Comments on: Rodney Archer’s Christmas

By: Caroline Bottomley

Caroline Bottomley — Sat, 26 Dec 2015 08:27:12 +0000

Ha! That’s a wicked & irreverent way to cover the Dennis Severs’ house 🙂

I went to the house with a friend after work in the mid/late 90s. She’d found an intriguing advert about the house in Time Out which didn’t explain anything really, but it did say ‘children not allowed’. Pre-children ourselves, we thought that was promise enough of an interesting evening.

Folgate Street was completely deserted, I waited for my friend in the quiet pub opposite the house. No-one else walked down the street, or visited the house. We double and triple checked we’d got the right address and tentatively knocked on the door. It swung open and a voice announced ‘enter’ and then asked us for a tenner. We duly handed over our cash, Dennis ushered us in and was suitably magical and stern. We had no idea what to expect.

Nearly 2 hours of silent wonder ensued. The most glorious and perfect, individual, weird and wonderful experience.
On the way out we were given leaflets which I remember were quite rude about Selfridges and Americans.

Bloody brilliant.

belated happy christmas xxx

By: Richard

Richard — Fri, 25 Dec 2015 23:01:41 +0000

Merry Christmas and thanks for all, this year.

By: Alan Christon

Alan Christon — Fri, 25 Dec 2015 18:10:59 +0000

Lets hope on the 18 of January 2016 the planners don’t have their way, and destroy Norton Folgate,with their unsympathetic plans, for our precious Folgate.
which is a wonderful place for Londoners and people from afar.

By: Alan Christon

Alan Christon — Fri, 25 Dec 2015 15:24:33 +0000

Beautiful, currently re-reading Dennis Servers , book on his wonderful home, this truly is a special place.
Folgate street in Spitalfields, London,at Christmas, Southwark cathedral Christmas Eve , Truly Magical.
Thank you
Merry Christmas. Gentle.

By: Roger Carr

Roger Carr — Fri, 25 Dec 2015 15:05:34 +0000

Delightfully wicked story!
Happy Holiday and thanks for every post of 2015 GA.

By: John DLC

John DLC — Fri, 25 Dec 2015 13:15:42 +0000

Merry Christmas GA and Happy blogging for 2016.

By: Leana Pooley

Leana Pooley — Fri, 25 Dec 2015 12:28:20 +0000

OMG! I’ve just got a few minutes before our Christmas friends and relations arrive. That vulgar tinsel will have to go!

By: Linda Granfield

Linda Granfield — Fri, 25 Dec 2015 12:24:34 +0000

A feast of words for Christmas! Love it! Turns of phrase, observations, subtle and not-so-subtle hits…all worthy of Dickens himself.

Thank you, GA and Rodney-who-lives-on.

Happy New Year!

By: Annie G

Annie G — Fri, 25 Dec 2015 11:38:20 +0000

Wondrous visions. I will take an 18th century Christmas any day over the stuffy Victorian ideal. And thank God people like Denis and Rodney lived to prove that the world can be a place of beauty and fantasy.
Merry Christmas, GA. Hope that you enjoy a warm and peaceful time with lovely Mr P by the fire.

By: Joan Barleycorn

Joan Barleycorn — Fri, 25 Dec 2015 10:13:55 +0000

I would love to read more of this diary. Dennis’ memory is so revered it was interesting see him through more critical eyes. A few years ago, I visited the house with a good friend and we eagerly embraced the ‘experience’, even shedding a tear in the attic room at how the march of industrialisation had reduced the family to penury. When I returned home and explained to my husband how the dark haired man had ordered us all to ‘Ssshh’ and that we didn’t speak for almost an hour, he grunted softly and replied, ‘Bit over the top.’

I look forward to visiting again but this time it will be Dennis and his ‘Hell Fire’ friends who have recently left the room, leaving faint traces of clove, cinnamon and Morrocan behind them rather than the silk weavers of his imagination who will inhabit mine.

Happy Christmas, Gentle Author and thank you for bringing London to life for your readers.