Travel – Hampton Court (Part One)

Posted on January 6, 2015 by barbara

Hampton Court Palace located beside River Thames in Surrey is approximately 14 miles from Buckingham Palace in London, England. In Part One of this three part series I will discuss the history of Hampton Court which was built by Cardinal Thomas Wolsey and later became the primary home of King Henry VIII. In Part Two I will give a detailed tour of the Tudor side of Hampton Court and in Part Three I will give a tour of the Stuart side as well as giving suggestions on things to see and do when planning a visit to this grand royal palace.

The History of Hampton Court

In 1514 Thomas Wolsey, the Archbishop of York, acquired the site at Hampton Court that was previously the property used by the Knights Hospitallers of St. John of Jerusalem. They had held the land since 1236 and used it mainly as a grange (a farm building, sometimes a barn used for produce storage, belonging to a monastery) as part of their agricultural estates.

The location of Hampton Court was ideal for the ambitious Cardinal Wolsey because it was not far from London. Wolsey was newly appointed to the position of Chief Minister for the newly crowned King Henry VIII. Since Wolsey would be entertaining Royal guests he made plans to turned the simple manor house into a large and impressive cardinal’s palace. It took over seven years to complete the project which included luxurious accommodates not only for Wolsey’s private use but also three suites of rooms that were built specifically as State Apartments for the use of King Henry VIII and his family.

Wolsey was frequently criticized for his extravagant lifestyle but this was not to bring about his fall from the grace with King Henry VIII. By the late 1520s, King Henry had decided to seek a divorce from his first wife, Catherine of Aragon, to marry Anne Boleyn to achieve his quest for a male heir. (This is despite the fact that Catherine had given birth to a healthy daughter, Mary) Wolsey failed to persuade the Pope in Rome to grant the request and this lead to King Henry breaking from the Catholic Church to eventually create the Church of England. By 1529, Wolsey was accused of treason and arrested, he was stripped of his government position and his properties including Hampton Court were seized by the crown. In 1530, Wolsey fell ill and died on route to London just before his scheduled imprisonment and execution.

With the dubious acquisition of Hampton Court, King Henry quickly decided to make the property his primary residence when he was not in London. Extensive renovations and building additions were required to modify Hampton Court to accommodate the large court of King Henry which consisted of over one thousand people. The new expansion which almost quadrupled the size of the original building retained the Gothic-inspired architecture set previously by Wolsey and would remain unchanged for nearly a century. The Great Hall, with a carved hammer-beam roof, was completed in 1535 and quickly became one of the most important rooms of the palace; this is where King Henry would sit at a table positioned on a raised dais to dine on an elaborate meal prepared in the palace’s massive kitchens.

King Henry VII had a large astronomical clock added to the inner courtyard gatehouse tower in 1540. The clock not only marks the time of day but also indicates the current month and date of the year, the phases of the moon, position of the sun and twelve signs of the zodiac. The clock also indicated tide and the high water mark at London Bridge, this was very important since Hampton Court is located on the Thames River and during the Tudor period boat travel was still considered the preferred method of transportation.

Hampton Court became the preferred royal residence of King Henry VIII and all of his six wives and his three children lived there at various times throughout his reign. The palace also provided accommodations for the royal court numerous courtiers and servants and was a place for lavish entertainment of visiting dignitaries such as the French ambassador in 1546. Hampton Court was also the site for many British historical events, such as: In 1537, King Henry’s third wife, Jane Seymour, gave birth to his only son, Prince Edward. The child was christened in a ceremony at the Chapel Royal at Hampton Court. Sadly, Jane died shortly after the christening due to complications from the birth. In 1541, King Henry’s divorced his fourth wife, Anne of Cleves, signing the papers at the palace and shortly after the King married his fifth wife, Catherine Howard. In 1543, King Henry marries his sixth and final wife, Katherine Parr, in the Chapel Royal.

King Henry died in January 1547 and his son succeeded him, King Edward VI (reigned from 1547 to 1553) then followed by his sisters, Queen Mary I (1553 to 1558) and Queen Elizabeth 1 (1558 to 1603). The siblings made no significant changes to Hampton Court, although Queen Elizabeth I did add a small kitchen in the eastern section of the palace.

After Queen Elizabeth I death in 1603, there was no immediate heir to the throne since she was unmarried and had no children. So, as a result a distant cousin of the queen King James VI of Scotland traveled south to become King James I of England (reigned from 1603 to 1625) thus beginning the Stuart period in the history of Great Britain. King James enjoyed the excellent hunting provided in the park of Hampton Court. He also used the palace for entertaining, holding banquets, dances, masque balls and plays, it is said that William Shakespeare was a royal guest at Hampton Court during this time. King James used the royal palace sporadically, made no significant changes but continued to maintain the buildings and the surrounding grounds.

After the death of King James I, his son succeeded him, King Charles I (reigned 1625 to 1649) and unfortunately Hampton Court became not only his palace but also his prison. The King’s main residence was the Palace of Whitehall located in central London and he used Hampton Court as a country retreat making minor renovations and he had built a new tennis court. King Charles was an art collector and added several pieces including a significant acquisition in 1630, the Mantegna “Triumphs of Caesar” still hangs within Hampton Court.

King Charles I’s reign ended in 1647 during the Civil War when he was removed from office suddenly and forcefully. Hampton Court became his prison where he was held for three months, briefly escaped then recaptured but was tragically executed in 1649.

The next 10 years where known as the Commonwealth period (1653 – 1659) in British history when no monarch ruled. Instead Oliver Cromwell, a military and political leader, became Lord Protector of the Commonwealth (1653 – 1658) and then followed by his son, Richard (1658 – 1659). During this period of time Hampton Court had been seized by parliamentary troops and an inventory of the royal possessions was made and eventually sold with many lavish items and decorations being removed from the palace. Cromwell visited Hampton Court as his weekend retreat using the property for hunting and entertaining. Also during this time his daughter, Mary, was married in the Chapel Royal.

In 1660, the monarchy was restored and King Charles II, the son of King Charles I who had been living in exile, ascended to the British throne (reigned 1660 to 1685) and thus began a period known as the Restoration. King Charles II preferred to make Windsor Castle his primary residence when he was not in London and only went to Hampton Court infrequently. He did not make any major changes to the palace but did have some outbuildings built on the property. His successor, King James II (reigned from 1685 – 1688), felt that Hampton Court was too old fashioned and not up to the standards of other European courts such as the one in France and very rarely took up residence or entertained at the palace.

Then, after the death of King James II, the throne of England was occupied jointly by his daughter, Queen Mary II and her husband William of Orange who became known as King William III. (Their reign began in 1689 and when Queen Mary died in 1694 King William continued to reign until 1702) It was during this period that Hampton Court would undergo almost a complete renovation changing the architecture of the building, both exterior and interior, from a Gothic style to a Baroque style that was in keeping with the rival French court of King Louis XIV which had recently taken up permanent residence in the impressive Palace of Versailles.

Within months of their accession, the Royal couple had commissioned Sir Christopher Wren. His original plans had intended that the Tudor palace of King Henry VIII would be entirely demolished, retaining only the Great Hall, and then replaced with a more modern palace. The problem was that funds were not available to finance the ambitious project and Wren eventually altered his plan to include two additional sections of the palace to accommodate the new State Apartments for the King and Queen. The King and Queen’s suite of rooms were accessed by a grand staircase, the King’s Apartments face the Privy Gardens on the south side and the Queen’s face the Fountain garden on the east side. Both the King and Queen Apartments are linked by a grand gallery running the length of the building between the two sections inspired by the design of the Galerie des Glaces at Versailles.

Work on the massive construction project began in 1689 and continued until 1694 when Queen Mary died. A devastated King William called a halt to the construction leaving just an empty brick shell with bare walls and floors. When Whitehall Palace, the British monarch’s main residence in London, burned down in 1686 King William hired Wren’s assistant, William Talman, to complete the project at Hampton Court to become a more permanent residence. The King was very pleased when Talman finished construction under the original projected budget. Unfortunately, King William was never able to live in the newly renovated Hampton Court for very long because he died in 1702 at Kensington Palace while he was recuperating from a fall from a horse he had when riding through the parks at Hampton Court.

