- 'Charlie Chaplin' Guided Walk (free for Full Members!)Kennington Tube Station (outside the station), London
Come along on Sunday 6th October at 1:30pm for a guided walk around Kennington on the early life of the comic genius; Charlie Chaplin!
I'm a massive fan of Charlie Chaplin, so I'll be the guide for the walk.
About the walk
Charlie Chaplin was British and kept British citizenship all his life, even though he spent most of his adult life in America.He was born in Kennington, London on the 16th April 1889 and lived their until he was 21. He was born into and spent his early years in great poverty in (at the time) one of the poorest areas of London. As a teenager he joined a performing group in nearby Brixton and during a tour of the U.S was spotted performing by a scout for Sennett Studios, they signed him up and the rest is history! He went on to star in 81 films mainly during the silent era and playing his 'Little Tramp' character in 76 of them.
His life is a classic rags to riches story and in his films he was heavily influenced by his poor upbringing. I will guide you round the streets telling his story, visiting various places that influenced him, the houses where he lived as a child and describing the conditions of the area in late Victorian London. I will tell you the story of his relationships with his mentally ill mother, alcoholic father and the close bond he had with his half brother Sydney. Plus I will also talk about his stage understudy who also went onto become a world famous movie comedian.
You don't need to be a fan of Chaplin, just like a good story!
I will finish the walk showing you the place where he learnt his famous comedy walk!
Cost
Full Members of the group will be free, everyone else the cost is £6 per person (payable by cash or PayPal on the day).To become a Full Member (£14 a year), either go to PayPal and send a payment to general@cultureseekers.org, send via Bank Transfer (email me for details) or pay cash on the day.
Afterwards
After, we will be heading to the 'Jolly Gardeners pub', 49-51 Black Prince Road (near to where we finish).The pub is also connected to Chaplin & his family and contains a piano that was played on by Charlie and his father.
The walk will last about 1h 45mins and will end about a 15 minute walk from Vauxhall Tube Station or a 10 minute walk back to Kennington Tube Station.
If you can't see us outside the station, please text.
Hope to see you there!
Robert
07905 901 834 (prefer text)Please make sure you are aware of the group rules here before RSVPing - https://www.meetup.com/london_cultureseekers/photos/22974682/523578875/Group_Rules/
- [ONLINE] Cultureseekers Midweek Coffee EveningLink visible for attendees
On Wednesday 9th October at 6:30pm, we will be having an online Midweek Coffee Evening!
It's a chance to keep in touch and chat with others in the group.
So nearer the time, pour yourself a coffee (or tea) and click on the link after you RSVP.
Hope to see you there!
Robert
07905 901 834 (prefer text)Please make sure you are aware of the group rules here before RSVPing - https://www.meetup.com/london_cultureseekers/photos/22974682/523578875/Group_Rules/
- Day trip by train - Guided Walk/Hike Around Constable Country in Suffolk!Liverpool Street Train Station (on the concourse, near the ticket office), London
Come along on Saturday 12th October for a guided walk/hike around picturesque Constable Country in Suffolk!
A great time to visit the area is in Autumn as the season's change and we should see this in the colours of the trees.
About the area
The day is part guided walk and part hike around the countryside where the painter John Constable (1776 - 1837) grew up and where he painted many of his paintings.His most famous paintings include Dedham Vale (1802), Wivenhoe Park (1816) and The Hay Wain (1821). His paintings are now among the most popular and valuable in British art.
The area is on the Essex/Suffolk border and is of outstanding natural beauty, hardly changing since Constable's time and because of the fame of his paintings, the landscape today is protected. The Dedham Vale and Stour Valley embraces one of England's most cherished landscapes.
John Constable himself said of the area he grew up in - "I associate my careless boyhood with all that lies on the banks of the River Stour. Those scenes made me a painter".
The Guided Walk/Hike
We will walk in his footsteps and visit the spots where he painted his famous paintings, see his studio, his boyhood home, where he went to school, his parish church and also Flatford Mill which was owned by his father.I know the area very well, so I'll be the guide for the day.
