Marguerite Alibert, Maggie Meller, Marguerite Laurent, and Princess Fahmy

This is a story despite the title about one person. Marguerite Marie Alibert was born on 9 December 1890, in Paris to Firmin Alibert, a coachman, and Marie Aurand, a housekeeper. When she was sixteen she gave birth to a daughter, Raymonde, the father unknown and after a few months left the child with her parents…

The Hurdy Gurdy Man

Sometimes without realising you get into a rut, do the same things the same way and miss out on new opportunities. For instance, I always exit Charing Cross station turn right and walk along the Strand on the right hand side of the road. This recently highlighted the downside of sticking with what you know.…

A bit of a drama

Take a stroll along the Strand and you’ll be confronted by Arundel Great Court, described in some architectural journals as a “Brutalist Behemoth” It was completed in 1976 and to say that critics got themselves worked up would be a bit of an understatement. Arundel Great Court was built on the former site of the…

Burye, Berry, Bury

Next time you’re in the City, walk past the Gherkin along Bury Street and at the end of Holland House and you will see the relief of a ship. This dates to when the offices were owned by Wm. H. Müller who were a Dutch shipping company and commissioned the building in 1916. In itself…