The History Behind 'Les Miserables'.

The logo for the famous 1980 theater production.

You've experienced the emotion of "Les Miserables" - but what is the history behind the story?

I'm still haunted by scenes from "Les Miserables" - that closing sequence was just devastating; but I admit to being confused about the historical events portrayed. According to my shaky French history the revolution happened in 1789, so what was this about a rebellion in 1832?

So, for those who like me were puzzled, here is a potted guide to events leading up to the revolt of 1832.

Cosette - illustration from Victor Hugo's
"Les Miserables" - original edition.

 Let us start with the abdication of emperor, Napoleon I, in 1814. The senate decided on a constitution that protected the achievements of the revolution, but appointed the brother of the late king, to the throne. Louis-Stanislas-Xavier, returned from exile in England and was crowned as Louis XVIII of France.

At first things went well, Louis approved a constitution that defended the freedom of the press, the right to worship and a fair judiciary. But then he started to do unsettling things such as spending vast amounts of money restoring Versaille - that symbol of aristocratic excess, and stipulating Catholicism was the official state religion. He took things a step further in 1822 by making it an offence to criticise divine-right kingship. A couple of years later, 1824, Louis died and a new king, Charles X, took his place.

Eugene Vidocq - his life was said to be the inspiration
behind the character of Jean Valjean. 

Charles X sacked ministers who disagreed with his policies and appointed his aristocratic allies into positions of great power.  Mutterings of unrest became rife in the press. His response, in 1830, was to suspend the freedom of the press, with the result that on 27 July 1830 - barricades went up on the streets of Paris.

"This is no longer a riot, it's a revolution."

Commander of the royal troops.

The rebels had a strong following and perhaps fearing for his life, Charles abdicated in favour of his grandson, the duke of Bordeaux, Louis-Philippe.

"The idolatry of a name is abolished; monarchy is no longer a religion."

Viscount Chatter Briand.

The June rebellion. 

However, these were years of hardship; harvests had failed year-upon-year and cholera was rife such that people muttered the government had poisoned the wells. Uprisings were common and those republicans seeking relief for the poor, set up secret societies. These consisted of twenty members (meetings of more than 20 were outlawed) with a president and vice-president.

General Lamarque was sympathetic to the plight of the people, and when he died, his funeral became a flash point. Rebels hi-jacked his funeral cortege to rally support and then one night in 1832 the rebels took over the narrow streets in the Eastern districts of Paris. But this time the government was ready. The National Guard was reinforced by 25,000 state troops and the rebels hopelessly outnumbered. It is these events that are portrayed in the closing scenes of Les Miserables.

The death of Eponine - illustration from
the original novel. 

Afterwards the government ran a smear campaign, portraying the rebels as an extremist minority, and it wasn't until a rebellion in 1848 that Louis-Phillipe's reign was eventually overturned.

Have you seen "Les Miserables"?

What did you think of the movie? 

Happy Anniversary - 150 Years of The London Underground.

Photo courtesy of Icanhascheezburger.com

Which London tube line has the longest route?

What name was originally proposed for the Jubilee Line?

Which was the first station that used kestrels to scare away pigeons?

Which is the only tube station not to have letters of the word "mackerel" in it?

[ANSWERS at the end of the post.]

To celebrate 150 years of the tube, the Post Office has issued special stamps.
They feature original steam trains, Victorian workers excavating the underground
and Edwardian passengers. 

10 January 2013 marks the 150th anniversary of the opening of the London Metropolitan Railway, and the birth of London's modern tube network. The world's first underground passenger railway took 2,000 workers, 3 years to dig over 3.5 miles of track to link Paddington, Euston and Kings Cross to London's business district.

 "London Underground was the first transport system of its kind, embodying the engineering ingenuity of our Victorian forefathers and providing a template for similar schemes around the world."

Mayor of London, Boris Johnson.

'Cut and cover' construction in action.
Photo courtesy of Transport For London

Those first Victorian trains sound even more uncomfortable than their modern counterparts; the carriages were windowless and lit by gas lamps, and soon earned the nickname 'padded cells.' Added to that, steam powered trains and poor ventilation meant passengers and drivers alike, frequently complained of feeling ill during their journey.