When the project was finally completed the Tudor building and towers of King Henry VIII former state apartments where replaced with the more elegant and grand building of the new wings. The interior of the additions were equally impressive with beautiful facades and elegant furnishings designed by Daniel Marot, carved fireplaces and architectural mouldings designed by Grinling Gibbons and beautiful painted frescos on the ceilings by Antonio Verrio. Despite the fact that the original Tudor style sections of the building would greatly contrasted with the Baroque style of the new additions, somehow the design of the new state apartment wings blended beautifully together with the existing sections to create a cohesive appearance.

Also during this time, the grounds of Hampton Court were completely landscaped to include formal gardens filled with Queen Mary’s collection of exotic plants from around the world and enclosed with a lovely gilded wrought-iron fencing designed by Jean Tijou. King William had also commissioned George London and Henry Wise in 1700 to design an intriguing trapezoid-shaped puzzle Maze which covers a third on an acre on the grounds of Hampton Court and was originally created using hornbeam plants, it is currently England’s oldest surviving hedge maze.

After the death of King William his sister-in-law, Queen Anne succeeded him. (she reigned briefly from 1702 to 1707). Just to clarify the line of succession, Queen Anne was the younger sister of Queen Mary who was the wife of King William) Queen Anne contributions to Hampton Court were very minor during her short reign and she continued the decoration of the interior and oversaw the completion of the State Apartments already begun by her predecessor.

With the death of Queen Anne in 1714 and the accession of King George I (reigned 1714 to 1727); it marked the end of the Stuart period and the beginning of the Hanoverian period in the history of England. King George, being from Germany and unable to speak English, was a generally shy man and he rarely entertained and infrequently visited Hampton Court. The Prince and Princesses of Wales (the future King George II and Queen Caroline) were delighted with the palace and quickly took up residence in the Queen’s Apartment.

Eventually King George I became more comfortable in his role as King of England and briefly during 1718 he brought the full court to the palace and held several balls and other entertainment events. This was short-lived and the King returned to the official residence in London at. St. James Palace, with occasional visits to the monarch’s private residence of Windsor Castle, and he was never to return to Hampton Court. King George I died in 1727.

After the death of the King, his son became King George II (reigned 1727 to 1760). The King would be the last monarch to make Hampton Court a royal residence. During this time, the Queen’s Staircase was completed by William Kent and a new wing was added to the east side of the Clock Court in 1732 and was occupied by the King’s second son, the Duke of Cumberland and today this area of the palace is known as the Cumberland Suite.

1737 was to be the last year that the royal family would use the entire palace as a semi-permanent residence since Queen Caroline had died toward the end of the year. The family returned to London and lived full-time St. James Palace. The King never visited Hampton Court again and the estate was eventually divided into “Grace and Favour” apartments which were granted as rent-free accommodation to people because they had given exceptional service to the British monarchy or country. The occupants lived, often with their own small households of servants in the other rooms of the palace and not the State Apartments.

Then many years later in 1838, Queen Victoria (reigned 1837 to 1901) ordered that Hampton Court’s public rooms be opened for the people to view without restrictions. Prior to this time, only people of high social standing had been allowed a brief tour of the State Apartments, Great Hall and other rooms of the palace. Later, as a result of the renewed public interest in Hampton Court, between 1838 to 1851 renovations were made to restore the grandeur of the royal estate. Eventually the State Apartments, Great Hall, Main Gatehouse and the entire west front of the palace were returned to their previous Tudor style appearance.

In the following years, only minor repairs were made at Hampton Court and generally the palace retained the public rooms for visitor tours and the private areas as “Grace and Favour” housing. Then, in 1986 a fire severely damaged a large portion of the King’s Apartments which eventually took six long years to repair. Great care was taken to restore the suite of rooms to their original appearance at the time of King William and Queen Mary. Furniture, paintings, tapestries and other decorations that had been removed back in the 18^th century were subsequently returned to the palace as part of the large restoration project. (This restoration process was very similar to the early 1960s in Washington, D.C. when First Lady Jackie Kennedy headed a committee to painstakingly renovate the public rooms of the White House) After the work was completed, plans were made to further renovate the Queen’s Apartment in a similar manner. At this time changes were also made to both the exterior and interior areas of Hampton Court to more historically accurate to reflect both the Tudor period of Cardinal Wosley and King Henry VIII and the Stuart period of King William and Queen Mary. Visitors would also have access to the palace through a designated tour route and later a “living history” element was added to the program with characters dressed in period costumes thus giving visitors a feeling of how life was back in the Tudor period of England.

For more information on Hampton Court, please click on the link for the additional posts in the series, Hampton Court Part Two for a tour of the Tudor section and Part Three for a tour of the Stuart section.

Travel – Sandringham in Norfolk, England

Posted on December 23, 2014 by barbara

Sandringham House is privately owned by Queen Elizabeth II and sits on the 20,000 acre royal Sandringham Estate located in Norfolk, England. The house has been used for over 150 years by four generations of the British Royal Family; most notably it was home to the young Prince Albert (the future King Edward VII). Sandringham House has witnessed many historical events and was the location of the deaths of three Kings; King Edward VII in 1901, King George V in 1935 and King George VI in 1952. Sandringham House was also the site of the first ever Christmas message given by a British monarch via radio broadcast by King George V in 1932.

The history of Sandringham

Long ago, at the time of the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, a smaller house called Sandringham Hall was first built on this site in Norfolk by the architect Cornish Henley. Later, when the house was owned by Charles Spencer Cowper during the 19th century an elaborate porch and conservatory designed by architect Samuel Sanders Teulon were added to the house. Then in 1862 Sandringham was purchased for Queen Victoria’s eldest son, Prince Albert the Prince of Wales. After Prince Albert married Princess Alexandra of Denmark in 1863 and it became their new country home. (For more information on the wedding of this popular royal couple, please click on the following post – Royal Weddings Part Two)

The royal couple quickly made many changes to the Sandringham estate with renovations to the main house, rebuilding cottages and construction of new roads on the property. When the Prince found the house too small for his growing family and the existing house was demolished and replaced by the current Jacobean style red brick house in 1869 which was designed by architect A.J. Humbert. After it was finally completed the new house included beautiful bay windows to bring light into the interior and a new wing with a grand ball room for when the royal couple entertained. The newly renovated house also included some modern amenities; such as gas lighting and bathrooms with running water, flushing toilets and an early version of a shower. The property also saw improvements done to the landscaping and a new garden wall was built incorporating the now famous Norwich Gate which is an impressive ironwork gate designed by Thomas Jekyll and was given to the royal couple as a wedding gift from the people of Norfolk and Norwich.

Sandringham was the place for intimate royal family gatherings and visits by important guests such as Prince Albert’s nephew, Kaiser Wilhelm of Germany and Prussia. While in residence at Sandringham, the Prince thoroughly enjoyed the grounds of the estate, riding and hunting were two of his favorite outdoor activities. Because of his love and passion for shooting, he devised a plan to make the most of the daylight hours during the winter months and for this reason clocks at Sandringham were set forward by a half an hour to allow more time for his favorite sport. Some say that another reason for setting the clock back was because, much to King Edward’s annoyance, Queen Alexandra was constantly late. Regardless of the reason, this custom became known as “Sandringham Time” on the estate and remained in effect even after King Edward VII death in 1910. (Special note: King Edward VII’s son, King George V, honored the tradition set by his father and throughout his reign “Sandringham Time” stayed in effect until his own death in 1936. At that time his son, King Edward VIII, set the clocks back to the correct time in defiance of his overbearing father)

King Edward VII shooting at Sandringham 1

Throughout the years the relationship between Queen Victoria and her son, Prince Albert, was very strained due to the fact that she blamed him for the untimely death of her husband which she believed Prince Albert caused inadvertently. The Queen also disapproved of her son’s pursuit of self-indulgent pleasures of drinking, gambling and his frequent associations with married women. For these reasons she stayed away from Sandringham and never visited during her extended period of mourning for her beloved husband and her self-imposed seclusion from public life and strong aversion of her royal duties in London. But when Prince Albert was diagnosed with typhoid fever, the same illness that took her husband, the Queen quickly went to Sandringham fearing the worst. Fortunately the Prince survived and a grateful Queen and in fact the entire nation celebrated that the life of the popular Prince of Wales was spared.

