Journal Volume 1. by Life Of Riley

volume 1

Journal

Summer 2021 Listen to our playlist on Spotify

Welcome

I am delighted to launch our quarterly lifestyle journal, written and edited by talented freelance journalist and author, Katherine Sorrell. For some time, we have wanted to create a journal that provides an insight into who we are and the people we work with. A collection of articles that give a sense of the lifestyle and the pace of life that we embrace here at Life of Riley, and that we think will appeal to you, our customers, too. Our first journal focuses on summer living: garden, food, travel and relaxing outside. I wish you a happy summer, and hope you enjoy reading our first issue.

Sarah Kocher

Click here to see more of Katherine’s writing.

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Life of Riley Journal Summer 2021

Contents

A Growing Delight The making of a gorgeous garden in Essex

The Story of the Shepherd's Hut From utilitarian shelter to boutique hideaway

My Favourite Recipe Danish Meatballs and Cold Potato Salad A summertime family treat

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An Insider’s Guide to Outdoor Kitchens Get cooking in the garden

Meet the Maker Collingwood of Somerset Tora Young tells us about her luxury scented-candle company

Our Pick of Great Summer Reads Holiday novels and non-fiction to enjoy

The Captivating World of Vintage Railway Posters A fascinating record of travel by train

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above Wickets, in the Essex village of Langley Upper Green, is open to the public through the National Garden Scheme.

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A Growing Delight 7

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above This glorious glasshouse by Griffin can be admired from several vantage points in the garden.

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right Garden owner Susan Copeland. Her daughter, Sarah Kocher, is the founder of Life of Riley.

Never mind weeds and slugs, Susan Copeland had to deal with buried fridges and munching deer when transforming a bare patch of earth into a charming garden that’s open to the public

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ucked away in the Essex village of Langley Upper Green, Susan Copeland’s three-acre garden encompasses sweeping mixed borders, two landscaped meadows, a ‘Monet’ bridge over a lily pond, an arboretum, an orchard, woodland walks, a Mediterranean courtyard and any number of intriguing corners in which to delight. It’s hard to comprehend that when she and her husband Doug bought Wickets in 1990 it was completely bare of plants. A blank canvas was, however, what they wanted, offering them the opportunity to create their own garden completely from scratch. ‘We had a vision of a place that merged seamlessly into the landscape, and that was both ebullient and relaxing,’ says Susan. Their first task was to plant whips of silver birch as a vital wind break in the field adjoining the main garden. Over the

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next few years, Susan, then a teacher, and Doug, a chartered surveyor, added to them a series of copses, stands of trees and long hedges, framing the rural views. They also set about creating wide, curving borders in the garden, spending

much time and energy improving the heavy clay soil, importing both soil and compost. ‘It was tiring and sometimes frustrating, as the previous owner had buried white goods around the garden, all of which had to be dug up and 11

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opposite The garden is full of delightful details. Here, pink pelargoniums trail abundantly from a terracotta pot.

above A redundant brick barbecue has become an intriguing feature, and provides a platform for a large pot of pelargoniums.

By 1996, however, the garden was looking very presentable, and the Essex organiser for the National Garden Scheme got in touch, suggesting that Susan and Doug might open Wickets for a public day in aid of charity. The thought had never occurred to them, but when they found out that part of the money would go to Macmillan, who had cared for a friend with cancer, they agreed. When 500 people turned up, they were astonished. ‘I was terrified beforehand,’ Susan recalls. ‘I said “What have we done?” as I was lying under the shrubs getting rid of every single weed.’

they planned new projects each year, carrying them out as and when they could. Central to the overall design are long, meandering paths which lead to the many different areas of the garden, often flanked by brimming roses of all types and colours, which love the area’s clay soil. One key element is the large lily pond with a Monet-style arched bridge, overlooked by silver birch and a Griffin glasshouse; another is the Plankbridge shepherd’s hut, which provides a peaceful haven. In 2005 they purchased a thistle-filled field adjacent to the garden, which now comprises an arboretum, orchard, a prairie/pond area, wild flowers, a hornbeam walk and grass spirals. Most recently, they designed a Mediterranean courtyard in celebration of their 50th wedding anniversary, incorporating a rill (long pond) with

The following year, Susan decided to take early retirement and re-train as a garden designer, running her new business with Doug while they continued to develop Wickets, opening to visitors via the NGS on a regular basis. Never ones to sit still,

below left Each area of the garden has something to catch the eye, including these boxing hares in one of the herbaceous borders.

disposed of,’ remembers Susan. ‘The garden’s exposed conditions also meant that we lost lots of plants to begin with, until we learnt which would thrive here and which would struggle.’

