Elizabeth Gaskell's House was bought to my attention by one of my course lecturers (Helen Rees Leahy), she was one of the curators on the project and talked very passionately about her involvement and all of the work that had gone into restoring the building to it's former glory.
Formally owned by 19th century writer, Elizabeth Gaskell and her husband William, the house was only reopened to the public at the end of last year after being restored to its former period beauty. The rooms have been painstakingly designed and decorated to match the few photographs and descriptions to hand, using original furniture where possible and providing accurate replicas where not. I was impressed that everything down to the same type of horsehair seating has been used on the chairs to give the house the most authentic feel possible.
Some of the objects and furniture on display did originally belong to the Gaskell's and give an air of authenticity and a personal touch to the restoration. I found the staff to be extremely knowledgeable and eager to share their information with the visitors in each room. Mostly, I found it fascinating that you were invited to touch, sit and fully experience all of the displays, something that I have never come across before. With it being so ingrained in my head that most things in museums aren't for touching, it was hard to get my head around that I could sit on the chairs and take books off of the shelves but I found this to be a brilliant touch to this unique little house.
I was disappointed that, at the moment, there are only 4 rooms to explore and because of this considered the entrance fee maybe a little too high. There are plans to resume the restoration of the bedrooms upstairs and I think that when that does happen the entrance fee will be perfectly adequate, especially because it lasts for a full 12 months. There is also a lovely little tea room situated in the original kitchen of the house that does nice coffee and cake that is well worth a visit after you have explored the rooms.
Sunday 25 January 2015
MOSI - Museum of Science and Industry
In my time living in Manchester I had not yet visited MOSI (Museum of Science and Industry) and as a good Museum Studies student I felt the need to visit while mulling over some dissertation topics. Now, I am not particularly charmed by Science Museums and industrial history does not particularly interest me so maybe this should have been a foreshadowing of my visit....However, after slightly falling in love with the National Railway Museum in York I felt that perhaps I had been converted and anyway, never knock something until you've tried it.
Unfortunately, MOSI didn't capture me the way that the National Railway Museum did. Maybe it is because it isn't as grand or maybe it is because (i'm sorry!) I don't find Manchester's cotton industry that interesting. The child inside me loved the moving displays in Power Hall and the interactive exhibits upstairs in the Great Western Warehouse and from the amount of families with small children that I saw, it looked fun for family members of all ages. There were some lovely displays that I found interesting (Air and Space Gallery in particular) and I am sure that anyone with an interest in the historical industries of the north would find MOSI a fascinating place, but I'm afraid it just wasn't for me.
Saturday 17 January 2015
Manchester Cathedral
Today, while visiting Manchester city center for a bit of shopping, I decided to visit the nearby Manchester Cathedral on a whim. It is a lovely, quiet place to visit; it is a definite oasis of calm in Manchester, especially during a busy Saturday.
It may be small but it packs a punch. Free of charge to enter, I casually walked in, fully expecting to just have a nose around and snap a couple of pictures. However, when I entered there was a lovely musical performance that was reverberating beautifully inside the building. I had stumbled upon the practice session before the Cathedral's Saturday morning Coffee Concert. I was treated to a trumpet and piano performance from Rebecca and Jane Robertson and also a free coffee while I listened. I am a big fan of the traditional organ and choir performances within churches and cathedrals but it was a pleasant surprise to hear something different that still complemented the surroundings so well.
With such a beautiful, historic building right on my door step, I can't believe I haven't been here more and will definitely be returning for the next Coffee Concerts! (February 7th and 28th)
Saturday 10 January 2015
BEAT100's Artists to Watch in 2015
2015 is set to be a brilliant year for music. BEAT100 chooses our favourite artists to look out for over the coming months.
Ryn Weaver
An artist that has appeared on many artists to watch lists over the last months, Ryn Weaver parachuted onto everyone’s screens last summer when her debut track ‘OctaHate’ went viral. With a fresh, poppy sound‘OctaHate’ made the previously unknown singer an overnight sensation after it was released on Soundcloud. It is no wonder that the track gained such amazing attention, co-written by CharliXCX and produced by the dream team of Benny Blanco, Passion Pit and Cashmere Cat, Ryn Weaver has some impressive names backing her as her fledging career takes off. Garnering over 30,000 plays in the first week, ‘OctaHate’ landed her at the top of Billboard’s ‘Emerging Artists’ charts. Born in San Diego, Ryn studied at NYU before dropping out after two years to pursue a musical career. This move has obviously paid off as the young artist recently signed to Indie label Friends Keep Secrets.
