Heritage Open Day 2018 1: Setting the Scene

Starting my account of Heritage Open Day 2018.

INTRODUCTION

This year’s Heritage Open Day (Sunday 16th September) came in the middle of a very busy period for me. I was scheduled to cover the Bank House for two hours, and imagined spending a bit of time both before and after that taking in the rest of the event. As it happened I was laid up for the whole of the Saturday with a bug, and still not completely recovered by the Sunday morning. 

THE DAY ITSELF

Eventually, at just after 10:30AM, I set off to visit Hampton Court, reassure my aunt that I was well on the way to recovering and then make a fairly leisurely trip round to the Bank House. I took in an arts exhibition and made myself known to the photographers there. I also visited a solicitor’s office which is set in a Norman house. I arrived at the Bank House a bit early, and after reminding myself what the cellars looked like I spent a few minutes watching my predecessor handle things before I relieved him a little early because he was doing another session immediately afterwards. After two hours of what was basically a crowd control job (right in the slot for an autistic person – natch) I was quite tired, so after a brief visit to a club on Ferry Lane where I could consume some lqiuid refreshment while looking out over the river I went home to chill for a while before having supper with my aunt. 

PHOTOGRAPHS

I will be giving the solicitor’s office a post to itself, and will also be giving the Bank House extended coverage, so this pictures are from elsewhere:

SMP1SMP2Town Hall

Special Bus
This is an old red bus, made by Leyland who manufactured the iconic old London buses, but it is not a genuine London bus.
HC Plans
The passgeway leading in to the Secret Garden featured a historical display put together by the indefatigable Hendrina Ellis.

Wall mounted displayAmflesWilliam AmflesAtte Lathe to AmflesShip PicsAtte Lathe Picture

The secret garden
The series of arches at the rear of this shot were a warehouse frontage which in those days looked directly out on the river (now almost 100m distant from them)

Arches close upPlansWilliam Amfles IIFamiliesShipsPorttraitSecret GardenArchesbuilding plansEntrance to secret garden

rowing race
A rowing regatta was happening on the river.

leading row boatchasing row boat

Militia unit, Custom House
A militia company were stationed near the Custom House (the rifles were loaded with blanks btw)

militia menEntrance to CH

Art Exhibition 1
The first of a number of pictures from the art exhibition.

WNAA

Modern day mosaics
Creatures made using tessarae
Butterfly set in mosaic frame
This butterfly set into a mosaic frame particularly impressed me.

Nature based artObjects of inspiration

TMP
A glimpse of the Tuesday Market Place
Guildhall of St George
The Guildhall of St George

Guarding Custom House

Walking boat
A walking boat – and no this is not the West Stand at Headingley on a Saturday!
Kings Lynn views
Two riverside views on display at Ferry Lane.

river viewSwimming gullboatsBaden Powell in action