The guided walk/hike covers about 7 miles, across grassland and paths, so please wear sensible shoes. The landscape is reasonably flat. We will do a loop from the station, visting Flatford, East Bergholt and Dedham.
Food & Drink
It's advisable to bring either a packed lunch or buy food beforehand. We will be stopping for lunch in Flatford which has a cafe (which does get busy) or you can eat next to it at the picnic spot on the banks of the River Stour.Aprox Itinerary for the day:
9:00am - meet at the station and get 3 for 2 GroupSave train tickets to Manningtree
9:30am - catch train
10:25am - arrive at Manningtree station and walk to Flatford
11:10am - arrive at Flatford
11:15am - tour of Flatford visiting the site of 'The Hay Wain' & the sites of a few other paintings he did in Flatford
12:15pm - stop for lunch at Flatford
1:15pm - guided hike to East Bergholt to see his family home, studio and St. Mary's Church (where his parents are buried & where he met his wife)
2:30pm - walk to the village of Dedham, follow the route he took to school, stopping to view the sites of some of this paintings
3:00pm - arrive at Dedham and see his school and the places he knew
3:15pm - pub or cafe break in Dedham
3:45pm - walk back to Flatford via the meadows
4:30pm - arrive back at Flatford & break
4:30pm - freetime
4:45pm - walk back to Manningtree Station to return to LondonTrains going back at 5:03, 5:20, 5:51pm and at the same time past each hour. The journey takes about 1 hour.
Payment
Full Members of the group will be free, everyone else the cost is £7 per person (payable by cash when you turn up).To become a Full Member (£14 a year), either go to PayPal and send a payment to general@cultureseekers.org, send via Bank Transfer (email me for details) or pay cash on the day.
Train Tickets
A GroupSave 3for2 ticket worked out at £26.60 per person which we will purchase in groups of 3 people when you arrive.If you wish to purchase your own ticket, you can get £20 returns online (two single tickets). Manningtree is the destination.
Aim for: 9:30am leaving and returning anytime after 4:30pm
Please note, we only wait for 10 minutes after the advertised meeting time, so please be early or on time.
Look out for the red and blue 'London Cultureseekers' group sign.
Hope to see you there!
Robert
07905 901 834 (prefer text)On the day, if you can’t make the visit, just change your RSVP to No or text me to say you can’t make it.
Please don’t post any messages in the comments that you can’t make it, as this generates spam for everyone else.Please make sure you are aware of the group rules here before RSVPing - https://www.meetup.com/london_cultureseekers/photos/22974682/523578875/Group_Rules/
- Visit Brompton Cemetery!Fulham Broadway Tube Station (outside the station), London
Come along on Sunday 13th October to visit Brompton Cemetery!
About the cemetery
Brompton Cemetery opened in 1840 and is on of London's 'Magnificent Seven' Victorian cemeteries. It is regarded as one of the finest Victorian Metropolitan cemeteries in the country and it's layout is based on St Peter's Basilica in Rome.It has over 35,000 monuments - many of historical importance. The most famous occupants include; Emmeline Pankhurst (suffragette), William Edward Ayrton (physicist) and Henry Cole (founder of the V&A, the Royal Albert Hall and inventor of the Christmas Card).
The cemetery has fantastic architecture, is very symmetrical and a great time to visit is in the Autumn. The cemetery has also featured in lots of films and T.V programmes.
When you arrive, we will split you into small groups to explore the cemetery together with maps. It is a self-guiding visit (although I can tell you a bit about a few of the most famous burials) and will take about 1h 30mins.
Cost
Entry is free!To become a Full Member (£14 a year), either go to PayPal and send a payment to general@cultureseekers.org, send via Bank Transfer (email me for details) or pay cash on the day.
Afterwards
After, we will head to the 'Lillie Langtry pub' 19 Lillie Road a short walk from the cemetery from 3:30pm/4:00pm for a chat over a drink.Please note, we only wait outside the station for 10 minutes after the advertised meeting time, so please be early or on time.