In the 19th century as London's streets became ever more congested, a solution had to be found for getting around the city. The idea of an underground railway was hit on and work started in 1860. The early construction technique was 'cut and cover'. This is just as it sounds: navvies dug a deep ditch which was braced and roof, and covered over to form a tunnel. This work was hugely disruptive as whole streets had to be closed and extremely dangerous for the workers.

The shield in situ.
Photo courtesy of Transport For London

A step forward was made with the invention of a tunneling device called, 'the shield'. Inspired by an engineer who observed how a worm chewed through wood, the shield was so called because it protected the men working behind it. However, it was not a sophisticated structure so much as an iron frame with pockets for workers to stand in with their shovels. Their excavations were then reinforced with brick and iron and the shield jacked forward. With modern technology it takes just a week to create what would have taken the Victorian's a year.

Another improvement in technique was made when James Greathead, with co-worker Barlow, developed a mechanised shield. This was a circular device,  2.21m in diameter which was inched forward by hydraulic jacks, and as the ground was excavated the exposed surface was lined with curved metal ribs. The basis of this design is still the foundation of most modern tunneling devices used today.

Statue of James Greathead - near the Royal Exchange, London.

Have you traveled on the underground either in London, or abroad?

What was your experience?

Quiz answers.

Which tube line has the longest route?

This is the Central line; over 34 miles of track covers the distance from West Ruislip to Epping.

What name was first proposed for the Jubilee Line?

 It was originally going to be called the Fleet Line.

Which was the first station that used kestrels to scare away pigeons?

This was Northfields, on the Piccadilly line, which used hawks and kestrels to deal with a pigeon problem.

Which is the only tube station not to have letters of the word "mackerel" in it?

St. John's Wood - of course!

Did You Know?

The iconic London Underground map was created in 1933 by Harry Beck. He was paid just five guineas for the design, which is still in use today.

The font used on London Underground signage was designed in 1916 by Edward Johnston.

Originally the boundaries of the tube network were limited by the extent of London clay, an excellent substrate to tunnel through.

Would You Credit It? - Top 10 Most Read Blog Posts.

It's New Year and I'm feeling a little lazy, so I decided to investigate the most viewed posts on my blog.
The results left me speechless!
Who'd have believed that the number one most popular post is about....ahem....well you'll have to scroll down to find out. Needless to say, I have NO idea why this niche topic has proved so constitantly popular with over 32,000 hits!
Anyhow, here is a run down of the most viewed posts on my blog.
Enjoy!  (PS - Click on the links to read the actual post.)

Number 10
"Kensington Palace - At Home With the King."
http://graceelliot-author.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/kensington-palace-at-home-with-king.html

Queen Victoria's statue with Kensington Palace in the background.

A personal take on a royal palace.

Number 9
"The Canary Isles - Going To The Dogs."
http://graceelliot-author.blogspot.co.uk/2011/08/canary-isles-going-to-dogs.html

Canary Dogs.

It turns out the 'canary' part of the Canary Isles - isn't really to do with birds at all!

Number 8
"Dog and Cat Diaries"
http://graceelliot-author.blogspot.co.uk/2010/12/dog-and-cat-diaries-new-year-treat.html

The secret diary of a dog and cat - beautifully highlighting the difference between the species.

Number 7
"Cats and The Possessed"
http://graceelliot-author.blogspot.co.uk/2010/10/cats-and-possessed.html

Proof that cats are agents of paranormal forces.

Number 6
"How Many Wives Did Henry VIII Have?"
http://graceelliot-author.blogspot.co.uk/2011/05/how-many-wives-had-henry-viii.html

Holbein's portrait of Anne of Cleves.
Henry's fourth wife....or was she?

You may think the answer is obvious, but this post is a bit of a tease.

Number 5
"Bizarre Tudor Deaths."
http://graceelliot-author.blogspot.co.uk/2011/07/bizarre-tudor-deaths.html

The title says it all: Strange ways people met their demise, in Tudor times.

Number 4
"Miraculously Improbable - The Crystal Palace."
http://graceelliot-author.blogspot.co.uk/2011/06/miraculously-improbable-crystal-palace.html

The interior of Crystal Palace.

What links Crystal Palace and Christmas cards? Read this post to find the answer.

