coincidentally, one of the first graduates of Harvard University).
In the 1650s, Sir George took over the Crown's interest in land here, just east of St James's Park, and intended to build a row of townhouses upon it. His ambitions were delayed, however, due to an existing lease with the descendants of Elizabethan courtier Sir Thomas Knyvet who had once lived in a large home on the site of what is now Number 10 Downing Street.
By the 1680s, however, the lease had expired and between 1682-84, Downing was able to construct a cul-de-sac, closed at the St James's Park end, featuring either 15 or 20 two storey terraced townhouses with stables and coach-houses, designed by no less than Sir Christopher Wren.
While the homes were apparently of shoddy craftsmanship and stood upon poor foundations (Churchill famously wrote that Number 10 was "shaky and lightly built by the profiteering contractor whose name they bear"), the street apparently attracted some notable residents from the start.
These included the Countess of Yarmouth, who briefly lived at Number 10 in the late 1680s, Lord Lansdowne and the Earl of Grantham, and even, briefly, apparently the diarist James Boswell in the mid 1700s. Downing himself isn't thought to have ever lived here – he retired to Cambridge a few months after the houses were completed.
The houses between Number 10 and Whitehall – on the north side of the street – were taken over by the government and eventually demolished in the 1820s to allow for the construction of offices for the Privy Council, Board of Trade and Treasury while the houses on the south side remained until they were demolished in the early 1860s to make way for the Foreign, India, Colonial and Home Offices.
The numbers in the street have changed since Downing's houses were first built. Of the original homes in the street only Number 10 (home of the PM) and Number 11 (home of the Chancellor of the Exchequer) survive.
Access to the street has been restricted since the 1980s with the current black steel gates put in place in 1989.
An underground tunnel apparently runs under the street connecting number 10 with Buckingham Palace and the underground bunker, Q-Whitehall, built in the 1950s in the event of nuclear war.
There are numerous memorials to Sir Winston Churchill around London and today we'll look at a handful of them (while next week we'll take a look at a couple of the most unusual memorials). We've already looked at the most famous statue of him in Parliament Square (in an earlier post here), but here's some more…
• Allies, Mayfair. These almost life-size bronze statues, located at the juncture of Old and New Bond Streets, depict Churchill and US President Franklin D Roosevelt in an informal pose, sitting and talking together on a bench. The sculpture was a gift from the Bond Street Association to the City of Westminster and was unveiled by Princess Margaret on 2nd May, 1995 commemorating 50 years since the end of World War II. It is the work of US sculptor Lawrence Holofcener. There's a space between the two World War II leaders where the passerby can sit and have their picture taken between them.
• Member's Lobby, House of Commons. We've already mentioned this bronze statue (see our previous post here), erected in 1969, which stands just outside Churchill Arch opposite one of another former PM, David Lloyd George. It is the work of Croatian-born sculptor Oscar Nemon who also created numerous other busts of the former PM now located both in the UK (one of which is mentioned below) and around the world.
• Great Hall, Guildhall. Commissioned by the Corporation of the City of London and unveiled in 1955, this bronze statue shows Churchill, wearing a suit and bow tie, seated in an armchair and looking ahead. Another work of Nemon's, it was commissioned as a tribute to "the greatest statesman of his age and the nation's leader in the Great War of 1939-1945".
• Outside former Conservative Club, Wanstead. A very thick-necked bust of Churchill, erected in 1968, sits outside the 18th century mansion in Wanstead High Street, north-east London, which was once the Conservative Club and is now occupied by a restaurant. The bigger than life-sized bust is the work of Italian artist Luigi Fironi and stands on a plinth once part of old Waterloo Bridge. Churchill was the Conservative member for this area between 1924-1964 and based at the club from 1930 to 1940.
Churchill's association with this landmark Mayfair hotel was a long one – not only did he convene key meetings here during World War II, the hotel also served as his residence.
Entertaining the upper crust since the mid 1800s, Claridge's was the scene of many meetings during World War II, including all night meetings convened by Churchill with US military intelligence personnel which would only end when Churchill's barber appeared at 6am.
The Brook Street hotel became something of a haven for deposed heads of state both in the lead-up to and during World War II – King Peter II and his family had moved in after he was exiled in 1941 and it was at the orders of Sir Winston that in 1945 Suite 212 was declared Yugoslavian territory so Crown Prince Alexander II could be born on "home soil" (there's a story that a clod of earth from Yugoslavia was placed under the bed during the birth).
Alongside the king of Yugoslavia, other heads of state to have stayed here during this period include the kings of Greece and Norway.
The scene of many a Churchill dinner, Churchill and Lady Clementine made Claridge's – specifically the sixth floor penthouse suite – their home for a period after his election defeat in 1945 (Churchill apparently wasn't that keen on the idea of living so high up!).
For more on the history of Claridge's, check out the hotel's website here: www.claridges.co.uk.
PICTURE: © Copyright Tim Westcott and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence
Throughout his life – as a child, bachelor, husband and family man, Sir Winston lived in many properties in London (although, of course, a couple of the most famous properties associated with him – his birthplace, Blenheim Palace, and the much-loved family home, Chartwell in Kent – are located outside the city). But, those and 10 Downing Street aside, here are just some of the many places he lived in within London…
• 29 St James's Place, St James: Having been born at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire and then having spent time in Dublin, at the age of five (1880) he came to live here with his family. He remained here until 1882 when he was sent off to school in Ascot (he later attended schools in Sussex and, most famously, Harrow School). The family, meanwhile, moved to a townshouse at 2 Connaught Place which backed on to Hyde Park.
