"A Narrow Escape" by Lord Dunsany

11 months ago
17

Belgrave Square, per wikipedia: is a large 19th-century garden square in London. It is the centrepiece of Belgravia, and its architecture resembles the original scheme of property contractor Thomas Cubitt who engaged George Basevi for all of the terraces for the 2nd Earl Grosvenor, later the 1st Marquess of Westminster, in the 1820s. Most of the houses were occupied by 1840. The square takes its name from one of the Duke of Westminster's subsidiary titles, Viscount Belgrave. The village and former manor house of Belgrave, Cheshire, were among the rural landholdings associated with the main home and gardens of the senior branch of the family, Eaton Hall. Today, many embassies occupy buildings on all four sides.

Bethany: a town in Palestine (home to Lazarus) built on the southeastern slope of the Mount of Olives. There is another site known as Bethany in Jordan, where John the Baptist is believed to have baptized Jesus, but there is no obvious mountain connection to it like there is with the town on the Mount of Olives.

The picture used is A picture of Westminster taken by scientist Sir Norman Lockyer in 1909 from a helium balloon. Unfortunately Belgrave Square didn't make it into this picture. Nor, I suppose, the outskirts of London at all. But it does show just how big London had grown there early in the 20th century.

To follow along: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/13821/13821-h/13821-h.htm#escape

Loading comments...