Candid Camera 4: Ooh yeah

Hello! Sorry for not posting for MOTHS (or months for that matter) but I've been busy, *insert excuse of your choice here* and things. Yeah. Well, thanks to the most FANTABILOSA comment by Whyte Fairy (I am forever in your debt for this...) I have been prompted to uproot all my previously unseen photos of QV to share with the Nation. So here it be.



First up simply HAS to be the photo that prompted this post. Is this QV? Surely it is and (if you're reading this in an American accent) don't call me Shirley. I don't think it's 1840, as the caption says, as PA was the first royal to be photographed and that wasn't until 1842. However, I read in a book once (great at sourcing aren't I?!) that after PA got home and told Victoria all about his photography exploits, that she had some comissioned herself and they were helpfully left OUT of that particular publication. However, these could be those missing photos? Either way, THANK YOU to Whyte Fairy for making my Tuesday a really great one. Oh, and two words: Albert and shoulders. *Historical eekk noise* On to another photo I didn't know existed.




Yes, this is another version of the more famous 'Vicky Engagement' photo, taken in 1855. I stumbled across this quite by accident and it made me very, very excited. L to R: Fritz (Prince Frederick of Prussia really), Vicky, Affie, Alice, Louise, QV, Helena, Albert and Bertie. I think that's right - if not, attack me with spears and aghast words of sheer revulsion. Along we go then, to something WONDERFUL.



Before I saw this, I thought that the only photos of QV smiling were from the 1880s or later, but NO it seems. This must be in the mid-1850s and made me jump up and down with euphoria. Sorry for all the hyperbole, but these photos made me soooo happy that I had to share them with you. But still, look, it's QV, smiling, when she's still quite young in a fab stripey dress with rings and a nice bracelet. Just woweeeeee. Ok, cuteness time, with more smiling (therefore just disproving my post-1880s only theory - but that's a good thing.)



Well she's not grinning like in the previous one, but it's still a very sweet picture. There were lots of photos from this sitting taken and I've already posted one or two, but this one's a rather nice one, don't you think? Nice carpet too, but I don't think much to the evilly lurking bowling ball in the corner. Oh, and I've just noticed - shiny hair. I wonder what she used? Oh, pomade apparently (I've just got a book by one of QV's dressers and it told me that they used to brush pomade through her hair to make it shiny.) Now I just need to find out what pomade IS and acquire some...hm... Ah well, while I do that, we'll have to leave the Albertian-Victorian era unfortunately, but at least there are still some unknownish photos left to come.



Yes, QV in mourning with a dog. That's new... No, but this photo (and this dog for that matter) are new (to me at least) so hooray. I suppose this is about 1865-1868ish and that's an interesting bowl of flowers on the table. And the TABLE - look at the legs on that thing! Blimey - I wouldn't want to stub my toe on THAT. Yes, well, that dog could perhaps be the famous Dachshund, Dacko, who was QV's pet until about 1865. In that case, if this is Dacko (which it could be - he looks quite elderly) then it might be 1865, which would fit in with QV's age and dress. Well, I'll leave it up to you. Orf we go again.



So this is at Windsor in 1867. Yay. Well, extremely grand times methinks - not the usual QV 1860s garb. I think it must be the State Opening of Parliament or something similar to warrant such a costume, though the effect most certainly is splendid is it not? The carpets must be that bright EVERYWHERE, as they seem to feature in almost every photograph, no matter what the subject or the year. I hadn't seen this one before, and nor had I seen the following one, which is rather nice too.



Another new one for me, as I've said. I'd put this one at around 1870-something. And yet again, we have a pleasant, if not overly smily, expression. I wonder what she's reading? Probably not 'Orlando' by Virginia Woolf, which I'm reading at the moment. It's very, VERY strange. Well, we could say DEFINITELY not as a) it wasn't published then and b) I doubt she'd be smiling much if she was reading Virginia Woolf... That is a very nice shawl/jackety thing isn't it? Not to mention the tasseled table top. Ooh, alliteration. Well, let's leave whatever time this is and jump forward to our final photo (and one that made me smile.)