• 33 Eccleston Square, Pimlico: The Churchills moved here in 1909 and it was here that their first two children Diana and Randolph were born in 1909 and in 1911. The family remained here until 1913. A blue plaque marks the property.
• Admiralty House, Whitehall: The Churchills first moved into Admiralty House – part of the Admiralty complex on Whitehall – in 1913 (from the aforementioned Eccleston Square) after Churchill was made First Lord of the Admiralty. They remained here until 1915 – years he would go onto to describe as the happiest in his life – before he resigned but returned in 1939 when he was once again appointed to the position.
• 2 Sussex Square, Bayswater: In 1920, the Churchills bought this property just north of Hyde Park which they kept until 1924 when they moved into 11 Downing Street (see below). The property is marked with a blue plaque.
• 11 Downing Street, Whitehall: The Churchills lived at 11 Downing Street when Sir Winston was Chancellor of the Exchequer, from 1925 to 1929. The property, located in Downing Street, is not accessible to the public.
• 11 Morpeth Mansions, Morpeth Terrace, Westminster: The Churchill family lived at this Westminster address between 1930 and 1939 (prior to him becoming Prime Minister). The property is marked by a brown plaque.
• 28 Hyde Park Gate, Kensington: Churchill died in this Grade II-listed, mid 19th century property on the morning of 24th January, 1965. The couple moved in after the end of World War II and, while it's not clear whether they fully vacated the residence when he was prime minister between 1951-55, it remained their property until his death 10 years later. The property next door, number 27, provided accommodation for his staff. The property is marked with a blue plaque.
Sir Winston Churchill lived a number of residences in London but, of course, the most famous in its own right is the traditional home of British PMs, 10 Downing Street.
Located in a short street just off Whitehall (now closed to the public), the property has been home to Prime Ministers since Sir Robert Walpole, officially First Lord of the Treasury but effectively the first PM, took up residence in 1735.
Churchill moved in following his election to the office of Prime Minister in 1940 and he and his wife Clementine took up residence in a second floor flat. It was in this property where, cigar in hand, he is famously known to have dictated speeches and letters to his secretary while propped up in bed.
The building suffered some bomb damage during the Blitz – on 14th October, 1940, a bomb fell on nearby Treasury Green and damaged the home's kitchen and state rooms. Three civil servants doing Home Guard duty were killed but the kitchen staff were saved thanks to Churchill who, dining in the Garden Rooms when the bombing raid began, ordered them to leave their duties and get into a bomb shelter.
The Garden Rooms – which included a bedroom, meeting area and the small dining room – were subsequently reinforced with steel and heavy metal shutters although these apparently would have made little difference had there been a direct hit.
Cabinet moved out of Number 10 into the underground bunker complex now referred to as the Churchill War Rooms (see last week's post) in October, 1939, and, after several near misses, the Churchills – Sir Winston apparently very begrudgingly – moved into the Number 10 Annex above the war rooms in 1940 (although Churchill continued to visit Number 1o for working and dining).
Much of the furniture and valuables were removed from Number 10 and only the Garden Rooms, Cabinet Room and Private Secretaries' office remained in use (along with a reinforced bomb shelter built underneath – King George VI is known to have sheltered here when he was dining with Churchill when a raid began).
At the end of the war the Churchills quickly moved back into Number 10 and it was from the Cabinet Room that he made his Victory in Europe (VE) Day broadcast on 8th May, 1945.
He vacated the premises after his election defeat later in 1945 but returned when re-elected PM in 1951 and left after he resigned in 1955 having held a dinner party attended by Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip the night before.
A couple of interesting facts about Churchill's time at number 10: Churchill had many pets who usually had free rein in the house – even at 10 Downing Street his poodle Rufus was known to have wandered into a meeting in the Cabinet Room (before he was ejected) – while in 1958, Georgina Landemare, the cook during his time at number 10, famously published a book, Recipes from No. 10, which featured an introduction by Churchill's wife, Clementine.
There are apparently two portraits of Churchill among those of other PMs which grace the wall of the Grand Staircase.
For more on the history of 10 Downing Street, see www.gov.uk/government/history/10-downing-street
PICTURE: Sergeant Tom Robinson RLC/Crown Copyright
Now a museum, the Churchill War Rooms is actually the underground bunker system beneath Whitehall from where Churchill directed operations during the Blitz of World War II.
The subterranean complex includes a series of historic rooms where Churchill and his cabinet met which remain in the same state they were in when the lights were switched off at the end of the war in 1945. There's also a substantial cutting-edge museum dedicated to exploring Churchill's life which boasts an interactive "lifeline" containing more than 1,100 images and a similar number of documents as well as animations and films.
With the coming conflict on the horizon, the complex was constructed from 1938 to 1939 as an emergency government centre in the basement of the now Grade II* listed government building then known as the New Public Offices (and now home to HM Treasury). It became operational on 27th August, 1939, shortly before the outbreak of the war.
Key rooms include the Map Room (pictured, top, it was manned around the clock by military officers producing intelligence reports) and the War Cabinet Room where more than 100 meetings of Cabinet were held (including just one gathering of Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain's cabinet in October, 1939).
Other facilities included a private office/bedroom for Churchill (this came with BBC broadcasting equipment which Churchill used four times and, although it had a bed, Churchill apparently rarely used it), the Transatlantic Telephone Room (pictured above, it was disguised as a toilet) from where Churchill could speak directly to the US President. There are also staff dormitories, bedrooms for officers and government ministers, and rooms for typists and telephone switchboard operators.
