Museum of Childhood

Not just for children. The museum of childhood shows so much about the lives of those growing up in earlier periods. Grand doll's houses, puppets, games. Do you know what a zoetrope is? Children's clothing and cots. They've certainly changed a lot.
Rocking horses from several centuries, beginning with a wooden horse believed to have belonged to Charles I in 1610.

Elevator

An original elevator from the department store Selfridges, now in the Museum of London. Just over a hundred years old Selfridges was the first store to allow customers in to "just browse". In Victorian times one only went into a store to make a purchase. It was unheard of to actually leave without having bought anything.

Watt - Inventor

James Watt was seen by contemporaries as the founder of the Industrial Revolution. His improved engine meant that steam could be used everywhere, not just in coal mines, boosting output in breweries, potteries and textile mills.

When Watt died in 1819, his workshop at his home near Birmingham, was locked and its contents left undisturbed as an 'industrial shrine'. Then in 1924, the complete workshop including contents, was transported to the Science Museum. Now for the first time is on public display.

During his retirement Watt turned to sculpture, turning out a huge number of busts, many of himself. He will no doubt be delighted that his head will be portrayed on the new £50 note.

Men at Work #33

Adam Hart-Davis photographer, writer, broadcaster, a man passionate about his subjects. One of those subjects is James Watt. Yesterday Adam shared his passion at the opening of the "James Watt and Our World" exhibition at the Science Museum.
Watt through his invention of the condenser (amongst many things), was a huge driving force in the industrial revolution which changed our world forever.
Tomorrow I will show you more about James Watt and this exciting exhibition.

Trains Galore

This weekend is one of the rare days the London Transport Museum's depot at Acton Town is open.
Everything from miniature steam engines to Victorian trams and buses. Station signs showing the stops that were planned and never eventuated.
More than 70 rare vehicles are on display. I loved the original switchboard and manual signal box. Some real gems on display.
You have until the end of today to catch it.

Art at Kew

Showing this weekend only at the Kew Bridge Museum Made @ Kew Bridge is the work of 15 talented artists. The exhibition includes paintings, ceramics, jewellery, furniture, sculptures, miniatures and blacksmith forged pieces.

The works are exhibited among the wonderful steam engines of the museum. Several of the artists workshops and studios are situated next to the museum and will be open to visitors this weekend.

The works in the exhibition are fabulous and combined with a chance to see the artists at work makes this a great opportunity not to be missed - only on this weekend.

The Courtauld Gallery

The Courtauld, a small lesser known gallery on the Strand side of Somerset House, houses an impressive collection of mainly French impressionist and post impressionist art.
Thanks to the philanthropist Samuel Courtauld who founded and donated the works in 1932, you can see and study these works.

Where are all the modern philanthropists? Time bankers and others with the wealth gave back to the community.

Foundling Museum

In 18th century London the instances of abandoned babies and infanticide were common - up to a thousand a year in London alone. The abandoned children were known as "foundlings" (a child of unknown parentage, abandoned by its mother). In 1722 Thomas Coram started lobbying for a Hospital for the Maintenance and Education of Exposed and Deserted Young Children. Like all good lobbyists, his temperament was not suited to administration and Thomas was soon ousted from the Board of Governors.

The hospital/school was successful, with patrons such as William Hogarth the artist and Handel the composer. As a result of this patronage the Hospital amassed a large and very valuable collection of art works. The school ceased to be a foundling institution in 1954 and is now Ashlyn's school in Hertfordshire.

The Foundling Museum in London now houses and displays the art collection.

Men at Work # 23 - The Clock Repairers

The Foundling Museum has an incredible collection of old clocks, some dating back to the 1700's. Clocks like these require the skills of some pretty special people to maintain and repair them. These experts are from West Dean with decades of experience between them.

The clock being taken apart here is an 1850's mahogany table clock with a silver dial signed by J R Losada of Regent St. (Clocks of this era would usually have the name of the retailer on them).
It needed a fine tune to ensure its strike was regular and perfect. Dust and heat can cause problems. However this one should be fine for several more years after being put back together.

Berlin Wall

After the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 several panels were given to various institutions around the world.
These three panels, weighing 9 tonnes, were presented to the National Army Museum in Chelsea, London.