Number 3
"London Bridge Legends"
http://graceelliot-author.blogspot.co.uk/2012/01/london-bridge-legends.html

A post inspired by my poor sense of direction.

Number 2
"Exit Napoleon Pursued by Rabbits."
http://graceelliot-author.blogspot.co.uk/2011/05/exit-napoleon-pursued-by-rabbits.html

The true story of an Emperor's fear of small, fluffy bunnies...

Number 1
"Cats Eyes - Seeing is Believing" -
Would you credit it? The MOST viewed post ever on my blog, with over 32,000 hits since it was first posted!
http://graceelliot-author.blogspot.co.uk/2011/11/cats-eyes-seeing-is-believing.html

A post about, ahem, cats eyes - those reflective studs in the road!
Truly, if you have any idea why this post should generate such sustained interest ( averages around 600 hits a week) then do please leave a comment and enlighten me - because I have no idea.

A very happy 2013 to you all!
If you have enjoyed this post and would like to recieve a bi-monthy news letter from Grace, then follow the link below to sign up.

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Christmas Crackers - a happy Christmas to you!

 

Some feline chuckles for you this festive season.

An indulgent post of my favourite Cheezburger cat pics.

Which is your favourite?

 

Ooops!

Don't you just love that expression?

Maintaining dignity under difficult conditions.

Says it all, really.

So precious!

A bit more subtle this one - but worth thinking it through.

OK, hands up, this is my favourite - although it's a close rung
thing with the picture below.

 

For you Star Wars fans.

 

Actually, this is pretty high on my 'like' list -
especially as I'm a vet.

A bit of motivation for that post Christams diet.


So - which is your favourite?

Unofficial London- Sexism, Regency Style.

"Sir, the great chair of a full and pleasant town club is, perhaps, the throne of human felicity."

Dr. Johnson on clubs.

 

Thanks to Cheezburger.com

In a Georgette Heyer novel, I think it's 'The Grand Sophy' - the heroine decides to throw over convention and take a drive along St James's Street in her high-perch phaeton. Her relatives were shaken to the core - and the reason for their shock?

 

 

In regency times St James's Street was a male dominion, the home of gentlemen's clubs and shops of masculine interest where a chap could purchase a new gun, buy his cigars or the latest shaving soap in peace. Can you imagine that in the 21st century - a whole road given over to gentlemen? The temptation was too much for me and with the pluck of a modern day Sophy, I went for a walk along St James's to see what had become, in particular, of the clubs.

 

The bottom end of St James's Street - near St James's Palace,
in Georgian times.

In the early 19th century a satirical poem published in the Comic Hand observed how on a gentleman split his time between wife, mistress and his club. In the Regency there were three premier clubs: White's, Boodles and Brooks - all situated on St James's Street and providing a private escape in which to gamble. Each club had a distinctive atmosphere and catered for slightly different niches, but each boasted comfy chairs, grand interiors and first-rate service.

 

St James's Street in Victorian times -
Whites' club on the left.

In Sophy's day, as she turned off Piccadilly the first gentlemen's club she would pass was White's at number 37. Further down, Boodles at number 28, and on the opposite side of the road, 60 St James's Street, Brooks'.

Hogarth's "The Rake's Progress"
Set in St James's Street with St James's Palace in the background.
 

White's was the most exclusive club, so rarified that it was said that on the birth of  Horace Walpole's son and heir, the new father despatched his butler to put the child's name down for White's, before even registering the birth. However, the down side of White's were the fortunes wagered at the gaming tables, the club known as 'the bane of English nobility' because of reputations and inheritances lost there.

As Walpole wrote:

"In less than two hours, the Duke of Cumberland lost four hundred and fifty pounds at Loo [a card game] Miss Pelham won three hundred and I, the rest. On another occasion, I lost fifty-six guineas before I could say Ave Maria."

Whites' famous bay window - as it is today.

It was White's famous bow window that Sophy wanted to see on her drive. The bay was created when the main entrance was moved, and it's view was considered the prime location to see and been seen (even though, according to Beau Brummell's rules, no one sitting in the window should acknowledge a greeting from the street.) Indeed, that arbiter of male fashion, Brummell, adopted the bay as his unofficial state room. When in 1816 gambling debts forced Brummell abroad, Lord Alvanley took the position of honour.  Alvanely reputedly bet 3,000 pounds on which of two raindrops would reach the bottom of the bay window first.

