Tag Archive for London

Actress Helena Bonham Carter is related to Florence Nightingale

London, Aug 116 (ANI): English actress Helena Bonham Carter bears a striking resemblance to some sketches of Florence Nightingale and her cousin, and now we know why—the two are related.
The 44-year-old star of the Merchant Ivory films ‘Howard’s End’ and ‘A Room With A View’ is the first cousin three times removed of the Lady with the Lamp.
Florence’s mother Fanny was the sister of Joanna Smith, who married John Bonham Carter, Helena’s great-great grandfather.
Last week marked the centenary of the nurse’s death as The Florence Nightingale Museum in London unveiled drawings of her by Hilary Bonham Carter, John’s eldest daughter.
Florence spent her childhood at Embley Park, a mansion in Hampshire, where the Bonham Carter family had been prominent figures since the 17th century.
“Hilary’s sketches give a vivid impression of the private life of Florence Nightingale. There are pictures of her with her sister Parthenope at the piano and one of her riding her horse in the garden,” the Daily Express quoted Hampshire Record Office archivist David Rymill as saying.
“Hilary went on to be one of Florence’s assistants after she finished in the Crimea,” he added.
Letters Florence exchanged with the Bonham Carter family reveal her deep affection for the childhood days she spent with them.
The sketches are on display at the museum, whose spokeswoman said: “It’s exciting to be able to hint at the family relationship between these two extraordinary women.” (ANI)

Elvis memorabilia auction raises £400K

London, Aug 16 (ANI): An auction held in Memphis by Heritage Auctions at the weekend for King of Pop Elvis Presley”s personal memorabilia has fetched 400,000 pounds.

According to The Telegraph, the collection includes a jar stuffed full of his famous locks, a gun he once owned and a deed to Graceland.

Thousands of strands of hair collected by the singer”s barber went for 10,700 pounds.

Presley”s preferred personal hair colourist and stylist Homer M. Gilleland collected the locks over years, and handed them over to a friend.

Presley”s quiff gathered international attention when he remarked, "Hair today, gone tomorrow" to the press after getting his famous first G.I. haircut.

The three-page real estate sales contract of Graceland signed "Elvis Aron Presley" fetched 25,000 pound.

As part of Elvis” offer of 102,500 dollars, the Presley”s home in Memphis was traded in for 55,000 dollars.

The singer”s gold and diamond 18-carat Cameo ring, with "Elvis" engraved against the backside of the cameo, sold for 25,000 pounds.

Presley”s custom made gold trimmed sunglasses featuring lightning bolt logos sold for a 13,800 pounds, while his gun, a .22 Harrington and Richardson seven-shot revolver was snapped up for 7,700 pounds.

However, Presley”s beloved white grand piano expected to fetch 1 million pounds, did not sell at all.

The grand piano was bought second hand by Presley in 1957 and refinished in white with gold trim according to his personal specifications and under his direct supervision. (ANI)

Rihanna gets grammar wrong on new tattoo

London, Aug 16 (ANI): Barbadian-American singer Rihanna got a new French tattoo inked on her neck but with wrong grammar.

The ‘Rude Boy’ hitmaker showed of her new neck tattoo, which read ‘Rebelle Fleur’, in New York.

But some of her fans pointed out that a French translation of ‘rebellious flower’ would have the two words the other way round.

The irritated singer then sent an angry message to her tattoo artist, Keith ”Bang Bang” McCurdy, who leaked it to a US magazine rightaway, reports The Sun.

“Rebelle fleur translates to rebel flower, NOT rebelious flower, its 2 nouns so in that case fleur does not HAVE to be first! Fyi, cuz they will ask,” the text read. (ANI)