Sepia Saturday's theme photo this week is a castle. A castle! We don't do castles here in Australia so I had a search through photos that various relatives have taken on visits to Europe. The only one I came up with is a photo of a palace and I'm not sure that qualifies as a castle.
In the early 1950s Alfred and Christina Curnow travelled to England, presumably by boat. Their son Neil was working there and he arranged, somehow, an invite to a Buckingham Palace Garden Party. Uncle Alf had to hire his clothes for the occasion because there was a strict dress code. Auntie Chris had to wear a hat.
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| Alfred and Christina Curnow with their son Neil outside the gates of Buckingham Palace. |
Garden parties have been held at Buck Palace since Queen Victoria instigated them and they are held several times a year. The 'garden' is actually a large lawn in the 40-acre parkland behind the palace.
So now, for some real castles, I'm going to be self-indulgent and post some photos of castles that I saw on a trip to Europe several years ago.
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| Hohenschwangau Castle, Bavaria |
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| Blarney Castle, Ireland |
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| Dublin Castle, Ireland |
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| Durham Castle, England |
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| Eilean Donan Castle, near Dornie, Scotland |
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| Edinburgh Castle, Scotland |
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| And finally, Castletown in Ireland, a village with no castle. We went there to see where an ancestor lived before he migrated to Australia in 1856, and the first shop we saw had our surname over the top. |
How wonderful that you have been able to visit UK and the places where your ancestors originated. One day I will but this weeks theme has made me very impatient.
ReplyDeleteThe garden parties are quite an experience so I'm told. I've never been but I have a couple of work friends who went.. It cost them quite a bit in new clothes!
ReplyDeleteYou certainly saw list of castles on your trip. That view of Scotland is so well composed with the fishing creels in the foreground, although I can't identify the building.
ReplyDeleteA lovely collection of castles and memories - the castle on the loch with the title "Scotland" is Eilean Donan - probably the most photographed castle in Scotland after Edinburgh and used frequently in publications and films. It is at the meeting point of three sea lochs on the west Highlands, by the village of Dornie on the main tourist route to the Isle of Skye. We visited there on our honeymoon and it is in a beautiful romantic setting.
ReplyDeleteThanks Sue. I've amended the note. We didn't go in to the castle but when we stopped to have a closer look someone was playing the bagpipes nearby. A cliche for the tourists but it was so beautiful nevertheless.
DeleteThey look quite lovely dressed for the garden party. I feel like Sharon.
ReplyDeleteI especially liked seeing the fashions of the time at Buckingham Palace.
ReplyDeleteEilean Donan Castle is my fave,
ReplyDeletefor its remote location.
:D~
HUGZ
We have never had an invite to the Palace, However Durham Castle is less than 40 miles from our home and I 've lost count of the times that we have been in Edinburgh where you can't help but be impressed by their magnificent castle.
ReplyDeleteI've been to two of those. Did you visit Carlisle Castle? Though not a beautiful castle, the interior was fascinating. I've never seen walls as thick as what were there.
ReplyDeleteAnd I understand completely about the spam. It's out of control right now. I read about what's been causing the uptick and there doesn't seem to be an end in sight.
I love that photo of your relatives at the garden party.
ReplyDeleteNancy
Fine Sturdy Buildings That Have Stood The Test of Time,Durham & Edinburgh especially provoke fond memories for me.And Buck Palace!Wow!
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