Source: www.digitalspy.co.uk
Is Philippines ready for a divorce law? - ABS-CBN
MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines remains the only nation in the world that does not have a law legalizing divorce. Is the country ready for such a law?
Gabriela Party Rep. Luz Ilagan believes that it is time that the country moves forward and help couples who can no longer live together.
Ilagan and and fellow lawmaker Emmi de Jesus have filed a House bill introducing divorce in the Philippines that is now with the House committee on revision of laws.
She said they are now waiting for the committee to schedule hearings to ask the sponsors and resource persons to explain the pros and cons of the proposed legislation.
House Speaker Sonny Belmonte on Wednesday said the divorce bill will be among the priority measures that will be tackled when Congress opens its 3rd regular session in late July.
Belmonte said he is supporting the enactment of a divorce law in the country.
Ilagan, in an interview with radio dzMM Thursday, said the country is ready for a divorce law.
PH only country without divorce
"We are ready and we are the only country left now. Two years ago, we still had Malta," she said.
"But when Malta had a referendum last year, na kahit iyung presidente nila was reluctant to grant divorce, noong makita niya iyung results ng kanilang referendum ay pumayag. Kaya ang Philippines na lang ang natitirang bansa na walang divorce," she said.
She said Italy, where the Vatican City is located, allows divorce. The Vatican, which is technically a sovereign city-state, does not allow divorce.
Current Philippine laws only allow annulment of marriage -- a long, expensive, and painful legal process for estranged couples who no longer want to live together as man and wife.
Not Vegas-style divorce
Ilagan said the conservatives in the Philippines should not compare the proposed legislation with lax laws on divorce in other countries such as the United States.
"May kaibahan, sa Amerika kaya tinatawag natin na divorce Las Vegas-style, puwedeng mag-asawa ngayon, tapos kapag hindi nila type, kahit mababaw lang ang dahilan, puwede na mag-divorce," she said.
"Sa atin naman, Pinoy style, mayroong mga kondisyon. Hindi madali na makuha rin iyung divorce. May mga kundisyon tayong inilagay sa isinusulong nating panukalang batas," she explained.
5 grounds for divorce
Ilagan's bill proposes 5 grounds for divorce.
Couples who want to avail of divorce will need to fulfill at least one of the conditions set forth in the bill, if it becomes law.
According to the measure, couples who may apply for divorce include those who have been separated in fact for 5 years or those already legally separated for 2 years.
"Number 3, is when the couple have the situation na nandoon iyung condition for legal separation such as marital infidelity, abandonment, one of the spouses has been convicted for more than 6 years, and domestic violence," she said. "Ito naman ang mga basis for legal separation. Kung nandiyan iyan, puwede nang mag-file din ng divorce."
Grounds for legal separation may also apply when these same grounds have already caused the irreparable breakdown of the marriage.
In addition, psychological incapacity, causing one's failure to comply with essential marital obligations, and irreconcilable differences causing the irreparable breakdown of the marriage, will also be recognized as grounds for divorce.
Ilagan said under the proposed law, it will be the courts that will determine if couples are qualified to apply for divorce.
"It has to be proven in court, kasi hindi naman just because you filed for a divorce, you automatically get it," she said. "Siyempre ang korte ang magwe-weigh."
Divorce less expensive
She said the proposed divorce process will not be as financially, emotionally, and legally taxing as annulment.
"Mas hindi mahal pero hindi siya murang-mura naman na this will become very, very easy that people will avail of," she said. "Kasi, mayroon pa ring effort, mayroon pa ring proseso na susndin to reconcile."
"There will still be some expenses to be incurred dahil magha-hire ka pa rin ng lawyer pero this will not be as difficult or expensive as annulment," she added.
Ilagan cited data from the Office of the Solicitor General that says in Metro Manila alone, around 800 cases are being filed in courts for legal separation and annulment every month.
"Majority of these (annulment petitioners) are women, and 92% are Catholic. Kailangan talaga, harapin na natin ang problemang ito," she said.
