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12 Playing the Dame
In the midst of hype surrounding the release of Skyfall,
Dame Judi M Dench is showing no signs of slowing down
16 Lingo in London
Adam Jacot de Boinod explores Londons unique dialect and
how some of our most unusual turns of phrase came about
20Built to Last
The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea boasts some of
Londons finest architecture, with fascinating historical legacies
52Romancing the Stone
Olivia Sharpe examines the role of fine jewellery in Hollywood;
precious pieces have become much more than embellishments
60Ethical Passion
Annabel Harrison meets Lady Natasha Rufus-Isaacs and
Lavinia Brennan, founders of ethical label Beulah London
102Young at Heart
Finding a destination that suits the whole family is no mean feat;
we explore the best child-friendly options for a family holiday
110The Picasso of Pastry
Kathryn Gordons visit to Pierre Herms flagship store in
Paris reveals a breathtaking array of elegant, enticing cakes
and chocolates, truly the stuff of Roald Dahls imagination
CONTENTS
Right / Keira Knightley wearing Chanel Fine Jewellery in Anna Karenina (2012) Focus Features 2012 Universal Pictures International All Rights Reserved
CONTENTSRegulars
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020 7987 4320 www.rwmg.co.uk
Editor Annabel Harrison
Contributing Editors Richard Brown, Gemma Taylor
Editorial Assistants Olivia Sharpe, Matilda Long
Head of Design Hiren Chandarana
Designer Sophie Blain
Production Manager Fiona Fenwick
Production Hugo Wheatley, Alex Powell
Editor-in-Chief Lesley Ellwood
Editorial Director Kate Harrison
Brand Consistency Laddawan Juhong
Head of Finance Elton Hopkins
Associate Publisher Sophie Roberts
Client Relationship DirectorFelicity Morgan-Harvey
Managing Director Eren Ellwood
NOVEMBER 2012 s i ssuE 009
Runwild Media Ltd. cannot accept responsibility for unsolicited submissions, manuscripts and photographs. While every care is taken, prices and details are subject to change and Runwild Media Ltd. takes no responsibility for omissions or errors. We reserve the right to publish and edit any letters. All rights reserved.
DISTRIBUTION:The Kensington & Chelsea Magazine is distributed in Kensington, Chelsea, Knightsbridge, Notting Hill and Holland Park, as well as selected streets in
Belgravia, Mayfair and Fulham.
bond on bondbond on bond
the citym a g a z i n e
Sir roger Moore KBe talks girls, gadgets and style as 007 turns 50 this year
BelgraviaResidents Journal
October 2012
Local ProfilePhotography: Justin Barton
Leighton House Museum, 12 Holland Park Road, W14 8LZwww.leightonhouse.co.uk
See p. 38
10Editors Letter
27Borough News
35Antiques & Art
45Collection
59Fashion
77Interiors
87Health & Beauty
92Motoring
97Travel
109Drinking & Dining
120London Living
129Property
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t h e K E N S I N G T O N & C H E L S E A m a g a z i n e010
From theEDITOR
Located on the edge of Holland Park in Kensington, Leighton House is one of the most remarkable buildings of the 19th century. The former home and studio of Lord Leighton
(1830-1896), it was built to designs by George Aitchison, then extended and embellished over a period of 30 years to create a private palace of art. Rebecca Wallersteiner speaks to current Artist-in-Residence Charlie Cobb (p. 38) about his work and in a similar vein, house historian Melanie Backe-Hansen explains why five other iconic buildings and structures in Kensington and Chelsea have left the area with an extraordinary architectural and historic legacy (p. 20).
Expert craftsmanship, as we also discover in this issue, can be found just as easily on a much smaller scale. Olivia Sharpe explores the history of jewellery in film, via a daisy chain of exquisite, iconic pieces (p. 52) and Kathryn Gordon travels to Paris to meet the Picasso of Pastry Pierre
Herm, famed for his delectable macaroons (p. 110). Adam Jacot de Boinod explains the origin of some of the more unusual words born in our capital city (p. 16); Dame Judi Dench, legendary for her work in both Bond films and British theatre, tells us about her decades-long acting career (p. 14); and I met Liza Klaussmann to find out about the process of crafting a first novel (p. 24).
I would like to end with the Ode of Remembrance by Laurence Binyon in honour of Remembrance Day on Sunday 11 November.
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
We will remember them.
EditorAnnabel Harrison
Follow us on Twitter @KandCMagazine or email KCeditor@runwildgroup.co.uk with any comments
To visit Lord Leightons house is to step into the world of a successful Victorian artist. His house is an anthology of his interests, from the
Hellenistic and Byzantine, through the Ottoman and Renaissance, up until Eugne Delacroix. It is also a perfect statement about who he was: a bachelor who was the leading figure of the art establishment.
Quotation taken from Great Houses of London by James Stourton
KC&
indomitabilis duo fratres current
es
KC&
indomitabilis duo fratres current
es
www.bachet.fr
FEATURE
t h e K E N S I N G T O N & C H E L S E A m a g a z i n e 013
Judi dench wryly smirks at the behest of a rather delicate question, fortunately taking it in good
humour. i shout a lot at the radio; i know thats being
old, she smiles. my family goes, Oh for goodness
sake, ma. shut up! And then the strange things my
grandson says, like, its well good. i could just fly
across the room and throttle him. i know thats a sign of
being old. i know it is. so i try to stop doing it. And im
really bad at that.
The dame is
in cheery humour,
playfully poking
fun at herself, her
appearance, her
advancing age. if the
truth be told, theres
something remarkably
ageless about this
empress of British performance, most likely because she
only came into the wider public prominence, reversing
gender as Bond boss m in Goldeneye, 17 years ago.
But dench has been a doyenne of the British stage for
nearly four decades, a stalwart of the Old Vic company,
brandishing praise for portrayals of Ophelia, Juliet and
lady macbeth. The national Theatre company, the Old
shakespearean company she was, and remains, a
key part of them all, while sporadically punctuating her
career with BAFTA-winning performances in A Room
with a View and 84 Charing Cross Road.
her recruitment as the head of mi6 changed all that.
suddenly dench was a movie star, a hollywood newcomer
in her late 50s. surely a status envied by a universe of
peers? movie star is certainly not a way i would describe
myself, she laughs heartily. someone who got lucky,
maybe? Bond has given me so many opportunities; im
incredibly grateful and enjoying the doors it has opened.
its been a lovely journey. rumours suggest Bond 23,
or Skyfall to give the
film its official title,
will be the end of the
road for m, following
leaked reports from
heavily guarded sony
set locations within
their number several
spots across the capital
including whitehall and
southwark, cadogan square, st Bartholomews hospital
and the Old royal naval college at Greenwich.
There are rumours and, at the moment, just that
that ms kidnapping and subsequent murder provides
the impetus for Bonds latest mission. Predictably, the
lady herself is giving nothing away. And we really mean
nothing. youll just have to watch the film. it will be in
cinemas shortly; cant you wait until then? regardless
of her fate, m will always remain a shining beacon in the
dench legacy. it feels like an honour, really, she says
of the role that was made famous by the late Bernard
ThE
A national treasure, a stalwart of British theatre, a movie star and, of course, a dame. despite this mass of acolades, as Dan Bowman discovers,
dame Judi dench is as gloriously humble as shes always been
PlAying
Dame
Dench has been a doyenne of the British stage for nearly four decades, a stalwart of the Old Vic Company
Lee. You can sense that some people just feel very,
very precious about Bond and all those around him so
you want to keep those diehard fans happy. But you also
want to bring something of your own to the table, and the
simple fact that Im a woman has helped, I think, to move
the Bond franchise forward a little.
Its nothing short of a miracle that Dame Judi,
appointed as an Order of the British Empire in the late
1980s, can afford the time to grant an interview, such is
the behemoth scale of her shoot schedule. After a frantic
global criss-cross for Skyfall, taking in Shanghai, Istanbul
and the Scottish Highlands, the 77-year-old Oscar
winner, famously awarded for a 12-minute appearance
as Queen Elizabeth in John Maddens Shakespeare in
Love, will jet out to the Swedish fjords for Italian Shoes
with close confidante Sir Anthony Hopkins. She follows
this with a three-month shoot in Louisiana for Geoff
Moore and David Posamentiers debut feature Better
Living Through Chemistry alongside spritely newcomers
Olivia Wilde and Michelle Monaghan.