I'm going to take the liberty of adding a thought bubble to this. "So that's that over with then..." Now, 'that' was the wedding of QV's grandchildren (yes, yes, I know, but they were ROYALTY, so that sort of thing was allowed back then) Ernie and Ducky (who were both exceptionally groovy) in Coburg in 1894. Actually, it could have been Darmstadt...hang on...no, no - I was right, it WAS Coburg. Anyway, so many royalties descended upon Coburg that QV called them a "royal mob", which (when you see the big photo, which I'll put below) is pretty apt. I just call all these photos 'The Coburg Mob' and there are several of them with lots of people and then a few smaller groups. This one is, of course, QV and Bertie, who seem to be watching the others leave the now very trampled rug and inexplicable bear with quite a lot of relief. Either that or they're looking at another camera. Or a triffid. Either way, it made me smile. Now here's the big'un I mentioned.



Ok, so I couldn't find the one taken at a normal angle, but this is one of the photos I was telling you about. I'll name everyone I can (it's my life's ambition to be able to name EVERYONE from memory, but that ain't happened yet) so here goes. Top row L to R: A Battenburg brother, ??, ??, Missy of Romania (partially hidden), Ella of Hesse and Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh. Next row: Another Battenburg, Nando of Romania, GD Serge (in a bowler hat - a) why?!! and b) well done!) and a man with amazing facial hair who might be Count Mensdorff. Next row L to R (starting with the boy) Young Affie, Bertie (mainly hidden), Beatrice, Sandra, someone, Arthur, Duke of Connaught. Next row L to R: Nicky, Alicky, Victoria Battenburg?, Irene, Marie of Battenburg, Marie of Edinburgh. Sitting down L to R: Willy the Kaiser, QV, Vicky and the two girls are Baby Bea of Edinburgh and Feodora of Saxe-Meiningen - QV's first great-grandchild. Phew. Well, that's all for now folks, but I hope you enjoyed that and if you know any more of the people in that photo, please let me know.)

Toodle-oo world... : )

Louise of Fife's Wedding

Tralalalaaa!! I'm back, hurrah. Now, just a very brief post today. Whyte Fairy was looking for a front view of Louise of Fife's wedding dress, so I've discovered two less helpful than I thought piccies.

Yay, it's EVERYONE. Well, I say everyone, I mean the bride, groom and bridesmaids... Well, L to R standing: Toria, MacDuff, Louise, Mary, someone, someone else. Seated L to R: Maud, Marie Louise, ?? and Thora. Yay. Sorry the flowers obscure most of her dress, but there's a view of the bottom of it coming up. Louise looks so happy here. :)



Wow. Thanks for that Victorian Era. I've never actually seen another wedding photo quite like this one before. I have to say that it did make me chuckle a bit. That definitely is Louise by the way, but doesn't it look a bit like Bertie's left hand is a false one? Either that or he's practicing his robot dancing for the reception after the wedding. He's also brought his favourite armchair with him too.

Well, that's it for now, sorry it's so short, but I needed to do something to show that I'm still here, collecting these phoooootos. Anyhoo, tara for now.
:)

Uncandid Camera Part 3 - Special Edition

Now, you may be wondering why this is a "special edition" of Uncandid Camera. Well it's because my chum from across the pond, Whyte Fairy, has just had a birthday and what better excuse for putting all these wonderful photos of QV and Albert's children onto this little blog of destiny? Well I can't think of one, so here we are. 1854. Go for it.




Altogether now: awwwwwwwwww. Yes, well this is Helena and Louise in 1854, well wrapped-up by the looks of things and they would be if it was from the Anniversary sequence, as V&A (yay!) were married on the 10th February, which really isn't the weather for summer dresses. Anyway, this is an extremely sweet photo, but I do wonder what on earth that fluffy thing in the top left hand corner is. A hat? A cat? A bat? I don't know, but I do know that I like the random plinth, which I sincerely hope is on wheels. Anyway, onto another pose with these two.



