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Tuesday 23 August 2011

Famous sons


Otley is famous as the birthplace in 1718 of Thomas Chippendale, the cabinet-maker and furniture designer whose Georgian designs are still popular.   His statue (well camouflaged!) stands next to the former Prince Henry's Grammar School, which he attended.  It's an attractive building, dating back to 1614 but extensively altered in 1790 in the Elizabethan style.  It is no longer a school. It was used as a courthouse and I think is now offices.


Otley was also the birthplace of Mike Tindall, the English rugby player who recently married Zara Phillips, daughter of the Princess Royal and granddaughter of the Queen - our second royal wedding of the year.  Reputedly the Queen asked him if he was going to get his (famously bent) nose straightened out before the wedding - but he said no! ("Off with his head!" she was then heard to mutter.... er, no, I'm only joking.)

8 comments:

  1. well I learn something new everyday from blogging. never knew Chippendale was the name of a cabinet maker. Lovely building.
    "Off with his head" hee hee hee

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  2. I thought it was Princess Anne asking about the nose. I should have answered as I was Mike that she should change her hair style...

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  3. I really like the black and white in the first picture. You are too funny Jenny!

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  4. I knew M. Chippendale, not M. Tindall; But now ,I 'll remember both of them. I like the first pic very much, B&W makes it out of time..

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  5. I like the b+w too, and I'm glad you showed a closeup of the Chippendale statue... in the long view he kind of melts into the building. I'd not complain much if I could have my office in the centre room of the second floor of this 18C building!

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  6. That statue looks almost ghostly camouflaged like that! ~Lili

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