Whites' in the modern day.

MP George Selwyn, was a member of White's - his claim to fame is that he was a member of parliament for 44 years and did not once make a speech in the House of Commons.

In the modern day a former chairman was Ian Cameron, father to the British Prime Minister, David Cameron.

Boodles' Club - in the 1960's.

Sophy then passed Boodles , which was the domain of the country set - fans of hunting, shooting and fishing - and of course, gambling.  The club was originally called 'Savoir Vivre' but was later renamed after the head waiter, Edward Boodle.

 

Boodle's as it is today.

 In modern times - Ian Fleming, author of the James Bond novels was a member.

Brooks's in the modern day.

Brooks's was the most overtly political club and became the unofficial Whig party headquarters although membership wasn't restricted to politicians. Members included Sir Joshua Reynolds, William Wilberforce and the Prince of Wales. The founder, Brooks, was a wine merchant of whom it was written:

whose speculative skill
In hasty credit and distant bill,
...nursed in clubs, disdain[ed] a vulgar trade,
Exult[ed] to trust, and blush[ed] to be paid

Brooks's gaming room.

 It seems George Selwyn (see White's Club) wasn't a fan since he described Brooks as:

"the completest composition of knave and fool that ever was, to which I may add liar."

My walk along modern St James's left me struggling to imagine the former glory of this road. In Sophy's day, from with her view from a high carriage, it must have been a daunting and spectucular sight, but now the car is king, the building looked sad and a little neglected. However, I can report that walking along past the clubs in no way created a scandal - which is a sign of progress....of sorts.

Man is a social animal - Aristotle.

 

Christmas Stockings - a History.

Where did the tradition of hanging out Christmas stockings come from?

 

As a child, I remember the magic of on Christmas Eve, being given a pillow case to put at the bottom of the bed. Between getting up to look through the window for Santa's sleigh , and then crawling to the bottom of the bed to see if he'd called already, sleep was an elusive thing - but all part of the excitement of Christmas.

 

For many children having a pillow case or Christmas stocking waiting to be filled with presents is all part of family tradition - but have you ever stopped to wonder how this slightly odd activity originated?

"They [Christmas stockings] had to hold candy enough to make the child sick, and toys enough to make him unhappy because he did not know which to play with first."

Susan Warner, The Christmas Stocking - a novel. 1854.

 

In fact, historians are unclear about exactly when and where the tradition started. Perhaps the earliest origin is a 4th century story about a nobleman who spent all his money providing food for his three daughters during a time of famine. This kind-hearted man even sold his land and moved into a small cottage, using the money to buy bread for the local villagers. On a trip to market his three daughters met and fell in love with three handsome men, but they were unable to marry unless they had large dowries. The plight of the impoverished noble man reached the ears of a travelling preacher, Saint Nicholas, and the story goes that Nicholas knew the good man would be too proud to accept charity, so he waited until the household slept, crept in and filled the daughters stockings with gold coins as they hung up to dry by the fire…providing a dowry and a happy ending.

Slightly later stories start to emerge of a Germanic/ Scandinavian figure, Odin, and how children left carrots or straw in their shoes, to feed Odin's magical flying horse. By 16th century Holland, there are written records of children putting wooden clogs by the fire, filled with hay to provide refreshment for Sinterklass reindeer on Christmas Eve. In the morning they rose to find the favour returned and Sinterklass had left small presents in place of the hay.

This tradition went through a bit of a lull until the advent of stories of Santa Claus leaving presents for children resurfaced in the mid 19th century.

"On Christmas Eve, each child hangs up one of its stockings in a place where it can easily be reached, in order that Santa Claus may come into the bedroom during the night and deposit some little present in it. And when the child wakens in the morning, sure as fate, in the stocking is a Christmas pie…cut and baked in the shape of a little baby, with currants for eyes…an orange, a ball …or some other article brought by a nocturnal visitor."

Victorian account of Christmas Eve in County Durham.

 

The idea of Santa Claus bringing presents came to England from America around 1865 - 1870, but accounts of children hanging out stockings pre-date this. Perhaps two traditions melded into one because by 1898 the habit was common place.

