Half Way Point!

I am officially half way finished with my internship with INTO, and hopefully more than half-way finished with my case studies.  This last week brought in more research, and a huge thank you to all the organizations that are answering my questions and participating in the case studies for the “INTO Action” programme. On Monday, I took the trip to Heelis for a meeting and ‘thankyou’ lunch for all the INTO volunteers, who really help in all parts of the INTO organization.  During this time, I had the opportunity to meet INTOs Director of Special Projects, Geoffrey Read. Who is an encyclopedia of great information pertaining to INTOs work and work in international preservation.

Also this week the National Trust of Jersey, one of my case studies focuses, successfully completed their Love Plemont Campaign.  As a result, the headline of the Plemont coast will be purchased by the National Trust of Jersey with assistance from the States of Jersey.  The site will be restored back to nature keeping it safeguarded from development forever and for everyone.

Exterior of 2 Willow Road

On Wednesday, I had the pleasure of spending the day with Sarah Murphey and Catherine looking at historic places in London.  Sarah Murphey is with the Western Australian National Trust and is responsible for the WA portfolio, which includes 60+ heritage sites.  It was great to hear her thoughts on what is happening with the Western Australian and all their recent successes.  Sarah was focuses on interpretation and bringing audiences to heritage sites.  So we went and visited 2 Willow Road, which is a modernist home designed and lived in by architect Erno Goldfinger. It was so modern compared to most of the sites in London that during the tour it felt like I was intruding on their home space, and a member of the Goldfinger family would pop out and ask about my intrusiveness.  The house is well designed and unique, but also industrial, which is a very pleasant combination.  It is amazing to think that it was built in the 1920s because it is very modern for that time period. On a side note, Goldfinger was not Ian Fleming’s famous Bond villain, Fleming just like the name when he heard it over a conservation.

The recently restored library at Kenwood House

The next stop on our tour of Hampstead was English Heritage’s Kenwood House.  The house is a grand country escape from the city of London. The interiors of the house have been recently restored, and they are breathtaking.  The house also holds a very well-known art collection in each of the rooms, including the Rembrandt self-portrait that everyone studies in Art 101. The house also had a newly famous resident, Dido Belle, who was the inspiration for the movie, Belle.  The costumes for the movie were up in the house along with a little bit of her history.

On Friday, I had the opportunity to meet with Joe Watson, who works with the London Project.  The London Project is one of my case studies that I am researching.  Meeting with him was very helpful with my research, and he gave me another list of must see things in London.  Hopefully, I get time to see everything.  My list just keeps getting longer and longer.  Looking forward to next week and the adventures that keep coming.