Dickens Festival 2006

Overlooking Rochester The Third Man Bow Street Runners Exotic dancers I presume Bill Sykes and Nancy The Mayor's address The Mayor's bodyguards Prices have gone up a bit since then
Click on the thumbnails for a larger picture All those hoops make life difficult The Pickwick Club Hot enough for the Fire Brigade JJ refused to join in Looking down on the fair Rochester Cathedral from the Castle. Afternoon at Anton's
 

Victoriana

03 June 2006

On the battlements of Rochester Castle

On the battlements of Rochester Castle

Following on from our trip to London last weekend and the walk around Whitechapel, JJ and I had the chance to go back again for the weekend courtesy of the weather and Floyd in France.

Peter needed some medicaments collected and because it has been so wet in France recently neither he nor Sandra had the time to go and get them. Thus Sandra asked if it would suit me to pop over for the day, whilst they cut lawns.

The weather forecast for the weekend was good so I buzzed Jean-Jacques and he said that he would be interested to head over for the Dickens Festival.

Fagin

In this life, one thing counts...

We caught an early train to Folkestone and having run about Chatham for a while trying to get some money we parked up on the hill in Rochester, eat our lunch and headed down into the High Street for a dander in anticipation of the parade.

It was as hot as predicted and it was nice to get into the shade from time to time. Those in Victorian costume must have been sweltering in all their layers of clothes, the high collars and ties.

The parade is quite interesting but we were not brilliantly placed. Needless to say JJ doesn't know much about Dickens's characters but I did my best to point some of the more familiar ones out to him.

I have read or seen the films for most of his major works and of course many of the famous quotes are pretty ingrained.

We had already pointed out some of the buildings used in the novels the week before, but that was a wet afternoon with nobody about. Now the place was alive with costumes and visitors. It all helps aid the imagination.

Following the end of the parade we walked up out into the castle grounds and the fair. This is probably where you really start to get an idea of how life would have been with the hundreds of characters milling about. Even the two policemen with the Mayor were dressed in keeping with the situation.

I did try to get JJ to enter the Mr Rochester 2006 competition, but he refused flat to wear one of those non-flattering swimming costumes !

For a better view we visited the castle - built by the French to keep the rest of the French out. We read on one of the panels that Charles V The Holy Roman Emperor had once visited, we know him better here as Charles Quint and have roads, bars and beers named after him.

Even from the battlements we could smell the sizzling onions down below.

We took a beer in a local hostelerie with Miss Haversham at the next table. In the corner was a group of Victorians with their bowlers and top hats which really lent atmosphere to the place. I did ask if the prices were in shillings but was told: No.

Singing Sweeps

Old father Thames keeps rolling along...

I bought some fudge and coconut ice, but we were very good and forwent the kebabs of marshmallows and strawberries coated in melted Belgian chocolate.

A final walk up the town gave us a chance to catch some singing sweeps who were giving a very good rendition of something that the English seemed to know well. From there it was a walk back up the hill to collect the car and head on to Anton and Debbie's.

Fish and Bunny, no chips

 

See also

Afternoon in Chatham

Day Trip to London

Painting next door