WIMBLEDON COMMON IN SOUTH LONDON HAS A FAIR EVERY JUNE

THE ANNUAL WIMBLEDON GUILD VILLAGE FAIR ON SATURDAY, JUNE 27, 2015

A sketch of Savills booth, Wimbledon Guild Fair on Wimbledon Common

The Wimbledon weather was great and the Fair was crowded.  There was a funfair too, across the Rushmere pond, and a Punch and Judy performance, which was given by the same presenter as that which I sketched at the Merton Park Church Fair - see my previous post.  Merton Park Church Fair, Punch and Judy sketch

More about the ponds on Wimbledon Common

I was lucky to find a spot to sit and draw the Savills booth.  Savills is a successful and wide ranging estate agents in the UK with offices in Wimbledon.  It was very refreshing to be offered a glass of cool prosecco too.  The sketch shows a cross section of the many people, including children, plus dogs, which came and went, enjoying the hospitality.

Link to Savills Estate Agency in Wimbledon

ROYAL ASCOT RACE MEETING, SKETCHING IN THE SILVER RING

ROYAL ASCOT RACES - THE PLACE TO SEE AND BE SEEN

Silver Ring picnics at lunchtime

Ascot Silver Ring later in the day

Hats on the train from Waterloo to Ascot

We were in the Silver Ring.  Going by train, from Waterloo to Ascot station in the morning, ladies wore their little frilly 'fascinators' and bigger cartwheel hats, while many of the gents were wearing formal suits and top hats.

Ascot brings out the spirit of pure hedonism in a lot of us.  In the Silver Ring, which is the cheapest enclosure apart from the Heath, there is plenty of grassy space for a picnic. Wine was consumed - to put it mildly.  The bookies did a roaring trade and as usual, my one and only bet came nowhere at all.

Later, after the races, those who liked a 'singsong' could go to the Bandstand.  The band was from the Guards, Union Jack flags and songbooks were provided and the enthusiastic and slightly inebriated joined in with British and American songs such as Delilah, My Way and culminated with Rule Britannia,  Land of Hope and Glory and the National Anthem.  Flags were waved vigorously.

SUMMER PUNCH AND JUDY

THE SMALL CHURCH OF ST MARY HOLDS A SUMMER FAIR EACH YEAR

Punch and Judy at the Summer Fair

Until the local brass band arrived, we were able to sit under a gazebo and I did this sketch, hoping that the Punch and Judy would keep the small children still for a little while. Unfortunately the performance of Mr Punch was brief.


For their parents, the beer stall was doing a roaring trade, even though it was not sunny. The Pimms was not so popular perhaps because of the grey sky.

This Summer Fair is held in a meadow behind the old church, where Nelson and Lady Hamilton were worshipers, and where an overgrown churchyard has a little path leading past the tomb of John Innes, who lived nearby.

As usual I made too many purchases of old books, bric a brac and pottery.  

Merton Park history

SKETCHING BEATING RETREAT AT HORSE GUARDS PARADE - LONDON

I JOINED THE CROWD TO ENJOY BEATING RETREAT - ON THE EVENING OF 10 JUNE 2015

Concert Band of the German Armed Forces - sketch

Beating Retreat - sketches of the evening

Beating Retreat -apparently one of the earliest reference to it was in 1554 in 'Rules and Ordyances for the Warre'.  So its a British Tradition and spectacular from start to finish, with fireworks as well.

My first sketch shows the Concert Band of the German Armed Forces (Musikkorps der Bundeswehr) marching on to the Parade Ground on the lovely sunny evening.

My second sketch is a group of small, quick impressions of the troops and horses, with fireworks as a background  

BATTLE OF WATERLOO

The battle of Waterloo is commemorated this year, it took place in June, 1815. The British and Allied army was under the famous General Wellington, and the tide of the battle turned when the Prussian reinforcements arrived, under General Blucher.  Thus the involvement of the German Concert Band.  