If you can't see us outside the station, please text.
Look out for the red and blue 'London Cultureseekers' group sign.
Hope to see you there!
Robert
07905 901 834 (prefer text)On the day, if you can’t make the trip, just change your RSVP to No or text me to say you can’t make it.
Please don’t post any messages in the comments that you can’t make it, as this generates spam for everyone else.Please make sure you are aware of the group rules here before RSVPing - https://www.meetup.com/london_cultureseekers/photos/22974682/523578875/Group_Rules/
- 'The London of Bram Stoker & Dracula' Guided WalkCovent Garden Tube Station (outside the station, on James Street, near the Tiffany & Co shop), London£12.00
Come along on Saturday 19th October for a Blue Badge Guided Walk on the writer Bram Stoker and his famous novel Dracula!
We have 2 guides, Diane Burstein & Anthony Davis. Please indicate which guide/time you wish to go with when you RSVP and come along for that time.
About the walk
Although born in Ireland, Bram Stoker came to London to work with the great Actor Manager Henry Irving at the Lyceum Theatre and spent the rest of his life here.Whilst working at the Lyceum he published his most famous and enduring novel "Dracula" in 1897. We will learn about the places Stoker visited, the people he knew, the library where he researched and the history of the book on stage and screen.
The walk is a private walk for the group, we will be guided by Blue Badge guides Diane Burstein & Anthony Davis.
Payment
Full Members of the group will be £10, everyone else the cost is £12 per person (payable via cash on the day or in advance via PayPal).Alternatively, if you wish to pay in advance, send a direct PayPal payment to: general@cultureseekers.org.
To become a Full Member (£14 a year), either go to PayPal and send a payment to general@cultureseekers.org, send via Bank Transfer (email me for details) or pay cash on the day.
Afterwards
After we will head to the 'The Chandos pub' 29 St. Martin's Lane, for a chat over a drink. We finish outside the National Portrait Gallery, so the nearest tube after will be Charing Cross or Embankment Station.If you can make it, please come to the pub afterwards, as it’s a great way to meet and get to know others after the visit.
Please note, we will only wait at the station for 10 minutes after the advertised meeting time so please be early or on time.
Look out for the red & blue 'London Cultureseekers' group sign outside the station.
Hope to see you there!
Robert
07905 901 834 (text only)On the day, if you can’t make the visit, just change your RSVP to No or text me to say you can’t make it. Please don’t post any messages in the comments that you can’t make it, as this generates spam for everyone else.
Please make sure you are aware of the group rules here before RSVPing - https://www.meetup.com/london_cultureseekers/photos/22974682/523578875/Group_Rules/
- Cultureseekers Monthly Meal - Wahaca Covent Garden, 66 Chandos PlaceWahaca Covent Garden, London
Come along on Saturday 19th October at 6:00pm for a meal!
About the meal
Once a month in the evenings after the guided walks, we will be having a meal in a local restaurant in the area the walk was in.It's a chance to chat and get to know people in the group in a quiet relaxed setting in an area of London you may or may not know. Each month's restaurant will be in a different part of London and a different type of cuisine.
The meals are open to all, whether you came on the walk or not.
Please note: all restaurants have a service charge, normally 10% or 12.5%. You will need to factor this in when paying for your meal.
The food is Mexican cuisine. You can view the menu here: https://www.wahaca.co.uk/mexican-menu-full/?y_source=1_MTkxNDIwMzQtNzE1LWxvY2F0aW9uLm1lbnVfdXJs
Lookout for the 'London Cultureseekers' group signs on the tables when you get to the restaurant.
Hope to see you there!
Robert
07905 901 834 (prefer text)On the day, if you can’t make the visit, just change your RSVP to No or text me to say you can’t make it.
Please don’t post any messages in the comments that you can’t make it, as this generates spam for everyone else.Please make sure you are aware of the group rules here before RSVPing - https://www.meetup.com/london_cultureseekers/photos/22974682/523578875/Group_Rules/
- Thames Foreshore Visit - Greenwich!Cutty Sark DLR (outside the station), London£6.00
Running through the heart of London; the River Thames has played a central role in the history of the city, and when the tide is low, the capital’s longest archaeological site is revealed.