Support from lawmakers
Even as the head of the lower House is supporting the proposal, Ilagan said the Senate is also likely to throw its weight behind a divorce bill.
She cited the cases of 4 senators who either have annulled marriages or are undergoing the process.
They are Senators Francis Escudero, Pia Cayetano, Loren Legarda, and Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III.
Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago, during the renewal of her wedding vows last year, also expressed support for divorce to be legalized in the Philippines.
"I think divorce should be available to people who become homicidal at the sight of each other. That's so much better than making each other miserable for the rest of their lives and impacting the lives of their children as well. I've always made known my views since I was RTC (Regional Trial Court) judge," she said.
"I am in favor of a divorce bill provided that grounds for divorce are very strict so that we will not encourage young people to rush into marriage and then rush out by divorce," Santiago said.
"I think the Senate is more open," Ilagan said. "They (senators) have revealed situations na they would be sympathetic to people who would like to have divorce."
"I'm sure marami din naman sa lower House na nakakaintindi. Itong bill na ito, inisip para tugunan ang pangangailangan ng atin mga kababayan," she added.
Source: www.abs-cbnnews.com
Bethenny Frankel on those divorce rumors - ClickOnDetroit.com
Newly minted talk show host Bethenny Frankel is using her latest platform to shoot down rumors that her marriage to Jason Hoppy is on the rocks.
On Monday's premiere, the reality show star addresses the divorce buzz that's been swirling as she moderates a "men's panel" segment featuring Kevin Nealon, D.L. Hughley and Mike Catherwood, reports Us Weekly.
When Catherwood asks how things are at home, the 41-year-old former "Real Housewives of New York City" cast member offers a frank response.
"The real question is ... I hate to be the guy who deals with the elephant in the room. How are you doing?" Catherwood says. "I'm hearing the 'D' word, divorce thrown around a lot."
"Oh, I forgot. Yes, I've seen a divorce lawyer. My husband's seen a divorce lawyer," Frankel jokes before replying with more seriousness.
"It's Hollywood," she says. "I have not seen a divorce lawyer. My husband hasn't seen a divorce lawyer."
Viewers can expect to see her "put it all out there" on the show, Frankel adds. "The truth is ... I'm in a good marriage. We have issues. We are not perfect. We work on it everyday. We're committed."
Her show "Bethenny" debuts June 11 on Fox in select markets.
Source: www.clickondetroit.com
Apple vs. Google: Mobile divorce approaching - ZDNet
Apple is likely to push Google Maps out of the way next week at its WWDC powwow in what’s a long march toward nixing the search giant—friend now mobile foe—as a default service provider.
The longer war between Apple and Google will revolve around courting developers.
Flurry’s Peter Farago sums it up:
This month, the world’s two largest mobile app platform providers, Apple and Google, enter what is arguably the most critical month of the year for each company, when each hosts their annual developer conference, the Apple Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) and Google I/O. While engaged in a multi-year platform war, their success largely depends on innovation provided for their platforms by the third party developer community. If the developer community embraces one platform over the other, developers will build the software that infinitely extends the value of the consumer experience, giving a platform a meaningful edge.
Bottom line: Developers will follow the money. With Apple developers garner more app revenue—folks pay for iOS apps, but Android versions are often free. Google will have to push its iOS wares through the app store. Any built-in service will eventually get the boot.
Related: With 3D maps, Google looks to ‘magic’ to fend off Apple | Google Maps heading to new directions (pictures) | Google announces full offline mapping mode for Android smartphones | 
Today, Apple’s ongoing effort to replace Google Maps and other services has little to no financial hit. Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster noted:
Media reports continue to suggest that Apple will replace Google Maps with its own solution in iOS 6. While the immediate financial impact to Google is minimal, we believe the move would suggest a clear strategy on Apple’s part to minimize Google on iOS. Moving forward, we expect a continued tug-of-war between Apple and Google. We believe Google is likely to push more of its apps through the App Store, including Chrome, while Apple will continue to innovate around discovery on the iPhone through Siri.