In fancy dress. :) Helena is apparently dressed as Clermont and Louise is Louison. Didn't help me understand, but if you know what they were going on about, please let me know. I have to say that I do rather like Louise's fingerless gloves, not to mention the somewhat amazing ringlets. As for Helena, if you ignore the grumpy expression that she's dressed as a boy, I want that stick/curtain pole and that is one groovy wig. This is 1854 too by the way, as is the following pic.



Another sisterly pairing, this time of Vicky and Alice in their riding garb. I must say that I do rather like Vicky's hat with the veil and her fabulous gloves, but she certainly looks the dominant sister here. I do like these two and it's a pity that they had such sad lives in the end. Again, staying in 1854, we'll move on to one with a boy in (quelle horreur!)



Nice photo, eh? Well this is Vicky and Arthur in the "Four Seasons Tableau" that the children put on to celebrate their parents' wedding anniversary. Sweet, non? Well Vicky was Summer, from what I can recall and I really like her sandals. There's a little story about Arthur and the Tableau actually: when he came onstage QV was so horrified at his short tunic that she made him go off and put something else on, despite being reassured that he was wearing "flesh coloured decencies". According to a Lady (possibly Lyttleton...) he came back in exactly the same thing, but with a pair of socks on that barely covered his ankles. He looks like he's clutching a bottle of beer in this one, but I think it's a goblet. Anyway, off to 1859.



Arthur and Leo! Yay! Now we've all seen the photos of V&A (yay!) at Osborne in 1859, but I had no idea that the children were photographed as well and there's a little trio of pics I'd like to share, this being the first. Say what you will about V&A (yay!) but you have to admit that that had a terrific taste in socks. Notice that the shrubbery from ages ago is still trying to butt in, but the chair is happily repelling it. Let's carry on in this series, shall we?



And now Beatrice can finally join in the photography madness, hoorah!! Here she is in 1859 with her brother Affie, who seems to be examining the contents of her ear, but no matter. I love that chair, sorry, but I really do. Oh yes, and am I the only one who thinks that Beatrice is wearing high heels? I can't think of any other explanation for it, but V&A (yay!) really don't seem the type to put high heels on a two year old. With that thought in mind, let's carry on to the last one.



A lone one of Alice this time wearing an absolutely LOVELY shawl, not to mention dress and hat. This looks suspiciously like the bit of Osborne where the mass family photos were taken with baby Beatrice in 1857 - I recognise the statue and that plant pot think built into the wall. I like this photo, as Alice is wearing exactly the same expression that I use when someone tries to take a photo of me when I'm in the middle of reading a book (e.g- "What?! Leave me alone, I'm READING!!") Let's pop forward a year to 1860 now.



Now here we have a merry gathering at Buck Pal in 1860 to welcome Affie home from the Navy. From left to right we have: Louise, Helena (crouching down), Beatrice, Affie, Alice and QV herself (I spent a while thinking - who's that on the end? Is it Vicky? Naah, she's in Berlin. Alice? No...er...oh my goodness, she's not a child. Whoops...) I think this must be in the winter, as everyone looks pretty wrapped up -ooh, quick diversion: j'adore the Queen's dress don't you? That ENORMOUS stripe of destiny, not to mention the coat. Anyway, let's get on w'it.



