We leave a place where travellers can begin their journey beneath a roof once considered one of the largest single-span structures in the world.
Soon we have left the dense streets of the capital behind and are travelling towards a city whose significance predates both the railway and the cityscape we see today.
Our destination carries memories of Roman times, but also the story of a man whose name would live on long after his death.
Here, traces of empire, faith and martyrdom await.
What a striking way English bookshops do it. A constant flow of outstanding publications, beautifully presented to an audience that is genuinely devoted to books. A perfect combination.
And as I often say after an evening in St James’s, take the route along Piccadilly and fall in love with the bookshop windows.
This time, the main subject was the Bayeux Tapestry and the publications around it. Which immediately gave me another idea: make it to the pub before last orders and start a discussion about the Bayeux Tapestry.
Badge of the week: I acquired this unique piece for my Primrose League collection at an auction, and it has since become a treasured part of it.
The badge is a Dame’s brooch, dating from around the 1920s, produced by W.O. Lewis (Badges) Ltd of Birmingham. These brooches were worn by women who were members of the Primrose League, offering a way for them to engage in political activities during a time when their participation was severely limited due to widespread exclusion from direct political involvement.
The Primrose League, established in the late 19th century in the United Kingdom, was renowned for its motto ‘Imperium et Libertas,’ translating as ‘Empire and Liberty.’ It played a distinctive role in British politics and was named after the primrose, believed to be the favorite flower of Benjamin Disraeli, a notable politician and statesman.
