St Pauls Visit - 8th November, 2010
29 People attended the visit on a very wet and windy Monday morning.
We started the tour of St Pauls at approx. 11.15. This tour started in the Crypt where we saw various memorials to the military who had died over the last few centuries, Nelson being one the most famous. We then went into the chapel, which is used by the recipients of the Order of the British Empire. Any children of the recipients of this order are able to be married in this chapel. We were seated in this chapel and Mrs Brewster, our guide, gave us a lot of detail about the Cathedral.
We then moved upstairs and toured the Cathedral; we were seated in the Choir Stalls for further info about the history and developments of the cathedral and saw in close quarters the wonderful carvings of Grindling Gibbons.
We finished this tour on the fantastic staircase which leads to the library. Finally Mrs Brewster (left) informed us that the Cathedral had recently had an internal clean of all the stoneware at a cost of 10.2 million pound - it looked splendid compared to a small sample of uncleaned stone.
This tour ended at about 13.30, this gave us sufficient time to have some lunch before moving on the Bank of England. Most people had their lunch in the Crypt of the Cathedral. I gave a collection to Mrs Brewster for the Friends of St. Pauls.
She has since contacted me and wished to thank Probus for the sum of £58.
We then walked down Cheapside, visiting Bow Bells Church, before arriving at the Bank of England. We then toured the extensive Museum, where most of us tried to lift a bar of gold bullion without success. At 16.00 hours we assembled in the small theatre for a talk about the history of the Bank, particularly focussing on the developments of the building in Threadneedle Street. The day finished at 17.00 hours.
Tony Field
We made a special visit to the Grand staircase, with its cantilevered steps which originally led down to the library - and Tony suggested a group photo- although it was very dark and constricted. I am afraid it is not very good, but at least it is a record of our visit.
Currently, in the middle of the staircase is the sculpture, Flare II (2010) by Anthony Gormley.
Photography was not allowed either in the Museum of The Bank of England, but from their website it is possible to obtain a print of the original cartoon, which we saw, by James Gillray which was published on 22nd May 1797.
The caption to it reads:-
The nickname the "The Old Lady of Threadneedle Street" first appeared in print with the caption "Political Ravishment or The Old Lady of Threadneedle Street in danger" to a cartoon which depicts William Pitt the Younger, the Prime Minister of the day, pretending to woo the Bank, while picking her pocket of coins, The Bank is personified by an elderly lady wearing a dress of £1 notes seated on a chest of gold.
Whilst we were meeting on the steps at11.00am so the British Legion, in the pouring rain, were celebrating the Opening of the Garden of Remembrance on the north side of St. Pauls. The Band of the Scots Guards, led the parade, which many of our members saw.
Photographs and comments from, Deric Tonge