Financially, Munster reckons that iOS will only provide 2 percent (about $4.5 billion) of Google’s total revenue in 2012. Of that sum, Google gets $500 million from mobile display ads and $4 billion from search. It’s likely iOS is the largest portion of Google’s search revenue. If Apple nixes Google Maps it won’t break the bank.
A few thoughts:
- If Apple replaces Google services users aren’t likely to notice.
- These moves by Apple to replace Google services will probably lead up to nixing search. If Google is replaced as an iOS default search that will be the ultimate test case for users.
- Developer loyalty appears to be with iOS based on Flurry data. Indeed, most apps go iOS first and then Android.
- Siri may be the wild card. What happens if Siri excludes Google results over time?
- It’s unclear that Google can cut it in the App Store framework. Google has multiple free apps, but its biggest ones check in as No. 70 on the charts and below.
Source: www.zdnet.com
Celebrity Divorce: 9 Celebs Who Divorced Regular People (PHOTOS) - Huffington Post
ANSWER: Sofia Vergara
At 18, "Modern Family" star Sofia Vergara <a href="http://www.people.com/people/sofia_vergara/biography/0,,,00.html" target="_hplink">married high school sweetheart José González</a> in Colombia. Two years into their marriage, the couple <a href="http://www.people.com/people/sofia_vergara/biography/0,,,00.html" target="_hplink">welcomed a son, Manolo</a>. Though Vergara and González <a href="http://www.people.com/people/sofia_vergara/biography/0,,,00.html" target="_hplink">split in 1993</a>, the actress told <em>Parade</em> magazine in July 2011 that <a href="http://www.parade.com/celebrity/2011/07/sofia-vergara.html" target="_hplink">they're still close</a>. "When José comes to the United States, he stays with me," she said.
Source: www.huffingtonpost.com
'Ground-breaking' changes for London cancer patients - BBC News
The way London's cancer patients are treated changed on Thursday in a move the NHS hopes will save up to 1,000 lives a year.
Cancer services in the north and east of the capital have combined to be called London Cancer - responsible for more than three million people.
It has brought together hospital specialists, GPs and scientists.
Patients can now receive specialist care at major cancer centres and then the rest of their care closer to home.
London Cancer's chief medical officer Professor Kathy Pritchard-Jones said: "We've got some of the best scientists and clinicians in the country in our capital city but we need to get them to work together much more effectively for the benefit of patients.
'Compete with the best'"I think this is a real opportunity to do something ground-breaking for our patients.
"We've been given the opportunity to think really big and to plan services for a population of three and a half million people in north and east London, so this means we can now compete with the very best in the world."
About 13,600 people die from cancer in London each year and more than 27,000 are diagnosed with the disease.
One patient is 46-year-old black cab driver Mark Fitzpatrick.
He is one of the first to experience what life will be like for future patients.
In January he was diagnosed with cancer at Barts Hospital. Since then he has been receiving his chemotherapy treatment at Whipps Cross Hospital - 10 minutes from his home - meaning he does not have to travel into town.
He said: "It's not a journey you'd want to do on a regular basis, particularly at the beginning - because if you are particularly ill you don't want to be travelling into central London.
"It's just so handy to go to your local hospital. I mean, I live 10 minutes away, it just makes life so much easier at a time when you don't feel well.
"It's nice to be treated locally as it's a small unit and they treat you particularly well."
At the moment the average survival rates for cancer in London one year after diagnosis are worse (63.8%) than the rest of the country (66.5%).
Satisfaction rates amongst patients are also lower.
It is hoped this new network, and one for south and west London, to be launched later this year, will change that.
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
London Welsh prepare for appeal over Premiership exile - The Guardian
London Welsh's appeal against a decision barring them promotion to the Aviva Premiership looks set to be heard this month.
The Exiles won this season's Championship after beating Cornish Pirates in both legs of the final.
However, the Richmond-based club were told just hours before the first leg kicked off in Cornwall that they did not meet minimum standards criteria set down by English rugby's Professional Game Board for Premiership entry.
London Welsh played the final's second leg at the Kassam Stadium in Oxford, which is thought to be their preferred venue should they gain Premiership status.
