Comments on: Swan Upping With The Vintners’ Company

By: Jacqueline Sarsby

Jacqueline Sarsby — Mon, 27 Jul 2015 16:50:24 +0000

If you care about swans I would recommend going to Slimbridge or another of our Wetland Centres where you can watch the wild, Siberian Bewick swans flying in to be fed and to roost on a safe, fox-proof lake every evening throughout the winter, once the weather is cold enough to bring them all the way from Russia. They are breathtakingly beautiful. The Centres are doing research to try to discover why their numbers are dwindling and this research seems to me more valuable than celebrating the ownership and historic eating of wild birds, but the fact that they ring them at the Swan Upping is of course a step in the right direction.

By: Dianna Vitanza

Dianna Vitanza — Mon, 27 Jul 2015 14:30:46 +0000

As a new American subscriber, let me say that I love receiving Spitalsfield Life. Postings like this interesting and inspiring one on Swan Upping on the Thames give those of us who are more removed from British history and culture a wonderful glimpse of traditional practices that we would not be aware of otherwise. Thank you.

By: Annie

Annie — Mon, 27 Jul 2015 14:29:32 +0000

This was fascinating. On the whole, glad that the wearing of odd headwear has ceased.

By: Pauline Taylor

Pauline Taylor — Mon, 27 Jul 2015 11:06:22 +0000

Another lovely English tradition. I agree with comments re those who shoot these beautiful birds, in my opinion they should be hung, drawn and quartered!!

By: Caroline Murray

Caroline Murray — Mon, 27 Jul 2015 10:00:33 +0000

Wonderful to read that this ancient tradition is in such good hands! There’s a recipe for swan cooked with a sauce of its own blood and breadcrumbs in ‘The Forme of Cury, a cookery book from the court of Richard II. http://bit.ly/1BJbZ4a

By: Cindy Eve

Cindy Eve — Mon, 27 Jul 2015 09:55:17 +0000

Wonderful story. Just tragic that the number of cygnets is so drastically reduced. How I wish the perpetrators of the crime could be brought to book. It’s shocking that people can be so destructive.
I enjoyed your day out….I’ve added this event to my 2016 calendar 😉 something I”ve wanted to see for years.
any reason why they changed the style of shirts…I thought the striped tops quite spiffy

By: Joan Bailey

Joan Bailey — Mon, 27 Jul 2015 08:20:03 +0000

What a fantastic trip: history, conservation and the river rolled into one.

By: Phaedra Casey

Phaedra Casey — Mon, 27 Jul 2015 08:08:37 +0000

Lovely article, lovely photos. This is my neck of the woods these days, although I am generally to be found running alongside the river, rather than boating on it.

By: Robert Green

Robert Green — Mon, 27 Jul 2015 00:31:04 +0000

The SADISTIC VERMIN responsible for using Air Rifles to inflict injury upon these beautiful birds have no idea how lucky they are that I am NOT responsible for administering what I would consider to be SUITABLE PUNISHMENT for their DISGUSTING and PERVERTED actions.