Raury
Raury is an eighteen-year old musical talent that is set to bring a completely new sound to our ears in 2015. Born in Atlanta, the young musician began rapping at just eight years old and taught himself to play guitar aged just eleven. The budding superstar has since written a song for the latest Hunger Games movie, made fans of rap idols Outkast and gained fourth place in the BBC’s Sound of 2015. His EP ‘The Indigo Child’ was released last year and assaults the ears with an amazing mix of RnB, Hip-hop, Funk and Soul. Brand new single ‘Gods Whisper’ (available below) delivers a beautiful and addictive tune, reminiscent of Kanyewithout all the annoying Kanye-ness. ‘Gods Whisper’ precedes Raury’s debut album, expected to be released later this year.
Intuition
LA based rapper Intuition has been on the scene for the past few years but hasn’t quite broken into the big time. Will 2015 be his year? With a soothing voice and captivating lyrics, the Alaskan born musician pulls in even the most rap hating listener with his mellow tunes. After releasing his first solo album ‘Stories About Me’ in 2007, the talented lyricist teamed up with producer Equilibrium for his second album ‘Girls Like Me’. Receiving rave reviews for their collaboration, the pair teamed up to create their own signature hip-hop infused rap. Their self-titled collaborative album was released in April last year and received rave reviews for their minimalistic approach and vibrant sound. The duo’s project together covers everything from girl-problems and bad habits to Intuition’s own father’s battle with Alzheimers.
Bea Miller
Bea Miller, an American child actress from New Jersey, is set to take the world by storm this year with her strong and sweet voice. At just 15 years old, Bea tackles Pop tracks like a seasoned professional. The talented young star came to the public’s attention after appearing on the second season of the X Factor USA under her full name, Beatrice Miller. Reformed as Bea Miller, she has now moved on to carve her own career and is currently signed under Hollywood Records and Syco Music. Her debut EP Young Blood was released in April last year with the lead single ‘Young Blood’ peaking at number two on the iTunes pop chart. Receiving amazing reviews for such a young performer, Bea has been breaking in her performance boots by opening for Demi Lovato on her recent Demi World Tour.
Jon Bellion
Jon Bellion delivers a unique blend of singing and rap style verses in his powerfully addictive tracks. Producing all of his own music, Jon creates a unique infusion of stripped back instrumentals with captivating electronic beats. The American songwriter, producer and rapper is currently signed with Visionary Music Group and has already started to build a successful career behind the scenes, writing the chorus toEminem’s hit track ‘The Monster’ and also co-writing and producing ‘Trumpets’ by Jason Derulo in 2012. 2015 may well be the year that Jon Bellion steps forward to take the limelight for himself, having recently released his third successful mixtape ‘The Definition’ which reached our ears in September last year and is now available for free download. Each song that Jon produces has its own unique sound meaning that there is something for almost every listener. Newest song ‘Carry Your Throne’ couples powerful production with a cinematic music video to create a track that really packs a punch with the listener.
James Bay
With a voice that manages to be both beautifully soft and wonderfully gravelly at the same time, it is no wonder that James Bay has made it onto everyone’s ‘one to watch’ list over the last year. Apparently discovered after a fan uploaded a video of him performing in a Kentish Town pub, James Bay wowed Radio 1 listeners when he stepped in to perform a Live Lounge set after Lana Del Rey pulled out at the last minute. The BBC Introducing Artist has also performed on the Burberry runway and toured with superstarHozier in early 2014 and can next be seen performing in Camden’s historic nightspot KOKO in February. After releasing his second EP ‘Let it Go’ in May last year, the young artist shot to the Top 10 of the iTunes album chart. His latest single ‘Hold Back the River’ was released in November last year and has already gained massive recognition for his fearless vocals and obvious natural talent.
2014 was a year of travel and changes for me. I've been on holiday with friends and family as well as travelling to Europe alone (scary!) I've moved to the opposite end of the country and began a brand new degree (more scary!) but overall its been a brilliant year and I hope 2015 will be just as fun.
