Visit to the Houses of Parliament
Tuesday 3rd April was a most enjoyable day for the twenty members and friends who visited the Houses of Parliament. Everything worked well thanks to the organisation by Vanda Woollett. The coach was early at its starting point and everyone going was well on time as were those at the later pick up points.
The roads were comparatively clear and good time was made to the dropping off point on the London Embankment. Most people were pleased to get out and stretch their legs on the short walk to the Houses of Parliament. Vanda excelled herself holding up high her clip board in the fashion of all good guides, so all could follow her, perhaps next time we should provide her with an umbrella!
No one was stopped going through the security checks, which were as stringent as going through security at the major airports.
There was time to take in the size of the Great Hall and take a few photographs while we waited for our guide. On arrival she introduced herself as Sylvia and gave us a few rules of the tours. Perhaps the most disappointing was that no photographs were to be taken. In hindsight this may have distracted us from the excellent descriptions, stories and atmosphere of the occasion. Soon we were on our way, the tour had begun.
I am not going to try to relate the many stories that were told and these rambling thoughts are in no special order. During the Second World War a bomb was dropped on the Houses of Parliament and landed in the House of Commons doing severe damage to this chamber. The House of Commons moved into the House of Lords while the extensive repair work was carried out, they were not completed until near the end of the war. When Winston Churchill was making some of his great inspiring speeches he would often hammer the desk in front of him with his hand on which was a large ring. The table finished up having an indentation in it from the ring. As a gesture to the leadership he had shown when it came to renovation work to the desk the indentation was left and it remains there to this day. On Churchill’s instruction some of the rubble from the bomb damage was incorporated in the renovated chamber of the House of Commons.
The Dispatch Boxes on which we often see members leaning on during debates are where all members are required to take an oath of allegiance to the Queen, placing a hand on it. Unless this oath is taken an MP is not allowed to hake their seat in the Chamber. Of the about 630 members only the Irish Republican members have not taken the oath. There are only about 450 seats in the House of Commons and therefore at major debates members may find themselves sitting on the steps or in a gallery.
The guide gave a vivid description of the State Opening of Parliament as we stood at the top of a set of steep stairs near to the House of Lords. The Queen’s coach pulls up at the doors at the bottom of the stairs and the Queen gets out. In recent years because of her advancing years a lift has been installed but as yet it has not been used by Her Majesty. The steps lead to the Robeing Room where only the Queen and her Ladies in Waiting are allowed to enter. The Queen will then go to the House of Lords and sits on the Royal Throne with her consort next to her. She then summons the House of Commons and the Black Rod goes to call them. As he approaches the door is slammed in his face. He then knocks three times and the Commons then follows him to the doorway of the House of Lords. The Queen then reads the speech outlining the proposals that her Ministers will carry out in the next session of Parliament. When reading this speech it is the first time the Queen has seen it as it is written by the Prime Minister’s Office. It should be remembered that the Queen rules by the rights given to her by the people of the country and therefore is not allowed to enter the House of Commons.
Following the destruction of parts of the Houses of Parliament during World War II when the reconstruction work was carried out after the war the Commonwealth and countries of the Empire were invited to make contributions to the refurbishment of it. Australia for instance provided much of the gold and wood for the thrones, Canada, India and New Zealand were other major contributors but every nation provided something even if it were the ash trays for the members reading rooms.
Our hour and a quarter tour lasted nearly two hours and the time seemed to fly by. We returned to the Great Hall where we said farewell to our guide and we were left to contemplate on the information that she had given to us. There was time for some lunch and especially a refreshing drink and of course an opportunity to take the weight off our feet.
After lunch we looked at the possibility of visiting the Jewel House but it was raining quite steadily and the need to go out of the building and across the road put us off. This meant there was time to look at the bookshop and to get some postcards of the scenes in the two Chambers that we were not allowed to take photographs of.
It was soon time to return to the coach for the homeward trip before the rush hour. So ended a most enjoyable day.
The following details were taken from a display board in the Great Hall:
FAMOUS TRIALS in WESTMINSTER HALL
1305 William Wallace
Leader of the Scottish resistance to King Edward I. Wallace denied the charge of treason claiming he owed no allegiance to the King of England. He was found guilty, hanged at Smithfield and whilst still alive was cut down and disembowelled. His head was displayed on London Bridge.
1535 Sir Thomas More.
Lawyer, scholar, statesman Speaker of the House of Commons and author. More refused to take an oath acknowledging King Henry VIII was supreme head of the English Church. He was convicted of treason and executed on the scaffold at Tower Hill. More was declared to be a saint in 1943.