"By and by the younger ones are packed off to bed, and with us, as the world over; their stockings are hung at the bed-foot to await the mysterious visit of Santa Claus."

1898, Richard Blakeborough writing about a Yorkshire Christmas.

 Just bear in mind, that this was provisional on good behaviour. Badly behaved children might well find not presents, but a lump of coal at the bottom of their stockings….

Wishing you all a very happy and healthy Christmas!
Grace x

Unofficial London - Step Back in Time.

Of these wonderful old shops, which is the cuckoo in the nest?

 

Last Saturday I visited St James's Street and Piccadilly, London, to research gentleman's clubs (but that's another story and another blog post!). I was delighted to find some wonderful old shops that appeared as they might have done when Beau Brummell strutted down St James's or Oscar Wilde went to buy cigarettes. An added bonus were the lovely Christmas displays - so as I'm getting into the festive spirit I've posted some photos and a little trivia associated with each shop.

But which shop is fake and only pretending to be old…read on for the answer!

 

Fortnum and Mason - this photo courtesy of Andrew Marriott.

Fortnum and Mason.
The Fortnums were originally high-class builders who moved to London after the Great Fire, to cash in on the capitals reconstruction. William Fortnum became a footman to Queen Anne. William had the idea of collecting the royal households waste candle stubs and melting them down to make new candles, which he then sold to Hugh Mason who in 1705 had opened a small shop in St James's market.

Fortnum and Mason - Christmas window display 2012.

Over the centuries Fortnum and Masons have continued that tradition of entrepreneurship. From 1795 to 1839 they offered their own postal service, with collections made six times a day. At the Great Exhibition of 1851, Fortnum's won first prize as importers of dried fruit (incidentally, they also supplied dried fruit to the troops at the Battle of Waterloo, 1815) And when Queen Victoria wanted to send strong beef tea to servicemen tended by Florence Nightingale during the Crimean War, it was Fortnum and Masons she turned to.

Hatchards - 2012.

 

Hatchard's.

Also just around the corner from St James's Street, on Piccadilly, is Britain's oldest surviving bookshop. Since 1797 the current site has been occupied by a bookseller, pioneered by John Hatchard.

Lobbs window - 2012

 Lobbs.

Lobbs was founded in 1829, and the original John Lobb was a lame farm hand, whose skill with the last and awl won him awards and brought him to the attention of royalty. His shop was established at 9 St James's Street, on site of Lord Byron's bachelor pad, and to this day still sells traditional hand crafted boots

Truefitt and Hill - 2012

 

Truefitt and Hill
William Francis Truefitt first sold gentlemen's grooming products in 1705. Just six years later he had established himself as "Court hair cutter" and "Court head dresser", and along with his brother Peter, later went on to became Wigmaker to King George III.

Berry Bros and Rudd - 2012.

 

Berry Bros and Rudd
Another business with links to George III is Berry Brothers and Rudd. Being close to St James's Palace, no doubt their attractive window displays of exotic goods such as tea, coffee, cocoa, spices and snuff, soon attracted royal attention.

 

They were established in 1698, and still trade from their original site, 3 St James's Street, London. Today they are principally known as fine wine and spirit merchants, and in 1994 were the first wine retailer to open an online shop.

James J Fox -2102

 

James J Fox - cigar merchant
This is the world's oldest cigar merchant - so old that they there is a museum in the basement! They first started retailing cigars in 1787, although the Fox family wasn't involved until 1881 when the great great grandfather of the current owner opened a retail shop. Customers have included Winston Churchill, who bought his cigars here, and Oscar Wilder, who defaulted on his bill of 37 pounds, for gold tipped cigarettes of which he reputedly smoked 100 a day.

Burlington Arcade - 2012

 Burlington Arcade -

No post on Victorian shopping would be complete without a mention of the Burlington Arcade. The arcade was built to stop litter and dead cats being tossed over Lord Burlington's garden wall - (for more see a previous post here:  http://graceelliot-author.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/dead-cats-and-commercialism-london.html  )

 And the cuckoo?

Did you guess?
The answer is: Truefitt and Hill - because although the business dates back to Georgian times, this shop was only established in 1994 and merely looks old, as opposed to the other premises which really are old! 

The contents may have its roots in Georgian times
but this shop was established in 1994.

Well done for making it this far!
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