So, how does a war-torn vet feel about working
with Hollywood rookies? Is it a good way to keep the work
interesting? Oh, absolutely, says Dench. As much as
its a wonderful treat working with old friends, making
new friends is just as important. You have to keep putting
yourself in new environments and challenging yourself
and one of the best ways to do that is to work with people
who are just finding their way.
Theres a freshness, an excitement that you can
only get with a first-time filmmaker. And I guess you do feel
an obligation to make them feel comfortable in this strange
world if you think they need a hand, that is. Some of them
are so clued into what they want and how theyre going
to get it, you only have to do your job but, either way, its
always exciting. Otherwise, I wouldnt still be doing this.
Living with daughter Finty and teenage grandson
Sam in the Surrey countryside since her husband died
renowned actor Michael Williams who passed away from
lung cancer in 2001 Dench has arrived at a different
stage in life. Coping with loss, while riding a wave of
surging success, the actress found herself identifying
more than ever with her character for this years sleeper
hit The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, who struggles to deal
with the death of her partner and the fight to go on, in
this case on to retirement in the Indian province of Jaipur.
The fact that she is a widow and shes missing her
husband, I can sympathise with. And I can understand. I
mean, the only way I think you can function as an actor,
is everything that happens to you is in a kind of storage
place. And youre not aware of it.
With age sometimes comes regret. Is this a notion
ever played in the back of her mind? Children, she
says, I thought I would have more. Ive said this before;
I thought I would have six children. But, you know, life
isnt like that. It doesnt work out like that. And so all
you have to do is to learn to somehow accept it. We had
the most wonderful friend who was a judge in Germany.
And he said to us it became a maxim in our family
Always look for the plusses.
And somehow, its a very, very good piece of
advice. Because even if its a very small plus, you get
something out of it. Instead of an erosion of always
You have to keep putting yourself in new environments
and challenging yourself
Featureflash / Shutterstock.com
FEATURE
t h e K E N S I N G T O N & C H E L S E A m a g a z i n e 015
thinking your cup is half empty. Duly frank and
honest, Denchs open nature was burned by a rather
sensationalised account of an ocular disorder she
currently suffers from, macular degeneration, where she
admitted failing sight was resulting in scripts being read
to her. Oh yes, that was rather overblown. This condition
is something that thousands of people all over the world
are having to contend with and its something I have
learned to cope with and adapt to and it will not lead
to blindness. The press had me with dark glasses and a
white cane by the end of the week!
But with newspaper intrusion, the hectic
scheduling and the constant globe-trotting, doesnt
retirement ever look like an attractive prospect? As long
as there is a possibility of working, Im not going to retire.
Im very conscious that Im in the minority in that I love
what I do. How big is the number of people who are
running to work to do a job that they like? And how lucky
to be employed at it how incredibly lucky.
Skyfall is released in UK cinemas on 26 October
FEATURE
t h e K E N S I N G T O N & C H E L S E A m a g a z i n e 017
LondonHave you ever wondered what tosher, bilker, reefing or rifling means? AdAm JAcot de Boinod, a former researcher for the BBC series QI and author of The Meaning of Tingo, has the answers as he explores
some of the more unusual words born in our capital city
Lingoin
THe Meaning of Tingo was born from a fortuitous discovery, when i noticed that an
albanian dictionary contained 27 different
words each for eyebrows and moustache. This
developed into an obsessive 18-month journey
through hundreds of foreign dictionaries and
resulted in an amusing and informative guide to
the worlds strangest, and most useful, words.
What The Meaning of Tingo shows is that, like
natural cures waiting to be found in the plants of
the rainforest, many of the words already exist, in
the languages of the worlds other cultures. Who
couldnt find a use for neko-neko, an indonesian
word for one who
has a creative idea
which only makes
things worse?
Some are bizarre
koro is the
hysterical belief
that ones penis
is shrinking into ones body in Japanese while
others are surprisingly affecting, like the inuit
word iktsuarpok, which means to go outside
often to see if someone is coming. and then
theres tingo itself, from the Pascuense language
of easter island, meaning to take all the objects
one desires from the house of a friend, one at a
time, by borrowing them.
for a city as diverse and historic as
London its no surprise that it has coined its
own fair share of vocabulary, some of which
describes strictly local concepts such as
pannier (1823), a robed waiter at table in the
inner Temple; tosher (b.1859), one who steals
copper from the bottoms of ships moored in
the Thames; and bilker, a person who gives a
cabman less than his fare and, when
remonstrated with, gives a false name and
address. Place names even conjure up
specific references with Kilburn being police
jargon for the official police notebook that is
produced in court (the rhyming slang Kilburn
Priory denotes diary) and Paddington
spectacles (early 19th century) the cap
drawn over a criminals eyes at his
hanging before the final act.
The world of English painter, engraver and
satirist Hogarth is well depicted, with stand pad
(Cockney dialect) meaning to beg in crowded streets
with a written statement round ones neck (such as
Wife and five kids to support), rifling (underworld
slang, 1885) for plundering dead bodies in the Thames
and turning them adrift again, and shore-man (Cockney
dialect) for one who searches sewers for rats.
Dickensian life is also recalled with a highly
specialised vocabulary for the following Artful Dodgers:
maltooling (b.1861) is the picking of pockets in
omnibuses; reefing (c.1860)
is drawing up a dress-pocket
until a purse is within reach
of the fingers; the bulk
and file (1698) alludes to
two pickpockets operating
together (the bulk jostles the
party that is to be robbed and
the file steals the treasure);
an autem-diver (1725) is a pickpocket specialising
in the robbery of church congregations; and a pappy
(underworld slang, 1910) is an elderly man whose
clothes are baggy and whose pockets have become
sagged (the ideal victim for a pickpocket).
Much of the well-known Cockney rhyming slang,
quite simply, rhymes but some expressions take it a step
further, with the meaning itself carried across. Examples
include Borrow and Beg for an egg (as the term enjoyed
a fresh lease of life during the Second World War food-
rationing period); Army and Navy for gravy (which was
plentiful at meal times in both services) and Didnt Ought
for port (based on the simpering of ladies who, when
asked to have another, replied that they didnt ought).
In good times and bad, the highly-paid
practitioners of the City of London have couched
their dubious activities in their own specialised jargon
with poop and scoop (to drive down a share price by
spreading malicious rumours) and barefoot pilgrim,
someone who has lost everything on the stock market,
but might still be persuaded to invest again and to catch
a falling knife, buying a stock as its price is going down,
in hopes that it will go back up, only to have it continue
to fall. In these days of the credit crunch a whole host
of new words, much more comprehensible than the
famed quantitative easing, have sprung up to describe
its consequences such as Mancession the male-
domination of the industries hardest hit by the crunch,
such as the financial sector and the media
and the Lipstick Indicator the use of lipstick sales as
an economic indicator (when times are tough, women
buy more low-cost comfort items such as lipstick).
Alongside them are our new ways of coping
with tough economic times: abs-tinence denotes the
dropping of costly and rarely used gym memberships
to save money (daily workouts now often take place
on living room rugs or jogging around local parks);
slashflow is the brutal pruning of household budgets
to bring outgoings into closer alignment with reduced
incomes and al desko is the practice of eating lunch
(typically home-made) at ones desk rather than on the
terrace of a local restaurant.
Londons renowned cultural life at least can be
sought in libraries by the grille-peerer (1940s), one of
a group of clergymen who
used to haunt the stacks
of the London Library to
look up the skirts of women
browsing above or those
with a face-ticket (British
Museum Reading Room,
1909), so well known to
the janitors that one is not
asked to present ones ticket. More famously, the theatre
has developed a fine range to describe the reactions of
the audience, with ventilator (a play so appallingly bad
that the audience leaves well before the final curtain,
their seats are filled only with fresh air); exsibilation
(1640), the collective hisses of a disapproving audience;
handcuffed, an actors description of
an audience who will not applaud; stiff
(1930s), a terrible joke, rewarded
only by silence; soso (1930s), a
joke rewarded by a smile, but not
a laugh; gravy, easy laughs from
a friendly audience and more
happy to crack the monica
(music hall jargon c.1860),
to ring the bell to summon a
performer to reappear. London
has indeed played its part in the
development of our gloriously
rich, ever-evolving language.
Adam is the author of The Meaning
of Tingo and Other Extraordinary Words
From Around the World, published by
Penguin Books, and of iPhone app Tingo
Dickensian life is recalled with a highly specialised
vocabulary for Artful Dodgers
FEATURE
t h e K E N S I N G T O N & C H E L S E A m a g a z i n e018
www.theritzlondon.comenquire@theritzlondon.com Telephone: 020 7493 8181
Make it a Ritz Christmas!