As things stand, Newcastle will remain in the Premiership next season despite finishing bottom, a point behind Wasps, this season. However, should London Welsh succeed in overturning an original decision that went against them then they will go up and the Falcons will be relegated.
In a statement, the RFU said: "The Rugby Football Union has today received London Welsh's appeal against the decision that the club failed to meet the minimum standards criteria set out by the Professional Game Board for promotion to the Aviva Premiership.
"It is proposed that the appeal hearing, which will take place before an independent panel, will be held on 21 June at the London Bloomsbury Hotel.
"An expedited timetable has been agreed with London Welsh, with the proposed date of 21 June the earliest possible time to allow for the exchange of cases and evidence. During the appeal, no further comment will be made."
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
London 2012: 50 days to go until Olympics - Newham Recorder 24
Sarah Shaffi, Olympics editor (news)
Thursday, June 7, 2012
8:43 AM
Today marks just 50 days until the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games.
To celebrate the occasion London 2012 has published a list of 50 ways to join in with the Games.
Ideas for London include getting your photo taken with the Olympic Countdown Clock in Trafalgar Square, watching Damon Albarn in his opera Dr Dee at the national Opera House as part of the London 2012 Festival, and sending a message of support to Team GB’s Olympic and Paralympic athletes via www.ourgreatestteam.com.
People are also encouraged to consider training to become a referee, official or coach in a sport that interests them, visit the giant Olympic Rings at St Pancras International Station, and view the Tate Britain’s exhibition of Olympic and Paralympic posters.
Seb Coe, chairman of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG), said: “The Jubilee celebrations and the incredible welcome given to the Olympic Torch Relay have shown the great community spirit of British people and their enthusiasm to get involved with big events.
“By releasing this list, we want to demonstrate that whatever your interests, there is a way for you to be part of London 2012. We are urging the UK public to join in, and to keep their bunting and flags ready to mark what will be an unrivalled summer of sport, culture and celebration.”
London 2012 is also encouraging people to become a Local Leader - a person in the community who organises events to celebrate the Games.
There are currently more than 14,000 Local Leaders across the country for London 2012 who have already hosted or are planning events.
The Mayor of London Boris Johnson said: “With a mere 50 days to go, we are keeping our foot on the pedal to make sure everything is in place for a smooth and successful Games. We will learn any lessons from the spectacular celebrations of the Diamond Jubilee and will make sure the capital is buzzing as we roll out a huge programme of events and festivities for everyone to enjoy.
“So whether it’s watching the sporting spectacle at our live sites or being inspired to take up a new sport, joining in the free arts extravaganzas going on across the city or just enjoying the shopping, theatre and restaurants that make this the best big city in world, London is the place to be.”
Source: www.newhamrecorder.co.uk
London 2012: Why Sponsors Need to Create Olympic Content, Not Just Badge It - The Drum
As London 2012 Olympic activity ramps up with just over a month until the event itself kicks into life, Kath Hipwell planning director who oversees Red Bee Media's content strategy rounds up some of the content strategies being implemented by brands and media partners aiming to get as much out of the sporting occasion as they possibly can.
Creating relevant content is now an essential part of 21st century marketing. Particularly, it would seem, when the goal is to own an event such as the London 2012 Olympics. So many powerful brands are fighting to get their pound of Olympic flesh that sponsors need to leverage their VIP access in every way they can.
Four years ago, Coca-Cola, BMW and Sainsbury’s may have just made conventional ads or attached their logo to pieces of content. But in today’s world where brands are increasingly seeking to be the content, not interrupt it, they have created something much more engaging. As part of their London 2012 sponsorship activity, Coke will create more than 120 pieces of content compared with a measly three TV ads and six posters for Beijing 2008.
Coca-Cola – Move to the Beat
Never mind the smell of Olympic success then, Coke have decided to bottle the sound of sport. One of their initiatives, ‘Move to the beat of the London 2012 Olympic Games’, is a collaboration between Coke and Mark Ronson which hopes to record the sounds of Olympic sports and transform them into something approaching music.
