HEDFAS Harpenden Evening Decorative and Fine Arts Society

Visit Reports

25 September 2015

London Mayfair Walk & The Wallace Collection

Our walk started in the buzz of Piccadilly, almost opposite The Ritz, but after a quick talk by our guide about the former “In & Out Club” (The Navy & Military Club) we soon found ourselves in an oasis of calm in and around Shepherd Market in the old village of Mayfair (once the location of a May fayre…). There were lots of quaint shops and restaurants in the area and an eclectic mix of people too… Jack the Clipper’s old fashioned barber’s shop caught the eye here!

Through into Curzon Street and we see the well known gentleman’s hairdesser’s GF Trumper, also a purveyor of razors, shaving brushes and the like; next to it is G Heywood Hill Ltd’s bookshop, where one has a meeting with the establishment’s owner to discuss one’s likes and dislikes and, on payment of an annual fee, one is then sent ‘surprise’ books on one’s preferred subjects!

Next we found ourselves in amongst some old mews houses, many of which have been retained complete with their garages (formerly stables) and fetch a tidy price due to the high demand for parking spaces in this part of London.

We visited the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Farm Street, also known as ‘Farm Street Church’, which is run by the Society of Jesus. The name 'Farm Street' derives from 'Hay Hill Farm' which, in the 18^th century, extended from Hill Street east beyond Berkeley Square. From there we wended our way past The Connaught Hotel and on into Grosvenor Square before ending our walk near Bond Street, all of us marveling at the sights we’d seen and wanting to come back to ‘do’ Mayfair on foot properly.

After a lunch break, which some of us enjoyed in the café at the Wallace Collection, it was time for our guided tour of he Collection. It is impossible to do justice to the Collection in a short visit – or in a brief report – but the wealth and variety of artwork on display was simply incredible for what is, after all, a private collection, albeit one open to the public.

There is lovely old furniture, beautiful porcelain and some simply delightful paintings, whilst the magnificent new gallery with its special glass ceiling was just out of this world. Having sampled some of its delights, many of us will no doubt be paying repeat visits to the Collection – and admission is free as well! Our guides were so informative and answered our many questions.

Worth a visit!!

Richard Burn (report and photographs) October 2015