ToLastBuilt
The iconic buildings and structures of Kensington and Chelsea have, in the past, been threatened with demolition, lambasted for their appearance or, at
the very least, highly criticised for their expense. However, in overcoming these obstacles, past monarchs, visionary architects
and pioneers have left the area with an extraordinary architectural and historic legacy, as house historian Melanie Backe-Hansen explains
Photography: Issy CrokerIllustrations: Mai Osawa
t h e K E N S I N G T O N & C H E L S E A m a g a z i n e 021
FEATURE
Kensington Palace
The history of Kensington Palace begins in the early
1600s when it was first built for Sir George Coppin.
It became known as Nottingham House when it was
the home of the 1st Earl of Nottingham, but in 1689,
William III and Mary II chose it as their new home and
commissioned Sir Christopher Wren to transform it into
a royal palace. They moved in during December 1689,
but after a fire in 1691 it was altered further, including
the addition of the familiar southern faade in 1695 by
Nicholas Hawksmoor. It then became the home of Queen
Anne and when George I came to the throne in 1714
he instigated improvements, including the grand state
rooms and the great staircase, decorated with the famous
painted gallery by William Kent.
George III chose to live in Buckingham House so
from that time it became home to members of the royal
family, including Edward, Duke of Kent, and the father
of Queen Victoria. Victoria was born at the palace in
1819 and it was here on 20 June 1837 she was told that
William IV had died and she was now Queen. Later royals
to live in Kensington Palace included Queen Victorias
daughters, Princesses Louise, Beatrice and Alice, as well
as Mary of Teck, later Queen Mary, wife of George V.
The Palace was first opened to the public for Queen
Victorias 80th birthday in 1899. In 1911 to 1914 and 1950
to 1975 rooms were used for the London Museum. More
recently it has been home to Princess Margaret, Prince and
Princess Michael of Kent and is often remembered as the
former home of the Princess of Wales.
Royal Hospital CHelsea
For many walking the streets of Chelsea, the red-coated
Chelsea pensioners are a familiar sight, instilling pride
and admiration, and their home, the Royal Hospital, is
arguably Chelseas greatest and most iconic building.
It was founded in 1682 by Charles II, with the help of
Sir Stephen Fox, and completed in 1692 when 476
retired soldiers moved in. It was designed by celebrated
architect Sir Christopher Wren and much of his work
remains today, including the central section with the
Great Hall and Chapel separated by the octagon vestibule
with cupola, which looks out to Figure Court (named
for the central statue of Charles II by Grinling Gibbons).
Light Horse and College Courts were added to the east
and west, and additional buildings were added by other
renowned architects; Robert Adam in the late 18th
century and Sir John Soane in the early 19th century.
NatuRal HistoRy MuseuM
Henry Cole was involved with the development of the
Natural History Museum, which had first been proposed
by Sir Richard Owen in 1858. It was built to house
the natural sciences collection of the British Museum,
which had originally been created by Sir Hans Sloane
in the 18th century. Francis Fowke won the competition
to design the new museum, but after he died the job
passed to Alfred Waterhouse, who designed the now
iconic blue and beige building in a Romanesque style.
Construction began in 1873 and was officially opened
in 1881. It is built with the striking patterned terracotta
and has many architectural features, including carved
depictions of animals and plants, as well as the
grand cathedral-like main hall. References to
the purpose of the building appear around
every corner, with details of plants and
animals on pillars, ceilings, and staircases.
Today, the Natural History Museum holds
more than 70 million specimens, including
55 million animals and nine million
fossils, and is the largest natural
history collection in the world.
t h e K E N S I N G T O N & C H E L S E A m a g a z i n e 023
FEATURE
Peter Jones
Lastly, a completely different kind of iconic building
is the Peter Jones department store. Peter Jones first
came to Chelsea during the 1860s when he opened
a drapery store in Draycott Avenue. He moved to the
Kings Road in 1877 and by the 1880s had taken over
a number of shops and had 200 employees. He built a
new store in 1884 which allowed him to display goods
in a grand fashion. When Peter Jones died the store
was purchased by John Lewis in 1906 and by the 1930s
the decision was taken to rebuild the old-fashioned
Victorian store.
The design by architects Slater and Moberly, with
William Crabtree and consulting architect C.H. Reilly
was a dramatic departure for Chelsea. It was built in
1932-6 and provoked many comments, including being
called a glass cage by the Chelsea Society. However,
it was largely accepted, with the new architectural style
giving the impression of an ocean liner with a continuous
curtain wall. In 1939 it was voted the most popular
modern building in a poll for The Architects Journal.
www.house-historian.co.uk
royal albert Hall
After the Great Exhibition of 1851 the area between Hyde
Park and Cromwell Road was chosen as the site for a
centre for culture and learning for the arts and sciences.
The grand vision succeeded due to a handful of pioneers,
one of whom was Prince Albert, Queen Victorias consort,
who first proposed a hall for arts and sciences in 1853.
However, it did not eventuate before he died in 1861 and
the project passed to Henry Cole, who played a key role
in the development of the area, nicknamed Albertopolis.
The foundation stone for the Royal Albert Hall of Arts
and Sciences was laid by Queen Victoria in 1867. It was
designed by Francis Fowke, but he died before it was
finished so it was completed by Henry Darracott Scott. It
is constructed with red brick and terracotta and opened
by the Queen on 29 March 1871 and since that time has
been host to an array of events and performances. It is
most often associated with the BBC Proms but has also
hosted Wagner, Elgar and Rachmaninov, as well as The
Beatles, ABBA, Frank Sinatra, Jimi Hendrix and Adele.
I have always been fascInated by how authors decide upon a name for their novels. to
me, choosing just a handful of words with which to
ensnare in a split-second the passing customer, who
has (hopefully) been attracted to the book cover like a
bee to a bright flower, seems a much more impossible
task than the writing of the novel, which allows for
hundreds of thousands of carefully constructed, and
sometimes painstakingly deconstructed, sentences.
liza Klaussmann decided to bestow the final line of
Disillusionment of Ten OClock by wallace stevens
upon her first novel, set in Marthas vineyard in the two
decades after the end of world war two and told from
the perspectives of five family members over the course
of five sections. having read the book (and thus able to
recommend it highly from personal experience), the title
certainly seems to suit the story, given the characters
oppressively hot environment and predatory natures.
we meet in a london pub of lizas choosing and
she is dressed casually, relaxed, open and eloquent as
she ponders my first question over a glass of red. Im a
huge fan of wallace stevens, so the title came first. but it
was part and parcel of the kind of the story that I wanted
to write. the poem talks about the claustrophobia of
homogeneity; everyones the same and everythings the
same. In the poem the one little tiny spark of imagination
comes from a drunken sailor, not from people who live
in the houses. so for me, it was that concept of this one
group of people who, in the midst of everyone wanting
everything to be the same, wanted it all to be different.
having spent more than a decade working for the
New York Times, liza secured her first book deal after
writing Tigers In Red Weather as part of her creative
writing Masters, undertaken in london. why this move
into fiction? I woke up one morning thinking, if I really
want to do this, then I have to give it a serious try and
london seemed like an obvious choice. liza has spent
long periods of her life living in new york, Paris and
now london, which she finds a green, cosmopolitan
and beautiful city: I think of new york as the city of my
youth, Paris as where I became an adult and london
is now the place that I live. Its my favourite city of the
three it has the best of both worlds. whereas new
york and Paris can be very parochial, london has this
great mix of people and cultures.
CATCHING TIGERs IN Red weather
ANNABEL HARRISON meets former New York Times journalist liza Klaussmann to find out more about her first novel, the forensic level of research involved and
why she thinks london is better than new york and Paris
t h e K E N S I N G T O N & C H E L S E A m a g a z i n e 025
INTERVIEW
The houses are hauntedBy white night-gowns.
None are green,Or purple with green rings,Or green with yellow rings,Or yellow with blue rings.None of them are strange,
With socks of laceAnd beaded ceintures.People are not going
To dream of baboons and periwinkles.Only, here and there, an old sailor,
Drunk and asleep in his boots,Catches tigers
In red weather.
I am sure that, as an author, being surrounded
by a mix of people and cultures provides an essential
wealth of inspiration, if not at least protection from an
overwhelming monotony as one sets off on the rather
isolated path of an author. Inspiration also came from
Lizas own grandparents who grew up in the same era
as her characters, and although the waspy East Coast
enclave of the book is fictional, it was personal in the
sense that I had memories from spending summers in
our house there, but for me it was more like working from
imagination than from reality.