Everybody cheer: it's Bertie. Yaaaaay!! In a room with really high walls...ah well, this is Bertie and his terrier of indeterminable breed, which looks as fed up as I'd be if someone was tugging at my ears. I like this photo (I may as well just copy and paste that statement from now on) especially the top hat, cane, chair and that old faithful: the random plinth. I think he looks a lot like his son, George (pre-beard) in this photo. Anyway, let's return to his mother shall we? Ooooh, this is about 1864 by the way. :)



I know it's not a photo of children, but I'd never seen it before and wanted to share (because I'm nice like that.) I reckon this is about 1865 or 6, but I'm not really sure. She does look a lot younger than most photos in the mid-60s, but the fact that she's wearing less-intense mourning than the early 60s makes it a wee bit tricky. This could (and I repeat, COULD) be a photo just before her opening of parliament in 1866, but again, I dunno m'lud. Still, it's a nice picture ain't it guv? Anyway, on to actual children.



Well here we be in 1867 and with a coach. Hm, interesting, as you can actually see people's faces, unlike in most carriage shots. Left to Right: Louise, Beatrice, QV, random coachman and quite possibly THE John Brown *gasp*. Yeah, well, by this time, all the other girls had married (Vicky to Fritz; Alice to Louis, who always ends up looking so evil in photos; and Helena to Christian, who was just fabe. End of, sorry) so there's only Louise, Arthur, Leo and Beatrice left (I say "only", but you know what I mean.) Well I can't really think about anything else to say except the hats. I don't think 1867 was a great year for headgear, that's all I'm saying.



Zooooooom and we're suddenly in 1889 for Princess Louise of Wales' wedding to the Duke of Fife (or "Macduff" as he was known.) I've just started reading about these two and I quite like them. I think I'll have to do a grandchildren post one day. Anyway, this photo, er... L to R: Alix of Wales, Louis of Hesse, the Munshi (probably), Beatrice, Liko, Bertie. Seated next to Alix is QV and the girls standing in front of her are Toria and Maud of Wales. I'm pretty sure as well that the fuzzy lady behind Louis is Louise of Connaught, but it's a bit hard to tell.

Well that sums up this post, but I'll be back (eventually) with more, so have a nice day, wherever you are, and mind that albatross...no...that one...oh well, it should heal in time...bye then. :)

Uncandid Camera Part 2 (or wherever we got up to)

Greetings all!! Once again, sorry for the slowness of updating - I've been a bit distracted by other royals to concentrate on Queen Victoria, but now that's all changed and I'm back with some more photos I'd never seen before. Right then, without further ado, let's go to our favourite year, 1854.



So here they all are (minus Beatrice, of course) outside Buckingham Palace in 1854. Left to Right: Helena, Alice, Affie, Vicky, Arthur, Albert, Victoria, Bertie and Louise. I might've got Helena and Louise muddled up, so please forgive me. Oh yes, and there's a 10-1 chance that the random pram contains Leopold. Anyhoo, nice grouping don't you think, though Albert does of course look about 80 feet taller than everybody else, but again, that's normal. Well, here're some assorted zoomings in.



Well here we are, el-zoomed. Here (I think) we have Helen, Alice, Affie, Vicky and Arthur (in his dress...haha!) all looking somewhat mutinous (well I would be if I had to wear that little lot, with the exception of Affie's socks, which I would be incredibly happy to troll around in merrily.) Nice palm tree in the background too. Onward and downwards men (and women...)



Another zoom containing: Arthur, Albert, Victoria and Bertie - I accidently chopped Louise off...sorry... Anyway, we get to see the Queen's dress, which looks like it's been attacked by those crimping scissors I used to play with when I was little, just a REALLY big pair. Nice stripy embellishments though. Well I think that's just about exhausted that one, so on we go to some which I've already posted, but too small to see properly.



Ta daaa!! I posted this a while ago before I realised that I could zoom in and so this is the full length zoom, so we can see the LOVELY dress and somewhat unnervingly decorated chair. I do love this photo, but it does seem to be taken just before a display of lion taming using that chair. Hm. Ah well, here's an extra zoomy zoom of the same photo.



Other than the mild look of terror, I'd say that this is quite a pretty photo, wouldn't you? Very middle class as always, but nowt wrong with that say I. Anyway, let's pop over to 1857 just for a bit for something which interested me.