The attempt is captured in a 25 minute film aired on E4 which makes for entertaining viewing. It also captures the optimistic, global, youthful spirit reminiscent of Coke’s iconic ‘I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing’ ad from 1971 – another global harmony co-created by Coke.
BMW – The Ultimate Performance
BMW has taken a more philosophical approach, using Olympic athletes as a metaphor for their product as they explore what it takes to produce ‘The Ultimate Performance’. They created four short documentary films, directed by award-winning documentary makers and released one a week to keep consumers coming back for more.
One of the most successful is arguably ‘Power, Speed and Endurance’ directed by Asif Kapadia, the BAFTA winning director of Senna. He draws parallels between the golden age of athletics and of automobiles, so the audience can’t help but view both as high performance machines. It’s then just a short hop to ‘The Ultimate Driving Machine’.
adidas Bodycare – TomDaley.TV
From the ultimate driving machine, to the ultimate diving machine, in the form of Britain’s very own Tom Daley. Arguably one of the most marketable Olympic athletes, Tom has been busy creating some content of his own at TomDaley.TV. Brands were not too far off the scent though and adidas got involved by taking over Tom’s official web TV channel for the month of May. The sponsored videos inform us that he trains for a gruelling six hours a day, six days a week, and that adidas Bodycare will be “keeping Tom cool under pressure”.
The content shares some of his impressive skills and Tom delivers his pieces to camera with such well-groomed charm that you can’t help but smile. There are plenty of smiley faces in the incredibly supportive tweets being streamed on the site too. In fact, it all feels rather perfect – right down to the Union Jack duvet cover and coordinating adidas deodorant can…
Sainsbury’s – Sainsbury’s and Channel 4 Present…
A series of 10 short films aired on Channel 4 and channel4.com helps Sainsbury’s amplify their sponsorship of the Paralympic Games. Paralympic athletes, including gold-medal winning swimmer Ellie Simmonds, share their tales of dedication to their sport and the sacrifices they are having to make on the way to the Games. The resulting stories feel compelling and intimate, although unfortunately Sainsbury’s sponsorship is bolted onto the end in quite an ungainly manner, which rather breaks the spell. That said, the series is highly watchable and affords Sainsbury’s a platform from which to share its commitment to promoting healthier, more active lifestyles for all ages and abilities. A laudable goal indeed and one in line with the event it’s sponsoring.
British Airways – Boy
Perhaps the most ambitious, brave and emotionally powerful work though is from British Airways (BA). Their Na href="http://www.britishairways.com/travel/great-britons/public/en_gb">‘Great Britons’ programme has led to the creation of a stunning film entitled ‘Boy’. This incredibly moving and beautiful nine minute story was penned by Great Britons winner Prasanna Puwanarajah and features Timothy Spall. The story is one step removed from the Olympic Games and feels more original and authentic for it, while elements set in the Olympic Park’s Velodrome ensure its relevance. It will be seen by up to six million BA passengers this summer; the fact that it is a silent film makes it all the more transportable.
With incredibly subtle branding, save for the end credits of their film, you might ask what’s in it for BA? Certainly they’re not getting the product placement of adidas or the overt meshing of their logo with the 2012 Olympics that Sainsbury’s nail on to the end of their work. But for my money their modest approach is hugely powerful and shifts my perceptions of the brand in a way their recent advertising has failed to do. I admire them for their respectful and sophisticated engagement with the Games and I bet when passengers watch Boy on BA flights there is much sobbing in the aisles. And if you can make your audience cry, you’re halfway there.
It feels like a new era of sponsorship is dawning.
One in which associations can and should be made to say a whole lot more about the brand than merely a proud supporter of…
The changing media landscape means that brands no longer have to interrupt audiences to get their attention; instead we can create conversations and gripping content that they’ll choose to engage with. At Red Bee Media, we believe content is the key to making sponsorships much more effective, achieving not just logo awareness, but a real attraction to your brand. Use content well and you’ll raise awareness, deepen engagement and convert an audience into a customer base.