In October, 1940, a massive layer of concrete – up to five feet thick and known simply as 'The Slab' – was added to protect the rooms. Other protective devices included a torpedo net slung across the courtyard overhead to catch falling bombs and an air filtration system to prevent poisonous gases entering.
Abandoned after the war, the premises hosted some limited tours but, despite growing demand to see inside, it wasn't until the early 1980s when PM Margaret Thatcher pushed for the rooms to be opened to the public that the Imperial War Museum eventually took over the site. The museum opened on 4th April, 1984, in a ceremony attended by the PM as well as members of Churchill's family and former staff.
Then known as the Cabinet War Rooms, they were extended in 2003 to include rooms used by Churchill, his wife and associates, and, in 2005, following the development of the Churchill Museum, it was rebranded the Churchill Museum and Cabinet War Rooms. In 2010, the name was shortened to the Churchill War Rooms. The entrance to the premises was redesigned in 2012.
Among the objects in the museum are one of Churchill's famous "siren suits", an Enigma machine and the flag from his funeral.
WHERE: Churchill War Rooms, Clive Steps, King Charles Street (nearest Tube stations are Westminster and St James's Park); WHEN: 9.30am to 6pm daily; COST: £18 adults (with donation)/£9 children aged 5-15 (with donation)/£14.40 concessions (with donation) (family tickets available); WEBSITE: www.iwm.org.uk/visits/churchill-war-rooms/
PICTURES: Churchill War Rooms/Imperial War Rooms
Of course, no look at London sites associated with Sir Winston Churchill would be complete without a mention of the Palace of Westminster, better known as the Houses of Parliament.
Churchill made his maiden speech in the House of Commons on 18th February, 1901, having won the seat of Oldham for the Conservative Party the year before (he switched to the Liberal Party in 1904 and eventually rejoined the Conservatives in 1924).
Over his long career in politics (he was an MP for 62 years), he served in a variety of roles including the President of the Board of Trade, Home Secretary, First Lord of the Admiralty, Minister of Munitions, Chancellor of the Exchequer, and twice, Prime Minster.
Some of the most famous speeches Churchill gave in the House of Commons were during World War II – they include the 'blood, toil, tears and sweat' speech given on 13th May, 1940 – the first after he had been made Neville Chamberlain's replacement as PM, the 'we shall fight them on the beaches' speech given on 4th June, 1940, and the 'this was their finest hour' speech of 18th June, 1940, in which he gave the 'Battle of Britain' its name and, as the name suggests, first recorded the phrase "their finest hour" (the speech ended with it).
Churchill's last speech to Parliament was given on 1st March, 1955, in which he spoke about the British development of a hydrogen bomb.
There's several places within the Houses of Parliament which now bear Churchill's name. Among them are the Churchill Room (named as such in 1991 when ownership of the room passed from the Lords to the Commons, it features two of his paintings and a bronze bust of the PM).
They also include the Churchill Arch – this leads from the Members' Lobby into the Commons Chamber and is flanked by a 1969 statue of Churchill ( and one of fellow former PM, David Lloyd George (one foot on each of the statues has been burnished thanks to the practice of MPs to touch them as they enter the Commons Chamber).
It took on its current name after it was rebuilt following damage from bombs during World War II – at Churchill's suggestion damaged stone was reused in its construction as a memorial to the "ordeal" Westminster had endured during the war. The statue of Churchill, incidentally, was the focus of recent commemorations on the 50th anniversary of his death.
Churchill's stamp can also be seen on the Commons Chamber itself – it was he who recommended that when the chamber was rebuilt after World War II that it retain its rectangular shape rather than be redesigned in a semi-circle.
Churchill's body lay in state in Westminster Hall prior to his funeral service in January, 1965 (for more on that, see our previous post here.
For more on Churchill's Parliamentary career, check out the UK Parliament's Living History page here: www.parliament.uk/about/living-heritage/transformingsociety/private-lives/yourcountry/collections/churchillexhibition/.
The world recently paused to mark the 50th anniversary of the death of former British PM, Sir Winston Churchill (see our earlier post here), so we're launching a new series looking at 10 sites associated with Churchill in London.
Given the recent anniversary, we're starting at a site close to the end of his story, at St Paul's Cathedral, where his state funeral was held on 30th January, 1965.
Code-named 'Operation Hope Not', the funeral had been thoroughly planned in the years leading up to the former PM's death and took place just six days after he passed. Having lain in state in Westminster Hall for three days (during which time it's estimated 320,000 filed past his flag draped body), his coffin, carried on a gun carriage pulled by 120 members of the Royal Navy, was escorted by more than 2,300 personnel from the military as it made its way through city streets lined with thousands of people to St Paul's for the service.
During the service, the catafalque containing Churchill's body stood on a raised platform beneath the central dome surrounded by six candlesticks. Among the official pallbearers – who marched before it down the aisle – were another former PM, Clement Attlee, along with military figures like Field Marshal Lord Slim and Admiral of the Fleet Lord Mountbatten of Burma.
A plethora of world leaders representing 112 nations attended the funeral service including six sovereigns, six presidents and 16 prime ministers. Among them – in an unprecedented move for a state funeral – was Queen Elizabeth II (sovereigns do not normally attend non-family funerals) along with Prince Philip and Prince Charles.
It's estimated that as some 350 million people around the globe tuned in to watch the funeral on TV.
