• Home
  • Events
  • Testimonials
  • Patreon
  • Photo Gallery
  • Gazette
  • Calling Card

'a halfpennyworth of news'

gazette: Origin
Early 17th Century; via French for Italian gazzetta, originally Venetian gazeta de la novita 'a halfpennyworth of news' (because the news-sheet sold for a gazeta, a Venetian coin of small value)
Picture
By kind permission of Fortnum&Mason Archives - From the Commentaries, attributed as drawn by William Morley Hendy 1930s
​17th September 2023
Dr Johnson's Birthday Tea Party


Once embarking on the plans for the tea party, tea and its history seems to crop up on a regular basis of late. 

Dr Johnson's drank tea by the gallon and seemed to have no time for the new-fangled drink of the time, coffee!  Some one having commented on this was told, 'Sir, I did not count your glasses of wine, why should you number up my cups of tea?'

Listening to Radio 4 a week or so ago I switched on to 'All Consuming' a programme taking a close look at those items that appear in our daily lives and which it seems we cannot live without. The culture of consumption and tea was the topic of that day. 

Several points were highlighted, for instance how tea shaped the course of history, our colonial outposts in India and Africa brought us into contact with tea. The East India companies ensured tea played a large part in creating the wealth of Empire. Who knew, it is in fact one plant, that can provide a variety of flavours.  Originally tea leaves were not easily preserved and had to be well taken care of. Also an expensive commodity not available to all. However steaming it was discovered preserved the tea, which produced green tea. How black tea came about is apparently due to sweaty, dusty soldiers sleeping in a tea warehouse. Growers were appalled! What were they to do? The bruised leaves were basically 'cooked' on smoky fires to cover the oxidation and black tea was created! 

The programme goes on to discuss a 'cup of tea' as an emblem. What it means to be British and how the cup of tea became the favoured beverage can tells so much about our nation.  

Tea as healer also came up.  I recall growing up in Lancashire 'let's have a cup of tea', was a cure for all that ails us from shock to a broken heart and all in between.  It is familiar to most of us and a tradition.  This apparently sends autocues to your brain to say 'I'm OK', or 'I'm safe'.  Studies show that drinking a hot drink makes one more giving and likely to rate the person drinking with you in a more favourable light. Physically warming, the drink will develop 'warm' thoughts. That cup of tea (hot drink) IS the social connection.

How may cups of tea are consumed in the United Kingdom in one day? Listen to the programme or come and join us at Dr Johnson's House to find out! 

​Hear the programme here : www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001nvqg
Picture
(c) Fortnum&Mason Archives Milner Gray responsible for the tea catalogue featuring Dr Johnson, 1928
Picture
16th December 2022

Simpson's Tavern off Cornhill CLOSED! 

It was with some surprise, shock and horror we discovered in mid-October that Simpson’s Tavern had been closed without notice by the off-shore owner of the freehold. A foreclosure notice was pasted on the windows and doors, and the locks changed!
Not sure as to what was happening and why, we made a call to Simpson’s to have our worst fears confirmed, the chop house was unlikely to be opened for the Christmas Season. Our event on 8th December was not going ahead at our favoured venue.
As a chop house established in 1757, Simpson’s Tavern will be a huge loss to the City of London. Also, to the many people who have frequented it over many decades. Please note this affected more than the workers in the Square Mile.

The outcry of disgust and distress became international, so many remembered their happy days of feasting and imbibing at this traditional restaurant. The press jumped to it and not only the restaurant reviewers, local and national news took up the baton. Twitter chirped its soul out and Facebook demanded justice of the philistines who would consider such a closure of an ancient and revered haunt.

Crowdfunding was put in place immediately and today £112,696 has been raised of the required £385,000. Many supported fast and furiously, but as you can see funds are still required, and there are only 27 days to go. https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/save-our-simpsons-tavern

Simpson’s Tavern is back in the news on 15th December, when the support of Peter Dunphy, who is a City of London Councillor for the ward of Cornhill, joined in the support of ‘Save Our Simpsons’. A request was put before the Court of Common Council to grant protection of Simpson’s as an Asset of Community Value. The vote was was unanimous! Read about it here: https://www.ianvisits.co.uk/articles/simpsons-tavern-granted-protection-as-it-fights-to-reopen-59416/

We now await the fate of the sale of the property, Simpson’s Tavern as was, is at the forefront and negotiating with the vendor.
For our part we found a new (temporary) venue at Ye Olde Watling. The manager and staff made us very welcome. The Dining Room was perfect, the menu excellent and we enjoyed ourselves in our usual Georgian manner. Also a special thank you to our guests, who supported us with the swift move.

It is with hope and trust we may return to our favourite chop house some day soon to celebrate the continuance of over 250 years of excellent dining and conviviality.

