Ep 188 The British Empire Exhibition - Baffling displays back in Brent

In a new guessing game Alex tries to pick the material chosen to sculpt the Prince of Wales. 100 years ago the crowds were gathering in Wembley for the extraordinary spectacle that was the British Empire Exhibition. A showcase for trade, manufacturing and, it turns out, people. Problematic? Just a tad. But there was a miniature railway, a palace of engineering, a palace of art including the teeny tiny wine bottles in Queen Mary's Dolls House. And a regular display of destruction of the House of Commons. What's not to like? When the empire was at it's height, but with the cracks beginning to show, an exhibition was bound to be both brilliant and disturbing. Join visitors John Betjeman and Virginia Woolf as we explore the exhibition together. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices