Scotland and a Greater England?

South of the Bridge

Another week at Harlaxton (no pix, hey we are busy) and another weekend (last weekend) in London.

A coffee in a little shop next to the Exchange (here, looking across to the Bank), and then off to Guildhall.

Huge plug for their online Collage image database, but at least one 19th-century plan of Bedford House ca. 1690 and its gardens bordering on Covent Garden was not yet in the database, so they kindly allowed me to take some photographs (unsure of copyright on putting that online, so will not for the time being).

Another day at the British Library and then across London Bridge by night. (This image reflects an attempt to be arty.)

Monument from across the river (flame lit at the top). [The Monument can be seen on the Shaftesbury Medal of 1681 and the broadside Erra Pater’s Prophecy or Frost Faire 1684/3 for the historians in the audience.]

Finally, some modern meets post-modern interior for my interior designer daughter (actually there was nothing post-modern about the very real glass that I crashed into trying to take this picture a little too close at first).

And Dagni looking remarkably good-natured considering that her full bout of flu would settle in about 30 minutes later in the midst of London Bridge Market. And so, back to Harlaxton on the evening train.

North of Bank, West of Liverpool Street

Walking north from Gracechurch Street (little plug for ClubQuarters Hotel).


Went through the center of London, and happened upon some pretty interesting buildings.


This is something called the Arena with skating.



Bloomsberg Space.

Whitecross Place?

Newton and Newton

Grantham is the home of Newton. Permanently and temporarily.

panthers & lions & snow

The continuing saga of the Eastern Illinois pennant. When I first arrived here in the Summer of 2006, all the partner colleges were represented by a pennant hanging at reception except EIU. So I asked my daughter who was arriving a week or so later to purchase and bring one. I didn't know, however, that there were different size pennants, and the one she brought was a bit, well, small. (My department sent over one in 2007, but it was, alas, a square wall hanging, not a pennant.) Fast forward to 2009 where, this week, graduate student Erin Crawley brought one (purchased by EIU MA Mike Swinford, hi Mike!) over braving snow and all. I picked it up in London.


And on Thursday, in the middle of a snowstorm, I met with EIU English prof, Dagni Bredesen, and EIU students @ Harlaxton Ashley Nolan, Dagmara Sokol, and Erin Wise, in order to display the Panther's pennant.


For the benefit of the History Department, here is Newton Key and history student Erin Wise in front of a rather chilled Harlaxton lion.


Except that Britain has snow like this only once every twenty years and thus has no snow removal equipment to speak of, it was all rather beautiful.

eastern illinois @ london town

On Tuesday, Eastern Illinois University student, Erin Crawley, flew into a snow-bound Heathrow airport to fine-tune her research for her MA thesis in History. On Wednesday, I travelled down from Harlaxton College, where I am teaching this semester, in order to introduce Ms. Crawley to the Institute of Historical Research, the Center for Metropolitan History, and the British Library. As Ms. Crawley's research project is on the London Irish ca. 1800, we also made a quick circuit of Irish environs in the late Hanoverian metropolis: from Seven Dials near Covent Garden, to Fleet Street/Holborn/Clerkenwell (latter just in passing), to Wapping in the East End. Walking from Covent Garden to Fleet Street took us through Lincoln's Inn Field.


Here is the Great Hall of Lincoln's Inn itself, looking quite old, but mid-19th century. (We did walk through the 16th century Gate House, however).

And, for Postman Pat afficianados, Erin pointed to the Royal Mail van in Lincoln's Inn.


In a niche off of Fleet Street ISt. Dunstan's), is this Elizabeth (is there another statue of the Queen?), which was removed from Ludgate, when that was demolished in 1760. Forgotten in a basement for almost a century it stands regally, if a bit out-of-the-way, today.
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Wapping is, of course, the beginning of the East End docklands. Much of it is relatively tranquil as is this Bluecoat School, founded in 1690, but refounded in 1760, from which date, I assume these statues on its entrance date.

On our way back West, a quick stop to view the Tower of London from afar (and snap a pic of myself).

Finally, back to the British Library, where Erin offered a shoutout to the EIU History Department and Graduate School, before re-entering the books and manuscripts ca. 1800.

harlaxton rediviva

It is now a year and a half later, and..., it is back to Harlaxton! Well it is a slightly different temperature in January/February 2009 than June 2007. I am teaching the regular Spring semester here until April 2009 (although no hint of Spring at present). Dagni and I and three intrepid students are representing Eastern Illinois University. Dagni is teaching English lit courses, while I am teaching British and Irish history courses for students from EIU, Western Kentucky U, Baker, William Jewel, Texas Women's U, Marion, Evansville, and beyond.

We have already spent a long weekend researching in London (staying off Gracechurch street in the City, but visiting the East and West End when not in the BL).