From this imagination sprang Nick, Daisy, Helena,
Hughes and Ed, all part of a family struggling to maintain
the composed faade expected by their contemporaries.
Research is critical; you end up doing tons and only using
one little bit but you have to control the material before
you begin. Particularly troublesome details to nail down
included the logistics of a trans-Atlantic phone call, the
sleeper train Nick takes to visit Helena, exactly what drugs
Helena could have been taking and if a doctor would have
paid her a house visit.
Eds section ends the novel and is the only one
that is written in first person, for reasons pragmatic and
emotional: Ed is the most violent and vile character its
sad but hes also the weirdest so I wanted the reader
to be able to relate to him; when you use the first person
its the easiest way to get close to the character. Also he
doesnt talk a lot so you need to get into his head to let the
narrative move forward. Indeed, after hundreds of pages
in the third person, writing in Eds voice came as a relief to
Liza: Hes quite psychotic so hes really fun to write!
I would wager that you are bound to identify
with at least one characteristic of one of Tigers players
and, uncomfortably, these are often negative as the
characters desires are thwarted and the paths that
their lives are taking veer further and further from their
anticipated routes. Liza explains that desire is indeed the
motivating theme, twinned with ambition: All of them
want something and they might figure out, in the end,
that its not what they wanted at all. These people have
these intense, carnivorous desires and as they move
forward they dont have empathy for the other people;
they just run them over as they go along but there are
repercussions to living like that.
So I must ask. Is there another top-secret novel in
the pipeline? Im working on the second novel now; its
not top secret at all, Liza laughs. Its a fictional re-telling
of the lives of Sara and Gerald Murphy, these Americans
at the centre of literary and artistic expatriate group in
Paris and Antibes in the 20s and who had a tragic life.
I just felt very drawn to them and its fascinating to
explore the mystique surrounding them.
Its out in 2014 and I, for one, cant wait.
Disillusionment of ten oCloCk
by Wallace stevens
Our boutique is located 20 Motcomb Street London SWIX 8LB
tel. 020 7823 2176
www.annickgoutal.com
pub UK soliflores.indd 1 24/05/12 15:58
t h e K E N S I N G T O N & C H E L S E A m a g a z i n e 027
Covering the whole Royal Borough: Kensington, Chelsea, Knightsbridge, Notting Hill and Holland Park
NEWSRoyal Borough
Illustration: Mai Osawa
The latest news, best events and areas of interest for residents of the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea
Royal Borough News
We Will Remember ThemAlthough War Horse is undoubtedly his most celebrated work, Michael Morpurgo has made many other
noteworthy contributions to WW1 literature, including the classic childrens book Private Peaceful, which
tells the tale of Private Tommo Peaceful, a character based upon Thomas Samuel Henry Peacefull
who served with 4th Battalion, The Royal Fusiliers until his death on 4 June 1915. The National Army
Museum has uncovered the wartime documents which record his death and last effects and, although
Morpugo was in many ways faithful to true events in his book, visitors to the exhibition will learn how,
unlike the fictional character, Private Peacefull died of wounds sustained in action, and not from a firing
squad, during WW1. Visit the museum for a fascinating, instructive afternoon with the family.
On Sunday 11 November, a Remembrance Service
will be held at the Cenotaph to commemorate British and
Commonwealth servicemen and women who died in the
two World Wars and later conflicts. The day before, the
Commando 999 Speedmarch is taking place, aiming to raise
1 million for the Royal Marines Association, so that it can
look after any member of the Royal Marines family that needs
help at the point of greatest need. Starting in Downing Street
the run will take in many London sights and on completion the
Royal Marines Band will accompany the marchers along The
Mall to the Royal Marines National Memorial where they will
be able to pay their respects.
National Army Museum, Royal Hospital Road
020 7730 0717; www.nam.ac.uk
Moving MountainsRoyal Borough residents are being
encouraged to dig deep and support local
girl Sinead Nammock as she climbs Mount
Kilimanjaro in a bid to raise money for
research into one of the rarest and most
disabling genetic conditions known to
modern medicine; Fibrodysplasia Ossificans
Progressiva (FOP). The disease affects
700 people worldwide and just 40 in the
UK. The 21-year-old from Ladbroke Grove
is pulling together a team of climbers to
tackle the ascent, her first ever expedition,
in a laudable attempt to raise as much as
possible towards the 120,000 needed for
another years research by Oxford University.
Due to its rarity, FOP research is not
funded by the Government and, as such,
the universitys current funding is due to
run out this December, a major setback to
finding a cure.
If you wish to donate, please visit
uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/
climbingforacure or find out more about FOP
at www.fopaction.co.uk
Photography: Pawel Kowalczyk / Shutterstock.com
t h e K E N S I N G T O N & C H E L S E A m a g a z i n e 029
THE ROYAL BOROUGH
t h e K E N S I N G T O N & C H E L S E A m a g a z i n e 029
Chelsea Academy TheatreDrink, dancing and devilry was how the Cremorne
Pleasure Gardens (1846-1877) was described in its final
years. But hundreds of thousands of Londoners flocked
to the beautifully landscaped grounds for innocent fun
from music hall entertainment, ballet, fortune telling, floral
exhibitions, dinner, dancing, fireworks and audacious acts
of derring-do to tightrope walking across the Thames and
spectacular hot air ballooning.
An hour-long DVD, to mark our Queens Diamond
Jubilee and the founding of the Cremorne Residents
Association (Lots Village), traces much of this colourful
history including Cremornes sad demise. It has been
produced by the CRA and is a genuine community
production involving the Council, Mayor, local Councillors
and residents who all actively contributed to the project.
The premiere will be held in the Chelsea Academy Theatre,
Lots Road, SW10 0AB on Monday 12 November at 7pm
for 7.30pm. All are welcome.
For more information: www.cremornera.co.uk/what-is-happening
Collars and CoatsIn a star-studded event, the home of the most glamorous
of pets will play host to an evening of entertainment and
decadence as the annual Collars and Coats Gala Ball
returns for its fourth year at Battersea Dogs & Cats Home.
TV personalities Amanda Holden and Paul OGrady MBE
(the evenings official hosts) will be joined by attendees
David Gandy, Joanna Page and James Thornton.
The ball is a celebration of the organisations work in
the field of animal welfare and of the fact that it is one of
the UKs most loved charities. As such, it is unsurprising
that the event is also supported by the fashion world
elite, including Stella McCartney, Philip Treacy and Hilary
Alexander. The evenings line-up includes a memorable
welcome by the Homes legendary Guard of Honour,
formed by a parade of blue-coated Battersea dogs and
their handlers, followed by an exclusive champagne
reception and banquet interspersed with top billing
entertainment. Finally, guests will be able to bid in the
exclusive auction with luxury prizes donated by supporters.
Collars and Coats Gala Ball,Thursday 8 November
Battersea Evolution, Chelsea Bridge Entrance
Battersea Park, SW11 4NJ
www.collarsandcoats.org.uk
Waving the FlagFollowing this years Green Flag awards, it was unearthed that the Royal Borough
currently boasts nine parks that are recognised as among the best green spaces in
England and Wales. Avondale Park and Tavistock Gardens gained their first Green Flags
this July, joining Little Wormwood Scrubs and Westfield Park, which both received flags
for the second year. Successful for a third year were Cremorne Gardens and Gunnersbury
Cemetery, St. Lukes Gardens reached four years, and Kensington Memorial Park
celebrated an impressive six years. However, Holland Park (pictured below) remains
streaks ahead of its local competitors, having flown the flag now for an incredible 12 years.
The Green Flag Awards, launched in 1996, have become recognised as the
benchmark national standard for parks and green spaces in the UK.
www.rbkc.gov.uk
t h e K E N S I N G T O N & C H E L S E A m a g a z i n e030
Covering the whole Royal Borough: Kensington, Chelsea, Knightsbridge, Notting Hill and Holland Park
THE ROYAL BOROUGH
The Age of EnlightenmentAs brilliantly depicted in British comedy
series, Blackadder the Third, the Regency
period was a time of great excess.
Although the aristocracys lavish lifestyle
(represented by Hugh Laurie as the Prince
Regent) is seen as one of the direct causes
of the periods social, economic and
political turbulence, it is often forgotten
that we have them largely to thank for
the eras achievements in the fine arts
and the architecture which emerged
from it. George IV was one of the greatest
patrons of both of these fields and, as a
result of this (and the wealth generated
by the Industrial Revolution), upper class
society experienced a revival of culture
and refinement. At a free talk given by the
Victoria and Albert Museum at the end of
October, you may discover the architecture
of the early 19th century, and see material
by major London architects such as Sir
John Soane and Charles Barry, as well
as the lesser-known, regionally-based
architects including George Wightwick,
Charles Fowler and John Dobson.