Please support ‘Save our Simpsons’ in any way you can, Crowdfunding, Facebook, and Twitter.
​
Picture
Seasons Greetings & A Happy New Year

​Simpsons Tavern - Yuletide Fest - October 2019
Picture
Necromancer
Picture
Baritone - Alistair Sutherland
Picture
Dr Matthew Green - Historian/Author
Picture
Miss B & Miss Kitty Pridden - Grand Dames of the Salon
If you wish to make contact with our superlative entertainments:

Necromancer : www.thelondonspy.com/
Baritone: www.alistairsutherland.com/
Dr Matthew Green: unrealcityaudio.co.uk/





​A special treat - Alistair Sutherland serenading a guest to celebrate her birthday.

Bringing History to Life! Fundraiser for Museum of Soho 'MOSOHO' 9th June 2019 at Blacks Club

5/22/2019

3 Comments

 
Picture
Teresa Cornelys was born in Venice, Italy in 1723 and died in 1797 in the Fleet Prison in London. What happened in between her birth and death is theatrical to a degree and creates a fascinating story, this has been well documented in The Empress of Pleasure by Judith Summers.  We will cover only a small part of her long stay,  ultimate success and downfall, whilst running her palace of popular entertainment at Carlisle House.

Picture
Mrs Cornelys was an operatic soprano by profession who became a famous impresario who hosted fashionable gatherings at Carlisle House in Soho Square. Arriving in London using her Dutch lovers name she presented herself as Madame Corneelis de Rigerboos, a widow, giving her added respectability and independence. 

There is another lover involved who put up the money and would continue to do so for some time until the pair fell out and then it got nasty, very nasty! 

As it happened Teresa had friends in high places, one Elizabeth Chudleigh, a friend of the Duke of Fermor, who was persuaded to put up the rent for Teresa for a house in Soho Square which she had her eye on for entertainments - Carlisle House.

Picture
By the Autumn of 1760 Cornelys began giving entertainments by subscription, selling tickets in advance. These were only obtained from ladies of high standing, the aristocracy and those at court, they were much in demand.

Initially card games and dancing were on offer and as Teresa became more successful in her endeavours she was able to purchase the leasehold of the property and create an extension at the rear.  This catered for a ballroom and supper club which could seat 400 to dinner on a vast crescent shaped table. The house was renowned for its sumptuous fixtures and fittings. Although the venture was a great success Teresa did not seem to know how to manage her money, and often refused to pay her bills. So in the end the great entrepreneur that she was, fell foul of her creditors.

In the grand manner of Carlise House we at Georgian Dining are planning to recreate on a nano scale some spectacular entertainment at Blacks Club in Soho. An evening of splendid entertainments to beguile and delight you to raise funds for Mosoho so they can protect and preserve their archives of the history of Soho. Please do join us, you can purchase your subscription on our Events page.

MASKS ESSENTIAL : We would love you to dress up and it is not essential that your costume is C18, there were all manner of 'get ups' as you can see from the print below. 

You may also enjoy our Soho Society Radio interview with MissB and Ian Kelly.

We start at 7:15 ...

www.mixcloud.com/discover/soho-society/?order=latest&fbclid=IwAR1YAO3XxKPpHcPxEm3iaa1twRO0oJRfILenoXwZSatub7BDEPgwYpcso-I

Picture
Programme 

Promenade from Soho Square to Dean Street 

A warm welcome with the Celebratory Georgian Dining Academy Punch

Lady Amber of the Colonies will be running the Gaming Room

David Harry Esq will be charming you with Magic

Supper will be served at 7pm and 8pm in Blacks Dining Room

Talk and Conversation with Ian Kelly, actor and author of Casanova

Songs and Music of the period with Lisa Byrnes and Peter Shipman

Roaming Sketch artist - Liam O'Farrell

C18th Word Games al la Harris List & Dr Johnson's Dictionary

Bar open - wine from £24 per bottle
Special Cocktail £5

Lottery of prizes - please do bring your purse so we can continue to raise funds

Two memberships to Blacks Club for one year

Two tickets to the Yuletide Fest Georgian Dining Academy in December 2019

Bespoke Walk by My London Tours

Picture by Lian O'Farrell of Wardour Street 

plus other prizes that will be revealed on the night!

SPONSORS
Blacks Club
Sugar Tea Rooms
Liam O'Farrell
others awaiting confirmation


Picture
3 Comments

    Authors

    Miss Kitty and Miss B share their escapades, adventures and travels through words and pictures.

    Archives

    May 2019
    December 2018
    June 2018
    March 2018
    August 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    July 2016

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Home
  • Events
  • Testimonials
  • Patreon
  • Photo Gallery
  • Gazette
  • Calling Card