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Posts tagged 'architecture'

28
Thu Mar
2013
1

Through a lens: Malta – the George Cross Island

Posted by Steven Cable in Records and research

The Colonial Office library photographic collection contains 12 Malta albums with photographs ranging from the 1870s to the 1950s, as well as including some earlier engravings dating from the 1850s.  Malta had a magnificent and unusually Italianate architectural heritage inspired by the Knights of St John and many fine architectural studies can be found amongst the collection.

The two photographs of the Valletta Opera House included here come from an album of architectural studies and views of the Grand Harbour taken by Captain R D Lyon.

Valetta Opera House, Malta

Valletta Opera House, Malta (reference: CO 1069/716 (6))

Continue reading »

10
Thu May
2012

Scratching the surface

Posted by Andrew Janes in Records and research
View of Lanercost Priory, Cumbria

View of Lanercost Priory, Cumbria

I recently enjoyed a weekend away with some friends in Carlisle, in the north-west of England. One of the places that we visited was Lanercost Priory, about 13 miles (21 km) east of the city. Once an important medieval religious community, the priory was dissolved under King Henry VIII. Part of the building has been restored for use as a parish church and the ruins of the rest are preserved by English Heritage as a historic monument.

No graffiti, please

No graffiti, please

I was particularly struck by a sign on one of the walls warning visitors not to write on or scratch the stonework. The Ministry of Works, which put up the sign, was a government department that used to be responsible for both modern government buildings and historic buildings in the government’s care 1. Continue reading »

Notes:

  1. 1. One of the difficult things about finding and using 20th century records is that some government departments changed their names and areas of responsibility several times. The Ministry of Works only existed under that name between 1943 and 1962, although earlier and later Works departments existed with slightly different names. ^