30 October
Closer Look Architecture Talk
V&A Museum, Cromwell Road, SW7 2RL
020 7942 2000; www.vam.ac.uk
The Trojan WomenA radical, intense interpretation of Euripides Greek tragedy
The Trojan Women will arrive at the Gate Theatre in Notting Hill
this November, running until the middle of December. In
this gripping new version by talented UK poet Caroline Bird and
directed by the Gates own artistic director Christopher Haydon,
the play explores what happens when the world collapses
through the tale of Troy, following the end of the epic war, and
through the eyes of the fallen Trojan queen Hecuba. Euripides
is widely praised as one of the greatest three tragedians of
classical Athens, together with Aeschylus and Sophocles.
8 November 15 December
Gate Theatre, 11 Pembridge Road, W11 3HQ
020 7229 0706; www.gatetheatre.co.uk
Martin Stranka (www.martinstranka.com)
Royal Borough News
Floris is delighted to announce the opening of a new Bespoke Perfumery Boutique at 147 Ebury Street, Belgravia,
282 years since Mr and Mrs Floris opened the doors to their first Perfumery at 89 Jermyn Street.
Covering the whole Royal Borough: Kensington, Chelsea, Knightsbridge, Notting Hill and Holland Park
Ideal Home Show at ChristmasPanicking about the imminent arrival of Christmas and the
accompanying present shopping? If so, never fear as help is close
at hand. Back for 2012, the annual shopping event extravaganza
at Earls Court promises to prepare you for the festive season,
from how to trim your turkey to the best stocking fillers. With more
than 600 expert exhibitors across six sections including interiors
and furnishings, fashion and beauty, food and drink, gifts and
decorations, home improvements and outdoor living, and technology
and gadgets, you can be sure that questions you had never even
considered will be answered. Also present at the Christmas Ideal
Home Show this year is the first ever pop-up Dancing on Ice rink.
The rink will feature daily performances by Dancing on Ices
pro-skaters and their celebrity partners from previous series, enabling
fans of the TV show and visitors to experience world class skating live.
14-18 November
www.idealhomeshowchristmas.co.uk
By Accident or DesignSeptember saw the ground-breaking ceremony of the new Design Museum at the former Commonwealth
Institute. Founder of Londons leading international contemporary design museums, Sir Terence Conran,
plus Director Deyan Sudjic OBE and Chairman of the Trustees Luqman Arnold, were joined by leaders in the
fields of architecture and design at the buildings foundations to celebrate the occasion.
To signify this historic moment in the museums development, a time capsule was buried in the
grounds after the elected designers and architects had each nominated an object to be included inside it.
The Design Museum is set to open in 2015 and the move will provide the museum with three times more
space and free access to its unique collection, as well as bringing it into Kensingtons cultural quarter, joining
the V&A, Science Museum, Natural History Museum and Royal College of Art.
Design Museum, Kensington High Street, W8 6NW
www.designmuseum.orgPhotography: Dominic French
Photography: Theo Cohen
Royal Borough News
Remember, RememberThere is an almost unlimited option of fireworks displays
in parks and public spaces across the Capital, from
the spectacular Alexandra Palace fireworks to
the astonishing display at Crystal Palace, but our
personal favourite would have to be Battersea Parks
contribution to Bonfire Night, just a stones throw away
from the Royal Borough. The date has been confirmed
by Wandsworth Council as Saturday 3 November;
with sprinklers, hot food, drink stands and, not forgetting
the main attraction of the evening, the outstanding fireworks
spectacle for the finale, this years event is sure not to disappoint.
Saturday 3 November
Battersea Park, SW11 4NJ
Dance OffIn true British spirit, people did not let the dismal rain spoil their
afternoon as a crowd of more than 200 turned out to watch the
Big Dance bus parade (part of The Royal Borough of Kensington
and Chelseas inTRANSIT Festival) as it descended upon the
streets of Chelsea this July. Swing dancers from the Big Dance
resident dance company entertained the audience, and there was
a varied mix of performances from American pom-poms through
to belly dancers, Irish and Scottish dances, and fun workshops in
Flamenco, Swing and Roma for participants of all ages, making it
a spectacular day for residents and non-residents alike.
www.rbkc.gov.uk/bigdance
THE ROYAL BOROUGH
033
Carnival Clear-UpAlthough perhaps not the view of local
residents, it is surely a tribute to its success
that almost 200 tonnes of rubbish was
cleared from Notting Hill following this years
Carnival, as more than a million revellers
descended on the streets this August. The
overnight operation altogether took 164 staff
from contractors, SITA, 19 refuse trucks and
nine mechanical sweepers, together with a
large motorway vehicle which washed down
the roads. The Councils Deputy Leader
and Cabinet Member for the Environment,
Cllr Nick Paget- Brown, commented: Our
contractor, SITA, and the Council officers
deserve a gold medal. They ensured the
streets were cleaned and returned to normal
before anyone got up for work. Our priority
is always to clear the streets as swiftly as
possible to ensure minimum disruption for
residents. In 2011, it was recorded that the
Council collected 180 tonnes of waste after
Carnival, evidence to suggest that the festival
only continues to grow in popularity each year.
www.rbkc.gov.uk
Leader of the PackDescribed by Maestro Leonid Grin as a sensitive and dynamic conductor,
Rachel Young has certainly made the transition from cellist to conductor swiftly
and successfully. A talented musician, working for several years as a cellist in
the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, it was always Youngs dream to lead
the orchestra rather than just play in one. Since 2007, Young has pursued
numerous conducting masterclasses with the likes of Neeme Jrvi, Paavo Jrvi
and Leonid Grin, and this November, Young will make her Cadogan Hall debut
conducting the Russian Virtuosi of Europe, featuring music by Shostakovich,
Tchaikovsky and Schnittke. Having already proven her worth in London last
season at St. Johns Smith Square, Young hopes her forthcoming debut at
Cadogan Hall will be an inspirational and memorable performance for all.
23 November
Cadogan Hall, 5 Sloane Terrace, SW1X 9DQ
020 7730 4500; www.cadoganhall.com
t h e K E N S I N G T O N & C H E L S E A m a g a z i n e
Photography: Bikeworldtravel / Shutterstock.com
Walk on the Wild SideEvery year, Walkabout Foundation, the US and UK based charity that focuses on funding paralysis research, makes
a journey of support, walking for those who cannot walk, and this year is no different. This October, the charity is
taking to Regents Park for a Halloween-themed five kilometre walk. Thanks to headline sponsor, local Chelsea
KX Life, all the money raised will go to donating wheelchairs (the majority directed towards the charitys most recent
commitment to donate 10,000 wheelchairs to Haiti over the next five years). The walk is free to join and, if you dress
your kids up for the occasion in Halloween costumes, you will automatically be entered into the competition to win a
weekend stay at Hotel Cipriani in Venice. The first 600 participants will also receive a complimentary goody bag with
gifts from the likes of Net-A-Porter, Lolas Cupcakes and Jax Coco.
Saturday 27 October. Email info@walkaboutfoundation.org to register
578 KINGS ROAD LONDON SW6 2DY
WWW.GUINEVERE.CO.UK +44 (0)20 7736 2917
Q: Your origins are Scottish but you have had successful exhibitions in New York, Hong Kong and Holland; do you attribute that to the universal appeal of your enigmatic subjects?
A: I must admit to not feeling particularly Scottish while Im painting, though I guess that a Scottish
art education did tend to focus on the European
tradition. As to my enigmatic subjects, to me
they seem obvious and clear and Im just glad
they appeal to so many people.
Q: The powerful gazes and haunting shadows in
your compositions convey a sense of solitude and unfolding drama, reminiscent of the late and great
Edward Hopper. Has he influenced your work?A: I would gladly say that Hopper has been a
direct influence and I love his work more as
time goes on but I cant say that my work is
consciously because of Hopper. If anything, I
would feel flattered if my work came anywhere
near to conveying what he managed to convey.
Q: Your highly accomplished oil painting technique results in refined, sleek surfaces; does each painting take weeks to complete?
A: Yes and they all take longer than I would want! I have always loved the craft within art. I
think that for me there is a direct relationship
between the craft and how much you believe in
the reality of the world youre creating in paint.
Q: Will there be a particular theme to these new London paintings?