In 1892, more difficult times came to Sandringham when the eldest son of the Prince and Princess of Wales, known as Prince Albert the Duke of Clarence, suddenly became ill with influenza and sadly he died within a short period of time. Queen Victoria was very fond of his fiancée, Princess Mark of Teck, and after a brief period of mourning she encouraged her to marry the brother, Prince George, who was now second in line to the throne. So, it seems despite the tragic death of Prince Albert there was a happy ending when the Duke and Duchess of York were married in 1893. The royal couple later moved into a smaller house on the Sandringham Estate where they lived together with their growing family for the next 30 years. (For more information on the grand wedding of this royal couple, please click on the following post – Royal Weddings Part Two)

With the death of Queen Victoria in 1901, the new King Edward VII was required to be in London and he spent less time at his beloved Sandringham. He tried to visit Norfolk whenever he could and continued to make improvements on the estate. Unfortunately his reign was very brief and lasted less than ten years. Some say that his over indulgent lifestyle of eating, drinking and smoking ultimately lead to his poor health. Over his last years, he suffered from severe bronchitis and towards the end a series of heart attacks. He died on May 6, 1910 and is buried in St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle. After his father’s death, the new King George V and Queen Mary were very gracious when they allowed his mother, Queen Alexandra, to remain living in Sandringham House until her death in 1925. The royal couple continued to live in their smaller house on the estate which eventually became known as the York Cottage.

During World War I, the Sanringham estate workers and men of the small villages of Norfolk formed the 5^th Norfolk Regiment which was led by Captain Frank Beck, the King’s estate land agent. The Sandringham Company was eventually sent to fight the war in Europe and sadly the entire battalion was killed in the Battle of Gallipoli in August 1915. Some historians state that the men were killed in the battle or perished in a deadly fire cause by an exploded shell and other historians believe that some men died in the battle while the other men were executed afterwards by the Turks who took no prisoners. To honor these fallen heroes of “The Lost Battalion” a memorial was erected near the Church of St. Magdalene located on the Sandringham Estate and was dedicated in 1920 by King George V with Queen Mary and Queen Alexandra in attendance. (Special Note: “All the King’s Men”, which tells the story of the Sandringham Company, is a novel written by Robert Penn Warren that was first published in 1946. The book later adapted for film in 1947 and then again in 2006)

Sandringham was the setting of a very sad story that involved one member of the royal family. Prince John (born: July 12, 1905) was the fifth son and youngest child of King George V and Queen Mary. He was diagnosed with epilepsy at the age of four years old and he also suffered from an intellectual disability which was later identified as a form of autism. As his condition continued to deteriorate he was sent to live with his governess in a small cottage on the Sandringham Estate. He eventually became almost completely isolated from members of his family with only infrequent visits by his mother and older brother. Sadly he died at the age of thirteen on January 18, 1919 after a severe seizure and is buried in the cemetery at St. Mary Magdalene located on the estate. Information about his condition was only released to the public after his death and there has been much controversy about his seemingly unsympathetic treatment and disappearance from the royal family but in reality he received excellent care from his loving governess and enjoyed a pleasant but quiet life living on the Sandringham Estate. (Special note: The touching story of the short life of Prince John was made into a BBC movie in 2003. “The Lost Prince” was written and directed by Stephen Poliakoff and is currently available on DVD)

After King George V died at Sandringham on January 20, 1936, the estate passed to his eldest son who became King Edward VIII. Less than a year after his accession and his unexpected abdication, a problem developed when the former King Edward VII still held the rights to the Sandringham and Balmoral estates. Both estates had been purchased as private properties during the reign of Queen Victoria and were not included as part of the British Royal Crown. Fortunately the matter was resolved when a financial settlement was quickly reached and the ownership of the both properties was transferred to his brother, the new King George VI. (Special note: Today, both Sandringham and Balmoral remain the private estates of Queen Elizabeth II who inherited them from her father when he died)

King George VI was born in 1895 in York Cottage located on the Sandringham estate. He had many fond childhood memories spent there with his grandfather and father. Throughout the years he continued to traditionally spent the Christmas holidays there with his wife, Queen Elizabeth, and their two daughters Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret. Sadly, King George VI died in his sleep at Sandringham House on the night of February 6, 1952. It has been said that the stress of his brother’s abdication, his accession and duties as King during World War II along with his daily smoking habit caused his health to deteriorate over time and he died at a relatively young age of 56 years old. His coffin was laid in St. Mary Magdalene church for two days before it was taken by train to London then a funeral service and burial in St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle.

Queen Elizabeth II, the current monarch of England, also loves Sandringham and enjoys the seclusion of the English countryside. She first visited there for Christmas 1926 when she was just eight months old. She returned often and made regular visits with her parents to see her grandparents, King George V and Queen Mary. During World War II King George VI sent Princess Elizabeth and her sister, Princess Margaret, to Windsor Caslte and they also spent extended periods of time at Sandringham staying at Appleton House to avoid the frequent and very dangerous German bombings of London.

Queen Elizabeth has customarily spent the anniversary of her father’s death and her subsequent accession quietly and privately with her immediate family at Sandringham House. She will arrive just before Christmas and remain there for the entire month of February. She enjoys spending time there with her children, grandchildren and now great-grandchildren. (For more information on how the Royal Family spends Christmas at Sandringham and their holiday traditions, please click on the link)

There are several additional houses and cottages located on the Sandringham Estate and some of these have been mentioned already in this post. Listed below are a few more buildings:

St. Mary Magdalene Church –

St, Mary Magdalene Church is a relatively small parish church located on the Sandringham Estate just a short distance from the Sandringham House. The building dates back to the 19th century and a beautiful chancel, the space around the altar in the sanctuary, features carved angels on either side of the silver altar were a gift from Queen Alexandra to pay tribute to her husband, King Edward II. Other notable features in the church include a silver pulpit, a 17th century Spanish silver cross and a Florentine marble font.

The church is of great historical interest since it has been used since the time of Queen Victoria and there are many memorials dedicated to members of the Royal Family. As previously mentioned, Prince John, the son of King George VI, is buried in the adjacent cemetery and after his death in 1952 King George VI laid in state in the church for two days prior to his funeral and burial at Windsor. The church is still used frequently by the Royal Family whenever they are in residence at the Sandringham Estate which is usually during the Christmas season every year.

Sandringham Christmas - St Mary Magdalene church

Sandringham Christmas - St Mary Magdalene church - interior

Park House –

Park House is located just west of Sandringham House. When Prince Albert (later King Edward VII) acquired the property in 1862 he had several additional houses, including Park House, built to accommodate his numerous guests. Then, in the 1930s, King George V leased Park House his friend Edmund Roche, the 4th Baron of Fermoy. Edmund’s daughter Frances was born there in 1936. Frances later married John Spencer, Viscount Althorp, in 1954. Their daughter Diana, the future Princess of Wales, was born there in 1961. Park House was Diana’s childhood home and Viscount Spencer continued leasing the house until 1975 when he became the Earl Spencer and the family moved to Althorp. (Special note: In 1983, Queen Elizabeth offered Park House to the Leonard Cheshire Disability organization to use as a hotel for disabled people and is now is specially designed and equipped to accommodate their needs)

Anmer Hall –

Anmer Hall is a Georgian-style country house built in the 18th century and is located just east of Sandringham. Several years after Sandringham was bought by Queen Victoria for her son, Prince Albert (later King Edward VII), Anmer Hall and the surrounding land was added to the estate in 1898. The south side of the red brick house features thirteen bays topped with stone pediments and a porch with two Tuscan-style columns while the north side of the house features a covered porch entrance. Throughout the years the house has been a private residence for various occupants associated with the Royal Family, such as the Duke and Duchess of Kent who used it as their country house from 1972 to 1990. Recently, after the wedding of Queen Elizabeth’s grandson Prince William to Kate, the house was given to the young Royal couple. The new Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have hired Charles Morris, the architect who previously worked on Prince Charles’ Highgrove House, to design extensive renovations to Anmer Hall which should be completed in time for Christmas 2014.