After the service, Churchill's body was taken to Tower Pier (near the Tower of London) where, to the sound of a 19-gun salute fired by the Royal Artillery, he was loaded on the MV Havengore. Sixteen RAF Lightning aircraft then did a flypast as he was transported upriver to Festival Pier with dockers dipping their cranes in salute as the boat passed (this journey was recreated last week using the original barge in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of his death).
On its arrival at Festival Pier, the body was then taken to Waterloo Station from where it went via train in a specially prepared carriage (the refurbished funeral train has been brought back together at the National Railway Museum at York) to be buried in St Martin's churchyard in Bladon, Oxfordshire – a site not far from his birthplace at Blenheim Palace.
A bronze memorial plaque commemorating where Churchill's catafalque stood in St Paul's is set before the Quire steps while in 2004, the Winston Churchill Memorial Screen was unveiled in the crypt where it stands in line with the final resting places of both Admiral Lord Nelson and the Duke of Wellington.
For more on the state funeral, St Paul's has a great page of detail which you can find here, including downloadable copies of the Order of Service and other documents.
Treasures of London – Winston Churchill statue, Parliament Square…
January 23, 2015
Former British PM, Sir Winston Churchill, died 50 years ago tomorrow, so we thought it was a good time to take a look at one of London's most iconic statues.
Standing tall among some of the towering figures of British politics (and others), the over life-sized bronze statue of Sir Winston Churchill on Parliament Square in Whitehall was designed by Welsh sculptor Ivor Roberts-Jones and is located on a site on the square's north-east corner chosen by the great man himself.
Standing 12 feet (3.6 metres) high on an eight foot (2.4 metre) high pedestal opposite the Houses of Parliament (which he faces), Churchill, who was 90 when he died, is portrayed during the years of World War II wearing a navy greatcoat but wears no hat and leans on a cane.
The full length, Grade II-listed statue, which Roberts-Jones was commissioned to create in 1970, was unveiled by Lady Churchill with the aid of Queen Elizabeth II in 1973.
Interestingly, it's said that there's a mild electric current which runs through the statue to ensure pigeons don't perch and snow doesn't gather on his head. Another quirky fact – Roberts-Jones was subsequently commissioned to make another Churchill statue in 1977 – this one for New Orleans.
PICTURE: Adam Carr
What's in a name?…Bond Street…
July 28, 2014
No, the name of the famous Bond Street in Mayfair has nothing to do with James Bond. Rather, the street – in fact, two streets named Old and New Bond Street – takes its name from a 17th century courtier, Sir Thomas Bond.
Bond was the comptroller of the household of Queen Henrietta Maria, then the Queen Mother thanks to being the widow of King Charles I and the mother of King Charles II. He was also something of a land developer – the head of a consortium that purchased Albermarle House from Christopher Monck, the 2nd Duke of Albermarle, in 1683.
The house was promptly demolished and the area redeveloped with what is now Old Bond Street – which runs from Piccadilly to Burlington Gardens – laid out in 1686 and given Sir Thomas' surname (he'd died the previous year).
The northern extension of Old Bond Street (which runs from Burlington Gardens to Oxford Street) – named New Bond Street – was developed in the 1720s. Caroline Taggart, in The Book of London Place Names, says it was residents of Old Bond Street who insisted on the use of 'new' in the name, no doubt to differentiate between themselves and the newcomers or, as Taggart suggests, 'upstarts'.
Traditionally known as a location for art dealers (Sotheby's auction house – identified by an ancient Egyptian bust of the goddess Sekhmet which sits on the facade – has stood there for more than a century), the street has become increasingly known for its luxury fashion and accessories retailers such as Asprey's, Chanel, Cartier, Dolce & Gabbana, Bulgari and Tiffany & Co (see the Bond Street Association for more). Other landmark buildings in the street include the home of the Fine Art Society and the Royal Arcade.
Bond Street is also home to US sculptor's Lawrence Holofcener's work, Allies (pictured above), depicting former British PM Winston Churchill and US President Franklin D Roosevelt, and at the northern end stands the Bond Street Underground Station which opened in 1900.
Famous residents have included Admiral Horatio Nelson – who stayed at number 147 in 1797-98 while he recovered after losing his arm at Tenerife, eighteenth century satirist Jonathan Swift and politician William Pitt the Elder, as well as twentieth century spy Guy Burgess, who lived at Clifford Chambers before his defection to USSR.
Around Christmas, the street plays host to a rather special display of lights (pictured top).
Daytripper – Walmer Castle…
April 11, 2014
A coastal artillery fort built on the orders of King Henry VIII in light of a threatened Catholic invasion, Walmer Castle on the Kentish coast is officially the residence of the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports.
What was a rather functional artillery platform has been embellished significantly in the years since it became the official residence of the Lord Warden in 1708, creating a comfortable home for holders of the title who have included Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, the Duke of Wellington and bookseller WH Smith.
The 'castle', located about a two hour, 10 minute train journey from London (and then a mile walk from Walmer Station), was constructed in 1539 as one of a string of forts – others include nearby Deal Castle and the long gone Sandown Castle – designed to protect the watery stretch between Goodwin Sands and the coast known as the Downs.
Its low circular design, featuring a central 'keep' reached by a drawbridge and surrounded by a curtain wall with four projecting, semi-circular bastions, was influenced by the need to defend against heavy artillery and provide a platform for guns.
Initially garrisoned with ten gunners, four soldiers and two porters under the command of a captain and a lieutenant, Walmer saw little action during Tudor times but was the site of a siege during the Civil War.
