Comments on: Christmas With Dennis Severs

By: Tabitha Potts

Tabitha Potts — Wed, 03 Jan 2018 23:34:34 +0000

I was one of the children handing out punch at one of these parties. A couple of us got bored and pretended to be waxworks in the attic room, giving party goers who ventured upstairs a fright. Everyone dressed in period clothes. I always loved the theatrical style of the decoration myself!

By: Malcolm

Malcolm — Sat, 30 Dec 2017 20:55:54 +0000

I have to admit that I didn’t “get” the conceit of Denis Severs house. It seemed a bit too precious, a bit too obviously stagey. All these people wandering around in reverential silence by candle light like true believers made me feel like I had wandered into a performance installation at the Tate Modern. The Emperor’s New Clothes syndrome.
It doesn’t do to look to closely at the artefacts and artifice of this bizarre entertainment lest you spot that much of the tat has been rescued from dustbins and rubbish dumps. Still, at least the house itself is interesting and we must thank old Denis for rescuing it from the bulldozers.

By: Ron Bunting

Ron Bunting — Sat, 30 Dec 2017 08:03:27 +0000

I have seen this house on TV here in Australia and it fascinates me because 8 generations of my some of my ancestors lived just around the Corner,the Cazelys ,who came originally from Languedoc France,as Refugees ,A Mdme Cazely and 12 Children (!). The First generation did rather well, with Guillaume Cazely making enough of a fortune to return and buy back the Family mansion after it had been confiscated .The house sort of outlines the histories of so many of my ancestors (Hugenots seemed to intermarry a lot with other
huguenot Families ) .http://www.shade.id.au/Cazaly/CAZALY%20history%20summary.pdf

By: Jason Dowler

Jason Dowler — Fri, 29 Dec 2017 17:34:03 +0000

This is characteristically wonderful writing by Rodney, full of delightful detail and humour, and it brings my own Spitalfields years [1983-1988 – 37 Fournier Street] back to me so vividly and with enduring affection. We knew Dennis and Simon well – they were always such glorious company as Rodney and Phyllis, our close neighbours at 31 Fournier Street, were too.

Dennis’s natural enthusiasm and spirit were both infectious and irresistible. The Christmas party at number 18 each year was magnificent. Although, as close friends of his, we never went on one of Dennis’s formal tours of the house he did give us an edited version one evening when we were there. Theatre and storytelling of the highest order with Dennis the master of them both. What golden memories of those long ago years.

By: Kassie

Kassie — Fri, 29 Dec 2017 14:35:36 +0000

I hope the Gentle Author might consider a book recounting the history of this band of friends, architecture lovers and various characters that inhabited this area and its surrounds starting thirty years or so ago. It would make a wonderful tale.

By: Helen Breen

Helen Breen — Fri, 29 Dec 2017 13:27:56 +0000

Greetings from icy Boston,

“I had confided to Lionheart earlier that I found the house too much of a museum and a bit too Hollywood for my taste. I can say this without doing Dennis any harm at all because, in all these years, I have only met two other people who felt the same as I did…Dennis’ house had a bit too much of the ‘Metro Goldwyn Mayer School of Decoration’ itself but God protect you if you ever hinted so much.”

GA, I agree, but hesitate to say so because the Severs House gets such great reviews on Fodors etc. I took a tour a few years back on a summer afternoon. Glad I saw it, but to me it was mostly clutter. However, the wider public seems to enjoy it. My preference would be the Dr. Johnson House off Fleet Street or the Dickens Museum on Doughty Street.

Phyllis sounds most perceptive…

By: Bailey Jones

Bailey Jones — Fri, 29 Dec 2017 11:33:14 +0000

I love this piece. I imagine Rodney may have been more gentle company than Denis. The image of Denis and his friend gallivanting about the streets of Spitalfields, making wrong headed verdicts on Rodney’s door, is a delight.

Denis Severs house is irresistible, even though I spotted several of those ugly little brown and cream ornaments sold on the markets in the 70s, I still cried in the attic and loved the flowsy bedroom complete with chamber pot containing what I am sure was real wee.

By: Lynne Perrella

Lynne Perrella — Fri, 29 Dec 2017 11:22:59 +0000

“Dennis prided himself on being the real thing”. That says it all — along with these magnificent,
descriptive photos. Lah-di-dah, indeed. Happy New Year!

By: Juliet shipman

Juliet shipman — Fri, 29 Dec 2017 10:09:30 +0000

Denis severs was determined that people ‘experience’ his house. You were there to feel, see and smell the past. Ok, he did boss his visitors around but they had to be silent to enter into the experience that was his house. For a time you could really be carried back to the 18th or 19th century.
I thought he created a vision, very cleverly, that many other historic house owners could have followed. The collection of nuts to imitate Grinling gibbons carvings was brilliantly clever.
He asked for respect for his creation and that’s not truffle.

By: John Barrett

John Barrett — Fri, 29 Dec 2017 09:55:25 +0000

Outstanding imagery here lots of period stuff shown I recognize the fireplace/oven shown my aunt had one. Dennis was certainly switched on with 18 Folgate St his attention to detail was incredible. The residents structure seems complex would have liked to have seen some people pics. Thanks GAxxx for putting this show on the road. From John he’s a humble poet who lives in a world of beautiful words.