Monthly Archives: February 2012
John Evelyn
Born on October 31st, 1620 at Wotton in Surrey, the British writer John Evelyn died at Wotton on February 27th, 1706. A country gentleman from a wealthy landowning family, he wrote some thirty books on the fine arts, forestry, and … Continue reading
A George II Irish Elm Dressing Table – Part One
I’ve been unable to locate the original photographs I took of this dressing table, but the restoration worksheet dated ‘February/March, 1988’ assigns the piece to a ‘Mrs. […], Kilbride, Co. Wicklow (ex Powerscourt).‘ The table had been purchased by the … Continue reading
Samuel Pepys
The English diarist Samuel Pepys was born in London on February 23rd, 1633. Born into a humble family, Pepys was appointed about 1659 as a clerk in the office of the Exchequer, where on January 1st 1660, he began the … Continue reading
Back Spring Locks
Lock-making was a well established cottage industry[1] in the original South Staffordshire area of the British Midlands by the middle of the seventeenth-century. Its success was largely due to the local abundance of iron ore, and charcoal from Cannock Forest … Continue reading
Baize and Bay(e)s
… or latterly… “Never mind the quality, feel the width!” Introduced into England by Dutch Huguenot immigrants in the third quarter of the sixteenth-century, baize is a loosely woven woollen cloth, not to be confused with felt – a randomly … Continue reading
Queen Anne
Anne was born on February 6th, 1665 to Anne Hyde and James II. Although James was a nonconformist, Anne was baptised an Anglican. Anne’s older sister, Mary, also a Protestant, married William II and jointly succeeded Anne’s and Mary’s father to … Continue reading
An invitation to Britain
Dame Judi Dench invites you to Britain in a short video. Jack Plane
Oratory and Sponge Cake
I have tentatively been invited to give a talk to an unsuspecting group of provincial woodworkers, which, if it does come to fruition, promises, for me at least, to be an enjoyable event. It’s been about twenty-five years since I … Continue reading
Pegs and 'Tails 