Secret doors and a golden mansion: the Vanderbilts' New York
At their peak, the Vanderbilts were akin to royalty in the United States. Today, their properties and legacy buildings in New York hide the secrets and lesser-known facts of a dynasty that shaped America.
In this episode of The SpeciaList, Consuelo Vanderbilt Costin take us on an exhilarating tour of the Vanderbilts' New York, from the vestige of the largest ship sank during WWII to the hidden passageways of Grand Central.
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BBC News
4 days ago
- BBC News
Lowestoft's World War Two child evacuees mark 85th anniversary
Wartime evacuees who fled the imminent threat of invasion and bombing are to reunite to mark a milestone anniversary summer reunion, taking place at Lowestoft railway station is for World War Two evacuees who boarded trains up to Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire 85 years event will give attendees the chance to reminisce about their experience of being part of the more than 3,000 schoolchildren and teachers evacuated from the Suffolk town. Jacqui Dale, of the Lowestoft Central Project, said: "It's always a great privilege to host the reunion and enable evacuees to meet and reminisce about their time away." The then-youngsters left the town on 2 June 1940, with more than 600 of them and their teachers finding sanctuary in and around the town of then, strong ties have been remained between the two towns which are celebrated by the Wherry Lines Community Rail Partnership and Lowestoft Central Project 2021, for example, the two projects installed two giant interpretation panels on the station concourse as a permanent reminder of the Lowestoft schools' evacuation. 'Important memories' Neil Williams, chairman of the Friends of Glossop Station, is one of many determined to ensure the relationship between the two communities is maintained."I'm so pleased that both our communities continue to cherish these important memories and that the friendships made are not only still celebrated but are now being retold for future generations," he Williams will be the special guest at Saturday's event which will also celebrate 200 years of passenger train travel in the UK. "We are thrilled Neil will attend and give an update on what is happening in Glossop, especially as so many were given refuge there during the war," added Ms event runs from 12:00 BST until 15:00. Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
31-05-2025
- BBC News
Tiger Moth finds new home at Bottisham's WW2 airfield museum
A Tiger Moth has found a new home at an airfield where dozens of the aeroplanes were used to train pilots during World War Two. The biplane has been donated to the Bottisham Airfield Museum, near Cambridge, by the Imperial War Museum in Webb, chair of the airfield's trustees, said he was delighted about the donation, adding Tiger Moths were "top of our wanted list of exhibits".This type of aircraft was "the first to land at Bottisham in 1940 and the last to take off in 1946", he said. It will go on display at the museum for the first time on Sunday. Mr Webb said: "We became aware about six months ago that the Imperial War Museum was disposing of it as part of its reorganisation and put a bid in for it - alongside other museums - and they kindly selected ourselves out of all the others." The grass airfield at Bottisham was built in 1940 as a satellite for RAF Waterbeach and was initially used by Cambridge-based Tiger Moths from Marshalls (airfield) as a relief landing aircraft remained a regular sight in the skies over RAF Bottisham until 1946, serving with the RAF, the USAAF and the RAF Belgian section. Mr Webb said: "De Havilland Tiger Moths were elementary training aircraft, used to teach tens of thousands of pilots to fly, before they went on to fly Lancaster [bombers] or Spitfire [fighter aeroplanes]. "We want to put it on display to tell the story of pilots who flew them."In particular, he said he wanted to focus on the Tiger Moth's little-known role in Operation Banquet Lights, where the aircrafts were fitted with bombs just in case the Germans invaded England in 1940."Luckily, this was not needed as it would have been a one-way trip for the pilots against modern German fighters," he added. Follow Cambridgeshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
The Independent
30-05-2025
- The Independent
Secret network of spy tunnels to open as London's newest tourist attraction
A secret underground network of London World War II tunnels that inspired the James Bond books is set to turn into a brand-new spy museum, with new details now revealed. The capital is set to gain a new visitor attraction hidden in plain sight 40 metres below High Holborn, as the tunnels will now become open to the public after being kept in relative secrecy for nearly 70 years under the Official Secrets Act. The London Tunnels, the company that looks after this underground labyrinth, has recently announced a collaboration with the Museum of Military Intelligence (MMI) on the project, two years after the plans were first announced. The below street-level network is known as the Kinsway Exchange Tunnels and was constructed during the Blitz as a deep-level air raid shelter under the London Underground. The mile-long series of tunnels was shortly after occupied by the Special Operations Executive, a clandestine organisation established in July 1940 under the orders of then Prime Minister Winston Churchill, during the later stages of World War II. It was during this time that Bond author Ian Fleming was working as a liaison officer within the wartime administration, and it is thought that the tunnels inspired the research and development Q Branch in his novels. After a few other uses for the network, the tunnels were used for a secure hotline that connected the White House to the Kremlin during the Cold War, before it was taken over by BT. Now, the tunnels will have a new life as a major tourist attraction that hopes to welcome up to three million visitors per year. The tunnels will have a permanent exhibition showcasing the history of military intelligence and its use of the tunnel complex, including a special exhibition centred around the Special Operations Executive. The displays will spotlight original artefacts, equipment, weapons, documents and images through a 'modern high-tech experience' that promises to bring to life the history and techniques used by military intelligence. The exhibition will feature stories from the Battle of Britain and D-Day, the espionage operations of the Cold War and the Falklands War. It will also display more recent military operations, including peace-keeping missions and the response to terrorism threats that have occurred within the 21st century. Visitors will also be able to delve into how the British military works today and what operations they carry out. Angus Murray, CEO of The London Tunnels, said: 'We are delighted to become the home of the public exhibition of the Museum of Military Intelligence. This new location will provide convenient central London access to an important and unique collection which has until now been largely hidden. 'The tunnels, built and designed to protect Londoners during the Blitz, are the ideal backdrop to tell the remarkable, and untold, stories of the men and women who played a vital role in protecting Britain then, and the role of the armed services protecting Britain today.' In its 2023 consultation documents, London Tunnels said the new museum would increase local spending up to £80m per year, create 40 onsite jobs and offer free trips for local schools.