Tourist information for visiting Sandringham

As previously mentioned, the 20,000 acre Sandringham Estate is privately owned by Queen Elizabeth II and is located in Norfolk, England. The house has been used for over 150 years by four generations of the British Royal Family. The gardens of Sandringham were first opened to the public by King Edward VII in 1908, later the Sandringham Museum was opened by King George V in 1930 and Sandringham House was opened to the public by Queen Elizabeth II in 1977.

Guests should start their visit to the Sandringham Estate at the Visitor Center. The recommended time of a typical visit is 3 to 4 hours for guests to tour Sandringham House, visit the museum, walk through the beautiful gardens, shop in the gift shop and even have something to eat at the restaurant. For specific information regardes dates and hours of operation, prices and additional tour information please check their website at www.sandringhamestate.co.uk

Travel – Westminster Abbey – London, England

Posted on October 21, 2014 by barbara

On a trip to London, England in 1998 we were fortunate to take a tour of the spectacular Westminster Abbey with its magnificent stained glass windows, beautiful marble statues and numerous memorials. Personally, I had looked forward to seeing Westminster Abbey on this trip because I remembered watching the television coverage of Princess Diana’s funeral in 1997 and the wedding of Prince Andrew to Sarah Ferguson in 1986 which both took place there. The Abbey is also the site of the tombs of British Royalty, such as King Henry VII and Queen Elizabeth I, as well as various prominent people in British history, such as Oliver Cromwell, which are buried within the chapels. Since 1066, the Abbey has traditionally been the location of the coronation of the British Monarch with the last one taking place in 1953 for Queen Elizabeth II.

A brief history of Westminster Abbey

The history of Westminster Abbey begins when a small Benedictine monastery was built under the direction of the Bishop of London, later known as Saint Dunstan, in the late 960 under the rule of King Edgar. Then in the late 1000s, King Edward the Confessor began to rebuild St. Peter’s Abbey as a royal burial church conveniently located adjacent to the Palace of Westminster. This was a very timely decision given the fact that the work was completed in 1065 just a week before his death and he was buried in the church. Nothing remains of this old church, but its column bases have been found below the west end of nave of the present Abbey.

In 1245, King Henry III started the construction on the current church building and the relics of King Edward the Confessor were removed from the old church and placed within a shrine in the new church. There are a total of 17 British monarchs, including King Henry III and Queen Elizabeth I, buried within the Abbey and the last to be buried there was King George II in 1760. After that time, due to limited space within the Abbey, subsequent British monarchs have been buried either at St. George’s Chapel or Frogmore which is located just east of Windsor Castle.

Throughout the years, Westminster Abbey has also been the site of many funeral services for members of the Royal family. Two notable ceremonies were Princess Diana’s funeral service at the Abbey followed with her burial at the Spencer family ancestral home at Althorp in 1997 and most recently the funeral of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother followed with her burial in St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle in 2002.

Westminster Abbey has been the site for only 16 royal weddings throughout the centuries and the first one to take place there was in 1100 when King Henry I married Princess Matilda of Scotland. Then, there was a period of time between 1382 until 1919 when it was customary for royal weddings to take place privately either in their palaces or castles. The first royal wedding to be held at the Abbey after more than 500 years was Queen Victoria’s granddaughter, Princess Patricia of Connaught, who married Alexander Ramsay in 1919. Over the years other notable royal weddings have taken place in the Abbey such as Prince Albert (later King VI) to Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (later known as the Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother) in 1923 and later their daughters; Princess Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth II) who married Lieutenant Phillip Mountbatten in 1947 and later Princess Margaret who married in Antony Armstrong-Jones in 1960. Two of Queen Elizabeth’s children have also chosen the Abbey for their wedding ceremonies; Princess Anne who married Captain Mark Phillips in 1973 and Prince Andrew who married Sarah Ferguson in 1986. The most recent royal wedding to take place at the Abbey was the Queen’s grandson, Prince William who married Catherine Middleton in 2011. (For more information and further details about their wedding, please click on the click Royal Weddings Part Four)

Westminster Abbey - Prince William and Kate Middleton 1

Westminster Abbey - Prince William and Kate Middleton 2

Finally, one of the most solemn ceremonies to take place in Westminster Abbey is the Coronation of the British monarch. William the Conqueror was crowned King William I on Christmas Day 1066 and it was the first of the 38 royal coronations to have taken place there. Over the centuries the main elements of the coronation service have remained relatively unchanged. Since 1308 the King Edward’s Chair, also known as the Coronation Chair, is the throne on which the sovereign sits when they are crowned. The Coronation Chair was made for the coronation of King Edward I and was constructed from oak with a space specifically designed under the seat to accommodate the famous Stone of Scone which was brought from Scotland in 1296 and used for every coronation until 1996 when it was returned to Scotland to be kept at Edinburgh Castle. For future coronation, it is intended that the Stone will be placed back in the King Edward’s Chair for use during the coronation ceremony of subsequent monarchs. The Chair was originally painted with gilded animals and foliage with the image of the king resting his feet on a lion painted on the back. The four gilded lions were originally added to the chair in the early 16^th century and then replaced in 1727. During the coronation ceremony the Chair with the Stone of Scone in placed facing the High Altar in Westminster Abbey. In the past, the Chair was kept in the Chapel of St. Edward the Confessor, but when that area was closed to visitors in 1997 the Chair was moved out into the ambulatory and placed on a raised platform near the tomb of Henry V. As of 2010, the Chair was moved to a specially built enclosure in St. George’s Chapel located at the west end of the Nave. The most recent coronation was that of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953 and amid great controversy it was the first time that the ceremony had been televised. (For more information and further details about her coronation, please click on the link Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II)

A tour of Westminster Abbey

Westminster Abbey is a beautiful Gothic-style church located a short distance from the Thames River in the City of Westminster, London. The Abbey was formally known as the Collegiate Church of St. Peter and is considered the most important religious building in England and also one of London’s most popular tourist attractions which is seen by over a million visitors annually. The interior design was generally English in style with a single aisle and a long nave but several French Gothic features include tall windowed chapels, a spectacular round rose window and buttresses used for exterior support.

Like many churches, the Abbey was designed in the shape of a cross with the transept (the cross section of a building) 203 feet long and 80 feet wide while the nave measures 166 feet in length and over 71 feet wide with a soaring ceiling that reaches over 101 feet high. The floor space of the interior of the Abbey measures 32,000 square feet and for a normal church service the seating capacity is about 2,000. This seems very small compared to Queen Elizabeth’s coronation in 1953 which had a seating capacity of about 8,200. The exterior length of the building measures 530 feet and the West Towers are over 225 feet in height.

Upon arriving at Westminster Abbey, most visitors will enter through the Great North Door. Once inside the Abbey there is so much to see and we would highly recommend that visitors pick up one of the guided brochures or take one of the guided tours.

Below are descriptions of the various areas of the Abbey.

The North Transept –

The Great North Door is considered the main entrance to Westminster Abbey and this is where most visitors will start a tour. As visitors move further into the church, the area known as the north transept has many tombs and statues depicting several British statesmen, such as Sir Robert Peel and two of Queen Victoria’s Prime Ministers, William Gladstone and Benjamin Disraeli.

