Today, I headed with Cultureseekers (CS) to the "Executions" exhibition at the Museum of London Docklands. Promised to be nicely atmospheric - and mercifully, started a bit later than yesterday's event. The organiser was recently in touch, encouraging me to take out full membership, as I'd been to so many events, and could get a discount. Yeah, but most of them were during lockdown, and were free! I don't think it'd be worth my while - I don't go to nearly as many events with this group now.
Had to set my alarm again.. He said we'd meet outside the West India Quay DLR station, so I thought DLR made sense to take. I quite like the DLR - unlike Karl Donnelly, who thinks it looks like a rollercoaster, I like the way it sails over the rooftops and gives you a bit of a view. However, I'd gotten a hint on Google Maps, which suggested that I continue to Canary Wharf, the next stop - sure enough, a train announcement said it wouldn't be stopping at West India Quay. I think it has restricted opening. Anyway, so I continued to Canary Wharf. Now, I've been around these parts before, and get confused every time - there might be some way to walk directly from here to West India Quay station, but I certainly don't know it. I had trouble enough finding the exit to the street! Honestly, what a plonker, telling us to meet at a closed station, no directions how to get there. Well, when I finally made it outside, it was pouring rain - haven't seen it so heavy in London since Bono's tour. So I said sod it, it's not like I actually know any of these people to speak to - I left a message, and made straight for the museum. Which was much easier to find. And got absolutely soaked on the way.
The staff here are really, really friendly - well, certainly at least one guy on the door was! So, he ascertained why I was there, and directed me to the far side of the stairs. The museum in general covers much more than just this exhibition, and there are floors-full of exhibits - the Executions exhibition, however, is indeed past the stairs, to the left. A ramp caters for people who can't manage the stairs. I passed a cafe on the way, which looked inviting - but my ticket said to enter between 1.45 and 2.15, and it was nearly in that time frame, so I said I'd better do this first. A guy at the exhibition door scanned my ticket.
Lots of eye-openers here - I didn't realise that public executions only began to be recorded in 1196 (I'm sure they happened before then). And over 200 crimes earned the death penalty.. well, I knew some were what we would consider quite minor. A scrolling list at the end of this corridor (the exhibition is laid out like a maze, so you never see too much at once) lists the crimes you could be executed for. Like theft, forgery.. and of course, murder and treason.
As you move along the corridor, the various methods of execution are explained, with a brief description (if you need it) and any required historical context. Included are any drawings that might be relevant. Most surprising to me was the (short) exhibit on boiling alive! Apparently, Henry VIII introduced that punishment for a cook who'd poisoned the household where he worked - his son can't have been as keen, as it was abolished during his reign! Well, I guess Henry had a strong stomach.
An interesting short film about London execution sites also afforded an opportunity to have a sit-down:
Predictably, there was a lot about Charles I - including, in one exhibit, bits and pieces he might have worn. (This exhibit was a bit annoying, requiring you to press a button constantly to keep it lit. I suppose this was to protect the fabrics, but really, the light didn't stay on long enough, and the button needed to be pressed several times to read everything..) Here, we have a pair of gloves. Which he might have worn - or not, but as the exhibit points out, they're certainly the sort of thing he would have worn!
I had thought it'd be atmospheric - sure enough, as you move deeper into the exhibition, the clanging of a church bell combines with something that sounds like a creaking cart, on which you might be taken to the gallows. And I have to tell you, that combination actually made me reel for a minute, as I imagined the terror that a condemned prisoner might have felt.. There's even a mockup of a small window, with bars, high in the wall, light pouring through it and shining on a patch of the floor. As the condemned prisoner might have had in their cell..
As you can imagine, people took a lot of care over what to wear for their final day - these are examples of wedding outfits chosen by the condemned to be dispatched in. Mind you, the executioner was supposed to have his pick of the garments after the deed was done, which led one woman, once she was on the gallows, to strip off and throw her clothes to the mob!
Move on a bit further, and more evocative sound effects surround you - this time, it's the buzzing of flies. (Yes, another occasion when a strong stomach is needed.) This axe on display was, it turns out, bought for an execution but not used:
And you've heard of a gibbet? Bodies left on public display, to deter further wrongdoers. Sometimes, live victims were put in a gibbet, and left to die slowly there. Here's one, complete with a sign threatening death or transportation to anyone who interferes with it!