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below The garden is filled with characters. On a column beneath a wooden pergola sits a mossy bust of Hermes.

above The Monetstyle wooden bridge spans a restored lily pond surrounded by groups of silver birch. right The romantic garden boasts features at every turn, including this charming fountain.

fountains, two asymmetrical borders, seats to take in the afternoon sun and a small gazebo with views over both the courtyard and the parterre beyond. True to form, Susan and Doug are still planning further improvements. ‘We love our garden and are pleased with what we have been able to achieve,’ says Susan. ‘Seeing it develop and mature has been a real high. However, we are 13

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always open to new ideas and projects. We have in mind creating more wild flower areas, and want to plant even more snowdrops. We struggle with Muntjac deer, and whatever we try they still find a way into our garden – hence our plans to grow many more bluebells is on hold. So perhaps we will look for more garden sculpture instead!’  • For more details on visiting Wickets, or opening your own garden, visit the NGS website.

Could you open your garden? Are you passionate about your garden? Do friends and family tell you how lovely it is? Big or small, if your garden has quality, character and interest, other people may want to visit it. The National Garden Scheme gives unique access to more than 3,600 private gardens in England and Wales, raising impressive amounts of money for nursing and health charities through admissions, teas and cake. You may want to open for just one day a year, though many owners find twice a year is ideal, to show off their gardens in different seasons. Some even open in spring, summer and autumn. ‘We find it humbling when people thank us for opening our garden – it seems to rejuvenate them so much,’ says Susan, who is now East of England NGS

Regional Chairman and a trustee on the NGS board. ‘Also, it’s very stimulating to meet lots of interesting and likeminded people. We find that sharing our garden while raising money for such worthy causes is really heartwarming. And, of course, it’s a valuable motivation to stay on top of the garden! Opening for the NGS does mean lots of time and effort to make sure your garden is up to a very high standard. It’s challenging but rewarding, and can be great fun. The key is to make a “to do” list for the 14 days prior to opening, and ensure you have lots of help on the day. Every NGS County Team around England and Wales has helpful volunteers who are happy to advise and support new garden openers.’

left A collection of terracotta pots containing pink pelargoniums adorns a shelf in the glasshouse. right A curving, grassy path leads to this quiet gazebo in which to sit and appreciate the beautifully planted borders.

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The Story of the Shepherd’s Hut “The shepherd strays, a rolling hut his home” William Wordsworth, The Prelude, 1850

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opposite This modern shepherd’s hut has an ensuite shower and WC, plus a microwave and Le Creuset crockery. Strawberry Safari Shepherds Hut in North Yorkshire can be booked via Pitchup. right Modern shepherd’s huts are sometimes built to more decorative designs than the originals. Teifi Meadows Shepherd's Bothy Hut, which can be booked via Pitchup. overleaf The huts were always built on a 12ft by 6ft base, with iron wheels that allowed them to move from pasture to pasture with the flock. Picture Kevin Partner/Pixabay.

hepherd’s huts are hot property. Highly desirable as unique mini holiday cottages and, increasingly these days, picturesque home offices, they make an appealing addition to a large garden or parcel of land, and can also be used as a spare bedroom, music room, art studio, gym, treatment room or even a small shop. Not only did former PM David Cameron famously write his memoirs in one, but Prince George uses one as a playhouse in his grandfather’s gardens at Highgrove, while in longrunning radio drama The Archers Lynda Snell persuaded Eddie Grundy

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(amid some controversy) to build one to adorn her commemorative garden. These distinctive wheeled shelters with a curved roof and corrugated-tin walls, on a 12ft by 6ft footprint, were once part of our farming landscape, dating back at least to the times of Queen Elizabeth I. One of the earliest known references is in a book on cattle management published in 1596, and describes how ‘in some place the Shepheard hath his cabbin going upon a wheele for to remove here and there at his pleasure’. Famously, Gabriel Oak, in Thomas Hardy’s 1874

