Monday, October 09, 2006

It all began in the 14th century...

Meandered around Hull's free-to-enter museums and galleries. We've seen it all before, just about, but it's nice to go back every once in a while to see if they've made any changes. Indeed, the Streetlife Museum seems to have done wonderful things with its carriage and vintage car collection since I last cocked a snoop. Wilberforce House is still shut, as it's having an Ikea makeover in readiness for the William Wilberforce celebrations next year. So we looked at transports of delight, a life size model of a woolly mammoth and a Celtic village. Then we went in the Old Grammar School which (when did this happen?) is now called Hands on History Museum and also contains a mummy, which you can't get your hands on at all as it's in a glass case. When it was a school Andrew Marvell and Wilberforce were amongst the students here. Upstairs, there's a terrific recreation of a council flat which contains a television telling the story of slum housing clearance and the rise and fall of Bransholme. This is all part of the story of Hull's people, who can be heard on audio talking about "a nice piece of skate" and other such fish-related nonsense. Noticed a funny bit of text close to a display full of grubby prams and baby baths. "From the 14th century women have been responsible for bearing and bringing up children". Now, I'm no history expert but , as M exclaimed loudly enough to raise the curators from their slumber, who was responsible before that then?

Have been watching Jane Eyre on the BBC. It's very good, which is as much praise as you'll get from costume drama Sunday night television-hating me. However, Ruth Wilson, who plays Jane, has the most disturbing pair of lips ever seen on television. You can't not notice them and, as a result, it's a total distraction from the story. You're sat there thinking, go on, Rochester, tell her about those bloody rubbery things that frame her wide mouth. "Jane, I want you to marry me. But first, the cosmetic surgery. My other wife, the mad bastard in the tower, will bite your lips off for you."

2 comments:

Benjamin said...

That is mightily perplexing. Some nice posts here, Dave. A fine read.

Dave W said...

Thanks Ben.