Obsolete by the end of the 17th century, it was the Duke of Dorset who was the first Lord Warden (an office created in the thirteenth century to oversee the affairs of the Cinque Ports Confederation, a grouping of five ports including Hastings, Romney, Hythe, Dover and Sandwich) to use Walmer Castle as a residence, embarking on a renovation and extension of the existing structure.
Further alterations was carried out by successive Lords Warden, the most extensive being those made by the 2nd Earl Granville, Lord Warden between 1865 and 1891, who commissioned architect George Devey to oversee the additions.
The gardens, meanwhile, which are well worth visiting in their own right, were also Granville's work as well as that of an earlier Lord Warden, Prime Minister William Pitt the Younger, who was Lord Warden between 1792 and 1806.
The Duke of Wellington (Lord Warden between 1829 and 1852) reputedly enjoyed his time staying at the castle – he was even visited by the young Princess Victoria here in 1835 (she later stayed for a month with her family when Queen) and died here on 14th September 1852. His room can still be seen inside – the contents include the armchair he was sitting in when he died (the rooms also include a small museum dedicated to Wellington and another dedicated to William Pitt).
Not all Lords Warden enjoyed the property. Sir Winston Churchill, Lord Warden between 1941 and 1965, never stayed here but Sir Robert Menzies, Prime Minister of Australia and Lord Warden between 1966 and 1978, did and the Queen Mother, Lord Warden between 1978 and 2002, was a regular visitor.
The castle was opened to the public soon after responsibility for it was transferred from the War Office to the Ministry of Works in 1905. It is now under the care of English Heritage and the rooms inside are decorated as they were in the 1930s (it was WH Smith who ensured historic furnishings at Walmer could not be removed). There are even a couple of holiday cottages on site which can now be rented.
WHERE: Walmer Castle, Kingsdown Road, Deal, Kent; WHEN: 10am to 6pm daily (until 6th July); COST: Adults £7.90/Children (5-15 years) £4.70/Concession £7.10; WEBSITE: www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/properties/walmer-castle-and-gardens/.
10 (more) curious London memorials…8. The SOE Memorial…
September 18, 2013
Tucked away on Albert Embankment just to the north of Lambeth Bridge, this moving memorial was only unveiled in 2009 and formally honours the under-cover agents who worked for the Allies behind enemy lines during World War II.
The plinth is topped with a larger-than-life bust of Londoner Violette Szabo, sculpted by London artist Karen Newman. Szabo, who here gazes out across the Thames, was tortured and executed after being captured by the Germans while on a mission behind enemy lines following the D-Day landings.
The daughter of a French mother and English father, Szabo grew up in South London and, when World War II broke out in 1939, volunteered to work as an undercover operative in France as member of the British Special Operations Executive (SOE).
She had successfully completed one mission and had returned to France for a second when she was discovered and sent to a prison camp where she was unsuccessfully tortured for information.
Posthumously awarded the George Cross and the Croix de Guerre, a plaque on the memorial says she was among the 117 SOE agents who did not survive their missions to France. As many as 407 SOE agents were sent on "sabotage missions" to occupied France to fight with the French resistance.
Surprisingly, this SOE Memorial was apparently the first public memorial to honour the work of the unit. Formed on the orders of PM Sir Winston Churchill, it consisted of agents from various countries who were devoted to the Allied cause. Its feats included a raid which destroyed a factory in the Telemark region of Norway where the Germans were trying to produce heavy water which is used in the creation of atomic bombs – an operation which receives a special mention on the memorial.
The memorial was officially unveiled by the Duke of Wellington on 4th October, 2009. One of the plaques on it states that the monument "is in honour of all the courageous S.O.E. Agents: those who did survive and those who did not survive their perilous missions". "Their services were beyond the call of duty. In the pages of history their names are carved with pride." Enough said.
For more on the history of women serving in the SOE, see Squadron Leader Beryl E Escott's book The Heroines of SOE: F Section: Britain's Secret Women in France.
Amid all the grand war-related memorials of London, this rather humble memorial sitting outside the north transept of St Paul's Cathedral in St Paul's Churchyard can easily be overlooked.
Known as the Memorial to the Londoners killed in World War II Bombardments or simply as the 'People of London' memorial as it's called on the sculptor's website, it commemorates the 30,000 Londoners who were killed during the Blitz (not to be confused with the National Firefighters' Memorial, known informally to many as the Blitz Memorial, which sits opposite the cathedral's south transept and commemorates firefighters who died during the Blitz).
The round memorial was carved from a three tonne block of Irish limestone and is set into paving (it was initially very shiny).
The gilded inscription which runs around the outside reads "Remember before God the people of London 1939-1945" while on top, written in a spiral, is an inscription written by Sir Edward Marsh – "In war resolution, in defeat defiance, in victory magnanimity, in peace goodwill", the text of which was used by Sir Winston Churchill in the frontispiece to his history, The Second World War.
Unveiled by the Queen Mother on 11th May, 1999, the memorial is the work of Richard Kindersley, whose other memorials include the Commonwealth Memorial on Constitution Hill.
Kindersley writes on his website, that the "position of the memorial adjacent to St Paul's is most appropriate, as most people will remember the dramatic photograph of the Cathedral dome of the taken during a devastating attack in 1941."
It was paid for by public funds raised following an appeal in the Evening Standard newspaper, launched in connection with the 50th anniversary of VE Day.
Located in one of the most prominent sites in London, Parliament Square is these days perhaps best known as a protest site for those wanting to attract Parliament's eye. And while, unlike say, Trafalgar Square, many visitors to London may not know its name, its proximity to the Houses of Parliament, Whitehall, Westminster Bridge and Westminster Abbey means it's rarely off anyone's tourist agenda.