The North Ambulatory –

Visitors will then turn left into the eastern end of the church where there smaller chapels which contain the royal tombs and memorials to several monarchs, such as Elizabeth I, Mary I, James I, Charles II, William II and Queen Anne. One of the most important and largest of the chapels is the magnificent Chapel of Henry VII which is also known as the Lady Chapel because it was dedicated in 1503 to the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Chapel measures over 103 feet in length and 70 feet wide with a beautiful fan vaulted ceiling that rises to a height of 60 feet. Past the entrance which features a pair of intricate bronze gates that are decorated with the royal Tudor badges is the tomb of Henry VII and his Queen, Elizabeth of York that stands behind the altar and a bronze screen. At the east end of the chapel is the smaller Royal Air Force Memorial Chapel which features a stained glass window honoring the Battle of Britain. Visitors should look for a memorial stone to Oliver Cromwell which is on the floor in front of the window. To the south of the chapel visitors will find the tomb of Mary, Queen of Scots.

Royal Air Force Memorial Chapel - Battle of Britian Window

The South Ambulatory –

As visitors walk back toward the main area of the church, they will pass into the South Ambulatory and several of its smaller chapels. The most notable chapel in this area is the Chapel of St. Edward the Confessor which is closed off from the sanctuary by a large stone screen. Once a more elaborate shrine to St. Edward that featured a decorative stone base with a golden encased tomb covered by an intricate canopy which over the centuries had become a pilgrimage destination. Unfortunately, the shrine was dismantled and removed from the church when the monastery closed in 1540. Then during the reign of Mary I, the monastery was reopened and the shrine was only partially restored. Also, located within this area of the church are the tombs of several kings, such as Henry III who is responsible for rebuilding the current Abbey and the tomb of Henry V which is embellished with scenes of his coronation and once featured precious silver gilt that was stolen in the 1500s.

The South Transept (including Poet’s Corner) –

As visitors continue on their tour of Westminster Abbey, they will enter the south transept which features the beautiful Rose Window which was designed by Sir James Thornhill and features 11 of the 12 apostles, Judas has understandably been excluded.

This area of the Abbey has become known as the Poet’s Corner and the first to be buried here was Geoffrey Chaucer in 1400 in a large tomb on the east wall. The other walls are lined with statues and there are also numerous floor memorial plaques have been placed to honor distinguished poets and writers, such as Sir Walter Scott, William Shakespeare, John Dryden, Geoffrey Chaucer, Percy Shelley, Lord Byron, Robert Burns, Charles Dickens, Lord Tennyson, Rudyard Kipling and T S Eliot.

The Sanctuary and the Quire –

The next area on the tour of Westminster Abbey is located adjacent to the Poet’s Corner and it is the Sanctuary and the Quire. The Sanctuary is considered the main area of the church and this is where the daily religious services as well as special royal events such as coronations, weddings and funerals are held. In front of the high altar is a section of floor which dates back to 1268 and it is known for the famous Cosmati work of an intricate pattern of inlayed colored marble onto a plain marble floor. Also located in this area is the Quire with Victorian Gothic-style stalls that are assigned to various officers of the Collegiate Body and the High Commissioners of the various Commonwealth countries with the first four places given to Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. The Abbey Choir, which is usually 22 boys and 12 men (known as vicars) sing at the church’s daily services. Farther into the church, located below the choir screen which as originally built in 1730, sits the Abbey’s organ. The organ was built by Harrison & Harrison in 1937 and was first used at the coronation of King George VI.

The Cloisters (including Chapter House and Pyx Chamber) –

At this point in the tour of Westminster Abbey, visitors will exit the church into an area that was part of the Benedictine monastery. The cloister (a covered walk with a wall on one side and a colonnade which opens to a quadrangle on the other side) dates back to the 13^th and 14^th centuries and this is where the monks lived and worked.

The Chapter House was originally built in the late 13^th century and was later restored by Sir George Scott in 1872. Visitors enter thru double doors which lead into the vestibule and then into the octagonal Gothic-style crypt that has numerous stone benches around the perimeter of the room and large quatre-foiled windows of stained glass panels showing the coats of arms of the sovereigns, abbots and others closely connected to the Abbey. The room was originally used for daily meetings of the Benedictine monks, then years later it was the meeting place of the King’s Great Council in 1257 and then Parliament in the 14th to 16th centuries.

Adjacent to the Chapter House is the Pyx Chamber which was the original sacristy of old Edward the Confessor’s church and now contains the oldest altar in Westminster Abbey. (pyx means a small container used in churches to carry the consecrated host) Later this room held the royal treasury and the pyx was used for gold and silver that was used to make coins. Before leaving the Cloisters, visitors should take time to see the small museum located in the vaulted undercroft beneath the former monks’ dormitory.

Visitors should then walk around the Cloisters and reenter the Abbey through the side door.

The Nave –

After viewing the Cloisters, visitors will reenter the Abbey into the Nave. (nave means the central part of a church which is intended to accommodate the congregation) Many important memorials can be seen in the Nave and one of the most important of these is Grave of the Unknown Warrior. In 1920, in a special ceremony at the Abbey attended by King George V, Queen Mary and with over 100 Victorian Cross recipients lining the Nave the body of an unknown soldier was buried near the west entrance. It is the only memorial in the Abbey that it is forbidden to walk on. Also located nearby is a stone memorial honoring the former Prime Minister Winston Churchill. Another item of note at the west entrance are the beautiful Waterford crystal chandeliers that were a generous gift from the famous Guinness family in 1965 on the occasion of Westminster Abbey’s 900^thanniversary.

Finally, as visitors end the tour and exit the Abbey there is the Abbey Bookstore on the left where they can purchase all types of souvenir items.

For information regarding admission fees, hours of operation, tours, including restrictions and other limitations, please see the website www.westminster-abbey.org

Westminster Abbey Trivia

Legend has it that a fisherman named Aldrich was on the River Thames, not far from the site of the present-day location of Westminster Abbey, and saw a vision of Saint Peter. This would explain the annual custom of the presentation of salmon that Abbey has received in the past from the Thames fisherman and still being presented currently by the Fishmonger’s Company every year.
There is old saying, “robbing Peter to pay Paul”, which has it origin in the sixteenth century when money that was intended for the Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster (Westminster Abbey) was used for St. Paul’s Cathedral.
Since the late eighteenth century, it was determined that after the death of the British monarch, the time between their predecessor’s accession to the coronation day should be extended to at least one year to allow more time for the ceremony’s preparation which traditionally takes place at Westminster Abbey. There is one exception to this rule, when King George V died in January 1936 his son became King Edward VII who ultimately abdicated in December 1936 to his brother who became King George VI and the original coronation date of May 12, 1937 remained unchanged. (In British history, 1936 has become known as “the year of the three Kings”)
The tradition of Royal brides laying their bridal bouquets at the tomb of the unknown warrior in Westminster Abbey can be traced back to 1923. When Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (later known as Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother) married the Duke of York, Prince Albert (later King George VI) she placed her bouquet at the tomb in memory of her brother that had been killed in World War I. This symbolic gesture continues and when Kate Middleton married Prince William in 2011 she also had her bridal bouquet placed on the tomb. (For more information and further details about these two weddings, please click on the links to Royal Weddings Part Three and Part Four)

Travel – Catalina Island, CA

Posted on October 7, 2014 by barbara

Years ago, when I was a child growing up in Southern California, I remember taking a special summer day trip to Catalina Island. Part of the adventure was traveling by boat to the island and seeing the flying fish as we crossed the Pacific Ocean from the port of Long Beach to the tiny city of Avalon located on the island. It was such an exciting sea adventure! Then, once we arrived at Catalina we took a ride on a glass bottom boat to see the underwater sea creatures hidden in the kelp forests, toured the Wrigley Mansion with its beautiful gardens which were at the top of the hill overlooking the city and also the Catalina Casino located on the other side of Avalon Bay. We had so much fun that day and I have so many wonderful memories!!