This year's Beating Retreat took place in the presence of His Excellency Dr Peter Ammon, The German Ambassador to the Court of St James's. 

At the end of the proceedings the national anthems of Germany and Great Britain were played.  I have never stood before to "Deutschlandied" also known as "Deutschland uber alles"! 

RE-ENACTMENT OF BATTLE

Finally we watched a re-enactment of events which occurred during the battle of Waterloo.  
The British troops in the re-enactment were wearing the cloth caps they would have worn at the time, they did not wear the bearskin which we know and love today.

Cannons were fired, again and again - how loud! We all jumped in our seats.  Smoke billowed across the scene.  The fireworks were spectacular, as they usually are.  Everybody followed the track of the stars shooting up into the summer sky and for once the sounds of the London traffic was drowned.

TROOPING THE COLOUR, THE COLONEL'S REVIEW, 6 JUNE 2015

THE QUEEN'S BIRTHDAY PARADE IS ON SATURDAY, 13 JUNE THIS YEAR, BUT THERE WERE TWO REVIEWS PRIOR TO THIS PARADE.

I attended The Colonel's Review, when HRH The Prince of Wales, Colonel Welsh Guards, took the salute, on the morning of 6 June 2015.

We were sitting in the red stands on Horse Guards Parade, under some trees and had excellent view of the troops as they marched from The Mall on to the parade ground.  For details of the event itself, have a look at this link The Household Division, Trooping the Colour

The stands were completely full, and atmosphere excited as we waited for the first troops to arrive, plus an eventual total of ten bands and corps of drums.

It was difficult to draw in my little sketch book, with my paint box and box of watercolour sticks and pens on hand, once the Colour was trooped.  This means that as the Colour, held by a soldier, passes your stand, all have to stand up.  And this happened over and over again, so I dropped quite a few bits and pieces of my sketching equipment!

Trooping the Colour

A SKETCH OF TROOPING THE COLOUR

This sketch shows the beginning of the ceremony, with slight alteration on my part to arrange the troops in a position where I could include them in the image. 

On the left is the Memorial to the Guards , and the bosky trees of St James's Park are in the background.
Guard's Memorial information

EPSOM DOWNS RACING ON OAKS DAY

FRIDAY BEFORE DERBY DAY WAS OAKS DAY, THE FIRST WEEKEND IN JUNE

The Friday racing, before the Saturday of the famous flat race, The Derby, is known as Invested Ladies Day.  The Oaks flat race held that day is a race for top class fillies.

Also to be seen at Epsom last Friday was some more top class fillies (sorry for sexist comment) as the ladies dress up in lovely outfits, complete with hats and very very high heeled shoes.  There is a contest to award a prize to the lady with the best outfit.

Link to information about next year's Lady's Day Epsom Racecourse Lady's Day, 2016

EPSOM HEATH

This is where we prefer to sit, it is the far side of the course from the grandstand, and being grassy, it is excellent for a picnic.  The weather was sunny, the racegoers in a fun mood, and all seemed to enjoy the day.  

Some of the younger men punters stripped off their shirts, possibly to attract the attention of the ladies!  There was a few little children running around, and the whole atmosphere was one of fun, excitement and enjoyment.

Away from the course is a large fairground with alarmingly frightening rides, the kind that make you throw up your picnic!

Epsom punters and bookie.

The Heath, Epsom with screens in the background

The runners flash past rather fast -  thundering hooves.

ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY ROSE SHOW, VINCENT SQUARE

THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY HELD A ROSE SHOW OVER ONE WEEKEND

The show was in the RHS Halls in Vincent Square, Westminster, London. 

In the square as I walked along I saw a cricket match taking place.  The square is a lovely big green space in the middle of Victoria, lined with trees, and there is a pavilion.  I thought of doing a drawing of the cricketers later, but then it started to pour with rain and 'play was abandoned'.