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novel Far from the Madding Crowd, lived in a shepherd’s hut (described as ‘a small Noah’s Ark’) while tending his sheep. Practical and basic, shepherd’s huts were – quite simply – shelters built specifically for shepherds when out in the elements. They were on wheels because the flock was moved around for good land management, ‘folding’ the land by grazing and then manuring the distant pastures that could not be fertilised by the large farm manure wagons. Unlike luxury modern huts with underfloor heating and mobile phone charging ports, they were rather sparse and minimal. Inside, there was space for sitting, a straw bed over a cage where lambs could be kept (a ‘lamb rack’), a small stove left This hut by Plankbridge sits in Wickets, Susan Copeland’s garden in Essex (see our feature on p6).

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below The shepherd’s hut was once an essential part of the farming scene. Picture Annie Spratt/Unsplash.

above Modern shepherd’s huts are very popular as holiday accommodation, and there has been huge demand recently from buyers looking for a home office. Picture Rob Leake/Pixabay.

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for cooking and warmth, and a corner cupboard for essentials and medicines. They were usually built for the landowner by agricultural engineering companies (though sometimes constructed on the farm with whatever materials were available to hand), and were very

common in the 18th and 19th centuries, until changes in farming practices in the early 20th century brought about a rapid decline in their use. In the Second World War some were used as home guard outposts or to house prisoners of war, but by 1950 almost 23

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all had been abandoned or broken up. Quirky and romantic, yet essentially useful and practical, shepherd’s huts embody a lost part of our rural history. As Lynda Snell put it, they are ‘a piece of our cultural heritage, part of the rural fabric from days gone by’. 

My Favourite Recipe Danish Meatballs and Cold Potato Salad By Life Of Riley photographer Christina Bull

This simple but delicious meal is full of flavour – and is quick and easy to prepare

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riginally from Denmark, Christina Bull is a Hertfordshire/Londonbased photographer who specialises in stills, interiors and lifestyle photography. This is her family recipe. “If you’re from Denmark, nothing says summer more than cold potato salad and meatballs, with fresh strawberries for pudding. It’s a staple dish. The potatoes have to be new harvest potatoes, the ones where you can just scrub the skin off. They make the best salad, because they are nice and firm when boiled. My mum was always very keen on getting me to help in the kitchen when I was a child, and she taught me how to make meatballs at an early age, along with

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peeling potatoes at speed. My fifth grade home economics teacher once commented on my meatball skills, which made me kind of proud. I’m now trying to pass on these Danish dishes to my own children before they fly the nest. It’s probably not the healthiest of foods, so I don’t make meatballs very often, but sometimes we just long for Denmark and need some traditional food to take us back there.”

above This summer meal of meatballs and potato salad, with strawberries for dessert, reminds Christina of her childhood in Denmark.

Meatballs

Cold Potato Salad

250g minced beef 250g minced pork 1 onion, finely chopped 2 eggs Handful of oats Milk if needed Salt and pepper

About 650g boiled new (or baby) potatoes, cooled and cut in half 1 small red onion, finely chopped Radishes or cherry tomatoes, chopped as you prefer Lots of fresh chives, finely chopped

Mix all ingredients thoroughly in a large bowl, then form into balls by hand. Fry with oil in a saucepan, turning frequently to crisp the outsides, until cooked through.

Mix together and add a dressing of crème fraiche, French mustard and mayonnaise, with salt and pepper to taste. Serves 4

Serves 4

opposite A linen tablecloth, posies of fresh flowers and heaps of homecooked food: a perfect setting for a family get-together.

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An Insider’s Guide to Outdoor Kitchens As we embrace outdoor living more than ever, why not consider an upgrade from a simple bbq to a glamorous built-in garden cooking area?