What do you think? Is content now an essential part of 21st century sponsorships? Can non-sponsors use content to create an association not possible elsewhere due to tight regulation?
Source: www.thedrum.co.uk
London 2012: 50 of the best unusual museums in London - Daily Telegraph
2. Cartoon Museum, Holborn
Just a few streets away from the looming British Museum, the diminutive Cartoon Museum is easily missed but worth seeking out. Its mission is to preserve and promote British cartoon art, comic art and caricature and with a collection that dates from the 18th century to the present, visitors of all ages will discover cartoons that tickle their fancy or spark a childhood memory. Playful and popular cartoon strips featuring The Bash Street Kids, Billy the Whizz and Dennis the Menace are shown alongside rarer and more politically minded works; if you feel the subject matter warrants further exploration you can also make an appointment to access the museum’s library, where comic book connoisseurs can study the medium further.
3. Old Operating Theatre, London Bridge
In the 1800s, the Old Operating Theatre was used as an operating space for the deathly sick interned at St. Thomas’s Hospital. In those times medical equipment was primitive and effective anaesthesia unavailable so invasive surgeries such as amputations were terrifying ordeals for patients – although a skilled surgeon could perform the procedure in under a minute, novices would sometimes hack and chisel at mangled limbs for much longer. Staff talks on the theatre bring the innocuous wood-panelled space to gruesome life so it’s worth timing your visit to coincide with one; the adjacent herb garret exhibition space has complementary medical displays.
4. Museum of Brands, Packaging and Advertising; Notting Hill
Those same household products that we retrieve from supermarket shelves week-in, week-out are so familiar that we may not consciously consider our relationships with them, but the Museum of Brands, Packaging and Advertising seeks to do just that. Started by consumer historian Robert Opie, the museum’s collection includes over 12,000 original items that should be familiar to all of us, be they packets of cereal, tins of baked beans or sachets of custard powder. Consider an amble through the space a rummage through a particularly well-stocked larder and prepare to encounter plenty of decommissioned products that once held pride of place on your family’s kitchen table.
5. The Vault at Hard Rock Café, Park Lane
With so many unique restaurants in London I despair when I see tourists queuing for a table at the Hard Rock Café but fans of music memorabilia will appreciate The Vault. So named because the space was once part of a Coutts bank and now holds valuable music mementos, the display area houses some impressive exhibits. Items in the collection include the guitar used by Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash in the November Rain video, a harpsichord frequently used by The Beatles and, strangely, one of Madonna’s old credit cards. Open seven days a week, The Vault’s opening hours are different from the main dining space (typically it’s open from midday to 9pm) and admission is free.
6. British Dental Association Dental Museum, Marylebone
Its origins may date back almost 100 years but there are still plenty of lifelong Londoners oblivious to the existence of the BDA Dental Museum. Its foundations date back to 1919 when Lilian Lindsay, the first female to qualify as a dentist in the country, donated a number of old dental instruments to the association. Today the museum’s collection includes some 20,000 items with dental instruments, furniture, photographs and art all on display. With few people enthusiastic about a trip to the dentist, going to the museum might be another way to pay your respects to this field of medicine.
7. Pollock’s Toy Museum, Fitzrovia
The space is cluttered and the collection of old, beady-eyed dolls could be considered somewhat creepy, but Pollock’s Toy Museum is an intriguing place. The museum itself occupies two conjoined houses near Goodge Street and when wandering from one small room to another prepare to encounter toys from your own childhood. Despite the ostensibly juvenile subject matter this museum is possibly better suited to adults who want to wallow in nostalgia than parents who want to provide their kids with distraction.
8. The Crime Museum, New Scotland Yard
London has plenty of macabre museums, but perhaps the most morbid is The Crime Museum, better known as The Black Museum, at New Scotland Yard. Housing an extensive number of weapons which have been used to commit murders or serious assaults in London, its collection includes items used by Jack the Ripper and Charlie Peace. The cases the displays are connected to remain shocking and emotive and it’s perhaps for that reason the museum isn’t open to the general public; however, members of the police forces or associated bodies sometimes access the space to attend lectures on forensic science, pathology, law and investigative techniques.
