Great British Bake Off regular Dr Annie Gray is among the upcoming speakers in a series of Georgian themed talks at Ealing’s Pitzhanger Manor House and Gallery.
To celebrate its long-awaited restoration which starts in the new near, the manor in Mattock Lane is hosting three evening talks on all things Georgian from October 21 to December 18.
The trio of talks will be presented by leading experts on Georgian life, getting to the heart of culture, scandal, friendship, food and etiquette in the 18th century, when Pitzhanger Manor House’s creator, architect Sir John Soane, was at the peak of his success.
Broadcaster and writer Lucy Inglis starts the series on Tuesday (October 21) with an introduction to the gossip and social codes of the day, following the successful publication of her book Georgian London: Into the Streets.
On November 18 chair of the Turner House Trust Catherine Parry-Wingfield will present an exploration of the friendship between Sir John Soane and painter J M W Turner, two of the most influential men within the worlds of art and architecture of the time.
The final talk, A Georgian Christmas, will be presented by food historian and The Great British Bake Off regular, Dr. Annie Gray, who will explore the food and etiquette of an 18th century Yuletide on December 18.
Ealing Council’s leader and member of the Pitzhanger Manor Trust, Councillor Julian Bell, said: “The clock’s ticking towards the closure of Pitzhanger Manor and Gallery and the start of the restoration, so it seems only right that we honour Soane and his contemporaries with events that celebrate their lives and the impact they still have on us.
“I am thrilled to welcome these experts to shed some light on this fascinating period in history and I hope as many people as possible come along.
“I want to remind people that although Pitzhanger Manor is temporarily closing soon, there will still be lots of events and exhibitions taking place in and around Walpole Park throughout the restoration.”
All three talks start at 7pm. Doors and the bar open at 6.30pm and tickets are £10.
For more information contact Claire Cooke, on 020 8825 9458 or email cookec@ealing.gov.uk.