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ne result of the pandemic has been how much we now truly appreciate our gardens, courtyards and balconies. Despite the not entirely reliable British weather, we’re spending more time outdoors, both relaxing and socialising, extending those balmy barbecue days from midsummer into spring, autumn and even winter, and longer into the evenings, too. As Ross Worrod, business development manager at Grillo, points out, the last few years have seen a growing movement towards extending the living space of

opposite This sleek, covered kitchen features timber, brick and a distressed, cement-effect porcelain floor paving. PorcelPave Cuba outdoor porcelain paving tiles, from £43.39 per m2, The London Tile Company.

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below The horizontal lines of Gaze Burvill’s bespoke ‘Linear’ A La Carte outdoor kitchens are perfect for contemporary terraces or courtyards, and well suited to warming or storage drawer units.

the house out into the garden. ‘Looking at trends such as bifold doors, indoor/ outdoor matching paving and openplan living spaces shows how people are shifting into a true “bring the indoors out” approach to housing design,’ he says. ‘What better way to do this than by adding a stunning outdoor kitchen? They have been popular in America and Australia for 15 to 20 years. But recently we have seen increasing demand for people wanting to embrace outdoor living in the UK. Twenty years ago, people bought a £100 barbecue and that was the extent of their outdoor entertaining. Ten years ago, the trend shifted to larger, free-standing gas barbecues. Then barbecue manufacturers started to introduce side tables as a place for customers to put their raw or cooked food. This has now developed into the outdoor kitchen as we know them now, a move away from a barbecue on wheels to an integrated/built-in solution.’

Just like planning an indoor kitchen, there are numerous factors to take into consideration when planning your outdoor kitchen. First, while you probably won’t need planning permission, if you live in a listed building or a conservation area you should check this with your local authority before going any further. It is also worth talking to any neighbours who may be affected by smoke or additional lighting, and try to forestall any potential problems. ‘Outdoor kitchen construction requires careful planning and design before beginning installation,’ says Klara Dublin, marketing manager of Gaze Burvill. ‘It is important to think about the space available, function and the layout the kitchen will have, as well as the plumbed-in utilities that you may require. A well-planned outdoor

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left The Grillo Forge is a turnkey outdoor kitchen solution, built and installed by their craftsmen. below left Good lighting is important, and should be designed in at the very start of the project. Here, it’s built in to a timber gazebo which also provides shelter and shade. The garden kitchen is by Cena.

overleaf A gorgeous outdoor kitchen at Saphir Beach House, a luxury holiday let in North Cornwall, available to let via Unique Home Stays

below Install your outdoor kitchen so that you can enjoy the view whilst cooking food. Kitchen by Cena.

kitchen should have functional zones for food preparation, cooking, dining and socialising with family, friends and guests.’ Location is the most crucial factor. Your kitchen should be sited on level ground, safely far from flammable materials, and in a spot that’s neither to windy nor in full glare of the midday sun. You may, of course, find it useful to add a shelter of some kind, perhaps a timber gazebo, sailcloth canopy or roll-away awning. Make sure you avoid frequently used walkways, steps, trip hazards and slippery ground. If you stick close to the house it will be cheaper to connect services such as water, gas and electricity (always use a professional, by the way). The further away you go, the more necessary it will be to include 31

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standalone facilities such as a sink and tap, waste bin, storage and cooling. A scale plan of your garden will be a useful tool, allowing you to clearly see how the size, location and orientation of the kitchen will impact on the outside space as a whole, and how it will interact with both the house and the outdoor dining area. If you are siting the kitchen against a boundary, create an island or L-shape so that the cook doesn’t have to spend all their time facing a fence. And when sketching the kitchen, don’t forget to allow space to walk around the different elements comfortably, to open doors and drawers, and to pull chairs out from tables. Consider what and how you like to cook, and how you entertain. Will you include just a barbecue, or add a pizza oven? Or maybe an induction hob or burners, a teppanyaki-style iron griddle 34

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above Grillo’s new Vantage outdoor kitchen combines iroko hardwood with carbon steel and comes as a fully installed package. below Enjoy a sundowner with friends at a handsome garden bar. Palm outdoor bar and stool set, £1,825, Danetti.

opposite A kitchen can be designed to fit even into a relatively small outdoor space, such as the rear garden of a terraced house. This handsome example, with both a grill and pizza oven, is by Cena.

