Kate Bishop was born in Bristol, 1848. She was a child actress, acting from the age of 15. Although her most famous stage role was as Violet Melrose in H.J. Byron’s Our Boys, she also acted in a trio of new plays – written by W.S. Gilbert. Bishop had a run of Gilbert’s plays during 1871 – acting in Randall’s … Read More
Host your own dinner party – the W.S. Gilbert way!
Mrs Beeton’s Dinner table Setting During the Victorian era, Sir William Schwenck Gilbert and his wife, Lucy, hosted some amazing dinner parties at Grim’s Dyke. They were the talking point of local society, not least because the family lemurs often made an appearance! Victorian dinner parties were all about status, refinement and attention to detail – and Lady Gilbert excelled in these areas. If … Read More
W.S. Gilbert’s love of motor cars
In the latter part of 1902, W.S. Gilbert introduced his first American steam motor car to Grimm’s Dyke and Harrow Weald. His love of the motor car was so strong, he converted the stables at Grim’s Dyke into garages to house the collection he subsequently amassed. But being a Justice of the Peace for Middlesex, with a rather dry sense … Read More