Yes, that IS a very scary carpet, but if you can drag your eyes away from it for just one second... yes, I know it's hard, but you can at least try. Good. Now, this was taken in 1857 at the Manchester Exhibition of Art Treasures, whatever that was. Well it probably was one of the Great Exhibiton "spin-offs" that happened all through the 1850s, naming no names of course *cough* Paris *cough*. Cue intense expressions. In all fairness, I bet they're listening to a really long, incredibly boring speech and are just trying to stay awake. From Left to Right we have: Epic chair, Victoria, Albert, blurred Vicky, Bertie, Affie. I don't know who the blurred individuals advancing upon them are, but Albert seems to be giving them SERIOUS evils don't you think? Interesting photo I thought. Anyway, on to 1860.



Well here we have a very zoomed in version of another photo I posted ages ago that was also a bit small. Note the little lines all over the photo that indicate it's been torn up and stuck back together again/folded. Anyway, that's one hell of a shawl isn't it? Lots of rhetorical question in this so far...hm...I must be turning into Cicero (let's hope not, eh?) Again, another look of horror. Hm. Perhaps it's the old story about advancing triffids again? I don't know. Ah well, let's end on a high with what I like to know as the "Swishy Photo". You'll see why if you scroll down.



Gubbins of gubbiness first: taken in 1889. That's it. Anyway, I like this photo, as she does look like she's having quite a good time swishing her dress (which I've just noticed looks like fur...hm...each to their own I s'pose...) If I lived back then, I'd be tempted to float about merrily in all those petticoats and swish and swoosh to my heart's content and if humble moi could do that, QV could, because she was the Queen and could do whatever she bloody well liked. Paraphrased from Blackadder there. :)

Well that's all for now, but be back soon with a special children's post, just for Whyte Fairy, my ever-faithful reader, as it was her birthday this week, so she deserves a birthday collection of photos. Ta ra for now. :)

Scribblings from an Unearthed Mole

How do. Anyway, I mentioned potential links to stories involving several folks from 'istory earlier in this blog, so here are the links, as well as pictures, blurbs, commentary and the usual nutterism that tends to lurk around these parts.

First up, we have my personal favourite: "O Tempora! O Mores!" which I'll now try to explain a bit about. Baaaaasically, I was researching Nicholas II and Alexandra for photo porpoises, when I went along my normal route of learning his family tree and that was when I realised that he had a brother, George, who had died in 1899 from TB. Hm, thunk I, so many young royals died young and unmarried, so why not make up George's story if he'd married before 1899? Here he is, by the way. He was in the Navy, hence the fake rock and the uniform



Well, as I'd been watching too much Lark Rise to Candleford at the time, I was a bit obsessed with Oxfordshire and rural accents, so I decided not only to tell the story from the perspective of someone other than George, but also to make his wife a blacksmith's daughter from Oxfordshire. Ta da, one Elspeth Gwendolyn Victoria Higgins. Now I know that it was basically IMPOSSIBLE for a Russian Grand Duke to marry a commoner (and an English one at that) but why not? It's my imagination anyway.

Well, that's the general scene set, but the title is Latin and Cicero (I'd expect nothing less...) and means: "Oh these times! Oh this conduct!" which sums up the story quite well, I think. Pretty much Elsie (as Elspeth is known) works at a library, goes to Windsor Castle, gets engaged to about a billion princes and then...well I'll leave you to read about that.

The vast amount of characters do get a wee bit confusing, so I'll pop a Dramatis Personae into the next post to help you all.

Now, the LINK: http://www.fictionpress.com/s/2815735/1/O-tempora_O_mores
(You'll have to copy and paste it into the long white box at the top of your screen, as links never work for me on computers.)
Enjoy.