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or a kamado grill (a highly insulated ceramic, egg-shaped grill that can cook at low and high temperatures)? ‘Many people chose multiple cooking options, some storage space for outdoor cooking equipment and gas bottles if 36

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not plumbed into the mains,’ says Klara. All this will depend partly on your own cooking style and partly on how many guests you plan to host. The simplest outdoor kitchen could just be a small barbecue with a fold-out table or

left Gaze Burvill’s ‘Vertical’ A La Carte outdoor kitchen combines highperformance materials and easily installed, modular units.

indoor kitchen for numerous, frequent guests, you could include a built-in bar area with stools, a sink and a fridge, a generous, durable countertop (probably in granite, composite or brushed stainless steel) with a decorative splashback, and even a dishwasher. An additional form of heating – brazier, fire pit, chimenea or gas or electric heater – near the dining area will always be welcome for those chilly evenings, and will provide a nice focal point for gatherings, while built-in lighting is essential, both to add ambience and to enable you to safely continue cooking after dusk. Bright ‘task’ lighting is necessary to illuminate the working area, with decorative lighting over and around the dining table – perhaps rows of lowlevel lights or strings of pretty fairy lights.

wheeled trolley next to it for food prep – maybe with a rubbish bin beneath, some sturdy lidded boxes and a few hooks on the side for implements. So far so good. But to create an all-singing, all-dancing version, as versatile as your 37

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For all-round entertainment, background music can be provided in the form of a phone connected to an outdoor-rated Bluetooth speaker or a weather-proof, wired-in sound system; you could even add a TV or a projector and screen so that you can catch the big match or watch a movie once the sun has set. A garden kitchen can be anything you want, though most importantly it’s about family, friends and enjoying your outdoor space all year round. 

Meet the Maker Collingwood of Somerset Behind the scenes with Life of Riley collaborator Tora Young, founder of luxury scentedcandle company Collingwood of Somerset

SUMMER JOURNAL

What inspired you to start a candle company? I used to work in the film industry, as both a producer and a make-up artist, and I spent a lot of time in trailers, dressing rooms, hotel rooms and houses. And they all smelled amazing, because A-listers love luxury candles! So that sowed a seed. Then, when I moved from London to Somerset a few years ago, I became fascinated with the idea of candles inspired by the English countryside – not only for the fragrances, but also the designs. A lucky find of a set of 19th century botanical engravings in my parents’ attic gave me a starting point for the labels, which I wanted to be as beautiful and evocative as the scents.

What have been the highs and lows of setting up your business? I think the high has definitely been seeing something that I had in my head and worked hard at designing eventually become an actual product. We launched in January 2020, at Top Drawer, the trade show at Olympia. It was a real thrill meeting retailers who wanted to know about our candles and stock them. One of them owned a shop in Broadstairs; I told her that’s where my mum grew up, and she said, ‘Ah, so your candles are coming home!’ That was a really wonderful moment. The other big high was just before Christmas last year, when we got a big order for corporate gifting from an investment fund, which meant that we 39

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ended our first year feeling very positive. We’ve also had some fantastic PR coverage. One of the great moments was being featured in Elle’s roundup of the 32 best luxury candles. We were in the mix with huge names and it was a real thrill. The lows have been mostly associated with Covid, as I’m sure is the case for a lot of small businesses. There were shows and events that we wanted to do, like Spirit of Christmas, and the Bath Christmas market, which were cancelled. We’re hoping to get out there later this year instead.

opposite Collingwood’s luxury candles combine the finest fragrances to conjure the essence of the English countryside.

below The handpoured candles are made using only nonGMO, palm oil-free waxes for sustainability and a clean burn.

Where do you work? I work from home – usually the sitting room, as I don’t have a separate study. I live in a village near Frome, which is lovely. I’ve got a garden, so if I need inspiration, then I’ll often sit outside and look at the flowers for a while.

What’s a typical day for you? I start the day by checking my emails for orders that have come in, or any queries from shops or companies that are interested in stocking us. If we’re developing a new candle, or an addition to the range like our match bottles, then there are lots of discussions about suppliers, fragrances and how the candles are burning. With certain fragrances, you might have to alter the wicks or the wax slightly to get the

optimum burn and scent from them. Plus briefing the designers on labels for new additions and liaising with the printers. I’ll regularly update our Instagram feed with new shots and shout outs if we’re offering discounts or running promotions, and of course when we’re launching new fragrances. Every few months, I’ll put together a shoot day to create a variety of seasonal lifestyle shots, for social media, the website and PR.