A: I think any kind of theme comes down to what I feel preoccupied with at any given time when
Im painting. I do look for the show to have
cohesion and there does seem to be a number
of racecourse paintings in this exhibition.
Stephen Mangan
1-23 November
www.flyingcoloursgallery.com
t h e K E N S I N G T O N & C H E L S E A m a g a z i n e 035
with Stephen Mangan about his Chelsea exhibition at Flying Colours Gallery Q&A
Carol Cordrey finds works of art both old and new to inspire and enrich our lives
AR TAntiques &
South Kensington Goes WildAs the temperature drops, our minds prepare us for
frosty, snowy landscapes peppered with wild animals
such as foxes, rabbits, squirrels, the fantastical
unicorn and the noble deer. Walt Disney brought such
scenes to life through his films and, before him,
Sir Edwin Landseer (1802-73) painted the most
famous deer of them all, Monarch of the Glen (and
he sculpted the lions in Trafalgar Square too). Two
Parisian artists, Frdrique Morrel and Aaron Levin,
have teamed up under Morrels name to lend a new
twist to our love of wild animals, the latest of which
are about to take us by surprise as they sneak, hop,
charge and leap into South Kensington.
These creatures are furnished with the most
naturalistic poses and expressions; some are
free-standing whilst others are wall-mounted but,
surprisingly, they are all sculpted from lightweight
fiberglass. This ensures that anybody can have an
animal in their home even if they work 24/7 and
suffer from a floorplan of modest square footage and
vulnerable MDF walls. Even more surprising is the
fact that these animals have colourful skins of vintage
tapestry or other textiles, often reflecting the flora and
fauna of the animals natural habitats. In some cases,
the skins make reference to hunting which makes the
sculptures even stronger conversation pieces.
Frdrique Morrel
14 November 17 December
www.stephaniehoppen.com
t h e K E N S I N G T O N & C H E L S E A m a g a z i n e036
AR TAuctions &
Carol Cordrey recommends local exhibitions worth attending and auctions with prize lots on offer
Arts Most Wanted
An exhibition at the gallery Piano Nobile
sees the welcome return to prominence
of work by the late Mark Gertler (1891-
1939) who was described in 1922 as
one of three or four best young painters
in England. Gertler was born to Polish
parents in Londons East End and
his highly individual style of portraits,
still lifes and nudes were painted in
strong colours with clear influences of Post-Impressionism and
Expressionism. He is best known for his vibrant, infamous painting
Merry-Go-Round that satirized WWI (currently displayed at Tate
Britain) and two drawings of this iconic work will be included in
the exhibition. A lavishly illustrated catalogue will be for sale at the
gallery at the pre-publication price of 25 (P&P extra).
Mark Gertler: Works 1912-28
12 October 16 November
www.piano-nobile.com
The Joys of TravelItem: 1930s lithograph travel poster
promoting visits to the Cote DAzur
Artist: Jean-Gabriel Domergue (1889-1962)
Estimated Value: 4,000 6,000
Date: 1 November
Location: Christies, 85 Old Brompton Road
South Kensington, SW7 3LD
www.christies.com
Magnificent MiniatureItem: Miniature of a Lady, possibly
Frances Abington (1737-1815) as
the comic muse holding a pipe and
the mask of Comedy, wearing white
classical robes adorned with pearls
Artist: Richard Cosway RA
(1742-1821)
Estimated Value: 6,000 8,000
Date: 21 November
Location: Bonhams, Montpelier Street
Knightsbridge, SW7 1HH
www.bonhams.com
Lot 61: Jean-Gabriel Domergue, Cote DAzur lithograph in colours, c.1930 Christies Images Limited 2012
Above from top / Garden at Thame, 1925
The Artists Brother Harry Holding an Apple, 1913
The Boroughs New Art WallNecessity being the mother of invention, the owner of restaurant and bar
Kensington Place decided that the essential, temporary removal of its iconic
mural called for something new and so The Art Wall was created. This large
space forms part of the landmark 25 year celebrations of Kensington Place and
it will be devoted to an exciting exhibition of artworks that will change every two
months. The art is being sourced from both local galleries and artists and it is
guaranteed to provide customers with stimulating delights beyond those usually
enjoyed from the china and glassware of this very popular venue.
First in line for this great opportunity is young artist Jelly Green whose
richly textured and very sensitive oil paintings of animals reveal great talent
for a mere 18 year old. Even more impressive is the fact that in 2009, at the
age of just 15, Jelly was chosen to be a Royal Society of British Artists (RBA)
Scholar, resulting in an exhibition of her work at the prestigious Mall Galleries
RBA Annual Show in 2010. For anybody wanting to snap up art by emerging
talent, I recommend a speedy visit.
Jelly Green, The Art Wall
Until the end of November
www.kensingtonplace-restaurant.co.uk
Revival of a Great British Artist
The mayfair magazine | Interiors
2
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simply email sketchliving@runwildgroup.co.uk and tell us which of the two chair styles you would choose if you won, including your name and contact details, by midnight on 15 November 2012. Sister company Sketch Studios also provides office furniture.(www.sketchliving.co.uk)
When I arrIve at Leighton house, one of the most remarkable historic buildings in Kensington, to interview Charlie Cobb, artist-In-residence,
I dont need any introduction, as he is the embodiment of any casting
directors dream of how an artist should look. Charlie is tall and dark with
brooding eyes, which would have done Byron credit. however handsome
he is, it has done nothing to dent his charm as he is friendly, natural and
immediately offers to make us tea.
In early December, Leighton house, built in the 1860s, by leading
victorian classical painter Lord Leighton, will be holding an exhibition of
Charlies work in post, funded by the heritage Lottery Fund. This also made
possible the purchase of Clytie, Leightons painting of a sea nymph, with arms
outstretched, bidding farewell to the sun god apollo. Charlie takes me up to
Leightons studio and we sit in front of large glass windows that flood the room
with light; a vital element for an artist. This is definitely my favourite room, as
it was designed for painting and its light changes subtly throughout the day.
This studio provides peace and a sanctuary for me to paint as my two small,
playful children make it difficult to concentrate at home. Ive spent the last
couple of months moving my easel around the house and garden seeking
inspiration from the collection and reinterpreting Clytie and other works in
my own art. Unfortunately Leighton died before he could finish this picture
but even in its unfinished state Clytie had an important role in his last public
appearance, as it was placed above his coffin at his funeral.
Whats it like working here at night? I wonder. You become conscious
of the emptiness of the building and can hear echoes of how it was, Charlie
replies. Leighton loved this house and cocooned himself against the criticism
of the art world within these walls. In its heyday, Leighton house was a
gathering place for artists, writers and politicians who formed the holland
Park Circle. The painter George Frederic Watts, a friend of Leightons, lived
in the studio at the bottom of the garden and they would meet for breakfast
before embarking on their days work. Wattss excellent portrait of Leighton
now hangs beside the staircase and hand-painted, colourful tiles and India
wallpaper by William Morris, another friend, decorate the walls.
I admire Lord Leightons doggedness and generosity, even though I
find some of his work academic and theatrical, says Charlie. President of
the royal academy in 1878, Leighton is the only artist ever to have been
ennobled. Charlies drawing of the opulent arab hall, with its collection of more
than 1,000 Islamic and William de Morgan tiles and delicate egyptian lattice
windows, will be included in his exhibition. his favourite picture in Leightons
collection is venetian painter Tintorettos exquisite Portrait of an Elderly
Gentleman, who smiles sardonically at us. Charlie also admires Leightons
landscapes of the Middle east, painted during his extensive travels. however it
seems incongruous that his bedroom is monastic in simplicity, when compared
to the rest of the house. Leighton is the only person to have lived in the house;
it was turned into a museum in 1900, soon after his death, and remains his
private palace of art, but open for all to enjoy its magic.
a bomb narrowly missed the house in 1944 but demolished the front
gates and left a gaping hole where the front steps into the house had been.
Leighton house is now seeking to raise 25,000 to restore the front porch and
gates to how they were 100 years ago using photographs of that time.
Embrace the change of season by enjoying seasonal food, holding a concert or
throwing a cocktail party; the sumptuous spaces of the Leighton House Museum
are all available to hire. Contact the Museums letting manager, Sally Dobinson, on
020 7603 1123 or email sally.dobinson@rbkc.gov.uk for more information
ProfileRebecca WalleRsteineR speaks
to Charlie Cobb, the charming, talented artist-in-residence at Leighton house
in holland Park
Local
Photography: Justin Barton
Photography: Laili Kwok
t h e K E N S I N G T O N & C H E L S E A m a g a z i n e 039
PROFILE
Photography: Justin Barton
WonderlandThe days will darken but there is nothing dull about the month of November.