A brief history of Catalina Island (Santa Catalina Island)

Catalina Island is part of the Channel Islands archipelago and is located just 22 miles from the coast of California. The island measures 22 miles long and 8 miles across at its widest point. Archeologists have found evidence that the first settlers to the island, dating back to 7000 BC, were a group of Native Americans known as the Pimugnans or Pimuvit. Other archaeological findings indicate that the Pimugnans settled near the present day city of Avalon and that they mined soapstone on the island and traded with other Native American tribes along the coast of California.

Documentation indicates that the first European to visit the island was a Portuguese explorer named Juan Cabrillo. He arrived on October 7, 1542 claiming the island for Spain and naming it San Salvador. The island remained unsettled by the Europeans for almost 60 years until another Spanish explorer, Sebastian Vizcaino rediscovered the island and renamed it Santa Catalina.

By the 1830s, a series of catastrophic events caused the island’s entire native population to be eliminated from the island. With the Spanish colonization on the island, the Pimugnans population significantly declined due deaths caused by the introduction of diseases to which the Native Americans had no natural immunity. Also the Pimugnans trade system was severely disrupted by the presence of the Spanish on the island and along the coast of California with the establishment of the chain of Missions by the Franciscan friars. The remaining Pimugnans migrated from the island to find work at the Missions or on the vast rancheros owned by the Spanish settlers.

Over the centuries, the island has been used by distant Aleutian hunters from Russia and eventually local American hunters using it as a basecamp for the lucrative sea otter and seal pelt industry. An abundance of these animals in the waters around Catalina, the nearby Channel Islands and along the coast of California provided a seemingly unlimited supply of these pelts which were in demanded at very high prices to foreign markets. Later the island was used by frequently by pirates because of the numerous coves which provided the perfect hiding places which were within easy travel distance from the coast. (Catalina Trivia: China Point, which is located on the southwest end of Catalina, received its name because that area of the island was once used by smugglers to hide illegal Chinese immigrants)

Over the following years, the ownership of the island changed hands numerous times. In 1846, the Mexican Governor awarded the island in a large land grant to a local sea captain named Thomas Robbins. Then, in 1850 it was sold to Jose Covarrubias who sold it to Albert Packard in 1853 who sold to James Lick in 1864 and maintained control of the entire island for the next 25 years. Catalina Island was eventually developed as a vacation destination due to its close location to the growing metropolis of Los Angeles on the mainland of California. In 1887, the Michigan real estate developer, George Shatto, built the island’s first hotel located at the site of the new city of Avalon.

Then in 1891 the Banning bothers bought the island from Lick, formed the Santa Catalina Island Company, and immediately started developing it as a vacation resort. The main focus was the small island town of Avalon where more tourist accommodations were built but additional improvements were made around the entire island with dirt roads into the interior were paved, hunting lodges were constructed and stagecoach tours around the island were soon started.

In 1919, the island came under the ownership of William Wrigley Jr., the chewing gum company owner, when he purchased a controlling interest in the Santa Catalina Company. Wrigley invested millions to further develop the island and constructed the Catalina Casino which opened in May 1929 attracting tourists from the mainland of California. (Catalina Trivia: Wrigley also owned the Chicago Cubs baseball team and starting in 1921 their spring training facility was located on Catalina from 1921 until 1951)

Chicago Cubs training camp, Catalina Island 1

Chicago Cubs training camp, Catalina Island 2

After the death of Wrigley in 1932, the control of the Santa Catalina Island Company sent to his son, Philip Wrigley, who continued with his father’s master plan to develop and improve the island. The island was closed to tourists during World War II and used as a military training facility. Upon his death in 1975, Philip Wrigley deeded 90 percent of the original Santa Catalina Island Company, approximately 42,135 acres; to the newly formed Catalina Island Conservancy (which he helped to establish in 1971) while the remaining 10 percent was retained and control of a majority of the resort properties and tourist operations on the island. The Conservancy, a private nonprofit organization, has made it their mission to protect and preserve the natural and cultural heritage of Catalina.

Travel information for Catalina Island

Catalina can be reached by passenger ferries that depart from Long Beach and San Pedroas well as Newport Beach. The island can also be reached by helicopter service from either Long Beach or San Pedro. Please see the following website, www.catalinachamber.com, for more specific information on traveling to Catalina and to view available dates, times and prices. (Travel Note: Back in the 1990s the Royal Caribbean, Princess and Carnival cruise lines starting making Catalina a regular stop on their Baja cruise itineraries. The ships usually anchor approximately 100 feet outside of Avalon Harbor and passengers are ferried by small boats onto the island)

Catalina is unique because motor vehicles are restricted on most areas of the island with the exception of the city of Avalon. Most residents use golf carts but bicycles are also a popular alternative and there are several rental shops available for tourists to rent either types of transportation. The Catalina Island Conservancy offers bus and jeep tours into the interior of the island and they also issue hiking and mountain biking permits that can be obtained through the Conservancy office. (Travel Note: Hiking permits are free but there is an annual fee for mountain bike permits with additional helmet and tire requirements) For more information regarding transportation on the island of Catalina, please see the website www.catalinachamber.com

Things to see and do on Catalina

Once visitors are on Catalina there are numerous sites to see and a variety of activities to enjoy. Here is a list of just a few of the things to see and do on the island:

Glass Bottom Boat Tours – This popular tour takes visitors on a trip in a glass bottom boat to the Lover’s Cove Marine Preserve to view the abundant sea life in the kelp forests located just off shore. Advance reservations are required and highly recommended. For further information regarding the tours offered by the Santa Catalina Island Company please call 310-510-8687 or view their website at www.visitcatalinaisland.com (Catalina Trivia: The 1966 movie, “The Glass Bottom Boat starring Doris Day and Rod Taylor was based on the original Catalina tours and portions of the movie were filmed on the island)

Flying Fish Tours – Another popular boat tour for visitors to take while on the island is the Flying Fish Tour. The famed flying fish can be seen seasonally off the coast of Catalina from late May to September every year. These amazing fish propel themselves out of the water sometimes reaching heights as high at 30 feet above the water. For more information regarding these tours offered by the Santa Catalina Island Company please call 310-510-8687 or view their website at www.visitcatalinaisland.com

Other water activities – snorkeling, scuba diving, para sailing, kayaking and paddle boarding. (Travel Note: Please be advised to check your preferred Catalina Island vendors to inquire about reservation, availability and price information prior to your trip to Catalina and it is always a good idea to also ask about cancellation policies just in case of scheduling problems)
Catalina Casino Tour – The iconic landmark of Avalon is the Catalina Casino circular 12-story high building which was built in 1929 by William Wrigley, Jr. The building’s art deco style interior features the Catalina Island Museum and a movie theater on the first floor and a large ballroom on the top floor. Guided tours of the Catalina Casino are available and visitors can learn the history of Catalina Island and in the museum there are displays showing the distinctive Catalina tiles and pottery that was once made locally on the island. For further information regarding the tours offered by the Santa Catalina Island Company, please call 310-510-8687 or view their website at www.visitcatalinaisland.com (Catalina Trivia: Most visitors will assume that the Catalina Casino was a place for gambling but, like most things on the island that have been inspired or influenced by a Mediterranean style, the name is derived from the Italian word casino which means a “gathering place”)

