Once I was a clever boy learning the arts of Oxford... is a quotation from the verses written by Bishop Richard Fleming (c.1385-1431) for his tomb in Lincoln Cathedral. Fleming, the founder of Lincoln College in Oxford, is the subject of my research for a D. Phil., and, like me, a son of the West Riding. I have remarked in the past that I have a deeply meaningful on-going relationship with a dead fifteenth century bishop... it was Fleming who, in effect, enabled me to come to Oxford and to learn its arts, and for that I am immensely grateful.


Saturday 23 January 2021

Queen Victoria speaks


Yesterday was the 120th anniversary of the death of Queen Victoria. By chance today I came across on YouTube a restoration of the voice recording she made in 1888. The short film shows the stages in removing scratches, clicks and other blemishes from the wax cylinder recording in which the Queen refers to her Jubilee celebrations the preceding year. It can be seen and she can be heard ( just ) at Restoring the Queen Victoria recording of 1888

In addition I came upon online film of the enthusiastic welcome the Queen received in Dublin on her visit in the summer of 1900 which can be seen at Queen Victoria In Dublin (Rare Footage From 1900) | British Pathé

There is a longer video showing Queen Victoria at Balmoral in 1896 with members of her family, including the Emperor and Empress of Russia, as well as Scottish and Indian servants, of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations in London in June 1897 and of the Queen’s funeral at Windsor in 1901. This can be seen at     

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