Come along on Sunday 20th October to explore its history!
About the foreshore
I will be your guide as we will be going down to the Thames foreshore at low tide, where we will have about 1h 30mins to have a look around for objects before the tide comes in.I will tell you more about foreshore, the industry in the area and will be on hand to identify and date objects you find. Most objects you can spot sitting on the foreshore after being washed in on the tide (we are not allowed to dig or scrape the foreshore surface).
You will find everything from bits of pottery, clay pipes, bottles, animal bones to ship items. Most of the things we find are from the Medieval to the Victorian period or you might be lucky and find something Roman or older.
The foreshore is very stoney and sometimes muddy, so please wear sensible shoes (preferably walking boots/shoes or wellington boots). Plastic gloves and bags will be provided.
Payment
Full Members of the group will be free, everyone else the cost is £6 per person (payable by cash or PayPal).To become a Full Member (£14 a year), either go to PayPal and send a payment to general@cultureseekers.org, send via Bank Transfer (email me for details) or pay cash on the day.
We will be finished by about 11:30am.
Afterwards
After we will head to the 'The Gate Clock' (a Wetherspoons pub), 210 Creek Road, next to Cutty Sark DLR station for a chat over a drink.If you can make it, please come to the pub afterwards, as its a great way to meet and get to know others after the visit.
Please note, we only wait at the meeting point for 10 minutes after the advertised meeting time, so please be on time or early.
If you can't see us at the station, please text.
Look out for the red & blue 'London Cultureseekers' group sign.
Hope to see you there!
Robert
07905 901 834 (prefer text)On the day, if you can’t make the visit, just change your RSVP to No or text me to say you can’t make it.
Please don’t post any messages in the comments that you can’t make it, as this generates spam for everyone else.Please make sure you are aware of the group rules here before RSVPing - https://www.meetup.com/london_cultureseekers/photos/22974682/523578875/Group_Rules/
- [ONLINE] Cultureseekers Midweek Coffee EveningLink visible for attendees
On Wednesday 23rd October at 6:30pm, we will be having an online Midweek Coffee Evening!
It's a chance to keep in touch and chat with others in the group.
So nearer the time, pour yourself a coffee (or tea) and click on the link after you RSVP.
Hope to see you there!
Robert
07905 901 834 (prefer text)Please make sure you are aware of the group rules here before RSVPing - https://www.meetup.com/london_cultureseekers/photos/22974682/523578875/Group_Rules/
- Day trip by coach - historic Salisbury! (NOW FULL)Coach bays on Tothill Street (nearest tube: St James's Park), London£31.00
THE TRIP IS NOW FULL, IF YOU WISH TO ATTEND, ADD YOURSELF TO THE WAITING LIST AND I WILL CONTACT YOU IF A PLACE BECOMES AVAILABLE.
Come along on Saturday 26th October for a day trip to the historic city of Salisbury!
About the day
Salisbury in Wiltshire was established in 1220, although there has been a settlement here since Neolithic times. It sits on the River Avon and is known as the 'city in the countryside' as its surrounded by a landscape so quintessentially English it’s almost too good to be true.With timbered buildings, an Early English Gothic Cathedral home to the famous Magna Carta, a thriving market and some of England’s finest historic houses there are many things to be explored.
The cathedral which stands a breathtaking 123 metres (404 feet) into the sky, it is visible from every direction, dominating the landscape for many miles around. It is unique amongst medieval English cathedrals, built within one century with no substantial later additions. It is argueably the finest example of the Early English Gothic style of architecture in Britain.
Aprox itinerary
11:30am - arrive at Salisbury
11:45am - split into 2 groups to have a guided walk of the city with local guides
1:15pm - stop for lunch - bring your own food or visit a café or pub in the city
2:30pm - guided tour of the cathedral
3:45pm - look around the Salisbury Museum
4:30pm - freetime
5:30pm - meet back at the coach and return to LondonCoach seating
- If you wish to reserve a seat on the coach in advance, after you pay please look at the seating plan in the photos here and then email me (general@cultureseekers.org) with the seat number/s you wish to reserve. Its first come first served.