Catalina Casino entrance - the Lady of the Casino tilework

The Wrigley Memorial and Gardens – High on the hill on the opposite side of Avalon Bay and the Catalina Casino is the Wrigley Memorial and Gardens, from this vantage point on the island there are spectacular views of Avalon Harbor. The Memorial, which honors William Wrigley Jr, is the centerpiece of the 38 acre Botanical Gardens which features a variety of desert plants that were originally planted at the direction of Wrigley’s wife, Ada. The Memorial was built in 1933-34 using Catalina stone quarried on the island and the red roof tile and beautiful handmade tile where produced locally by the Catalina Pottery plant which operated on the island from 1927 to 1937. The Memorial and the Gardens are operated by the Catalina Island Conservancy, please see www.catalinaconservancy.org for more information regarding hours of operation and tour prices. (Catalina Trivia: William Wrigley Jr. was originally buried in the sarcophagus located in Wrigley Memorial. The Memorial is located near the former Wrigley home on Catalina; unfortunately the house is not open to public tours but currently provides deluxe accommodations for island visitors as the Inn at Mt. Ada. In 1947, Wrigley’s remains were moved to the Forest Lawn Cemetery in Glendale, CA)

Travel – The Walt Disney Family Museum

Posted on August 26, 2014 by barbara

As many readers known from my previous posts, I grew up in Southern California about a one hour drive from Disneyland in Anaheim.CA. Our family went often over the years we enjoyed seeing the attractions, riding the rides and the watching the parades at the theme park. So, as a result of my interest in all things Disney, I have read many books on the fascinating history of Disneyland and the Walt Disney Company. This year, on a recent road trip to California, we took a side trip to see the Walt Disney Family Museum located on the grounds of the historic Presidio in San Francisco.

A brief history of the Walt Disney Family Museum

The Walt Disney Family Museum is located on grounds of the Presidio which was a former U.S. military facility located in San Francisco. The Presidio was closed as a US government Army post in 1989 and the administration of the property was transferred to the National Park Service. The museum, which opened in 2009, is funded by the Walt Disney Family Foundation which was started by Diane Disney Miller, Walt’s daughter, and was built as a lasting memorial to Walt Disney’s work in animated films, television and other aspects of the entertainment industry including his beloved theme parks. The museum occupies three brick buildings and the two main buildings were formerly Army barracks which were originally built in the 1890s and additional special exhibits are displayed in the adjacent Diane Disney Miller Exhibition Hall which was formerly the Presidio gymnasium which was built in 1904.

The 40,000 square feet space of the main portion of the museum features an interior designed with state of the art exhibits and interactive displays in 10 themed galleries that the visitors can move through in chronological order viewing the highlights of Walt Disney’s personal and professional life. There is also a movie theater located in the lower level of the museum which shows limited engagements of past classic Disney movies and the theater’s interior design was inspired by the scene of Mickey Mouse as the Sorcerer’s Apprentice from the 1940 movie “Fantasia” which coincidentally was the first film to shown in the theater after the museum opened.

One of the most interesting elements of the museum, aside from the fact that visitors can view a wonderful collection Disney historical artifacts and memorabilia, is being able to hear Walt’s narration of the various stages of his life played throughout the various sections of the museum. These voice tracks came from 19 hours of tapes that Diane, Walt’s daughter, had made during the 1950s which were to be used later as source for a biography about her father.

A tour of the Walt Disney Family Museum

In the lobby of the museum are several display cases with the 248 awards that Walt received during his long career in the entertainment industry. Some of those awards include the twenty-six Academy Awards that he received throughout his career including his first two Academy Awards received in 1932 for the Best Short Subject Film (“Flowers and Trees” cartoon) and an Honorary Academy Award for the creation of Mickey Mouse. In 1939, Walt was presented with another Honorary Academy Award for the achievement of the first feature length animated film, “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” (Be sure to take a look at the award as it was cleverly presented in the form of one full sized Oscar statue and seven additional miniature ones presented on stepped base) Also shown in the lobby display cases are Disney’s seven Emmy Awards, the Presidential Medal of Freedom which was presented to Walt in 1964 by President Johnson, and several honorary degrees from such prestigious colleges as Harvard, Yale, the University of Southern Californian and UCLA.

As previously mentioned, the ten permanent galleries in the museum are arranged in chronological order. The first gallery is “Beginnings: Walt Disney’s Early. As visitors enter this section, one wall shows photographs of the Disney family, including Walt’s grandparents and his parents. (Be sure to look for the charming photo of baby Walt and also a copy of his birth certificate) The displays in this section tell Walt’s story which begins in 1901 when he was born Chicago, IL and follows the family as they moved to a small farm in Marceline, MO to Kansas City, MO and then back to Chicago in 1917 where Walt attended McKinley High School and also took night classes at the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts. (Be sure to look for a copy of the Voice Yearbook from McKinley High which featured illustrations drawn by Walt) After graduating, Walt joined the American Ambulance Corps stationed in France for the duration of World War I. (Visitors will see a replica of one of the ambulance vehicles that Walt drove on display in this section of the museum) When Walt returned to the states in 1920, he chose to go back to Kansas City to work for an advertisement company. By this time in his life Walt had discovered the art of animation and he became fascinated by this relatively new form of entertainment. Eventually, Walt started the Laugh-O-Gram Films which produced animated short films but unfortunately the company soon went bankrupt and Walt moved to California. (Be sure to look for Walt’s Laugh-O-Gram business card and the company’s first stock certificate that was issued to Walt’s parents, Elias and Flora Disney)

Gallery 1 - American Ambulance Corps vehicle

The second gallery of the Museum is “Hollywood” tells Walt’s story of when he arrived in California in 1923 hoping to find employment working in Hollywood as a movie director. Walt and his brother, Roy, formed the Disney Bros. Studio company and hired several former employees of Laugh-O-Gram to come to Hollywood to work on the series of live action/animated short films based upon the Alice in Wonderland books. Around this time, a girl named Lilian Bounds came to work at the Disney Studio in the “Paint and Ink” department. Walt fell in love with the petite fun-loving Lillian and after a brief courtship they were married on July 25, 1925. (Be sure to look for a copy of Walt and Lillian’s marriage certificate) Now, with the limited success of the Alice Comedies, the Disney Studio received a contract from Universal Pictures to create a series of animated shorts starring Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. Walt had now started to focus more on story development, film direction and he was no longer working as an animator. Then in 1928, despite film distribution problems with Universal, Walt went to New York City to negotiate higher fees and ended up losing not only the contract but also the rights to the character of Oswald, the situation taught Walt an important lesson about retaining financial and creative control in the entertainment industry. Walt was very discouraged about the business setback but Lillian encouraged him to keep trying and on the train ride back to California Walt started to sketch ideas for a new mouse character which Lillian named Mickey Mouse. (Be sure to look for the display featuring Walt’s first sketches of Mickey Mouse) The character of Mickey Mouse went on to become a national sensation, especially after he was featured in the first animated film with synchronized sound. (Visitors should check out the large display of the Mickey Mouse merchandise that was available in those early years of the company)

The third gallery of the museum is “New Horizons”. With the financial success of Mickey Mouse, the Disney Bros. Studio now had the funds to move into much larger facilities. The newly renamed Walt Disney Studios now concentrated on improving their animation techniques with better equipment that was used to create the first Technicolor cartoons. Visually the quality of the Disney cartoons increased to another level with improved story lines, character development and better sound quality with music added to the finished cartoons. As previously mentioned, in 1932 Walt won his first Academy Award for the Best Short Subject Film, “Flowers and Trees”, one of the animated cartoons in the “Silly Symphonies” series. That same year, Walt received an Honorary Academy Award for the creation of Mickey Mouse. (Visitors can see both these Academy Awards are in the display case in the lobby of the museum. Also on display in this section are several Silly Symphonies animation cels and character merchandise) The Studio was now very successful and Walt had attained fame and celebrity status but there was another more personal reason that brought him happiness. Walt and Lillian had been blessed with two daughters, Diane born in 1933 and Sharon born in 1936. (Be sure to take the time to look at a few of the Disney family photos)