9. Geffrye Museum, Hackney
Anyone with an interest in interiors or design will be charmed by the Geffrye Museum in Hoxton. Based in a series of connected 18th century almshouses, the museum shows typical middle-class living quarters in a succession of period rooms. Visitors start their journey in a traditional 17th century living space and gradually work their way up to the present day. Period gardens in the grounds repeat the process so there’s even more to discover outdoors when weather permits.
10. Household Cavalry Museum
The imposing, Grade I listed Horse Guards in Whitehall makes an impressive setting for the Household Cavalry Museum. The Household Cavalry guards the Queen on ceremonial occasions and also forms an operational regiment that serves around the world; visitors to the museum can learn about its role in detail through interactive displays and can often see members of the cavalry tending to their duties and caring for their horses in the Horse Guards’ 18th century stables.
11. Magic Circle Museum, Euston
By Euston Station, The Magic Circle is a private club where magicians converge; the Magic Circle Museum is a connected space that gives the rest of us insight into how the world’s greatest illusionists operate. Accompanied by guides, visitors can view props used by the likes of Harry Houdini and Chung Ling Soo, the rifles used for Maurice Fogel’s ‘bullet catch’ and hundreds of rare posters.
12. Freud Museum, Hampstead
A short stroll from Finchley Road Underground station, the Freud Museum is housed in what was once the home of Sigmund Freud and his family. They moved here after escaping the Nazi annexation of Austria in 1938 and it was occupied by the family until the death of Freud’s youngest daughter Anna Freud in 1982. It was her wish that the home become a museum that paid tribute to her father’s efforts, and the space remains crammed with his and her accoutrements. Most popular is Freud’s psychoanalytic couch, but visitors will also discover his collection of antiquities, Freud’s writing desk and items from his library.
13. London Sewing Machine Museum, Balham
Part of the Wimbledon Sewing Machine Company, the London Sewing Machine charts the history and evolution of sewing machines both domestic and industrial and contains some 700 different types. Those especially interested in these tools might be excited by an example of the first Singer machine and a machine originally owned by Queen Victoria’s eldest daughter, but this idiosyncratic space is also enjoyed by all manner of designer. It’s usually open only on the first Saturday of each month.
14. London Fire Brigade Museum, Southwark
The London Fire Brigade Museum in Southwark is a must-visit for any adult who aspired to work in the fire brigade as a child, and an interesting attraction for everyone else too. Housed in what was once part of the original Southwark fire station, the museum’s most impressive exhibits are its historical fire engines and Victorian-era gear room but there’s plenty to explore. Visits must be arranged by prior appointment and guests are accompanied by an expert guide.
15. Sherlock Holmes Museum, Baker Street
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wrote that his fictional characters Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson lived at 221b Baker Street and that is the location of the real-life Sherlock Holmes Museum. Despite the men never existing, the museum does a good job of creating a setting that seems authentic, with the multi-storey space crammed with antique artefacts that could have been used by the sleuth and his associate. An added attraction is the man in period costume usually stationed outside the door, providing a popular photo opportunity for visiting tourists.
16. The Royal London Museum, Whitechapel
Within the Royal London Hospital, the Royal London Museum documents the history of the hospital and the most notable cases treated there. Surgical instruments, old uniforms and assorted trinkets make for atmospheric displays but the venue is perhaps most known for its showcase on forensic medicine – which includes original material related to the Jack the Ripper murders – and its association with Joseph Merrick, the ‘Elephant Man’. He spent the last four years of his life in a specially adapted room within the hospital, and some of his personal effects (including his hat, veil and a cardboard church he made as a gift) remain on show.
17. Bank of England Museum, City of London
Global financial markets are more confusing than ever, so this could be considered a good time to visit the Bank of England Museum for some contextualisation and education. Tracing the history of the Bank of England from its 1694 foundation to the present day, the museum includes displays of old banknotes and coins, antique furniture, historic pictures and glistening gold bars. Entry to the museum is free which, given how much financial pain everyone’s already in, is just as well.
