The Museum of Bath at Work

On Saturday Jill and I visited The Museum of Bath at Work. The main exhibition is of a Victorian business named J. B. Bowler & Sons. The business was a curious mix of an engineering works and a soft drinks factory. At first, that may seem a strange combination but the enjoyable and informative exhibition (using audio commentary) explained the sense of it all. Once we had seen the Bowler exhibits there was more to peruse regarding the history of work in Bath.


The entrance fee is probably the lowest of all the fee on entry type museums and exhibits in Bath, the staff are friendly and informative, the refreshments area is quiet and cool (which was appreciated on a hot day) and near the refreshments area is some amusement for young and old alike. An assortment of Victorian costumes, along with false moustaches, etc, are available for those who wish to try them on and even photograph each other in costume. The costumes easily fit over your clothes. Above is a photo of Jill in one of the costumes she tried on; I’ve given the picture a sepia tone.

If you want to visit the museum then consult their website (and even a Google map) to be sure you know how to get there. It isn’t that far from The Circle or The Costume Museum but can be easily missed because the entrance is not on a main road.

A FOOTNOTE to my previous blog entry The Old Masters: In reply to the most popular question on anatomy, I recommend Anatomy For The Artist by Jeno Barcsay. Having said that, there are alternatives and this book is not for the beginner. If you do choose to use this book, be sure to avoid the small sized publication. Get the large version (24.5cm x 32.7cm x 3.2cm); if you buy the small one you will need a very large magnifying glass or bionic eyes to appreciate any of the detail that you will be trying to learn from the book.

Dook Box and his Bandit

Here is Dook Box and his Bandit. Actually, his name is Phil and he is from Bristol. He busks in Bath and Oxford. I saw him in Bath not far from the Abbey. The incredible guitar playing machine is a work of genius. Apparently, he had trouble with the reliability of guitar players in the past and so he made the machine. Here is a second photograph giving a closer look.

His right foot operates a pedal which causes the guitar to be strummed; the left foot operates a pedal which selects which chord is to be played. The music he plays is sort of old time American fiddle music; it is very catchy and you find yourself tapping your foot in time with the tunes. He is extremely good and worth seeing. He sells a DVD of him performing various tunes. You can buy a copy directly from him or by mail order. For mail order go to his MySpace page for details

http://www.myspace.com/akafilm

If you cannot get to Bath or Oxford to hear him play then here is a link to a video on Youtube uploaded by a Youtuber user called Baronbl0d.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJ4UZeJlKPk&feature=player_embedded

The Bizarre Bath Comedy Walk

In the city of Bath, during the day, you will see a crowd of people walking along being led by someone wearing a light purple jacket. That will be one of the tours of the city provided by the council of Bath. In the evening, at 8pm, outside the Huntsman Inn you will see a large crowd of people, from many different countries, gathering around another purple coated guide. This guided walk is different. It will be Noel Britten or J.J. and it is a comedy walk lasting about 90 minutes. Its format slightly parodies the walking tours available in most cities but that is where any resemblance ends. Probably unique in the UK, this walking comedy show has run for eighteen years or so. Every single evening, from the beginning of April to the end of October of each year, the Bizarre Bath Comedy Walk has entertained people with its humour and originality. There are very few comedy shows in theatres, if any, that have run for as many years or as successfully.

J.J. welcoming people to the Bizarre Bath Comedy Walk.

The creator of the Comedy Walk is Noel Britten. A successful comedian who has won awards for his comedy acts and who still finds time to perform the Bizarre Bath Comedy Walk between gigs and touring. On the evenings that Noel Britten is not available for the Walk, it is usually hosted by J.J., who has been with Bizarre Bath since its beginning.

Between them, Noel Britten and J.J. (and one or two others) have entertained who knows how many thousands of people on this unique tourist event. It is deservedly mentioned on most, if not all, the reputable travel guide web sites (for example Trip Advisor).

As to what happens on the comedy walk, well … describing that would spoil the fun of going on the walk. It is very enjoyable and more than worth the price which, by the way, is £8 for adults, £5 for students and £5 for children.

Visit the website: http://www.bizarrebath.co.uk/