Uncandid Camera Part I

Well I'm back with a vengance now and so it's time to get on with the blog. This little collection includes photos I have never, ever seen before (officer) so if they're new to you as well - cheer with me. : )



Ok, this photo was taken in 1854 by none other than the simply wonderful Roger Fenton, he of Crimean fame. Well I have actually seen this photo before, but never this clearly or the whole thing. Well, I know the Queen looks very grumpy (either that or hypnotised by Sir John Russel and a harpsichord) but it's quite a nice photo, despite the really creased sheet in the background (you'd have thought they'd be able to afford an iron, I mean honestly, O tempora, o mores* as Cicero would put it.) Yes, well, on to the actual never seen before ones.




Yes, now this one -eeeekkkk!!!!! I got so excited about this because not only had I never seen it before or even known of its existence, but also it's a companion to none other than the infamous White Top Hat Photo of earlier. Sorry it's so small, but I couldn't find a bigger version on tinternet, sozzles. Anyhoo, I think Victoria looks very young here, don't you? Mind you, as it's still 1854, she was only 35, but NO MATTER, my point still stands. Er...yes, well, I think I know what I'm talking about (hah!) so let's whizz forwards a bit to the next picccccy.



Yes, well this one's evidently from the set a couple of pictures ago, as that sheet's still not been ironed (even a Corby trouser press would do it... I live near Corby actually...oooh...) yes, well, this one's entitled: "Where's all the furniture gone?" as Albert does look rather scared (maybe the plants on the right are triffids and ate all the other furniture??) but I digress. This is 1854 AGAIN and also by Roger Fenton. I think the photographer may have taken this while running away from the triffids, which may explain the glare. Mind you, I thought that Albert looked a little less glarey in this photo than most of the others. Ach weeelll, on to one which made me chuckle.



I think he's just noticed the triffids. Not to mention the UNIRONED SHEET OF A DIFFERENT HUE!! That won't fool the professionals. Yes, well it's STILL 1854 (snore, bump, ouch) and Roger Fenton's still hanging around the place. A rather pointless comment is look at the ring. See it? Well done, have a Smartie. Well, in the truly amazing series Edward VII (Edward the King in America I think) Robert Hardy (who I always get muddled up with Thomas Hardy - yes, I am indeed a few sandwhiches short of a picnic basket, alas) plays Prince Albert and wears a ring just like that on his little finger. Yes, well, sorry to have wasted all your precious seconds of reading time, but it's something I thought the Nation should be aware of y'know. Yes, well, onwards mad dogs and Englishmen (and anyone else, provided it's not midday.)




Ok, I admit that I have seen this one before as well (I'm really not very good at this am I?) but I thought I'd put it up here, as some people have been led to believe that the lady on the far right is the Duchess of Kent. She's not. She is, in fact, Mary the Duchess of Gloucester and (at the time of this photo) the last living daughter (and possibly child) of George III. Well, from left to right, we have Bertie looking supremely bored; the Queen wearing a lampshade on her head; Alice doing her favourite pose with her hand on her chin (I've tried it myself...I just look like I'm trying to fix my head back on) and Mary, who looks just as bored as Bertie to be honest. On we go then.




Now I genuinely had never seen this photo before, except for once and that was in a newspaper, but it was stuck to a notice board with some woman standing in front of it, so I couldn't see it properly. It was about an exhibition of photographs, just like this one, which has started, but is IN ABERDEENN!!!! As that's about a million miles away from me, I was distraught that this photo was taunting me almost from behind the Woman, but then I stumbled across it on the Nation Portrait Gallery website and was joyful. I rather like this photo (ok, so I've never hated a photo yet, but you get my meaning) though she does look very, very scared about something (another clan of triffids perhaps?) and at least these curtains look in better shape than the sheets from earlier. It's not a particularly flattering photo (go to the aforementioned website to zoom in and you'll see what I mean) but that's one grooovy carpet. Oh yes, it's from 1860 by the way, as is the above one (I think - it could be 1859, but I'm not sure.) Yep, well, onto one that EVERYONE knows about.