18. Garden Museum, Lambeth
Beautiful and tranquil, the Garden Museum lays in the church of St Mary’s in Lambeth, with the Thames surging past its door. Within the tastefully adapted church, changing exhibitions consider issues related to British gardens and are supplemented by a series of talks; permanent displays of paintings, tools and garden equipment provide further interest. Outside, the grounds contain a well-tended knot garden and the tombs of the celebrated gardeners John the Elder and Younger.
19. World Rugby Museum, Twickenham
Within Twickenham Stadium, the World Rugby Museum is home to one of the world’s most comprehensive collections of rugby memorabilia. Many of its 10,000 objects are kept in storage but trophies, historical photographs and early match programmes and tickets are typically on display. If visiting the museum, consider timing your visit to coincide with one of the tours of Twickenham Stadium (for which there’s an additional charge). When running, they allow fans to take a walk around the pitch itself, the players’ tunnel and the England dressing room.
20. New London Architecture, Holborn
New London Architecture concerns itself with all issues related to London-based architecture, planning, development and construction, and its publicly accessible galleries seek to inform Londoners about the capital’s rapidly changing cityscape. An ongoing programme of debates and discussions consider pertinent issues in depth, but if you only have time for a quick visit, be sure to check out the giant scale model of central London. Measuring 12 metres, the 1:1500 scale model also includes proposed London buildings that have secured planning permission and are in development.
21. The Cinema Museum, Kennington
The Cinema Museum celebrates all aspects of cinema, with a particular appreciation for the pre-digital days when ‘going to the pictures’ was a ticket to escapism and fantasy. The extensive collection deserves detailed exploration, including as it does countless photographic images, old cinema posters, cinema staff uniforms and antique cinema fixtures. Guided tours of the museum are available most days but must be booked in advance as they’re lead by volunteers; a varied complementary programme of talks and screenings attract all manner of cinema enthusiasts and film industry insiders.
22. Leighton House Museum, Holland Park
Its exterior may be unprepossessing, but Leighton House Museum’s beautifully opulent interiors must rival the most lavish private houses in surrounding Kensington. The building was once the home and studio of the Victorian artist Lord Frederic Leighton and it remains a showcase for his spectacular artefacts. The central Arab Hall displays Leighton’s dazzling collection of shimmering Islamic tiles, but other ornate rooms impress with antique furniture and tasteful contemporary art displays. If possible it’s worth timing your visit to coincide with the free tours given at certain times on Wednesdays and Sundays; otherwise it’s possible to download an MP3 tour of the house from the museum website in advance of your visit.
23. V&A Museum of Childhood, Bethnal Green
The V&A Museum in South Kensington is known internationally as one of the world’s greatest museums of art and design; less recognised is its Museum of Childhood in Bethnal Green. This is where the V&A houses its collection of childhood-related objects and with displayed objects often dating back decades (and in some cases centuries), it’s worth a visit whatever your age. The curators deserve further kudos for providing a complementary programme of free daily drop-in activities for children, all designed to entertain and educate young minds.
24. Petrie Museum, Euston
Found within UCL, the Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology may be small but its collection of some 80,000 objects makes it one of the greatest museums of its type anywhere. Among its artefacts are sculptures of lions from the temple of Min at Koptos, dating from around 3000BC and the oldest wills on papyrus paper, as well as various ancient costumes and a series of Roman-period mummy portraits. Admission is free but opening hours are limited so check in advance of your visit.
25. Whitechapel Bell Foundry, Whitechapel
The Whitechapel Bell Foundry is best known for two things: being the oldest manufacturing company in Britain, having been founded in 1570 and operating continually since; and for creating the Big Ben bell at the Palace of Westminster. The foundry includes a small exhibition space in its foyer but is best explored on a pre-booked tour. Detailing the efforts undertaken to cast bells and showing the workspaces in which they’re made, the tour provides detailed insight into the company’s operations and the limited numbers accommodated in the small space means places get snapped up quickly.
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
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