Social interaction was a very formal affair for Victorian England. Calling Cards played an important role in the social etiquette of the time. There were strict etiquette rules, not just around how you socialised but also how you used calling cards too! The idea of using calling cards wasn’t just reserved for the upper-class Victorians. Early examples go back as … Read More
Brantinghame Hall
Brantinghame Hall was a four-act serious drama, written by W.S. Gilbert for his friend Rutland Barrington. Barrington was leasing St. James’s Theatre and need to increase audience figures, so Gilbert resurrected an old play that hadn’t previously been produced. Brantinghame Hall was sentimental and had a few good comedy scenes, so Gilbert modified it for Barrington, so he could place it at … Read More
Victorian Composer Frederic Clay
English composer Frederic Clay, was a great friend of Arthur Sullivan, who he subsequently introduced to W.S. Gilbert at the Gallery. Together, Clay and Gilbert produced four comic operas, before a stroke paralysed Clay at the age of 44 and cut short his productive life. Cay died in 1889, aged 51 when he was found drowned in the bath at … Read More
Doctor Who, Daleks and The Grim’s Dyke
The Evil of the Daleks was the ninth and final serial of the fourth season the popular science fiction television series Doctor Who. The Doctor had regenerated for the first time during this fourth season, with Patrick Troughton taking over from William Hartnell. For the first time, the entire cast changed over the course of this fourth season – something … Read More
Top 10 Victorian flowers
The Victorians loved flowers. Not only did they use them to adorn their homes, they were also used to scent their toiletries and clothes, flowers also had hidden symbolism too. Many a Victorian sweetheart could send unwritten wording through their choice of floral bouquet. Here’s the top flowers of choice for the Victorians, along with what message they portrayed. #1: The … Read More
The etiquette for Victorian dining
Victorian dining was a complex affair. Not only was there the formality or writing to ask guests to attend, there was the complexity of organising who sat where, what dishes to serve (along with how many!) and ensuring that all guests would have an enjoyable evening. When it come to the actual evening, the table needed to be set right, … Read More
Arthur Playfair – The dancing corporal
Arthur Wyndham Playfair was an actor and singer. He appeared in a couple of William Schwenck Gilbert’s operas, as well as Edwardian musical comedies, and also created roles in Victorian burlesques. Born on the 20th October in 1869, Playfair started life in Ellichpur, a city in the Indian state of Maharashtra. He made his first appearance on the British stage … Read More
The Victorian love of Billiards
In 1883, the then owner of Grim’s Dyke, banker Robert Heriot hired designer Arthur Cawston to add a billiard room to the existing property at Grim’s Dyke. The room was adjacent to what was formerly Goodall’s studio and was designed in a coarse Gothic style. Sir William Gilbert wasn’t keen on this style of architecture. He had this room overhauled in 1890, adding a new suite of … Read More
10 Herbs for every Victorian Herb garden
No Victorian garden was complete, without some herbs – and spring was the perfect time to get them started. Not only were they used in the Victorian kitchen, they were used to help keep the home clean and fresh smelling. Herbs were also used for their medicinal properties, along with their cosmetic value too – with the essential oils also being … Read More
The Pall Mall Gazette
The Pall Mall Gazette was a popular conservative newspaper, known for its news and reviews. Throughout W.S. Gilbert’s career, he was no stranger to the pages of the Pall Mall Gazette. His Savoy Operas were often reviewed within its pages and he was also regularly interviewed at his home in Grim’s Dyke. The earliest interview being published on 21st January 1887 (Ruddy-Gore and Savoy … Read More