Another scrolling list gives details of people who were executed, including their names, dates of execution, crimes for which they were executed, and places of execution:
Amnesty International, of course, has always campaigned against the death penalty (which is still in use in many countries), and an interesting video near the end of the exhibit has Paul Bridges, chair of the Anti-Death Penalty Project, explaining what's wrong about it, and what Amnesty are doing to stop it.
And so to the end of what is an interesting, and at times really moving, exhibition! Very highly recommended, but you do need to be a little bit tough. Runs till the 16th of April.
I didn't fancy traipsing upstairs to the rest of the museum, and knew there was no point trying to find the others in the group. This organiser does come up with good events, but he's woeful at gathering people together, or getting them to interact. I did think I'd recognised someone as I made my way through the exhibition, but oh well. Now, he'd suggested heading to The Ledger Building (a Wetherspoons) next door afterwards, so off I schlepped. It was still pouring, but at least now I had hardly any distance to go! There were free tables, so I grabbed one and ordered a katsu curry, because I felt like one. There's a good menu here, and I was well fed - dessert too! And a second glass of wine - both of which I ordered on the app. I was lovely and cosy, in from the weather - and the toilets, downstairs, are nice and spacious too. I forsook the DLR for my homeward journey, just got the Tube.
Tomorrow, Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS) are headed to Mandela, a musical at the Young Vic. Unfortunately, I was way too late for a cheap ticket - but then I noticed that someone attending couldn't make it, and had advertised two tickets for anyone who wanted - much cheaper than what I could get elsewhere. Front row, too! One ticket had gone - I messaged her, and yay, I got the other! She sent them through when they arrived yesterday, and I agreed with the other guy who should take which! Now, someone did contact the group to mention that she had been attending yesterday, and the second half was cancelled due to illness - so I hope that's been sorted out..
On Tuesday, thinking film again - the listings site was typically slow, but had some info for next week. But given my experience on Tuesday - when it hadn't even included listings for my local cinema - I checked what was on there on this coming Tuesday as well. And lo, I came up with some not yet listed at all at that stage on the listings site.. highest rated is a documentary - Crows are White tells the story of a rather unusual Buddhist monk, who'd rather listen to heavy metal than birdsong..
On Wednesday, heading to Comedy in your Eye, at the Camden Eye. Tickets from Design my Night, including a free drink.
On Thursday - my first Crick Crack Club (CCC) event of the year! Online, but never mind - it's Nick Hennessy, at the Story Museum, performing The Kalevala. I think I remember hearing that he's the only non-Finnish person ever to win their competition to recite this! So, really looking forward to it. Then, of course, I'm back to Ireland for the weekend..
On the 16th, back with UITCS for The Art of Illusion, at Hampstead Theatre. Award-winning, it seems..
On the 17th, I'm headed to Chicago Blues Explosion in the January Blues Festival at the 100 Club. Just a shame their early bird tickets were sold out.
On the 18th, with TAC for a classical concert at King's Place (nice and close). This is the Kirckman Society for young artists, presenting Connaught Brass.
On the 19th, Ken's Green Walks for Health (aka Ken's Events, to those of us who know it from before) is off to see the Winter Lights at Canary Wharf. Now, I wouldn't go with them in a fit - but there's nothing to stop me seeing the lights myself for free, eh? I don't see the point in paying Ken £5 to lead a group around..
On the 20th (a Friday, unusually), back with Watkin's Bookshop for a book launch. This is Fifty Forgotten Books by R. B. Russell. Occult theme, as usual. Let's see whether I can avoid falling asleep this time!
On the 21st, back at King's Place - this time it's the CCC, with Stories in the Dark. Told in darkness, by the sound of it - sounds divine!
On the 22nd, back with CS for the Hieroglyphs: Unlocking Ancient Egypt exhibition at the British Museum. Assuming it's not curtailed due to transport strikes - there is a warning on the museum website that galleries might have to close early!
On the 23rd, I've finally booked for Best of Enemies at the Noel Coward Theatre. This play concerns a series of debates on US television between liberal writer Gore Vidal and conservative William F. Buckley in 1968 - the interesting twist here, given the time and place we're talking about, is to cast William Buckley as black! Had my own seat review on Seatplan to guide me in picking a seat - this is one of those restricted view/legroom theatres. And despite all the theatre offers flooding my inbox, I found the cheapest tickets for this on the official website! Mind you, what with See Tickets doing the selling, I found myself with a second, unexplained, booking fee..
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