Modigliani and his English muse Beatrice Hastings
Today’s ‘Letter’ is inspired by a question written in to Nick Cave’s ‘Red Hand Files’, simply asking: ‘Do you have […]
Creative Spaces: The Writing Sheds of Dylan Thomas and Roald Dahl
Between two writers there is often literary influence and sometimes more than influence – words, lines even whole plots can […]
London in All Weathers: Derain, Kirsty MacColl and a Bench in Soho Square
I’ve always associated Hyde Park with art due to the excellent Serpentine Gallery. But if there is a single art […]
In the Mood for Love: British Connections
Many critics study Wong Kar-wai’s masterpiece ‘In the Mood for Love’ through its cinematography, noting its use of ‘frames within […]
‘That was how it all began’: Helen and Edward Thomas’s first meeting
‘The simple lack of her is more to me than others’ presence’ [Edward Thomas] I start not with a meeting […]
Memories and Magic: The transformations of Mr Benn
An ordinary street in London, a bowler hatted ‘everyman’, and a fancy dress shop… For those who haven’t seen ‘Mr […]
Where the Wild Roses Grow: Australian Impact on English Culture
Clive James, Barry Humphries, Germaine Greer; all came to England from Australia in the 60’s and immediately tore up the […]
Football in the Firing Lines: The Christmas Truce of 1914
The most beautiful moment of the beautiful game? Christmas Day, 1914. Suddenly, across the trenches, the guns fall silent. In […]
‘Signposts are disappearing’ : A North Devon Walking Holiday during WW2
A small photograph album of an unknown couple on holiday in North Devon; beautifully illustrated with captions, cartoons, memorabilia and […]
Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day: Queen Victoria’s Slippers
Sometimes, relatively small local museums can surprise. The Barnstaple Museum holds such an eclectic array of objects that combined they […]