Disney Museum -first sketch of Mickey Mouse

The fourth gallery in the museum is “The Move to Features”. This section features displays of the Disney Studios first full-length animated movie, “Snow White and the Seven Dwarves”. The film took over four years to complete and premiered on December 21, 1937 at the Carthay Theater near downtown Los Angeles. During the production process, the Disney Studios brought in live animals so that the animators would be able to study and draw the animals in a realistic style and not “cartoon” features. The Studio developed a special Character Model Department where sculptures were created so that the animators could study the characters from all sides allowing them to draw better figures. (Be sure to check out some of the very detailed three dimensional figures in this section. Also displayed are several original artwork and character studies drawings used to create the Snow White film) After losing the rights to the Oswald character in the 1920s, Walt had learned an important lesson about marketing and numerous Snow White items were sold to promote the movie. (Look for the Snow White Doll and charm bracelet in the display case in this section of the museum)

The fifth gallery of the museum is “New Success and Greater Ambitions”. With the critical success of Snow White, the Disney Studios had achieved the financial means to build a new state of the art facility in Burbank, CA. and went on make Pinocchio, Bambi and Fantasia over the next ten years. The production process for each of these films took several years to complete starting with Walt’s famous storyboards which were used to determine the film’s final storyline that would inspire and guide a team of animators to create the final drawings that were sent to the paint and ink department to be colorized and then filmed using the unique multiplane camera which gave the illusion of depth to the two dimensional characters drawn by the animators. (Be sure to take a close look at the multiplane camera on display in this section, visitors are able to view the camera from two different levels on the first and second floors) Each of these films received great critical acclaim but brought the Studio only minimal financial success due to the onset of World War II causing a decrease in theater attendance in the United States and very limited international distribution. (In this section of the museum, visitors will see rare production artwork, character models, drawings and animation cels for all three films and the unique animator desk which was specifically made for the Disney Studio)

Multiplane camera - view from second floor

The sixth gallery is “The Late 1930s to Mid 1940s”. This period of time is the Walt’s life was plagued by a series of unfortunate circumstances and events. On a personal note, both Walt’s parents died; first his mother, Flora, in 1939 and later his father, Elias, in 1940. Then in May 1941 the Walt Disney Studios faced an employee strike which lasted several weeks severely damaging the company and Walt’s reputation. (Be sure to take the time to look at the photos and union flyers from the strike) During the time of the strike and before it had been settled, Walt was advised to remove himself the negotiation process and a special U.S. State Department “goodwill” trip to South America was quickly planned. As a result of this trip, the Disney animated feature, Saludos Amigos, starring the Three Caballeros was later made. Back at home, the Disney Studios production of Dumbo had been halted during the strike but it eventually premiered in October 1941 and received very limited success. (In this section of the museum there are many drawings, character studies and animation cels from Dumbo) Then with the start of World War II, the Disney Studios lost many of their employees as the men went to serve in the U.S. military during World War II. Once again production stopped on many of their animation films and instead they did their patriotic duty by making training films for the military and other morale-boosting shorts films such as Der Fuehrer’s Face starring Donald Duck. (Display in this section are various military regiment and squadron insignias created by the Studio featuring Disney characters)

In the seventh gallery is the “Post War Rebuilding”. This section of the museum covers the Disney years between the Mid 1940s to the early 1950s. With the end of World War II, the Disney Studios produced several successful animated films; Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan and Lady & the Tramp. During this time, Walt had decided to venture from animated films into live-action productions with the 1950 Treasure Island and 1954 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. (In this section, visitors will see several concept and animation art from these animation and live-action films including the underwater camera used in the filming of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea) Before, proceeding into the next area of the museum, there is a wonderful display of some of the Disney personal possessions including Walt’s large collection of miniatures. (Be sure to look for the unique charm bracelet that was a gift from Walt to his wife, Lillian, to acknowledge the important personal role that she played in his professional success. The 18k gold bracelet features twenty miniature Oscar charms to represent those Academy Awards he received)

The eighth gallery of the museum is “Walt and the Natural World”. Walt had always loved nature since he was a young boy growing up on the farm in Marceline, MO. When the Disney Studios had ventured into making live-action films it naturally (no pun intended!) led to nature documentaries. The first one, the 1949 Seal Island, featured a group of seals and their seasonal habits. Since the Disney Museum is located in the Presidio, the large floor to ceiling windows in this section allows visitors some wonderful views of the Golden State Bridge. (Be sure to stop and take a few minutes to enjoy the view and it is also a perfect opportunity to get a great photo of the Bridge!!)

The ninth gallery is “The 1950s and 1960s: The Big Screen and Beyond”. This section is one on the largest areas in the museum because it encompasses a twenty year span that was one of the most productive times in the Disney Company. For the first time, the Company was financially secure and Walt was able to build a beautiful home in the Holmby Hills section of Los Angeles. (Walt was an amateur model railroader so be sure to see the Lilly Belle, a 7¼ scale model locomotive, that Walt built and used on the track installed in his backyard that is displayed in this section of the museum) The Disney Studio had established a reputation for making quality animated and live-action films and during this time they also started making weekly television shows. Some of the most successful were the Disneyland TV show which help to fund and market Walt’s new theme park and was later renamed the Wonderful World of Disney, The Mickey Mouse Club which featured a cast of young talented Mouseketters, Davy Crockett which featured a catchy theme song and started the national craze of coon-skinned hats and the adventure series, Zorro.

The Disney Company had also expanded into other parts of the entertainment industry. Walt had a big dream to create a theme park that would be filled with attractions and rides that families could enjoy. Disneyland opened in July 1955 and proved to be successful with the public and very profitable for the Disney Company. (This section of the museum has several displays of the theme park memorabilia but be sure to check out the large model of Disneyland, the details are amazing!) Special note: If you are looking for more detailed information about Disneyland, I would like to recommend the five part series which features the history of Walt’s first theme park and the various attractions and rides of Disneyland. Just click on the link, Part One – The history of Disneyland.

When Walt was planning and building his theme park, he created a separate department of the Disney Company. This creative group of imagineers went on to work on several projects for the 1964-65 World’s Fair which as held in New York and later some of these attractions were added to Disneyland, such as It’s a Small World and the Carousel of Progress. Walt was fascinated with the new technologies being developed at this time and incorporated many of these ideas into his latest project, EPCOT the Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow, which he was planning on building near Orlando, Florida.

The Disney Company continued to make movies and one of their most successful ones premiered in 1964. The Mary Poppins movie was based on the books written by P.L. Travers and was an instant hit with both the critics and public. Walt would receive the Best Picture Academy Award for Mary Poppins in 1965. Special note: For more information about this classic Disney movie, please click on the link Mary Poppins – the book, movie and play.

The tenth and final gallery of the museum is “Remembering Walt Disney”. When Walt Disney died on December 5, 1966 the world mourned and this section displays the many letters, telegrams, newspaper and magazine articles that were written shortly after his death expressing not only the feeling of sorrow but also acknowledging appreciation for the quality entertainment that Walt provided to the millions of people around the world. This section of the museum is a wonderful way to reminder visitors of the lasting legacy of Walt Disney.

Travel note: When the Presidio closed in 1994, the National Park Service took over the administration of the property and several buildings were converted into business and corporate facilities. Located near the Walt Disney Family Museum is George Lucas’ Industrial Light and Magic. Just in case you were wondering, the Lucas campus is a working production facility and there are no public tours offered. (Darn it!!) Visitors are welcome to enjoy the 17 acres of the beautifully landscaped public property surrounding the buildings of ILM and if you decided to take a walk there be sure to look for the “Yoda” water fountain.

If you are looking for more Disney experiences, we would highly recommend a visit to Marceline, Mo if you are planning a visit to the Midwest. Last year, we took a road trip to the boyhood home of Walt Disney and enjoyed seeing the Disney family home, the Walt Disney Hometown Museum located in the old Santa Fe Railroad Train Station, the Walt Disney Elementary School and walking along the street in Marceline that is said to be the inspiration for the Main Street at Disneyland. (If you are interested, please click on the link, Walt Disney’s Marceline, for additional details regarding a visit to this small Midwest town)

The Enchanted Manor

a lifestyle blog by Barbara Jones

Tag Archives: Travel

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