The American April 2015 Issue 742 by Blue Edge Publishing Ltd.

April 2015

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More in London

The Society of Antiquaries has an extensive series of lectures on Magna Carta through May and June, as well as a free admission exhibition, Magna Carta Through the Ages (www.sal.org.uk/magna-carta) which explores the antiquarian interest in the Great Charter and includes copies of key documents. The British Library also hosts Law, Liberty, Legacy, a Magna Carta exhibition, until September 1. It features the Library’s copies of Magna Carta alongside Thomas Jefferson’s

handwritten copy of the US Declaration of Independence, and an original copy of the US Bill of Rights. The exhibition is being accompanied by lectures and other events. Also a special place to visit this year are the Houses of Parliament, which are celebrating both Magna Carta and the 750th anniversary of the Simon de Montfort Parliament. Specially commissioned Magna Carta banners are on show in Westminster Hall during the year – they can be seen at www.parliament.uk or as part of an audio or guided tour of the Houses.

Runnymede

By the time King John and the Barons met at Runnymede in June 1215, the country had been almost in a state of de facto civil war. The sealing of Magna Carta was a momentous occasion in English, American and World history, as the rule of law, liberty, democracy and freedom were entrenched in the Great Charter. Runnymede, the site

of the sealing, is now a National Trust property, and home to the American Bar Association’s Magna Carta memorial. The memorial was unveiled by the ABA in 1957, and on June 15th 2015 will be the centrepiece of a big event celebrating the 800th anniversary. The site is open at most other times of the year, and includes a National Trust tea-room. Traveling from London, Runnymede is very accessible by public transport or by car. The nearest train station, Egham, is connected to the entrance by bus (First Bus, Route 71), and on site pay and display parking is available. For those traveling in groups wanting to experience travel in true British style, there are even special Routemaster Bus tours from London to Windsor and Runnymede (londonbyroutemaster.com)! Whilst at Runnymede, you can also visit the Kennedy Memorial, dedicated to John F Kennedy, a symbolic acre of land donated to the United States by Queen Elizabeth II in 1965.

anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo and the defeat of Napoleon. Windsor will also be hosting a number of events for Magna Carta’s own celebrations. The Windsor & Royal Borough Museum has a number of events, including talks, art displays, exhibitions and a ‘Liber Tea’ event, one of the Houses of

Parliament’s promoted events to celebrate the anniversary of the Charter this year. Nearby Egham Museum will also host lectures on key subjects around the Charter’s history, including a pop up exhibition from June 1st to August 29th engaging the local community in the celebrations.

See www.theamerican.co.uk and click on Diary Dates for more Magna Carta events

©ANDREW BOWDEN

Top to Bottom: Temple Church London; The Guildhall, London; Magna Carta Memorial, Runnymede; Windsor Castle at Sunseet

©SMUCONLAW

The American

Not far from Runnymede is the Royal town of Windsor, a place full of English history and Royal connections. Windsor Castle is the Official Residence of Her Majesty The Queen, and is well worth a visit. This year, the Castle also celebrates another anniversary, the 200th

©DAVID ILIFF

Windsor

April 2015 11

The American

Running the London Marathon I

n this Tanager Talks, Kristopher Heck, one of the founders of Tanager Wealth Management (www.tanagerwealth.com) describes his experience running the London Marathon. Like many American expats living in London, the race had long been on Krisâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bucket list. After watching friends run and contributing to their efforts to raise money for charity, he decided it was now his turn to put his body on the line. I had always wanted to run the London Marathon. Ever since arriving in the UK in 2007 I had marveled at the sheer scale of the event and the massive support offered by the crowds. Deciding I needed a physical challenge, the marathon seemed the perfect event to shoot for. After securing a place to run in support of Refuge, the charity set up to fight domestic violence, I set up a 24 week training plan. With the help of Runmeter, an iPhone app that synched with my diary, I was able to find time to train despite an already full schedule that included starting up a new business. I quickly

