Moving the entire Crystal Palace from Hyde Park nine hilly miles to that vale in Sydenham after the Great Exhibition closed in 1851 was an audacious piece of Victorian chutzpah, but it was by no means unique in that age of civil engineering audaciousness now long passed from the Western psyche. Think first about how… Continue reading We walked on the moon. You be polite…
Tag: Crystal Palace
Do not cross the Amazons
The hit theatrical act in Europe during 1892 and 1893 was the “famous Amazon Warriors of Dahomey”. These were ladies that you did not want to mess with. Part of the 6,000 or so strong female contingent of Dahomey’s (now Benin’s) army, on and off engaged in fighting the French Foreign Legion. The Legion often… Continue reading Do not cross the Amazons
Really pining for the fjords
If you had visited the magnificent Crystal Palace in the summer of 1887 the attractions awaiting you were many and varied. There were cycle races pitting men against racehorses, balloon ascents pitting man against the birds and a Japanese acrobat known as the Original Little All-Right and his act known as the Slide For Life.… Continue reading Really pining for the fjords
If you build it, they won’t necessarily come
Almost everyone has heard of the Crystal Palace. The better informed would tell you that it was the inspiration of Victoria’s German husband, Prince Albert, as a place designed to hold the Great Exhibition of 1851. They would maybe add that it was later moved to Sydenham in south east London to a site on… Continue reading If you build it, they won’t necessarily come