The show was interesting though, and I met an excellent young artist from Birmingham, Emma Hardicker, who produces inspirational textile designs, prints, greeting cards, cushions and small printed fabric bags.  I bought some of her lovely cards.

Here is a link to her website www.emmaherdicker.com

I sat upstairs in the cafe, and did this quick drawing of part of the display area in the great hall.  Most of the rose bushes in the show were not in flower, so it was possible to buy and carry home without damaging fragile blossoms. 

I was tempted but realised I have nowhere suitable for another rose, and the plants in their pots would have been very heavy to carry.

RHS Rose Show, Vincent Square, London

LONDON TRIATHLON IN HYDE PARK

THE BIG EVENT WEEKEND FOR TRIATHLETES WAS HELD IN HYDE PARK AGAIN THIS YEAR

This time I went along to the first day, when nothing much was happening.  The competitors were not running, swimming or cycling.  

The course was marked out with huge inflated arches over the footpaths, there were the usual metal fences everywhere along the course and a big 'village' selling every possible goods which might appeal to triathletes.  

Since I was tired from a long walk from Horse Guards Parade, past Buckingham Palace and through most of Hyde Park by the Serpentine, I sat down and did this sketch.  Need I add, somebody came along and sat on the end of the bench, obscuring my view.  This often happens!

By the Serpentine, Triathlon weekend

HORSE GUARDS PARADE

Earlier the same day I enjoyed watching the troops parading down The Mall, bands playing merrily.

In my sketch, also later obscured by a pushy young woman, you can see the red stands in the Horse Guards, and the policemen lining the route.

It was the Saturday of the Major General's Review, Trooping the Colour.  This was a full dress rehearsal of the Queen's Birthday Parade, to be held on 13 June, 2015.

View of Horse Guards Parade, before the troops arrived

V & A MUSEUM, EXHIBITION OF FASHION

V & A MUSEUM, SOUTH KENSINGTON HAS AN EXHIBITION OF WORK BY  THE LATE ALEXANDER MCQUEEN

Alexander McQueen is the designer I know very little about, except that his fashion design was delightfully surreal and unconventional.

I visited the 'block-buster' exhibition intending to do a quick drawing or two, but found out at the entrance that drawing was not permitted.  This was a big disappointment.  

I walked along to the Fashion Department of the Museum and stopped to draw one of the display cases, where the lighting was very dim.   The displays were of 1960s clothes, including Mary Quant, Jean Paul Gautier and Perla, the maker of iconic lady's underwear.  Here is the sketch.

V & A Museum Fashion Display, South Kensington

VE DAY COMMEMORATION IN LONDON, 2015

THE VE DAY COMMEMORATION IN LONDON,  MAY 2015

I was in Green Park, near Horse Guards Parade, on the Sunday of this particular weekend. 

I drew the Hawker Hurricane Mk II, part of a display of World War 2 military vehicles which was on display in this lovely park.

Later I drew a small tank, which was parked facing The Mall, bright with flags.  

While we were there, we saw HRH Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall walk from Clarence House to the big marquee in the park. Inside, the veterans from the earlier parade were having a meal and chatting to the guests. They seemed to be enjoying all the excitement.

Hawker Hurricane MkII

Tank in The Mall, VEDay 70

SUMMER TIME - AND THE SKETCHING GETS EASIER IN THE SUNSHINE

SKETCHING IN LONDON IN THE SPRING AND SUMMER - GREAT WEATHER SO FAR.

The Morden Hall Park May Fair is in a green oasis of river and meadows. but livened up every year for the popular May Fair, complete with animals and birds in pens to pet, the usual Dodgems and Roundabouts or Carousals, plus several Bouncy Castles.  Here are my sketches.

Terrier Racing, new to me but fun!

By the bouncy castle

Two small hairy pigs

The Dodgems

DEEN CITY FARM

A couple of weeks later I went to see the animals at Deen City Farm, near the River Wandle in South London.  A bit difficult to draw the animals here, as there were so many families busily enjoying themselves.

Families at Deen City Farm