A visit to the Geffrye Museum

geffrye museum 20160903 160953Jackie arranged a little walk on Saturday 3rd September starting at Bethnal Green and including as much "green" walk as possible before finishing at the Geffrye Museum in Hoxton. Kathy, Clive, Marilyn and I met Jackie and the others at the museum and went in. Free entry is always a nice start.
 
The building was almshouses, provided for pensioners connected with The Ironmongers Company, and was built in 1714. For 200 years this continued until the development of the surrounding area made conditions less tolerable and the pensioners were moved to Kent. The building was taken over by the LCC (forerunner of the GLC) early in the 20th century.
 
The LCC made the building into a museum and we had a special showing (£4 per head) of rooms that have been retained in near original condition, one showing how a room would look in 1780 and one room set in 1880. Conditions were certainly pleasant for the residents with a comparatively spacious room provided, no rent and free heat. The residents were also provided with a generous pension but had to provide their own furniture and cater for themselves.
 
The public rooms are set up to show typical living and other rooms over the years, starting in 1630 and ending in the late 20th century.
 
After a pleasant stroll through the museum we stopped at its cafe for tea and cake. I ordered a raspberry and polenta cake and the picture shows it. The small dot on the front of the cake is the sole raspberry.
 
After weeks of hot dry weather the rain started to fall as we left and we hurried home in order that we were ready to go out in the evening to watch Ian and his band Playne Nutz perform.
Brian Unwin, 4th September 2016