September 21st. 2019.          

Monday 7th October

·        Home Safes By Alastair Mackay.

Monday 4th November.

Monday 2nd December.

·         Winter Bourse and Member's Evening

Meetings are held at the Abbey Baptist Church, Abbey Square, commencing at 7.00 p.m.

 

Future Events

 

A Skittles evening has been arranged at the Jack O’Newbury, Terrace Rd N, Binfield, Bracknell RG42 5HZ on 27 October 2019, starting at 18.45. The price including supper will be about £18 per person. We used to go to The Red Lion in Theale but that is now a private house. If you would like to come (no previous experience necessary) please get in touch with a Committee member at the next Club Meeting or directly with Peter.

Club guests are very welcome. For limited details about the Pub please see http://www.jackonewbury.co.uk/

 

The annual Christmas Dinner has been arranged for 14 December 2019 at the usual pub - The Cunning Man, Burghfield Bridge, assembling at 18.45. The price is £25 (as last year) to include the Festive Season three course dinner and coffee and tea. Menus were circulated at the last Club meeting and copies are available from Peter or at the October Club meeting.

 

I will need your choices by end-November but I should like to confirm numbers in mid-October.

 

September Meeting

 

Tim Millett’s talk - George IIII & Caroline of Brunswick - a Marriage made in Hell showed that the high public profile of some members of the Royal Family is nothing new. The future George IIII was born George Augustus Frederick in 1762, eldest son of George III and Queen Charlotte. As heir to the throne, he had to wait until 1811 to be appointed as Regent and 1820 as monarch. He was a patron of the arts: he is famous for his patronage of the new forms of leisure, taste – and architectural styles – termed Regency, which survives today, notably in the form of Brighton’s Royal Pavilion, Regent Street, and the remodelling of Buckingham Palace. But he had an extravagant lifestyle in contrast to his father’s family-orientated and practical approach.

 

His dissolute ways, resulting in enormous debts and poor relationships with his father led to a number of serious confrontations, including an unauthorised marriage to Maria Fitzherbert and a string of affaires. Parliament agreed to help with the debts (said to be over £50 million in today’s terms) and George agreed to marry Charlotte of Brunswick. Attempts to reform his lifestyle failed and after the birth of their daughter, Princess Charlotte, the couple led their separate and very public lives. He led a fairly debauched life, continuing affaires with Palace ladies.  An attempt to divorce Caroline failed, but she predeceased him, as did their only daughter Charlotte.

 

The attraction of studying George IIII (and his father) is that his every move was satirised by gifted artists, such as James Gillray (1757-1815) who have left us with a cruel depiction of his life and times. George's charm and culture earned him the title "the first gentleman of England", but his dissolute way of life and poor relationships with his parents and his wife, earned him the contempt of the people and affected the prestige of the monarchy. Tim’s talk was fully illustrated, with both formal, courtly paintings, and cartoons. Cartoon print shops were very popular and many prints survive.

 

 

This is a typical cartoon print at the time of his official marriage in 1795. In the print, his fiancée hovers over the Prince. On the left side of George’s bed, King George III holds a bag full of cash expectantly while the Queen, anticipating her son’s forthcoming marriage, holds a book entitled The Art of Getting Pretty Children. Behind Prince George’s parents are George’s former wife Maria Fitzherbert and his current mistress, Lady Jersey. Gillray suggests, satirically, that George’s exuberant lifestyle will come to an end with the wedding.

 

After coronation, George IIII (portrait by Sir Thomas Lawrence, 1821) interfered with politics and continued his dissolute lifestyle. He became obese, dying from related illnesses in 1830.

 

The Club thanked Tim for an excellent presentation and introduction to some of the difficulties in restraining public comment on Royal lifestyles.

 

Subscriptions

Be reminded that subscriptions are now due. It would be most appreciated if members yet to renew their subscription would please do so at the next meeting. Please see our treasurer Peter. Membership cards are now available for paid-up members.

 

Future Events

·         Baldwins Coin Auctions 10, Charles II St., -  September 25th-26th.

·         COINEX, Grosvenor Square, London – September 27th – 28th.

·         Birmingham Coin Fair - National Motorcycle museum –  October 13th.

 

Past Events

10 Year ago – Ken Peters – The cheat in your change, how to spot fake £1 coins

20 Years ago – Kevin Clancy of the Royal Mint showed some archived film clips

40 Years ago – Short talks by club members

Club Secretary.