Queen Victoria's bloomers on sale
trying on Queen Victoria's bloomers
The bloomers will be auctioned on 30 July in Mackworth

A pair of bloomers that apparently belonged to Queen Victoria are to be auctioned off in Derby.

The knickers have a 50in (127cm) waist and date from the 1890s, which indicates the monarch had a large girth as she approached her 70s.

Hanson's Auctioneers are selling the bloomers on 30 July and expect them to fetch at least £500.

The knickers, which come from a family in Lincolnshire, were owned by a lady-in-waiting to the Queen.

Auctioneer Charles Hanson said: "These pants, considering their provenance and pedigree, are very exciting.

"They are monogrammed (with VR for Victoria Regina) and crested and we know that they are hers."

Mr Hanson said the bloomers are an interesting piece of social history that indicate Queen Victoria was "a very big lady of quite small stature with a very wide girth".

Queen Victoria lived from 1819 until 1901 and was the UK's longest-reigning monarch.

The knickers are made from a fine cotton and are hand-made.

picture and source
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/derbyshire/7503595.stm

Well the adverts for the Museum Conservator Internships are up :s

The Natural Science one is based in ...

...Belfast! A whole other country!

Anyway it looks great, even if it is only 6 months long it is a foot in the door.

This is the sort of thing I'll be doing;

• Box-making for mineral specimens
• Cleaning of taxidermy specimens
• Assisting with preventive conservation programmes
• Assisting with handling/packing of specimens for transport





Now I just have to apply and get an interview :S

(and find some referees)

NSFW? themes of DEATH and other Goth preoccupations :P

( Follow me into the darkeness )

Was checking the rules for the Blackfield Festival in Germany and found this gem



[By acquiring a festival ticket, the purchaser and owner of the aforementioned ticket is supposed to act according to the following contract conditions of the presenter:]

"10. to empty one's bowels outside the restroom facilities or to stain the location in any other way by bringing along suitable items such as confetti, paper cuts, or toilet paper (any kind of animal is also not allowed to bring along)"

WTF? who wipes their bum with paper cuts or animals? YOU ARE NOT MAKING SENSE
if loo roll and confetti are so suitable why are we not allowed them?
Why are paper cuts suitable? they hurt and could get infected.

Wait it contradicts itsself too. act according to these conditions, they missed a not along the line somwhere.

ok i do get the jist, but really? Pay the work experience Inselaffe to translate it if you don't want to pay a professional.

the rest of the rules are here

http://blackfield-festival.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=19%3Afestival-set-of-rules&catid=5%3Afestival&Itemid=24&showall=1

I'm puzzled as to why we aren't allowed torches, or plastic containers (how are we to find our tents and eat?)


For those with the Fähigkeit here is the original

[§3 ES IST NICHT GESTATTET,]

"10. außerhalb der Toiletten die Notdurft zu verrichten oder das Gelände in sonstiger Weise zu beschmutzen und hierzu geeignete Gegenstände, wie z. B. Konfetti, Papierschnipsel und Papierrollen mitzubringen (Tiere jeglicher Art sind untersagt);

And here is my rough translation

article three it it forbidden to;
relieve oneself outside of the designated toilet facilities, or to dirty the site in any other way, for example with such things as confetti, pieces of paper, or toilet roll. (animals of any kind are forbidden)

the animals bit still feels random though.

OK just heard that there is a new bird exhibit at London Zoo. First thing i do after going to the website is to get my book on the Architecture of London Zoo and read the article about the history and architecture of the building.
The Today prgramme were wrong, it's not the Reptile House (this caused me some early morning panic) but the Old Reptile House that has been a Bird House.


http://www.zsl.org/zsl-london-zoo/exhibits/blackburn-pavilion/

Toucans!!

Victoriana!!

http://www.zsl.org/zsl-london-zoo/exhibits/blackburn-pavilion/restoration-of-a-victorian-birdhouse,851,AR.html

In other news, my stomach feels weird, and I've been birdwatching instead of working again.

Damn, these would look good with seamed stockings






http://www.newlook.co.uk/1339046/133904601/ProductDetails.aspx

Also coveting these

http://www.pennangalan.co.uk/boots/FW80.php

possibly would get the platform reduced by a cobbler though, it is very high.

Hello Flist, I've been a bit silent recently, have been working on lovely school work (Heimat, Heimat usw), and spending time with the parentals.

Anyway I have been day dreaming and plotting and researching and plans for that vast expanse of Post Graduation known as 'Real Life' is looming.

I'm tempted to stay in Nottingham, I know the town, they have a Remploy agency and I can partly use the Uni societies to aide my social life.