- The seat you sit on when you board the coach is yours for the day. If you wish to change seats on the coach during the day, you will need to get permission from the individual who is seated there.
Cost
Cost is £25 per person for Full Members and £31 per person for everyone else.Tour & Cathedral Cost
The guided tour of the town, entry/tour of the cathedral in total is £16 for Full Members and £18 per person for everyone else (payable on the day by cash or PayPal).This is optional, you can either do just the guided tour, just the cathedral tour or neither and do your own thing.
After you RSVP:
- you will need to make payment (its not automatic), so either send a direct PayPal payment to: general@cultureseekers.org or if you email me via Meetup here and I will send you my bank details to make a bank transfer payment.You have 3 days to make a payment, if no payment is received within 3 days, your place will be offered to the first person on the waiting list.
Once you RSVP and then pay, I will confirm your place.
To become a Full Member (£14 a year), either go to PayPal and send a payment to general@cultureseekers.org, send via Bank Transfer (email me for details) or pay cash on the day.
Food & drink
Its up to you whether you wish to bring your own food and drink or purchase items whilst we are there.If you can't see us on Tothill Street, please text.
Please note, we only wait for 10 minutes after the advertised meeting time, so please be early or on time. The coach has to leave at a specific time.
Look out for the red and blue 'London Cultureseekers' group sign.
Hope to see you there!
Robert
07905 901 834 (prefer text)On the day, if you can’t make the visit, just change your RSVP to No or text me to say you can’t make it.
Please don’t post any messages in the comments that you can’t make it, as this generates spam for everyone else.Please make sure you are aware of the group rules here before RSVPing - https://www.meetup.com/london_cultureseekers/photos/22974682/523578875/Group_Rules/
- Visit the Ragged School Museum!Mile End Tube Station (outside the station), London
Come along on Sunday 27th October to visit the Ragged School Museum!
About the museum
Dr Barnado's Copperfield Road Ragged School opened in 1877 to serve the children of Mile End with a basic education and was the largest of its kind at the time.The building was saved from demolition in the 1980s by local residents and a trust was set up to manage the property in 1990. The museum opened in the premises in the same year. The museum seeks to record the establishment in 1844 of the London Ragged School Union and to recreate the experience of how Victorian children would have been taught.
The museum features a reconstructed Victorian classroom and when we arrive, we will be having a 'Victorian school lesson' from our teacher 'Miss Perkins', so you can experience what it would have been like. The classroom is equipped with authentic and well-used school desks, slate writing boards and chalks, blackboards, easels and even dunce hats (exactly how it would have been in Victorian times).
Afterwards, we will look around the museum, where the galleries tell the social history of the East End of London in Victorian times.
The visit should last about 1h 30mins/2 hours. After the lesson which we will have when we arrive, the museum will be self guiding.
Cost
Entry to the museum & the Victorian classroom lesson is £10 for Full Members & £12 for everyone else (payable on the day by cash or PayPal).To become a Full Member (£14 a year), either go to PayPal and send a payment to general@cultureseekers.org, send via Bank Transfer (email me for details) or pay cash on the day.
Afterwards
After we will head to the museum cafe.If you can make it, please come to the cafe afterwards, as it’s a great way to meet and get to know others after the visit.
Please note, we only wait outside the station for 10 minutes after the advertised meeting time, so please be early or on time.
If you can't see us outside the station, please text.
Look out for the red and blue 'London Cultureseekers' group sign.
Hope to see you there!
Robert
07905 901 834 (prefer text)On the day, if you can’t make the trip, just change your RSVP to No or text me to say you can’t make it.
Please don’t post any messages in the comments that you can’t make it, as this generates spam for everyone else.Please make sure you are aware of the group rules here before RSVPing - https://www.meetup.com/london_cultureseekers/photos/22974682/523578875/Group_Rules/