The history of the square goes back to 1868 when architect Sir Charles Barry (responsible for the design of the Houses of Parliament) designed a square to improve traffic flow in the area (and demolished many buildings – apparently the area was a slum – in the process).
The roads around the square featured London's first traffic signals (it used semaphore arms rather than lights and was installed at the meeting of Great George and Bridge Streets) and in addition the square was originally the location for the Buxton Memorial Fountain which moved to its present position in Victoria Tower Gardens in 1940 (see our earlier post on the fountain here). In 1950, the entire square was redesigned by architect George Grey Wornum.
The square is home to a plethora of statues including former PMs Sir Winston Churchill, a relatively recent statue of David Lloyd George (pictured), Sir Robert Peel (also the founder of the Metropolitan Police Force – see our earlier post here), Benjamin Disraeli, the Earl of Derby and Lord Palmerston as well as South African PM Jan Christian Smuts and, (if you count the space in front of Middlesex Guildhall), US President Abraham Lincoln (a replica of a statue in Lincoln Park, Chicago) and former Foreign Secretary and PM George Canning. Among the last statues added was a nine foot high bronze figure of Nelson Mandela which was placed in the square in 2007 after an unsuccessful push to have it located in Trafalgar Square.
Among the most high profile of protests to have been held there is that of the late peace campaigner Brian Haw who camped on the square for 10 years until 2010. Among the most recent protests this year has been a colourful demonstration by beekeepers, calling for a ban on pesticides.
For more on London's statues, see Peter Matthews' London's Statues and Monuments.
Special – Five famous London funerals…
April 17, 2013
With former PM Margaret Thatcher's funeral held in London today, we take a look at five prominent funerals in the city's past…
• Queen Eleanor of Castile: King Edward I was lavish in his funeral for Queen Eleanor (perhaps in an effort to restore her reputation given suggestions she had been unpopular among the common people although it may well have simply been because of the king's level of grief) and when she died at Harby, a village near Lincoln, on 28th November, 1290, he ordered her body to be transported from Lincoln Cathedral to Westminster Abbey where the funeral was held, with a series of elaborate memorial crosses to be built close to where-ever her body rested for the night. Twelve of these were built including at Westcheap in the City of London and Charing (hence Charing Cross, see our earlier post here), the latter thanks to her body "resting" overnight at the Dominican Friary at Blackfriars. Her funeral took place on 17th December, 1290, with her body placed in a grave near the high altar until her marble tomb was ready. The tomb (one of three built for the queen – the others were located at Lincoln – for her viscera – and Blackfriars – for her heart) still survives in the abbey.
• Vice Admiral Lord Nelson: Heroic in life and perhaps seen as even more so after his death, Nelson's demise at the Battle of Trafalgar was a national tragedy. His body, preserved in brandy, was taken off the HMS Victory and transported to Greenwich where he lay in state for three days in the Painted Hall. Thousands visited before the body was again moved, taken in a barge upriver to the Admiralty where it lay for a night before the state funeral on 9th January, 1806, more than two months after his death. An escort said to comprise 10,000 soldiers, more than 100 sea captains and 32 admirals accompanied the body through the streets of the city along with seamen from the Victory to St Paul's Cathedral (pictured) where he was interred in a marble sarcophagus originally made for Cardinal Wolsey located directly beneath the dome. The tomb can still be seen in the crypt of St Paul's.
• Arthur Wellesley, the Duke of Wellington: Given the last heraldic state funeral ever held in Britain, the Iron Duke's funeral was held on 18th November, 1852, following his death on 14th September. His body, which had been brought to London from Walmer where it had laid in state by rail, lay in state a second time at Chelsea Hospital. On the morning of the funeral, the cortege set out from Horse Guards, travelling via Constitution Hill to St Paul's. The body was conveyed in the same funeral car used to convey Nelson's and accompanied by a guard of honour which included soldiers from every regiment in the army. Masses – reportedly more than a million-and-a-half people – lined the streets to watch funeral procession pass through the city before a service was held in St Paul's Cathedral under the great dome and he was interred in a monumental sarcophagus alongside that Vice Admiral Lord Nelson. Like Nelson's, it can still be seen there today.
• Sir Winston Churchill: Widely regarded as one of the great wartime leaders of the 20th century, the former British Prime Minister died in his London home on 24th January, 1965, having suffered a stroke nine days earlier. His funeral (plans for which had apparently been code-named 'Hope-Not'), was the largest state funeral in the world at the time of his death with representatives of 112 nations attending and watched on television by 25 million people in Britain alone. His body lay in state for three days (during which more than 320,000 people came to pay their respects) before on 30th January, it was taken from Westminster Hall and through the streets of London to a funeral service at St Paul's Cathedral. After the service, a 19 gun salute was fired and the RAF staged a flyby of 16 fighter planes as the body was taken to Tower Hill and then by barge to Waterloo Station. From there it was taken by a special funeral train (named Winston Churchill) to Bladon near Churchill's home at Blenheim Palace.
• Diana, Princess of Wales: Having died in a car crash in Paris on 31st August, 1997, her body was flown back to London and taken to St James's Palace where it remained for five days before being transported to her former home of Kensington Palace. More than a million people crowded London's streets on 6th September, 1997, to watch the funeral procession as it made its way from the palace to Westminster Abbey. Among those present at the funeral (which was not a state funeral) were members of the royal family as well as then Prime Minister Tony Blair, former PMs including Margaret Thatcher and foreign dignitaries and celebrities, the latter including Elton John who sang a rewritten version of Candle in the Wind. After the service, Diana's body was taken to her family's estate of Althorp in Northamptonshire where the "People's Princess" was laid to rest.
