I seem to be posting a lot about TV programs at the moment (which is quite ironic seeing as I don’t have a TV and only watch catchup via the iPlayer).
However, I’ll be watching this program: “A Victorian Christmas” on the BBC on December 11th at 9pm on BBC2.
Brought to us by the same people who did Victorian Farm, the presenters will take us step by step through many of the Victorian Christmas traditions.
I’m looking forward to it already!
In the meantime, check out this BBC webpage: here where there are 25 different Victorian Christmas activities. Bliss!
3 Responses
Peter Ginn says...
Dear Jenna,
I have just stumbled upon your website (currently trying to put together topics for our next book - coincidently in devon where I am living as we are currently filming “Edwardian Farm” (12 hours of TV - a punishing regieme)). Glad you are looking forward to the Victorian Farm Christmas Specials - they were very fun to make but also very intensive. I ended up in a routine of waking at 4am and working through to gone midnight.
I have not seen the programmes yet but there are three of them - the first will probably not be very “christmassy” as it focuses on hay. The second of the programmes could be entitled bricks. We decided to renavate a forge so made bricks in both a brick kiln and a brick clamp and we also laid a clay floor tempered with bull’s blood (modern treads take this kind of beaten earth floor up but clogs (we did a bit of clog dancing) and hob or flat nails compact it). Our director believes this to be the best episode that we have done to date.
The final episode is Christmas (as well as using the forge). The whole time we were very aware that Victorian Farm had been received well and that the Christmas Specials were half the screen time so we didn’t want to repeat old ground. Hopefully we have succeeded and I hope that we do not disappoint you.
Anyway sorry to bother you - I’ll get back to my writer’s block (and please excuse the spelling mistakes as it is gone 1am (and in addition, on a scale of 1 to 10 my spelling is rated as shocking)).
All the best and I hope you enjoy the programmes,
Peter Ginn
An erstwhile grubby Victorian Farmer
jennadawlish says...
Dear Peter,
Thanks for stopping by and commenting. Your new project on Edwardian Farms sounds fascinating. Can’t wait for that either. The farm machinery will have really come on since Victorian times (have seen lots at Farming museum), so it will make for a very interesting program.
The clog dancing sounds good too. I will eagerly await the Christmas programs coming onto the BBc iPlayer.
Your job sounds very hard work, but for people like me, it’s very much appreciated. I watch very little TV, but programs like Victorian Farm are a breath of fresh air against endless talent/singing/dancing/jungle programs. I know many of my friends watched it too and thought it a great program too. I often thank my lucky stars I don’t have to do the laundry like Ruth. Tumble dryers and washing machines rule!!
Good luck in Devon!
Jenna
x
Sue Pember says...
Dear Jenna
We can’t wait to see ‘Victorian Farm Christmas’ we enjoyed ‘Victorian Farm’ which was on tv at the beginning of the year. Everyone seems to be talking about it in Shropshire where it was filmed. Peter, Alex and Ruth did a brilliant job showing us all how the Victorians lived and how hard they work.
We were lucky enough to have the production crew stay with us, and have seen them all work really long hours and put alot of dedication into their work. It has been really interesting hearing about all the things they have done.
We are sure ‘Edwardian Farm’ will be just as good!
Best Wishes
Sue and Dave Pember