AboutLondon Laura – September 2023 Newsletter

My August plans were to head back to Wales. Which I did so mission accomplished.

While I don’t have lots of ‘look what I did’ things to show you, I have plenty of ‘things you could do’ for September. But before we get onto that, here’s an interesting blog post from the Postal Museum.

The Thames River Postman

Did you know, from 1800 to 1952 it was necessary to employ a River Postman to deliver and collect letters and goods from vessels on The Thames? This unique role stayed in the same family for nearly 150 years with duties being passed from father to son.

A Church in Wales - Summer 2023 Update

And here’s how things are going in Wales with the church-to-home project we’ve been following. It’s taken over four years to reach this stage and they are nearly finished.

Freddie Mercury

I told you last month how it’s always worth popping into Sotheby’s to see the free displays. Be quick as you only have until 5 September 2023 to see an incredible display of Freddie Mercury’s belongings. Word on the street is that Freddie Mercury: A World of His Own is better than a museum exhibition and IanVisits reckons the lighting is spot on too.

Greenwich+Docklands International Festival

GDIF is, apparently, London’s leading festival of free outdoor theatre and performing arts. There’s 17 days of festival fun, from 25 August to 10 September 2023.

Chelsea History Festival

Returning for the fifth year, the National Army Museum, Royal Hospital Chelsea and Chelsea Physic Garden join forces to offer events in Chelsea from 26 September to 1 October 2023.

The Offbeat Sari

This Design Museum exhibition ends on 17 September 2023. It celebrates the contemporary sari, bringing together dozens of the finest saris of our time from designers and craftspeople in India, following its transformation and reinvention.

Totally Thames Festival 2023

Throughout the whole of September, this annual celebration of the Thames returns for its 27th year. There are events to join in with along the length of the river celebrating the Thames with arts events, active adventures, environmental initiatives, heritage and education programmes.

Open House

I love this event as it allows us to go inside many places that are normally out of bounds to the public. From Wednesday 6 to Sunday 17 September 2023, buildings across all 33 London boroughs will open to the public for the Open House Festival, all for free.

Heritage Open Days

Similar to Open House, but across the country, Heritage Open Days give us the chance to see hidden places for free from 8 to 17 September 2023. It’s well worth checking the programme for England's largest community-led festival of history and culture.

Barbican Conservatory

Here’s an excellent reason to see the second biggest Conservatory in London* from 10 September 2023. Indian sculptor Ranjani Shettar is creating a site-specific commission for the Barbican Conservatory called Cloud songs on the horizon. As the artist’s first major institutional show in Europe, it will feature a series of new, large-scale suspended sculptures across the entirety of the Conservatory’s 23,000 square-foot space.

* The largest conservatory in London is the Princess of Wales Conservatory at Kew Gardens.

Sarah Lucas

Opening on 28 September 2023, Tate Britain will present a major survey of the work of Sarah Lucas. One of the leading figures of her generation, Lucas is internationally celebrated for her bold and irreverent work, often exploring the human body, mortality, and very British experiences of sex, class and gender.

Indian Soldiers

Did you know Indian soldiers camped at Hampton Court Palace in the early twentieth century? No, me neither. But the Palace has a new display about all this opening on 15 September 2023. At the time, it was one of the largest gatherings of people from India and South Asia ever assembled in Britain, and the new display will explore their experience at the palace and in the capital, as well as looking more widely at the South Asian presence in Britain in the early twentieth century and its impact. This blog post has more about it all so is a good read before visiting.

Coco Chanel

The V&A’s Gabrielle Chanel. Fashion Manifesto exhibition opens on 16 September 2023. It will feature more than 180 looks alongside jewellery, accessories, cosmetics and perfumes.

REBEL: 30 Years of London Fashion

Sponsored by Alexander McQueen, the Design Museum’s next major exhibition celebrates London’s contribution to contemporary global fashion. 

London Pearly Kings and Queens Costermongers Harvest Festival

From 1.30pm on Sunday 24 September 2023, pearly kings and queens from across London meet in Guildhall Yard, in the City of London. At 2.30pm, the pearlies process to St Mary-le-Bow on Cheapside for a 3pm harvest festival service. It’s a charity fundraising event, so be prepared to drop coins in their collecting pots.

Hogwarts Day

Harry Potter fans gather at King’s Cross station for the annual Hogwarts Day as 1 September is, supposedly, the day the witches and wizards caught the train back to their magical school.

Depot Open Days

The London Transport Museum Depot in Acton has open days from 21 to 24 September. The theme this time is ‘Transport and Stories' so we can learn about the histories and stories of London’s public transport network and about the lives of the people and passengers who have helped to shape it to this day.

Take a Moment

And finally, fancy seeing yourself on the Piccadilly Circus lights? Here’s your opportunity! Take a selfie with your eyes closed and upload it here for your chance to be involved.

What’s Planned This Month?

Did you not just read all of these great ideas? :-) I’ll be taking inspiration from the ideas in this newsletter. I hope you can too.