Our new series will be launched next week due to this week's events…
Around London – Margaret Thatcher's funeral; telling the Jewel Tower's story; depot open weekend; and, Designs of the Year…
April 11, 2013
• Margaret Thatcher's funeral will be held next Wednesday at St Paul's Cathedral from 11am with Queen Elizabeth II among those attending (the first time she has attended the funeral of a British politician since Sir Winston Churchill's in 1965). The funeral procession of the former Prime Minister, who died on Monday aged 87, will start at the Houses of Parliament and make its way down Whitehall to Trafalgar Square before moving down the Strand, Fleet Street and Ludgate Hill to St Paul's Cathedral. Baroness Thatcher's coffin will carried in a hearse for the first part of the journey and will be transferred to a gun carriage drawn by six horses of the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery at St Clement Danes church on the Strand for the final part of the journey. There will be a gun salute at the Tower of London. Meanwhile, a Book of Condolence has opened at St Margaret's Church, beside Westminster Abbey, this morning and will be available for people to pay their respects until 17th April, during the church's opening hours. St Margaret's – which stands between Westminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliament – is commonly known as the parish church of the House of Commons.
• The story of the Jewel Tower – one of the last remaining parts of the medieval Palace of Westminster – is told in a new exhibition at the historic property. Now in the care of English Heritage, the tower – located to the south of Westminster Abbey, was built in 1365 to house King Edward III's treasury, later used as King Henry VIII"s 'junk room', the record office for the House of Lords, and, from 1869, served was the "testing laboratory" for the Office of Weights and Measures. The exhibition, which opened this month, is part of the English Heritage celebrations commemorating the centenary of the 1913 Ancient Monuments Act. The Jewel Tower is open daily until November. Admission charge applies. For more, see www.english-heritage.co.uk.
• See some of the earliest underground trains, a Lego version of Baker Street station and ride the Acton Miniature Railway. The London Transport Museum's depot in Acton is holding it's annual spring open weekend this Saturday and Sunday and in celebration of the Underground's 150th anniversary, attractions will include the Metropolitan Steam Locomotive No. 1 and the recently restored Metropolitan Carriage 353 along with model displays, rides on the miniature railway, film screenings, talks, and workshops. Wales' Ffestiniog Railway team – celebrating their own 150th anniversary – will also be present with the narrow gauge train, Prince. Open from 11am to 5pm both days. Admission charge applies. For more, see www.ltmuseum.co.uk.
• Now On: Designs of the Year. The Design Museum has unveiled contenders for the sixth annual Designs of the Year competition and you can what they are in this exhibition. Consisting of more than 90 nominations spanning seven categories, the nominated designs include the Olympic Cauldron by Heatherwick Studio, The Shard – western Europe's tallest building – by Renzo Piano, a non-stick ketchup bottle invented by the Varanasi Research Group at MIT, and Microsoft's Windows phone 8. The exhibition runs until 7th July – the winners will be announced this month. Admission charge applies. For more, see www.designmuseum.org.
10 of London's greatest Victorian projects – 1. Royal Albert Hall…
January 16, 2013
The London Underground's first railway journey took place on 9th January, 1863, and to celebrate we're taking a look at 10 great Victorian-era projects in London. First up is Royal Albert Hall in South Kensington.
Opened on 29th March, 1871 (and in continuous use ever since), Royal Albert Hall was built in fulfilment of Prince Albert's dream of creating a hall that would stand in the heart of the South Kensington estate and provide a focal point for the promotion of the arts and sciences.
It was on the back of the success of the Great Exhibition held in Hyde Park in 1851, that Prince Albert, Prince Consort to Queen Victoria, proposed the creation of a permanent arts and sciences precinct in South Kensington and advised the purchase of land for that purpose (the hall is located on land once occupied by Gore House). But it wasn't until after his death in 1861 that his vision was actually realised.
Construction of the hall – which was to serve as the centrepoint of the cultural precinct which became known, somewhat derisively, as Albertopolis – started in April 1867 (initially to be known as The Central Hall of Arts and Sciences, the hall apparently had its named changed to the Royal Albert Hall of Arts and Sciences by Queen Victoria while she was laying the foundation stone on 20th May that year – around 7,000 people attended the event). It was designed by engineers Captain Francis Fowke and, after his death, Lieutenant Colonel Harry Darracott Scott, based on concepts put forward by the man described as the "driving force" behind the project, Henry Cole (later the first director of what is now the Victoria and Albert Museum). He had been inspired by the Roman amphitheatres he had seen while touring in southern France.
While initial proposals had suggested the hall would accommodate as many as 30,000 people, this was later scaled back to about 7,000 (and today the figure is apparently about 5,500 thanks to fire regulations).
The central auditorium, measuring 185 feet by 219 feet, is covered by a glazed dome constructed of wrought iron girders and was the largest structure of its kind in the world at the time of its building. The hall's exterior was built from about six million red bricks and features an 800 foot long terracotta frieze showing figures engaged in a range of cultural pursuits. Much of the interior decorative detail was added later.
So overcome was Queen Victoria at the building's opening in 1871 that Edward, the Prince of Wales, had to speak in her place, declaring it open on her behalf before a crowd which included then Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli. Her only reported comment on the hall was that it reminded her of the British constitution.