What do you love most about your job? I love coming up with the ideas for the different fragrances and products, and the designs for the packaging. I wanted to create something beautiful, with packaging that could be re-used once the candle was finished. Having an initial idea for each new label, and then seeing it come together with our designers, is always thrilling; I love the collaboration with them. Plus, working for myself is great. I can be flexible in terms of what hours I’m working (I’ve got two small children), and I really value the freedom of not having a nine-to-five office life.

What makes Collingwood candles special? We want to make them as eco-friendly as possible. They’re made with a blend of non-GMO coconut wax, which is better for the environment than soy, as you don’t have to chop down any trees to produce it. Also, they don’t contain any 40

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palm oil. The packaging is all recyclable, and everything is made in the UK. We use the highest quality fragrances available, so they smell incredible. And they look elegant and distinctive, with the gold touches on the labels and the dark blue packaging. I like to think of them as an ‘affordable luxury’! Plus, we’re a small family company; people are coming to value individuality and the ‘story’ behind a company more and more – there’s a growing desire to support up and coming, smaller independent brands. 41

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opposite The Cassis & Rose luxury scented candle costs £38, and has a burn time of around 40 hours.

above The range includes Rosemary & Bay, Watermint & Sea Salt, Orange Blossom & Fig, and Cedar, Birch & Vetiver.

How did you choose your range of scents? The main inspiration came from plants and scents that I love from the countryside, such as rose, jasmine and orange blossom. I also spent a lot of

above Working from home? Rosemary is said to aid concentration. The Rosemary & Bay candles costs £38.

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opposite A family affair: a childhood snap of founder of Collingwood Candles Tora Young (right), with her sister Alex.

time by the sea growing up – I was at school in Whitby – so I wanted to capture those fresh scents of being by the shore. I’ve got a dog, Betty, who I walk in the woods, and who has a regular dip in the river, so those woody fragrances like cedar and birch, and water mint, which grows at the riverside, were obvious ones to incorporate. Rosemary & Bay has become our bestseller, though. It’s a unisex fragrance that everyone loves,

for the packaging, the website and the newsletter – it’s really nice to be able to combine our different skills. And when we launched at Top Drawer, she was there to help put the stall together and chat to the potential customers. I think we kept each other calm at what was a bit of a nerve-wracking point, as we’d never done anything like that before. Luckily, it went much better than we expected, and we got loads of orders.

and rosemary is great for concentration, so it’s a good one to light when you’re working from home.

What’s it like working with your sister?

It’s great! We’ve always had very similar tastes, so it’s useful to have someone to bounce ideas off. Alex writes all the copy 43

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What’s next for Collingwood?

We’ve got new candle fragrances which we’re testing out and waiting to launch (watch this space), plus a diffuser range, and I’d love to branch out into products like hand cream and liquid soap. Mostly, though, we’re looking to build the brand in terms of awareness and having more retailers on board, plus we’re talking to various companies about producing bespoke candles for them, which is very exciting. 

Our Pick of Great Summer Reads Whether you’re relaxing at home or packing for a UK staycation, take time for yourself and get lost in some fabulous new titles 44

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The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris

The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave

Described as one of this year’s most talked-about debuts, this funny, twisty and compelling thriller about race is whip-smart, full of sly social commentary and will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Owen Michaels was the love of Hannah’s life. And then he disappeared, leaving her a two-word note, setting her on a journey to discover the truth about who he really was. If you enjoy breakneck pacing, dizzying plot twists and evocative family drama, this suspenseful mystery will keep you in its grip.

The Power of Geography: 10 Maps that Reveal the Future of our World by Tim Marshall Tim Marshall’s global best-seller Prisoners of Geography showed how every nation’s choices are limited by mountains, rivers, seas and concrete. In this revelatory new book, he explores ten regions, from Australia to Iran, Saudi Arabia to Space, that are set to shape global politics in a new age of great-power rivalry. Witty, insightful and gripping.