1606 Guy Fawkes.
One of the ‘Gunpowder Plotters’ who tried to blow up Parliament on 5th November 1605. Was found guilty and sentenced to death by hanging, drawing and quartering. He jumped from the gallows, breaking his neck quickly to avoid the latter stages of the execution.
1649 King Charles I
Dismissed Parliament in 1629 and entered a period of personal rule lasting 11 years, which culminated in the English Civil War. Charged as ‘...an enemy of the Commonwealth of England’. Sentenced to death and executed in front of the Banqueting House in Whitehall on 20th January, 1649.
Eleven years after signing the death warrant, when the monarchy had been restored, many of the surviving regicides were tried in Westminster Hall.
1772 James Somerset.
James Somerset was an enslaved African who ran for freedom while in England. He was re-captured and put on board a ship destined for the Americas. A case was brought to the King’s Bench on the grounds that his former ‘owner’ had no right to force Somerset to return to the Americas. The court ruled that Somerset had been unlawfully imprisoned and that he should be set free. This landmark judgement meant that no slave could be forcibly removed from Britain. However, the legal status of slaves in Britain remained unclear until the 19th century.
1788 – 1795 Warren Hastings
Former Governor General of Bengal charged with misconduct and corruption following his return from India 1785. It took two days to read the impeachment charges. After seven years on trial he was found not guilty.
Additional notes from Vanda Woollett
Here is a brief summary of our visit to The Houses of Parliament.
On Tuesday 3rd April 2012, 15 members and 5 friends had a very enjoyable day at The Houses of Parliament.
We were met in Westminster Hall by a very informative lady guide, Sylvia.
Westminster Hall was completed in 1099. It has the largest medieval timber roof in Northern Europe.
The Hall and the Jewel Tower survived a fire in 1834; everything else had to be rebuilt.
It is still used for ceremonial events today.
In the House of Commons, we learnt there are over 600 MPs.
If not in the House, they are busy dealing with committee work and constituency matters.
MPs consider and propose new laws and can scrutinise government policies by asking questions
about current issues.
In the House of Lords, we were told how members are Life Peers, appointed for their Lifetime only
and come from many walks of life.
Any eligible UK Citizen can be nominated or apply to become a member via The Independent House of Lords Appointments Commission.
Originally The Palace of Westminster was a home to the Kings and Queens of England.
As Parliament evolved, the Palace became the usual place for politicians to meet and was granted their permanent home in 1550.
Vanda.
The roads were comparatively clear and good time was made to the dropping off point on the London Embankment. Most people were pleased to get out and stretch their legs on the short walk to the Houses of Parliament. Vanda excelled herself holding up high her clip board in the fashion of all good guides, so all could follow her, perhaps next time we should provide her with an umbrella!
No one was stopped going through the security checks, which were as stringent as going through security at the major airports.
There was time to take in the size of the Great Hall and take a few photographs while we waited for our guide. On arrival she introduced herself as Sylvia and gave us a few rules of the tours. Perhaps the most disappointing was that no photographs were to be taken. In hindsight this may have distracted us from the excellent descriptions, stories and atmosphere of the occasion. Soon we were on our way, the tour had begun.
I am not going to try to relate the many stories that were told and these rambling thoughts are in no special order. During the Second World War a bomb was dropped on the Houses of Parliament and landed in the House of Commons doing severe damage to this chamber. The House of Commons moved into the House of Lords while the extensive repair work was carried out, they were not completed until near the end of the war. When Winston Churchill was making some of his great inspiring speeches he would often hammer the desk in front of him with his hand on which was a large ring. The table finished up having an indentation in it from the ring. As a gesture to the leadership he had shown when it came to renovation work to the desk the indentation was left and it remains there to this day. On Churchill’s instruction some of the rubble from the bomb damage was incorporated in the renovated chamber of the House of Commons.
The Dispatch Boxes on which we often see members leaning on during debates are where all members are required to take an oath of allegiance to the Queen, placing a hand on it. Unless this oath is taken an MP is not allowed to hake their seat in the Chamber. Of the about 630 members only the Irish Republican members have not taken the oath. There are only about 450 seats in the House of Commons and therefore at major debates members may find themselves sitting on the steps or in a gallery.
