Today, Feb. 7th is the 200th anniversary of Charles Dicken's birth, and has been a day of celebration all over the world. I am late posting about this because of the Queen's Ascension Day yesterday which took precedence! I am joining Teacup Thursday with Miss Spenser and Vintage Thingie Thursday with Coloradolady as well.
Prince Charles and his wife Camilla participated in a service at Westminster Abbey in London, England today honouring one of the most famous novelists of all time. A wreath was laid on the novelist's tomb in Poets' Corner. Prince Charles and Camilla then visited the Dicken's House Museum in London.
As part of the commemorative day, Dicken's novels are being read allowed in public places in nations all over the world, plays are staged and many TV reruns of plays are in progress or will be over the next few months. Many leading actors from Dicken's productions were at the Abbey for the service.
So I have chosen a Rosina, England teacup that was made in the 1950s to be sold at The Old Curiosity Shop in London, famed for the novel of the same name by Dickens.
I have had all sorts of pieces in the pattern. I just love it. And this is not the only Dicken's china there is:
A Lancaster & Sandland, England cheese dish from the 1920-1930s with Oliver Twist saying Oliver Twist Asks For More.
A Sam Weller character jug from The Pickwick Papers by SylvaCeramics.
A Lancaster dish from the 1930s in purple luster that says Sairey Gamp Entertains Betsy Prig from Martin Chuzzlewitt.
Another rendering of Sairey Gamp from Martin Chuzzlewitt by New Hall pottery also from the 1930s.
And Mr. Pecksniff from Martin Chuzzlewitt also by New Hall in the 1930s. All of these and more are available at Time Was Antiques. Just click on the photos.
Charles Dickens had a dramatic effect not only as a writer but as a crusader for improved conditions in England, and laterally of the world. His depictions of poverty, child labor, child crime, the workhouse and the social ills of his time were a voice for change and improvement. He lives on as a writer of incredible depth, humor and pathos...the supreme storyteller...and as a man ahead of his time in working for those who were often preyed upon in English society.
Happy Birthday Sir!
And for Downton Abbey fans...PBS has just announced the Masterpiece Classic Sweepstakes. Win a trip a personal VIP tour of Highclere Castle, the real Downton Abbey and afternoon tea wth Lady Caenarvon! The trip is Sept. 17-22, 2012! Airfare, transfers, Hotels stays...the lot! Also Leeds Castle. To enter daily, here is the link:
PBS Masterpiece Classic Sweepstakes Downton Abbey
I just added several items of British Royal memorabilia to Time Was Antiques, one of the specialties of this website. I thought I would share a couple of mugs including one from the wedding of Prince Charles and Princess Diana in 1981 and another from the birth of Prince William in 1982. These are an ironstone in blue transferware wedding mug from Adams, England and a ceramic mug with gold profiles and lettering by Kilncraft, England celebrating the birth of Prince William. These were both very popular at the time of the wedding or the birth. For more info, click on the photo.
The interest in the wedding of Charles & Diana has strengthened again with the announcement of the upcoming wedding of their son, Prince William to Kate Middleton in April. The wedding will be in Westminster Cathedral. Charles and Diana married at St. Paul's, but Prince William's grandparents, the then Princess Elizabeth married Philip there in 1947. Princess Elizabeth was then crowned Queen Elizabeth II there in 1953.
Westminster Abbey was actually founded in the year 960...amazing! Many of the most important people in history are buried there. I remember a line from The King's Speech (you MUST see it if you haven't...Brilliant aside for the language in parts) Lionel Logue says as he walks up the nave something like "I can't get over the thought of walking on Shakespeare, Darwin and Turner!" A visit to the Abbey is one of the highlights of any one's visit to London. Not to mention the choir...but I'm a musician, so....
These are links to pages in the Westminster Abbey so you can read some of it's illustrious history, what has happened there and what is coming up. Today most of the Royal Family attended a celebration of the life of famous soprano Dame Joan Sutherland.
Westminster Abbey home page
Westminster Abbey History
Famous People And The Abbey
If you are going to follow the upcoming wedding, you'll be seeing a lot of Westminster Abbey!
I hope you had a great day and are looking forward to a great day tomorrow. We will be sunny here in Sequim so we will be out walking and enjoying the sunshine!