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The Green Barbecue by Rukmini Iyer These mouth-watering modern vegetarian and vegan recipes can be cooked either outdoors or indoors. They’re quick, easy and great for all the family, from the author of the best-selling Roasting Tin series.

Curate: Inspiration For Bullet Train An Individual Home by Kotaro Isaka by Lynda Gardener and Ali Heath How can one create a home that is truly individual? This beautifully photographed book marries inspirational ideas with real interiors, focusing on texture, nature, collections, art, and mixing old and new.

The Secret Keeper Of Jaipur by Alka Joshi Former street urchin Malik is now an educated young man apprenticed at the Jaipur Palace. When he becomes implicated in a ruthless scandal it threatens his livelihood, his reputation and the people he loves most. This new novel by the author of The Henna Artist (a top pick from Reese Witherspoon’s Book Club) is lavish in both character and atmosphere.

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Five killers on a bullet train from Tokyo are competing for a suitcase full of money. Who will make it to the last station? Full of twists and turns, this dark, occasionally farcical and original thriller comes from a Japanese bestselling author – and is soon to be released as a movie starring Brad Pitt.

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir If you enjoyed The Martian, dive right into the new offering from best-selling author Andy Weir – as recommended by George RR Martin and astronaut Tim Peake. A highly original interstellar adventure, it’s moving, fun and full of suspense, and sure to become a sci-fi classic.

Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead

China by Edward Rutherford

Spanning a century and the entire planet, this historical adventure follows two different timelines – that of the rebel-hearted aviator Marian Graves who disappears while flying over Antarctica, and Hadley Baxter, troubled Hollywood starlet, who takes on the role of Marian and is drawn into the mysteries of the vanished pilot’s life.

This epic novel portrays the great clash of East and West. It is the story of the Chinese people, high and low, and the Westerners who came to exploit the riches of their ancient land and culture, a feat of the imagination that’s both informative and enthralling.

Sitting in the Shade by Hugh Johnson In 45 years of writing about his garden, other people’s gardens and the wider natural world, diverse subjects have caught Hugh Johnson’s attention. Month by month, his evocative prose records a mix of thoughtful, topical and whimsical insights, from the names of roses to the colours of autumn and the smell of rain.

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The Maidens by Alex Michaelides From the author of The Silent Patient – one of the biggest thrillers of the last decade – comes another spellbinding literary page-turner. Set in the closed world of a Cambridge college, The Maidens weaves together Greek mythology, psychology, and murder, and is described by Stephen Fry as ‘a thrilling, heart-in-throat ride’.

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The Captivating World of Vintage Railway Posters Designed to promote the pleasures of seaside resorts and rural attractions, or simply to emphasise how cost-effective and convenient it was to travel by train, the poster was once a key element of railway advertising campaigns

ighly collectible, an intriguing talking point and a wonderful way to brighten up a wall, railway posters are a fascinating and nostalgic record of the days when travelling by train was seen as both romantic and adventurous. From the painterly landscapes of early 20th century artworks, through jolly, carefree depictions of 1950s seaside towns, to glossy ads for high-speed trains in the 1980s, they truly capture the spirit of the times, combining

opposite South for Winter Sun, Southern Railways 1937, £1,500, Original Railway Posters.

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right lfracombe, by Leonard Richmond for GWR, 1934, £500, Original Railway Posters.

far left A humorous poster by Reginal Mayes from 1942, £375, Original Railway Posters. left Cricket at Hastings, a Southern Region Railway poster from the 1950s, £450, Travel on Paper. opposite Stratfordupon-Avon, by Gordon William Nicoll for British Railways (Western Region), 1950s, £600, Original Railway Posters.

historical interest with artistic impact. A quick bit of background. In the 1840s Britain’s public railway system expanded rapidly, opening up previously inaccessible places, while workingclass seaside holidays became a phenomenon in the 1870s, as Lancashire cotton workers took their traditional Wakes Week breaks by train in nearby coastal towns such as Blackpool and Morecambe. All in all, growing prosperity and an increase in free time, together with paid leave, public holidays and affordable train travel, combined to bring about the start of mass tourism in late 19th century Britain, and seaside resorts as well as countryside attractions developed accordingly. All this coincided with a new invention – high-speed colour lithography, which made it possible to mass produce artistically designed, eye-catching 50

