London Day 4

Mr Jervis Peeking out
the window

Starting the day relatively early we set off for the Dennis Severs house on Folgate Street. This home is not a museum, as many people think, but rather a "still life drama". Dennis Severs purchased a rundown old building in 1979 and spent the next two decades creating a time capsule. The story is that the home is occupied by a family of silk weavers named the Jervis. As you enter each room you have the sense that they have just left the room. Their half drunk cups of tea sit on the table and you can hear them off in the distance, but you never see the person just their presence. You are asked to tour the building in silence lest the atmosphere is disturbed.




The Jervis' Kitchen

Each room is filled with the things common during the mid 1700's to the early 1900's, the time period during which the fictitious family occupied the house. The rooms are dusty, chaotic and filled with the fallout of a typical day. Jane had visited here many years ago with Lizzie and her mom. To enter the building you must ring the doorbell. A man steps out and greets each visitor as a proper guest, along with a few suggestions on viewing the house. He also collects 5 pounds from each trespasser. Interestingly, it was the same man who had greeted Jane on her last visit. We visited each room of the house feeling as if we had stepped back in time.

"can't miss" these guys

After the Sever house we walked south towards Spitalfields Market. As it was a bank holiday in England the market was relatively quiet. Typically it is filled with interesting shops and a crafts market. There were about a dozen craft stands and most of the shops were open, but the general energy of the place was much diminished. At one end there was a band playing on a platform. Oddly, they were all wearing the bright yellow reflector jackets that the police, road workers and many bicyclist wear. We never did learn why they were all dressed this way playing in a band.

Spitalfields

Passing through Spitalfields we saw many of the homes once lived in by the silk weavers that populated this area. During the Victorian era, this area became a slum, as well as, one of the haunts of Jack the Ripper.

We walked on back to the Barbican to visit the Museum of London. After talking to Jane's cousin William about the museum, we learned that the World War 2 exhibit Jane remembers was most likely here. We approached the museum from the back entrance and passed the ruined London walls again. The Museum is free so we walked right in with no wait at all. The exhibits are very well done, include mixed media and are often interactive. Unlike the British Museum where things are awkwardly arranged and locked behind glass almost out of view, this museum puts everything front and center. The layout has visitors walking through a time line of Great Britain.

It begins with prehistoric Britain and ultimately ends in the current decade. Some of the most interesting exhibits are in the War, Plague, and Fire section. Here you see how dirty and brutal life was for Londoners. There is a fabulous exhibit showing the various clothing styles during decades, some of which looked extremely difficult to wear. There was also as a fun reproduction of a typical Victorian street complete with a pub and a hat shop. Finally, we reached the world war 2 exhibit. While not as extensive as Jane recalled, it was very interesting. Jane's Granny and Poppa met during World War 2 and lived through much of what we have only read about. Jane's Poppa has many fascinating war stories from his time spent in the RAF. Many involving near misses, chance encounters miles from home, and his experiences while being stationed in India.

Leaving the museum we realized it was now close to 4pm. We headed back to the flat, picked up our bags and said our goodbyes. A quick walk and we were back at the Russel Square station hopping back on the Piccadilly line towards Granny's.