The Grade One listed hall – which thankfully only suffered minor damage during World War II bombing raids (the German pilots apparently used its bulk as a navigation aid) – has since undergone substantial modifications including works undertaken to improve the hall's acoustics, the replacement of gas lighting (electricity was first demonstrated in the hall in 1873) and demolition in 1889 of an adjoining glass conservatory to its south. A massive programme of improvements was carried out between 1996 and 2004 at the cost of more than £69 million.
The list of those who have performed or spoken at the hall reads something like a who's who – among them are classical composers Wagner, Verdi, Elgar and Rachmaninov, singers and musicians including Frank Sinatra, Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles, The Who, Eric Clapton, Elton John, Adele, and Jay Z as well as sports personalities including boxer Mohammed Ali and tennis player John McEnroe, explorers like Sir Ernest Shackleton, world figures such as Queen Elizabeth II, Sir Winston Churchill, former South African president Nelson Mandela, the Dalai Lama and former US president Bill Clinton and other high profile personalities such as Albert Einstein, Alan Ginsberg and Paul Robeson.
Among the other events held in the hall have been a marathon race, Greco-Roman wrestling and two Welsh National Eisteddfod's (in 1887 and 1909). One of the most popular series of events now held there each year are the BBC Promenade Concerts, known as The Proms they include more than 70 events, which have been held in the hall since World War II.
A Victorian masterpiece. For more on the hall, see www.royalalberthall.com.


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for the past few months, i have felt completely overwhelmed. i have goals i am constantly setting for myself (this blog being a large one) and the responsibility of raising two girls is no joke. on top of that, andrew has been working crazy long hours and just being able to spend a little time with him is few and far between. i have been living too long with stressing and being sleep deprived and though i'm still working on getting enough sleep at night, i am working very hard at de-stressing my life. i'm quickly realizing that if i'm not taking care of myself, i won't be able to take care of my kids or achieve any of my goals. over time, i've made a few changes that have helped significantly. i don't feel nearly as stressed anymore and i can relax and enjoy everyday again. i have come up with eight tips that helped me to de-stress my life and hopefully they can help you too!
1. dedicate one night a week to myself alone. after the kids go down, one night a week, i go into the bathroom, take off all my makeup and put a face mask on. these have been helping my skin a ton and makes it feel so refreshed and renewed. i also paint my nails (or at least take off the old polish) and try out some new product that i have been wanting to try whether it's a new lotion or shampoo or bath scrub. confession: i have a TON of sample products i used to get in the mail that i've never tried so i'm constantly finding something new to play with in my beauty supplies.
2. read a book. instead of using my spare time to catch up on some mindless television, i find myself reaching for a good book more and more. now that doesn't mean that i've cut out TV, i mean let's not be ridiculous. but i have been reading a lot more and it's been giving my brain more to think about.
3. get moving. i've made it a point to incorporate exercise into my weekly routine. i usually work out to some sort of DVD at least four or five times a week. i still haven't joined a gym and i'm sure i will soon but doing a workout DVD has worked really well for me. i exercise when amelia takes her morning nap and addison busies herself with a game or book. she enjoys watching me exercise and encourages me and i get a good sweat session in. the three of us also go on daily walks and yes, it's good exercise but i mostly do it to avoid that after dinner before bed slump that the girls get in to!
4. plan on being early. this is NOT EASY for me. growing up, my family and i were always late. it happens to everybody and i thought it was a pretty common thing but i'm realizing more and more that when i'm late, it drives me crazy. i've been trying a trick lately where i tell myself we need to be in the car ten minutes earlier than we really do. that way when we leave five minutes late, I know I'm still early even if I'm not according to my original plan. (does that even make sense to anybody?)
5. think twice about what i'm eating. this has pretty much been my mantra for 2016. after amelia was born in december of last year, i told myself i was really going to focus on watching what i was eating and only treating myself to something if i really wanted it. so yes, if there's a piece of apple pie or cupcake sitting on the table, i'm going to eat it. but i'm also going to keep things in perspective. do i need the whole bag of chips or will a few bites do? do i really want that soda or will a glass of water with lemon work? i'm not in my teens or twenties anymore and my metabolism isn't what it used to be so reminding myself to think twice has been working for me.
6. keep a journal. every few days, i'll pull out my journal and i'll jot down some things. happy moments throughout the week, things that i find calming and soothing. i try to keep it positive but sometimes i find myself writing out frustrations or things that are worrying me. either way, it's getting on paper and out of my head so it's not consuming me anymore. and i know that years from now, i'm going to open that journal and love that i kept memories in it.
7. drink more water. anybody who's been around here for a while knows i.suck.at.drinking.water. it's just a fact. my newest trick and probably not a surprise for anybody. find a great cup you like to use. i have a specific cup that i wash and use everyday and throughout the day i fill up my water cup and squirt a little MIO into it (not sponsored, just love the stuff). it gives it added flavor and makes me drink more!
8. put my phone down. from the time i start dinner, usually about 4:30, to the time the girls go to bed (7:30), i try to always put my phone away. there's no reason why i can't give them my undivided attention during that time. the only time i will bring my phone out during that time is if we FaceTime with our family but otherwise that's when the girls and i pull out all the books, i get down on the floor and play with them, most nights resulting in them crawling all over me. but that's alright because it's me giving them my undivided attention and that's what matters. plus it's FUN. we laugh the hardest during those evening hours.
do you do anything that helps de-stress yourself? i'm always curious and open to more suggestions!