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advertising posters with the power to engage and communicate via striking visuals. The railway poster age was born. The earliest railway ads had been simple hand bills with only text or some standard patterns, but as competition increased between rival operators pictorial designs were introduced, though they were often garish and badly composed. It all changed in the early 20th century, however, when the London & North Western Railway commissioned a new type of poster by the artist Norman Wilkinson featuring landscape paintings. Wilkinson wrote in his autobiography that he considered himself ‘the father and mother of the “artistic” poster on English railway stations’. The other private rail companies of the time copied the idea, and soon these colourful and evocative paintings, often somewhat idealised, promising

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eternal sunshine, golden beaches and blue skies, became a familiar feature in train stations up and down the land. In the 1920s and ’30s, the ‘Golden Age’ of the railway poster saw the four main private railway companies competing to emphasise the delights of the destinations they served. They commissioned leading artists and graphic

below St Andrews, by James McIntosh Patrick, who was well known for his Scottish landscape paintings, for British Railways, c1957, £3,000, Original Railway Posters.

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below right Newquay, by renowned poster designer, artist and author Jack Merriott for British Railways (Western Region), 1950s, £850, Original Railway Posters.

designers, and the results clearly show the influence of popular fashions of the time, as well as Art Deco, abstract art and European art movements. With strong colours and limited text, and sometimes using humour to get their point across, they focused on the local climate, whether the ‘bracing’ air of Skegness or the ‘drier side’ of the East coast, landscapes, beaches, swimming, sun bathing and various entertainments, such as donkey rides or Punch and Judy shows. It was a remarkable time for railway poster design. The advent of the Second World War brought an abrupt stop to holiday travel, with resorts effectively closed and the

railways becoming an essential part of the effort to transport soldiers and machinery around the country. When life started to get back to normal, poster advertising started up again, enticing a weary population to the delights of the coast and countryside. For a while, railway poster art remained much the same – despite the fact that the separate rail companies had been nationalised, and were now one entity known as British Railways – and focused again on happy families enjoying sun, sea and sand. Things were slowly changing, however. Train travel was under threat from hugely increased competition, not only from private cars but also from

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package holidays to the Mediterranean. Steam had gradually been replaced by diesel and electric locomotives; then came the Beeching cuts of 1963. The marketing message was one of efficiency, speed and modernity. From the 1960s onwards, the railway poster changed significantly. There was more centralised control over

below left Llandudno, a 1950s British Rail poster by artist and graphic designer Daphne Padden, £500, Original Railway Posters.

below Bolton Abbey, by architectural photographer A F Kersting for British Railways, North Eastern Region, 1960, £140, Original Railway Posters.

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above Starlight Special, by German graphic artist Hans Unger for British Railways, 1960s, £350, Travel on Paper. opposite Cross the Channel, for British and French Railways by Laurence Fish, 1960s, £425, Travel on Paper.

above right Go Mid-Week, by Hans Unger for British Railways, 1962, £350, Travel on Paper.

style, resulting in greater consistency – though still some innovation – and some typically bold, abstract-style imagery that fits the ‘Swinging’ Sixties aesthetic, then, later, sleek styling to correspond with the introduction of high-speed trains in the 1980s. Inevitably, though, as other means of advertising – TV, newspapers and mailshots – became more dominant, the old-fashioned railway poster went out of favour. It was the end of an era – but perhaps the beginning of a new one for collectors, who now seek out these remarkable examples of commercial art which captured the essence of British travel in bygone years. 

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above left WestonSuper-Mare, by soughtafter artist Harry Riley for British Railways (Western Region), c1960, £575, Original Railway Posters.

above right Southend by Train, by Edward Pond for Network SouthEast, 1989, £200, Original Railway Posters.

left Holiday Haunts, by Abram Games for British Railways, 1960s, £400, Travel on Paper.

opposite This modern take on the famous 1930s Southern Railway poster of a young boy talking to a train driver was used to advertise the high speed trains which were introduced in 1978. £125, Original Railway Posters.

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