When the Bonfire Night fireworks have fizzled out, yet another sparkling event Kensingtons Winter Fine Art & Antiques Fair bursts into action with beautiful
items that will leave you gasping with excitement, says Carol Cordrey
This Will Be the 22nd of these high calibre fairs, which always lift spirits at the onset of winter by presenting
fine art, furniture, glassware, jewellery, silver, clocks and
a host of other collectable pieces that have been carefully
vetted by a panel of experts. such is the overall quality of
the event that it attracts around
24,000 visitors, among them
prestigious collectors, dealers,
interior designers such as Nicky
haslam, fashion designers
(sir Paul smith), celebrities
(such as Jemima Khan and
Jools holland), artists
(sir Peter Blake RA) and global
entrepreneurs (sir David Tang KBe).
it is the perfect destination for novices or those who
simply want to revel in exposure to the best of fine and
applied arts, a selection of which are shown here. There
will be excellent furniture, shining examples being an early
18th century english walnut bureau presented by Wakelin
and linfield, and an early 19th century burr elm card table
by the distinguished furniture designer, William Trotter
(1772-1833) which can be found
on the Millington
Adams stand.
lovers of fine
art will be delighted
by the range of
artists, medium and
subject matter that
will include two sets
of prints produced
by Marc Chagall and
Joan Miro being sold by
specialists Dinan and Chigne. Georges Braque, along with
Picasso, revolutionised art by inventing Cubism which
overturned conventional methods of representing space on
a two-dimensional surface. One of Braques first fish bowl
series LAquarium au Verre is in characteristically muted
oils painted on card and laid on
canvas, brought to the Fair by
Court Gallery. A striking portrait
of Major henry Frederick elliott
lewin by the internationally
acclaimed society portraitist,
Philip Alexius de lszl (1869-
1937) will take pride of place
with Nicholas Bagshawe.
Oriental art will be represented too, particularly
through the selection of Japanese ivories, bronzes and
other items on the laura Bordignon Antiques stand. Clocks
and barometers have timeless appeal (couldnt resist the
pun!), possibly because of their functionality, and a star
piece is likely to be the louis XVi white marble, bronze
and ormolu mantel clock being exhibited by Richard Price
& Associates. equally exciting for those passionate about
barometers and maritime memorabilia is the aneroid,
1915 barometer by Negretti & Zambra on the Alan Walker
Barometers stand; its mahogany case was created from the
timber of the WWi seaplane, hMs empress, during her refit.
Visitors will be taken by surprise by Paul Bennetts
very distinctive, silver-mounted, carved coconut cup (circa
1680), together with his William and Mary flagon (dated
1694) created by the renowned Frances Garthorne whose
work is in collections such as the V&A. Ceramics and glass
may be more vulnerable than silver but they have equal
appeal, especially if the name Wedgwood is attached to
them. expert sue Norman will be displaying a stunning
Winter
The events 24,000 visitors include collectors, dealers
and interior designers
Above / Gall aquatics coupe bowl, decorated with pond plants, signed. French, c.1900 (Solo Antiques)
t h e K E N S I N G T O N & C H E L S E A m a g a z i n e 041
ART
series of 8 tiles by Wedgwood (circa 1870) depicting
the characters of Oberon, Bottom, Demetrius and Puck
from Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream. From
Alexandra Alfandary there will be a 36cm high Meissen
vase (circa 1880) of unusual shape with a pte-sur-pte
decoration showing a mythological centaur and a female
on horseback, whilst captivating realism will be seen in the
beautifully modelled Staffordshire creamware squirrel for
sale through ceramics expert John Howard.
Although generally considered simple objects,
walking canes offered by Geoffrey Breeze Antique Canes
are anything but, exemplified by the one inspired by
Darwins historic Origin of Species. It consists of a palm
wood shaft, silver collar and handle appropriately carved
in the shape of an ape holding a human skull. The
fascination with this item continues if you press its small
button to make the ape turn its head and open its mouth.
For motoring buffs Hampton Antiques is the place to see
a highly desirable Bugatti glass spirit decanter encased in
chrome in the shape of the marques famous grill, complete
with requisite red enamelled Bugatti badge.
Surely these last two make perfect gifts for the man
who claims to have everything. Best of all, they will be on
display just in time for essential Christmas shopping that
can be done in the extremely comfortable surroundings
of this Fair, needing no tinsel, men in red suits or flashing
lights to make it a truly exciting winter wonderland.
Winter Fine Art & Antiques Fair, Olympia
12-18 November
Entry and lectures by purchased tickets
Visit www.olympia-antiques.com for more information
Clockwise from top / Georges Braque (1882-1963), Laquarium au verre. Signed, 1944 (The Court Gallery)Exceptional Martin Brothers jardinire, decorated with lizards against foliage. Incised marks, c.1880 (Philip Carrol)
Early 18th century marble lion (Hansford)Diamond, ruby and 18-karat gold snake bracelet, 1950s (Anthea A G Antiques Ltd)
A Staffordshire creamware model of a seated squirrel eating a nut (John Howard) The Winter Fine Art & Antiques Fair, Olympia
Exhibition Spotlight JONATHAN MILLER
Discovering Jonathan Miller in a very quiet enclave off the Kings road was the first of many pleasant surprises that emerged from our interview. in fact, he lives with his wife in two, two-storey studios that he knocked into
one lovely home and studio some 13 years ago. his very accomplished oil paintings and drawings pepper every wall and
span a wide range of scales, styles and subject matter so i was not expecting to hear that he is entirely self-taught. even
more surprising was the news that he has only ever painted in his spare time during a long career as an accountant.
What made you turn to painting?When i was in my mid-30s, my wife decided to include a box of oil paints in my christmas stocking and it more or less
began from there. i found i loved the actual art of making art the alchemy of creating realism through paint and the
opportunity to express my deep feelings about something, so i painted whenever i could find the time. now that i am
retired, i like, ideally, to devote a day to it, sometimes painting for six or more hours, for as long as the concentration
can keep going, or until its time to eat.
What subjects interest you?i tend to like variety and to use complementary colours but my interest in painting different subjects has evolved over
many years. ive done numerous flower paintings but they take a long time, especially the one which has 120 varieties
of flower on a five foot square canvas! i often give my paintings different formats and borders and i also paint nudes
and portraits. the first portrait i did was of my daughter; then i asked local people, who knew that i painted, if i could
photograph them and get them to do one or two quick sittings for me. the environmental health officer came to the
house several times to catch mice for us and as he was very complimentary about my paintings, i did two portraits
of him, one for him to keep and one for me. i did the same with the window cleaner, the butcher, the nurse who was
caring for my wife and Bucci at the excellent, local italian restaurant.
Which artists have influenced your work?i particularly like surrealism and symbolism so Dali and Magritte have influenced me but i love experimenting. My
work is often very precise and sometimes naturalistic but other times i like to use the Pointillist technique associated
with seurat. i have lots of painting ideas and subjects in my head; i just need more time to create them!
chelsea resident Jonathan Miller finds that inspiration for his paintings often emerges from his local butcher, nurse and restaurateur, reports CAROL CORDREY
Above from left / Colin the window cleaner, Gurnetta the nurse, Jose the Butcher, Bather, Rose & Owl, Lillies. All Jonathan Miller
ART
t h e K E N S I N G T O N & C H E L S E A m a g a z i n e 043
Why have you decided to hold your exhibition as a silent auction? Although I have had work in the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition
this will be my second exhibition in my whole life and it will be shared
with Sandra Treagus who is showing her figurative, stone sculpture.
I thought I would let people decide what price they want to pay for my
paintings so there will be bidding sheets for visitors to the exhibition
and telephone and email bids will be accepted during and after
the exhibition, up to midnight on Wednesday 7 November.
Oil & Stone
29 October 3 November
The Gallery in Cork Street
www.galleryincorkstreet.com
t h e K E N S I N G T O N & C H E L S E A m a g a z i n e 045
Honouring a Master:
Tradition of Time
His deatH last OctOber triggered widespread mourning within the watch world. this month, as sothebys auctions the
George daniels Horological collection, the same industry braces
itself for the sale of one of the most important watch collections
ever assembled. considered by many to be the greatest
watchmaker since abraham-louis breguet, daniels was one of the
few modern watchmakers who could create a complete watch by
hand. Famous for creating the co-axial escapement, a mechanism
described as the most important horological development for 250
years, daniels is the only watchmaker ever to have received a cbe
and a Mbe for his services to horology.
the 130-something-piece lot will comprise daniels entire
personal collection, in addition to clocks and watches by some of
the 17th, 18th and 19th centurys most famous makers. Featuring
a benjamin Hill 1650 astronomical watch, a Joseph Knibb 1677
silver-mounted table clock and both daniels Grand complication
and space travellers watches, the auction is expected to realise in
excess of 5 million. all proceeds from the sale of the collection will
go to the George daniels educational trust.
