We plan to join a focused tour led by a curator at 11.15 am. It could be “The Great Eastern”, “Sugar & Slavery”, “Life on the Victorian Docks”? The many interesting topics change from day to day and take about 45 minutes. We will take pot luck!

Meet for coffee in the Museum café from 10.45. The nearest DLR station is West India Quay and Docklands Museum is a short walk along the quay.

Review: ….

We had a very successful morning at the museum. Good coffee and many members to chat to.

The tour was on the Animal Emporium that London use to offer. The ships brought in animals from all round the world and until fairly recently for a price you could have whatever you fancied for a pet. The curator told us many amusing stories of what Londoners preferred in the nineteenth century, in particular Top the wombat who belonged to the artist Rossetti. Lions, elephants and tigers were also very popular.

The museum offers several talks each day, it is well worth going along and selecting an interesting topic to hear about. Last year their annual exhibition was on the lost rivers of London. This April their focus is on the Bronze Age hoard from Havering. Members may also be interested in the Conference on 16th May to be held at the Museum of London on London’s Sailortowns which will highlight the communities who lived along the Thames. www.docklandshistorygroup.org.uk for details.