Comments on: Christmas With Dennis Severs https://spitalfieldslife.com/2023/12/21/christmas-with-denis-severs-i/ In the midst of life I woke to find myself living in an old house beside Brick Lane in the East End of London Sun, 22 Jun 2025 11:18:07 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 By: RedTiger715 https://spitalfieldslife.com/2023/12/21/christmas-with-denis-severs-i/#comment-1740348 Sun, 22 Jun 2025 11:18:07 +0000 https://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=198513#comment-1740348 What a fascinating glimpse into the Christmas celebrations at Dennis Severs’ House! Reading Rodney Archer’s diary excerpt brought the scene to life. The descriptions are incredibly evocative, and I especially appreciate the historical context you provided

]]> By: blockblast https://spitalfieldslife.com/2023/12/21/christmas-with-denis-severs-i/#comment-1666717 Tue, 17 Dec 2024 08:54:18 +0000 https://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=198513#comment-1666717 I love Christmas from the past – simple and warm.

]]> By: Tanya Reynolds https://spitalfieldslife.com/2023/12/21/christmas-with-denis-severs-i/#comment-1533270 Thu, 21 Dec 2023 17:31:39 +0000 https://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=198513#comment-1533270 A beautifully told tale – I was beguiled, delighted and amused in equal measure!
Long may our city be inhabited by such entertaining individuals
A merry Christmas to you Gentle Author

]]> By: Christine Swan https://spitalfieldslife.com/2023/12/21/christmas-with-denis-severs-i/#comment-1533261 Thu, 21 Dec 2023 16:23:23 +0000 https://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=198513#comment-1533261 This is wonderful, I was almost there! The first time I visited Dennis Severs’ House was six years ago. It was late November and the Christmas Silent Nights had started. I was due to be teaching teachers the intricacies of Object Oriented Programming which is of interest to only a small number of commited geeks. I was staying in a hotel in Southwark and wanted an early evening amusement. I dropped them an email and arranged to join the 7o’clock group.
After tea on Shoreditch High Street, I walked along to the dark Street and waited outside. At almost seven, the door opened and a warmly smiling host took my name. As I went through the door, time went into reverse. What was this place?
The rooms are magnificent and the illusion so perfect that when I walked out after my visit and back into the cold night air, I wondered what had happened. The experience is intense and, as a descendent of silk weavers, deeply personal. Mine were very “top floor” as far as I have researched. If you have visited the House, you will know.
I have been back several times. On one occasion, I saw an envelope that for all the world I believed bore the name of Deighton, which is my paternal, true family name ( long story but in my blog!) “Possibly”, said a host, “Dennis collected names”.
Thank you GA for such a wonderful post. I recommend a visit to Dennis Severs’ House to all readers. Merry Christmas!

]]> By: Lynne Perrella https://spitalfieldslife.com/2023/12/21/christmas-with-denis-severs-i/#comment-1533254 Thu, 21 Dec 2023 15:35:25 +0000 https://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=198513#comment-1533254 I concur………..I can’t imagine anything as wonderful as having the real/authentic tour through this lavish rollicking house of magic. As Dickens wrote, “The founder of the feast” was Mr. Severs — and this gent, Rodney Archer, has taken us along on this magic carpet ride. I imagined the smoking candle wicks, the endless artifacts simmering in dark corners, the whispered dialog,
the shouted dialog, the creaking floorboards, the eccentric gatherings (both people and furnishings), people accidentally tripping on frayed carpets, and more. I imagine walking out into the cold night air after this episode, blinking and pinching myself…….Did that really just happen?
A holiday memory for the ages.

Thank you, GA, for shining a (candle) light.

]]> By: achim https://spitalfieldslife.com/2023/12/21/christmas-with-denis-severs-i/#comment-1533244 Thu, 21 Dec 2023 14:25:57 +0000 https://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=198513#comment-1533244 What a house, what a story!

*** MERRY CHRISTMAS! ***
*** FROHE WEIHNACHTEN! ***
*** JOYEUX NOËL! ***

Love & Peace
ACHIM

]]> By: Erminia https://spitalfieldslife.com/2023/12/21/christmas-with-denis-severs-i/#comment-1533228 Thu, 21 Dec 2023 11:43:32 +0000 https://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=198513#comment-1533228 Hi Paul,
can one purchase Rodney Archer’s diary at all?

]]> By: Helrn https://spitalfieldslife.com/2023/12/21/christmas-with-denis-severs-i/#comment-1533217 Thu, 21 Dec 2023 10:46:50 +0000 https://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=198513#comment-1533217 I did have the immense pleasure of having the tour and and the story told of 18 Folgate Street, by the man himself, back in the 90s. It was a wet, misty November night, and my husband and I arrived with four others. We were greeted by Dennis, and given our instructions. I decided right away, to give myself over to the story and let Dennis take me on that journey. I felt like I’d literally entered a portal to another world. But the others, polite as they were, carried wry little smiles throughout. They were the “Guardian” readers. At the end they left quickly, but we lingered to chat to our host. We were given the best compliment by Dennis. He said ” I knew you both ‘got it’ but they didnt! ” with a nod of the head in their direction. To this day, I still regard it as one of the most incredible, surreal, and wonderful experiences of my life!

]]> By: Christine https://spitalfieldslife.com/2023/12/21/christmas-with-denis-severs-i/#comment-1533216 Thu, 21 Dec 2023 10:42:20 +0000 https://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=198513#comment-1533216 Wonderful story ! I was transported back to the time and thoroughly enjoyed my moment there!

]]> By: Wendy https://spitalfieldslife.com/2023/12/21/christmas-with-denis-severs-i/#comment-1533201 Thu, 21 Dec 2023 09:05:25 +0000 https://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=198513#comment-1533201 Oh Rodney, how you’ve made me laugh and laugh. I honestly believe my sister is Denis reincarnated!

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