The George Daniels Horological Collection
6 November, Sothebys; www.sothebys.com
all eyes are on sothebys this month as the auction house sells the late, and greatest, watchmaker George daniels personal watch and clock collection
Image courtesy of Sothebys
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t h e K E N S I N G T O N & C H E L S E A m a g a z i n e 047
For treasured timepieces, horological heirlooms and modern masterpieces, watch this space...
watchesWorld of
One tO watch
while possessing the characteristic Luminor features,
this aged-looking watch has a new, rounded case and cusp-shaped caseband: as apt in the
bar as it is in the boardroom
372, 6,300 RRP, PaneraiAvailable at Harrods, Selfridges and Watches of Switzerland
Each month we select our timepiece of the moment from the watch worlds most exciting pieces
exquisite artisanshipThree years ago, A. Lange & Shne presented the Lange Zeitwerk, the first mechanical
watch that featured a constant-force escapement. Inspired by the success of the timepiece,
which has been the winner of multiple industry awards, the company last month unveiled a
special edition Handwerkskunst Lange Zeitwerk. Featuring a lever and escape wheel made
of hardened 18-karat gold, and decorated with elaborate tremblage engraving, the 30 limited
edition watches cast a traditional glance at A. Lange & Shnes most advanced creation.
www.alange-soehne.com
Going Global Anyone sceptical of the flourishing state of the
mechanical watch industry need only look to IWC for
proof of the industrys recession-proof nature. Within
the last three months alone, the company has opened
boutiques everywhere from Paris to New York and from
Miami to the Middle East. Of the IWC watches released
this year, the Portofino Chronograph Edition Laureus
Sport for Good Foundation remains our favourite.
www.iwc.com
Montblanc Online The company may have 450 boutiques around
the world but you no longer have to visit one to
purchase one of its products. Having recently
launched its UK online shop, Montblancs historic
chronographs and iconic writing instruments are
just a click away dangerous perhaps for lovers
of the companys Meisterstck pens and Rieussec
timepieces. The online shop comes complete
with bespoke services, complementary engraving,
gift wrapping and a last minute shopping section.
www.montblanc.com/shop
t h e K E N S I N G T O N & C H E L S E A m a g a z i n e048
COLLECTION
1 GW4000-1A, 215, Casio G-Shock, www.gshock.com 2 Ribbed cashmere-blend socks, 65, J. Crew, www.mrporter.com 3 Cotton-canvas belt, 65, Jean Shop, www.mrporter.com 4 Movember leather bracelet, 65, Links of London, 16 Sloane Square 5 C11 Makaira Pro 500, 499, Christopher Ward, www.christopherward.co.uk 6 X-Mach Chronograph, POA, Hamilton, www.hamiltonwatch.com 7 Challenge gym bag, 110, Lacoste, www.shop-uk.lacoste.com 8 Fire opal soft cashmere hat, 87.50,
Bottega Veneta, 33 Sloane Street 9 Swarovski CL Companion Binoculars 10 x 30, 830, Swarovski Optik, www.swarovskioptik.com 10 Steamer trolley case, 545, Paul Smith, 84-86 Sloane Avenue 11 Murdoch square-frame acetate sunglasses, 175, Illesteva, www.mrporter.com
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t h e K E N S I N G T O N & C H E L S E A m a g a z i n e
With the summer came the
arrival of new kid on the
London jewellery scene,
Joubi. Its unusual name,
a reworking of the French
word bijou, typifies the one-
of-a-kind pieces which the
brand creates; from quirky gold
lacquer cat-ear rings to red carpet classics, it
is a collection that has catered for all. Joubis
first season collection was inspired by Creative
Director Joanna Bournes travels to Africa
and Asia, where she was drawn to the vibrant
colour, form and geometric patterns of the
exotic plants and animals. Joanna comments:
From a purely aesthetic viewpoint, there is
no end to the variations you can derive from
animals: from their fabulous colourings and
markings to the way that they move and take
different forms.
www.joubi.co.uk
051
Jewels, gems, pearls and diamonds; the essential components of any ladys jewellery collection
BOXJewellery
Forget Me Knot embodies the spirit of dangerous beauty that is ubiquitous with Stephen Webster designs. It has been created with the alluring
perception of danger in mind, punctuated by ne barbed diamonds and rened
cascades of diamond razor ribbons
CuttIng EdgEMan of the moment Stephen Webster has struck (white) gold once again with his latest fine jewellery
collection, quirkily entitled Forget Me Knot
COLLECTION
Mighty Aphrodite Susan Caplan was responsible for
providing an added wow factor at Issa
Londons S/S13 London Fashion Week
show with her well-chosen selection of
timeless and luxurious vintage jewellery.
Daniella Helayels exotic prints, hot
colours and billowing fabrics were
complemented by Grecian-inspired,
chunky, gold embellishments and
touches of turquoise.
Caplan comments: Issa
approached me to help its looks come
to life. The designs this season had a
beautifully glamorous goddess feel so we
looked to Elizabeth Taylor holidaying in
the early 70s for inspiration. It was soon
easy to find the right pieces and once we
did, they really completed the look. Issa
designs are timeless and worn by all types
of women. These values are ones that I
also try to uphold at Susan Caplan
Vintage Collection so it felt like a great fit.
www.susancaplan.co.uk
Around the WorldCartier certainly caused
breaths to be drawn at
this years Biennale des
Antiquaires with its newly-
launched Dpaysement
collection. The 150 awe-
inspiring jewels making up the
globe-spanning collection have been
interpreted into different landscapes: Temporal,
Luxiariant, Solar, Boreal and Urban. Although
slightly more diverse than previous years, it was
still unmistakeably Cartier, with the much-
loved panther showing its face in the form of
a stunning sapphire and diamond ring and a
striking colour palette of emeralds, sapphires
and briolette aquamarines.
143-144 Sloane Street Knightsbridge, SW1X 9AY
020 7312 6930, www.cartier.com
Out of Africa
Clockwise from above / Mini Shield Pendant set in 18-carat white gold with
white diamonds and hematite, 3,950 Ceramic Bracelet set in 18-carat white gold
with white diamonds and black ceramic, 6,000 Large Bow Ring set in 18-carat white gold with white diamonds and blue sapphires, 9,300 All from the Forget Me Knot Collection by Stephen Webster; www.stephenwebster.com
Keira Knightley wearing Chanel Fine Jewellery in Anna Karenina (2012) Focus Features 2012 Universal Pictures International All Rights Reserved
t h e K E N S I N G T O N & C H E L S E A m a g a z i n e 053
COLLECTION
ThroughouT film hisTory, costume has always been considered a vital component in character building and storytelling. following the arrival
of hollywood, production companies started to create visionary masterpieces
through their actors apparel, igniting worldwide fashion trends and influencing
global culture so much so that the Victoria & Albert museum recently
gathered together some of the most iconic costumes from more than 100 years
of cinematic history in a groundbreaking exhibition. But what of jewellery?
Although playing a small role in the grand scheme of costume design, jewellery
has always performed a substantial part in character development and setting
the scene, as well as being pivotal in the creation of lasting icons.
in 1938, during the golden Age of hollywood, director george Cukor
contacted jewellery designer to the stars Paul flato to ask him to design the jewels
for his upcoming movie Holiday. starring Katharine hepburn and Cary grant, the
romantic comedy tells the story of a man who has risen from lowly beginnings, only
to be torn between his free-thinking lifestyle and the conventions of his fiancs
family. The character of linda (hepburn) is loosely based on American socialite
gertrude sanford legendre who, during her lifetime, doubled up as a WWii spy,
explorer, big-game hunter and environmentalist. it was necessary to portray the
characters inward independence and individuality but also her outward persona
as a member of an elite American family. This was illustrated not just through
the storyline but through the use of jewellery; the flato diamond necklace and
matching brooch worn by hepburn in the scene where she sings Camptown Races
portrays the characters wealth but at the same time underlines her free-spirited
nature through its flamboyant design. During the years 1939-1942, flatos pieces
would be credited in no less than six hollywood films