Marvellous Museums
It’s been a difficult time for us all, but life is slowly going back to normal. More businesses are reopening, including museums.
One of our favourites is the Victoria & Albert Museum in London. A celebration of decorative design, this is an art lovers’ paradise. Browse their vast collections of ceramics and theatre costumes and immerse yourself in the art world. As well as its impressive interiors, the museum’s exterior is equally as spectacular. The John Madejski Garden is known as being the heart of the V&A and is a popular picnic spot.
If the weather isn’t on your side, stop off for a hot cup of tea at the indoor café and admire the high ceiling and stained glass windows that surround you.
The Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds is the oldest museum in Britain, as the collection was once housed in the Tower of London in the 15th century. The armoury moved northward in the 1990s and has been there ever since.
If you’re a fan of TheLordOf
Oh, Beatrice will do it.” Bea looked up from the pile of books she was sorting through to see Alice Knowles, the new head librarian, waving the elderly Colin Ransom in her direction.
“Beatrice, see to this gentleman’s request,” Alice called out before simply walking off.
Bea stifled a groan. Mr Ransom turned up from time to time and was always demanding when he did. Bea looked at her watch; it was almost her lunchtime.
“Now, young lady!” Colin Ransom said briskly as he marched up to the desk. “I want to find this thingummy – what do they call it, a website? – on the computer.”
Bea laid aside her pile of books and plastered a pleasant smile on her face.
By the time Mr Ransom had finished everything he needed to do and was shuffling out of the library door, Bea had missed her forty-five-minute lunch slot.
“You can take ten minutes to eat your sandwich,” Alice said, looking at her watch. “That’s all I can spare.”
Alice Knowles seemed to delight in making things difficult for her. Bea missed Alan, the former head librarian who’d been the kindest, most easy-going person. She was happy for him that he’d retired, but not for everyone else who was left.
She wolfed down her sandwich and was back on the floor before her ten minute slot was up – it was no good antagonising Alice, who seemed to dislike her intensely for no apparent reason, although that afternoon, when the knitting group arrived for their weekly session and Bea was serving them coffee, Mrs Lacy, their leader, gave her an indication why:
“That new head librarian is a bit of a snob,” she whispered as Bea set down the tray of mugs on the table in the meeting room. “She seems to resent us being here. I can’t see her serving us coffee like you do, dear. You’re a star.”
“I don’t know why they didn’t make
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wasn’t a bad person, she could just see that he took advantage of her kind nature from time to time.
Bea lay awake for a long time, pondering what her life had become. She’d never had great ambitions, content to be of service to others and live within her means. She loved the library, but things were changing.
For the third time that week Alice Knowles had passed on to her the difficult Mr Ransom. This time he started complaining about how the council were overcharging him and how people in the library were their spies and they didn’t want him around. Eventually he lost his temper and stormed out.
“That is unacceptable behaviour. We’ll have to ban him from the library if he’s not careful,” Alice glowered.
“He’s lonely and he’s frustrated because he’s beginning to lose his mental faculties,” Bea said.
“Nevertheless, we can’t have him disrupting the peace of this place.”
“We’ve always been a safe haven for lonely people,” Bea said, gently.
“We’re not social services. One more outburst like that and I’ll ban him.”
“Maybe you could consider helping him on the computer next time,” Bea suggested. “He’ll be impressed that the head librarian is spending some time with him.”
“You’re the helper in this place,” Alice sneered at Bea.
“You know I’ve missed my lunch break twice this week.”
“I think that’s your fault, not mine.”