So, here we are in about 1863 (I know John Brown didn't come south until 1864, but this looks suspiciously like bonnie porridge land to me) and I know it looks just like the one that everyone's seen before, but it's not. Observe (I love that word - it makes me feel so clever) the fact that Victoria's looking almost directly at the camera, whereas in the other one she's looking...somewhere else...yeah...I'm good at this. Well anyway, here it be and there it be and on we go.




Yes, it's one of the many, many, MANY photos taken of Victoria with Noble the collie (or this one could be Sharp actually...) but either way, it's a dog and about 1868. Ish. It could be a bit earlier come to think of it, but oh welldey well. Methinks le dog whose name I can't decide has spotted some more triffids and is about to Get Out Of There. Yes, well I'm pretty sure now that this dog is Sharp, as the next photo will show.




Yay! It's Noble the collie!! Yes, well, he was Queen Victoria's favourite collie and his fluffiness (ooh! It's a word!) does imply that the dog above isn't him, but Sharp, who looked very similar I think, but had a shorter coat. I thought I'd pop him in here, just because he's rather nice and even got his own inscription on his tombstone from the queen (when he died...obviously...) Yes, well, let's just go.




Getty Images says that this is from 1872, which is why the date of the one with Sharp is so late. I'm trying to work out whether that's the same dress in both pictures - I think it is, but the hem's changed a bit. Now I've got that bit out of the way, it's time to analyse. Yes, well there isn't really that much to say here, except that they've finally got round to ironing the curtains and er...it's inside? Yes, well I haven't got a vast amount to say off the top of my head, so let's toddle off to something a little less taxing on "Ma little grey cells."




"Gladstone slips on a real banana skin as his political enemies celebrate by performing the Can-can in mufti." That's the caption for this cartoon from Uncyclopedia, which is actually t'riffic if you have the time to take a gander, but it's still funny even if you don't. This is, of course, William Gladstone, our Prime Minister (or First Lord of the Treasury if you want to be really picky - technically the first 'Prime Minister' to be addressed thus was Stanley Baldwin in 1937, before that they were known as 'the First Lord of the Treasury' formally and Prime Minister was originally a name of insult) for simply AAAGES during the 19th century. So there you have it, all that pointless information crammed into one tiny head (and I do actually have a remarkably small head) now released upon the world.

So goodbye, take care and always carry a lightbulb. Adios, until the next time. : )


*"Oh these times! O this conduct!", In Catilinam I. Yay.

New Look Vikipedia - OOOOOooooooh!!

Yes, well, in case you hadn't already noticed, there's been a little revamp of this particular blog, inspired by Whyte Fairy's one, which was actually so fab that I had to find out where her background came from and...yes, well, I spent three hours yesterday selecting pictures to go along the edges and my cunning plot is to reach the bottom. Mwa ha haaaaa. Anyway, here's the link to the place where I got the header and a lot of the icons: http://http://blo64rt.blogspot.com (ok, I know it's not a link, but copy and paste it, as links and pasting them have some sort of vendetta against me - them and tarantulas, but that's something completely different...)

Go and look peoples, 'tis wunderbar. :)

Oh yes, and just as a taster of things to come, here's the promised photo of Queen Victoria in her specs:



Personally, I'd have gone for some Eric Morecambe style ones, but I don't suppose they were around back then...this is about 1899 I reckon, but I'm literally just using my insanely fast 5-second analysis, so if you know better, pray do tell and I'll correct it. Yes, well the dress post may have to go on hold for a while, as I've discovered a vast cache of UNSEEN photographs (well, unseen by me at least) that I'm desperate to share with the nation as a whole. Oh yes, and I'm off up Lunnun way tomorrow to go and see the exhibition at Buckingham Palace, hence the near delirious excitement in my voice...well, typing. :DDD

Have a nice day and I'll see you...oh er...this isn't an email is it? Ah well, HAVE A NICE LIFE PEOPLE READING THIS!! Please do. Anyhoo, I'm orf now to sort through me photos, so ta ta and I'll be back soon. :)