Return to London; then Cambridge - late September/early October 2022 - UK 5

Dear Friends and Family,

We have mostly had great experiences with AirBnB. Our Lake District cottage AirBnB was particularly great and probably had better appliances than some of our own, but on our return to London, we had a real doozy of an AirBnB experience. The owner of our rental, which looked amazing and was in an ideal location, wrote us and said the elevator in his building broke and it would take at least a week to get the parts needed, so he had to cancel the rental. We had told him we were okay climbing up the stairs and that we had to get in shape for hiking in the French Alps, but he canceled anyway, stating that he had over 90 stairs to get to his place. We quickly found another AirBnB, which looked acceptable, but it was a complete disaster and we never got in. The owner wrote that there was a lockbox and told us where it was. Don found it open and with no key inside. We tried to get in touch with the owner, but he never answered us. Finally, we got in touch with AirBnB — not an easy feat — and they couldn’t reach him either. We ended up standing outside in the London cold for 2 hours altogether while AirBnB tried to give him a chance to respond. At least we got a refund and a small sort of nuisance payment and AirBnB helped find us another place which was comfortable, but a bit cramped and had about as much character and charm as a white sugar cube. But when you are close to being homeless, you don’t really feel that picky.

The next day we got up bright and early and went to The Design Museum. A friend of ours, Tim Marlowe, is the director. He wasn’t there — we hadn’t given him any notice — but we did enjoy the museum. They had a Peoples’ Choice design exhibit which was quite clever. 

 We crossed the Serpentine in Hyde Park. It’s hard to believe this is the middle of London. (Finally a picture).

The above are tapestries handwoven in South Africa, where Kentridge was born and raised. Exquisite detail.

 Collage

Again, I think paint, charcoal and collage. 

The Victoria and Albert Prints and Drawings study room again opened their doors to let us examine some of their amazing works. Note: You must make an appointment in advance and specify at least some of the pieces you would like to see. For Don, this was drawings, paintings and prints on early handmade paper. 

Red chalk drawing on handmade paper, Anonymous

A wonderful Buddhist sculpture which looks to me like an example of Gandharan or Greco-Buddhist art.

Next stop, Cambridge. Our train to Cambridge was very local, stopping at about a dozen little towns. 

First stop, the Cambridge University library. I thought these hitching posts, or what would you call them? Were very clever.

Our host, Colin Clarkson, was quite charming and showed us around their historic printing facilities. Don thought he looked like a Binns (Don’s mother’s maiden name). He doesn’t normally come to work in a kilt, but this was his last official day of work, although he is planning on volunteering for something like six months, and then moving back to Scotland.

A papermaking screen used by William Morris, or at least it was used to make his paper.

The Morris watermark.

We were amazed that the library allowed us to handle their rare, antique books.

The next morning we were treated to a visit to Penny Jenkins' house and studio. She is a paper conservator with a beautiful house, studio, and yard, and also has a collection of buttercup yellow shoes which she wears to good effect.

Another paper conservator and historian, Angela Campbell, brought us along to visit Kettle's Yard, which is a place not to be missed in Cambridge. On the way we passed some punters, enjoying this glorious weather. 

Except for the addition of fresh flowers, the house is kept as Jim Edes left it.

Kettle’s Yard was the house of a husband and wife (the Edes) with the most discerning eye and taste. They combined either three or four adjoining cottages (I’ve read different accounts) in Cambridge to make a house which is so unique, such an oasis of peace, balance, beauty, tranquility. 

Jim and Helen Ede lived in Kettle's Yard between 1957 and 1973. In the 1920s and 30s Jim had been a curator at the Tate Gallery in London. Thanks to his friendships with artists and other like-minded people, over the years he gathered a remarkable collection. Jim had served during WWI and suffered from what sounded like PTSD. This zen-like house was a haven for him, and now for us.

We tore ourselves away from Kettle’s Yard and rushed back to Madingley Hall to hear a few presentations, one by a Spanish papermaker, Miquel Gutierrez Poch, another whose family has been in papermaking for generations, this time outside of Barcelona; one by an Italian paper historian, Orietta Da Rold, who is a lecturer/researcher at Cambridge; Marc Smith, a professor at Cambridge; and a lively talk by Heather Wolfe, from the Folger Shakespeare Library in DC. Then it was dinner at Madingley Hall with Mark Cropper giving a great speech on the importance of paper. As you can imagine, everyone present was in absolute agreement with that concept and Mark was in great form.

There was a raffle fundraiser of mostly books. Magnolia donated a 3D-printed paper mould with a watermark screen commemorating this BAPH conference. The first ticket drawn went to a young hand papermaker, Kieran Berry, who ran up and claimed the paper mould. We were so pleased. Somebody who will actually use it. Kieran used to be a roof thatcher. He obviously appreciates vintage technologies. 

The next morning the lineup was Mike Stanyan, whose historic paper mill had recently been the target of young teenager arson and sadly burned down. Then Don spoke about his attempts to recreate Renaissance-style handmade paper and the drawings he and other artists have done on them; Angela Campbell, whose specialty is Durer and German papers; and last, Peter Bower, who is one of the leaders in the BAPH and a gifted speaker. And that was it. 

Don and Peter Bower

We stayed a night longer than most people, as we had to catch the Eurostar to Paris the next morning. We had a great time at the conference.

 That extra time gave us a chance to walk around the beautiful grounds at Madingley.

 

Out our window at dawn the next morning.


With love from Era and Don