The guide gave a vivid description of the State Opening of Parliament as we stood at the top of a set of steep stairs near to the House of Lords. The Queen’s coach pulls up at the doors at the bottom of the stairs and the Queen gets out. In recent years because of her advancing years a lift has been installed but as yet it has not been used by Her Majesty. The steps lead to the Robeing Room where only the Queen and her Ladies in Waiting are allowed to enter. The Queen will then go to the House of Lords and sits on the Royal Throne with her consort next to her. She then summons the House of Commons and the Black Rod goes to call them. As he approaches the door is slammed in his face. He then knocks three times and the Commons then follows him to the doorway of the House of Lords. The Queen then reads the speech outlining the proposals that her Ministers will carry out in the next session of Parliament. When reading this speech it is the first time the Queen has seen it as it is written by the Prime Minister’s Office. It should be remembered that the Queen rules by the rights given to her by the people of the country and therefore is not allowed to enter the House of Commons.
Following the destruction of parts of the Houses of Parliament during World War II when the reconstruction work was carried out after the war the Commonwealth and countries of the Empire were invited to make contributions to the refurbishment of it. Australia for instance provided much of the gold and wood for the thrones, Canada, India and New Zealand were other major contributors but every nation provided something even if it were the ash trays for the members reading rooms.
Our hour and a quarter tour lasted nearly two hours and the time seemed to fly by. We returned to the Great Hall where we said farewell to our guide and we were left to contemplate on the information that she had given to us. There was time for some lunch and especially a refreshing drink and of course an opportunity to take the weight off our feet.
After lunch we looked at the possibility of visiting the Jewel House but it was raining quite steadily and the need to go out of the building and across the road put us off. This meant there was time to look at the bookshop and to get some postcards of the scenes in the two Chambers that we were not allowed to take photographs of.
It was soon time to return to the coach for the homeward trip before the rush hour. So ended a most enjoyable day.
The following details were taken from a display board in the Great Hall:
FAMOUS TRIALS in WESTMINSTER HALL
1305 William Wallace
Leader of the Scottish resistance to King Edward I. Wallace denied the charge of treason claiming he owed no allegiance to the King of England. He was found guilty, hanged at Smithfield and whilst still alive was cut down and disembowelled. His head was displayed on London Bridge.
1535 Sir Thomas More.
Lawyer, scholar, statesman Speaker of the House of Commons and author. More refused to take an oath acknowledging King Henry VIII was supreme head of the English Church. He was convicted of treason and executed on the scaffold at Tower Hill. More was declared to be a saint in 1943.
1606 Guy Fawkes.
One of the ‘Gunpowder Plotters’ who tried to blow up Parliament on 5th November 1605. Was found guilty and sentenced to death by hanging, drawing and quartering. He jumped from the gallows, breaking his neck quickly to avoid the latter stages of the execution.
1649 King Charles I
Dismissed Parliament in 1629 and entered a period of personal rule lasting 11 years, which culminated in the English Civil War. Charged as ‘...an enemy of the Commonwealth of England’. Sentenced to death and executed in front of the Banqueting House in Whitehall on 20th January, 1649.
Eleven years after signing the death warrant, when the monarchy had been restored, many of the surviving regicides were tried in Westminster Hall.
1772 James Somerset.
James Somerset was an enslaved African who ran for freedom while in England. He was re-captured and put on board a ship destined for the Americas. A case was brought to the King’s Bench on the grounds that his former ‘owner’ had no right to force Somerset to return to the Americas. The court ruled that Somerset had been unlawfully imprisoned and that he should be set free. This landmark judgement meant that no slave could be forcibly removed from Britain. However, the legal status of slaves in Britain remained unclear until the 19th century.
1788 – 1795 Warren Hastings
Former Governor General of Bengal charged with misconduct and corruption following his return from India 1785. It took two days to read the impeachment charges. After seven years on trial he was found not guilty.
Additional notes from Vanda Woollett
Here is a brief summary of our visit to The Houses of Parliament.
On Tuesday 3rd April 2012, 15 members and 5 friends had a very enjoyable day at The Houses of Parliament.
We were met in Westminster Hall by a very informative lady guide, Sylvia.
Westminster Hall was completed in 1099. It has the largest medieval timber roof in Northern Europe.
The Hall and the Jewel Tower survived a fire in 1834; everything else had to be rebuilt.
It is still used for ceremonial events today.
In the House of Commons, we learnt there are over 600 MPs.
If not in the House, they are busy dealing with committee work and constituency matters.
MPs consider and propose new laws and can scrutinise government policies by asking questions
about current issues.
In the House of Lords, we were told how members are Life Peers, appointed for their Lifetime only
and come from many walks of life.
Any eligible UK Citizen can be nominated or apply to become a member via The Independent House of Lords Appointments Commission.
Originally The Palace of Westminster was a home to the Kings and Queens of England.
As Parliament evolved, the Palace became the usual place for politicians to meet and was granted their permanent home in 1550.
Vanda.