Before I do this however I want to go on a cross country gallavant in Canada. My best friend from home is in Vancouver and I want to see my pals in Montreal too. If I have enough money for the Air Fare then I want to Greyhound(ISIC card FTW) and couch surf between Mtl and Vancouver via the Calgary Stampede. This would mean missing the graduate ceremoney though :P

OTOH I'm tempted to try and get a foot in the door at the BBC in London by doing work experience in the News section of the World Service or Radio 4, I seem to be just the kind of person they want. This however means finding stupidly cheap accomodation in London for about a month as the experience is unpaid. Of course it could mean that I get a job in London, then I'd be able to pay rent at least. You have to have the BBC work experience to apply for the jobs at the BBC. I could possibly stay with my uncle in Reading but I'm not sure if its too far to commute:/

If i could mix the two and do radio in Nottingham I would, but Radio Nottingham wants people who know the issues and events of the town/county well and I don't really know stuff like that.

Anyway I am unsure. I might go for the work experience just for the fun of it and then move to Nottingham, or I might get addicted and stay in London or hate it and scuttle back to Notts :P Who knows.

Further on I'd like to apply for an Msc in Creative non fiction Writing or train to become a Conservator (preferably of Natural History artifacts).

"You seem almost normal when drunk.."



Not sure if this means i seem not normal most of the time, or that i seem the same when drunk.

http://www.flickr.com/groups/550739@N20/ Flickr group with lot shots of random old stuff, some of it rusty and some of it slighty dusty.

http://supernal-clothing.co.uk/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=4&products_id=14

I wonder if this would suit me and if its warm? and if so I wonder If my parents would buy me one for Xmas? I need a decent (gothic/steampunk) winter coat...

Cut out bacon and alcohol?
I think Islamist propaganda is inflitrating our Media;)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7069914.stm

A comment on this BBC Article

Edit: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7067804.stm

I hate Hallowe'en. I believe that it is hugely harmful to pretend that dressing up and 'being' a witch or the Devil is a fun thing to do. Not only does it frighten and intimidate the elderly and single people, I feel that it is just so inappropriate to be basically celebrating evil. I don't have children, but if and when I do, I will not be allowing my children to go and harrass people into giving them stuff under an evil guise. Hallowe'en- harmless fun? I don't think so.
Kat Gilday, Camberley, Surrey, UK


Oh god i am SO intimidated by small children dressed up because I am a weak and single woman, I need a big man to protect me from the mean children.

Its not celebrating evil (for teh 1000000 time) its about confusing teh evil spirits so they don't coem and get you.


*laughs like DRAIN*

Excluding fandom, list all the things you geek over, or are a total swot about.

-History of Science and Medicine
-Magic Lanterns (even if they are just fancy OHPs)
- Natural History, Museums of natural History & history of natural history museums
- Zoos, History of Zoos
- Zoology
- Entomology
- Germany/German language
-Quebec esp. Quebec French
-Cryptozoology
- Textiles & Dressmaking (inc Knitting)
- Vintage/Antique Fashion (esp. mens fashion)
-Obsolete yet still perfedctly functional Technology
-Bats
-Dinosaurs
-Fairy Tales & Literary Criticism of such
-Supernatueal Horror & Literary Criticism thereof
-Romanticism
- my PDA
-British Comedy
- The Radio
-Foreign Sweeties


:B




meme memed from Ginasketch

So if in Steampunk there are Sky Pirates

thusly
[IMG]http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c57/Wieselkind/skypirate.jpg[/IMG]


should there not also be err, Smog Ninja who assasinate business tycoons and soldier under the cover of smog? and have fancy steamy weapons?

*gets out pencil and chews it*

Edit: this is because i was trying out the 'ninja martial art' nin jitsu last night.

BBC Radio has revamped their Podcast section lots of news and interesting stuff like a natural History Podcast on Four, but still no comedy now the Now Show podcast has been axed.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/podcasts/directory/station/radio4/

Well I'm here and it's hot.
This morning I saw a statue of Lenin tied onto the back of a trailer. It didn't look like an art project.
AAAnd I am literally just around the corner from the Natural Hisotry Museum. I went this morning and took way too many pictures. One of every cabinet in the 'preservation of specimens' display. My battery tells me it is exhausted. I'll have to go back.
Nothing much else excting yet.

I think i have spent too long at museums...



( Read more... )

Poll #1020278 The Fewchar
Open to: Friends, detailed results viewable to: Friends

After I Gradute should I...

Or if you have any other crazy ideas fire away,