12 April 2015

learned to appreciate the value of Runmeter and how it helped me create a plan and stick to it. This is really important in many areas of life but when training for a marathon it takes on added significance. If you start missing training runs you quickly lose stamina that has taken weeks to build up. Another important aspect was having the support of family, friends and business partners. There were many days when the legs were tired and my body was protesting. Without a push from my partner, or one of my colleagues, I may not have got up off the sofa or gone for that lunchtime 10k run. The day itself is something to experience as a runner. On the day, I had such a feeling of exhilaration for which nothing can prepare you. Lining up with 40,000 other runners was both scary and exciting. It took me 10 minutes before I even crossed the line to start, and all that time the atmosphere was gripping â&#x20AC;&#x201C; six months of training behind you and only a few hours away from accomplishing the goal. Watch-

ing on TV or even on the roadside you cannot fully appreciate the thousands of volunteers who work so hard to make this event happen so successfully. What also makes the experience special are the 400,000 people who line the streets of London cheering you on â&#x20AC;&#x201C; incredible. The run itself was hard. With a mile to go I was flagging, physically and mentally. However, as the last mile marker comes into view, with a large clock visible, reminding me of my target time, you begin to notice an increase in crowed noise as people urge runners on for the last mile. I was lifted and put in a final push to cross the finish line within my target time. Now I know that with a plan, appropriate training and support, and a pocketful of gummy bears, anyone can conquer a marathon.

Tanager supports The Anglo-American Charity Ltd and its US parent, the AngloAmerican Charitable Foundation, established in 2003 as dual qualified US-UK donor advised funds to facilitate transatlantic gifting. Find out more at www.anglo-americancharity.org

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Live at Leeds... ...and across Britain, a new diplomacy is emerging, says US Ambassador Matthew Barzun

et me start with an admission. Until last year, my knowledge of Leeds was limited to The Who’s Live at Leeds album and the fact that it’s The Wedding Present’s home town. But then came a conversion. I took a trip up there. During my visit I met artists, activists, entrepreneurs and students at The Tetley contemporary arts centre who were so proud, inspired and animated as they described how their city had trans-

14 April 2015

formed itself from a 19th-century industrial powerhouse into a 21st century cultural and commercial capital. That same energy pervaded my whole stay, making it hard to leave. But when it was recently reported that I described Leeds as my favorite British city, some on social media wrote of their surprise, searching their emoticon libraries for the head scratch. Leeds? Really? Others were upset that I had apparently broken the first rule of diplo-

macy by singling out one city. Well, for the record, I didn’t actually say it was my favorite. As a father of twins I instinctively avoid that particular word. What I did say was that I love Leeds. Really. Don’t get me wrong, I love London too. I’m a believer in Samuel Johnson’s maxim. Yet we Americans often make the mistake of thinking that London equals the UK. Indeed, even when I tell locals that I like to travel outside of the capital, they mostly assume I mean

Britain is not just London, just as the United States is not New York

PHOTO: US EMBASSY LONDON

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to somewhere in the countryside. Visiting different towns and cities in the host country isn’t a radical concept, of course, and is part of the job. All ambassadors recognise the importance of peregrination. There is a general template for these visits, usually involving a talk at a university, meetings with MPs and local dignitaries, a look around a USowned company, and a stop-off at significant historic sites. But we have also added a new dimension: talent scouting. Essentially, we are looking for new diplomats. Just as we try to think and work outside of London, we are also trying to think and work outside of formal diplomacy. There are, for instance, many British people who have close ties to America or who simply take an interest in the US who we’re keen to connect with and empower. We want to propagate “ownership” of the special relationship — and that requires cross-country recruitment because, as we know, talent is distributed evenly but opportunity and attention not always so. Already we are seeing a rise in nominations for our flagship International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) coming from outside London. This is a project which helps young, mid-career-level Britons with outstanding potential to travel to the US to soak up American life. In 1967, the embassy arranged for Margaret Thatcher to visit 10 US cities. After she became prime

Leeds Town Hall

minister, she wrote in a letter to the embassy: “The whole tour was immensely valuable … it has left an indelible impression on my mind. Forever more I shall be a true friend of the United States.” History bore that commitment out. Recently, Tim Campbell, winner of The Apprentice and now chief executive of Bright Ideas Trust, traveled on an IVLP to explore entrepreneurship in four US cities. But my highest priority on these trips is talking to students from sixth-form colleges. Many of these young men and women are approaching the first general election in which they can vote. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are the defining international events of their lives. And they are not afraid to speak their minds. So far I’ve been with 50 groups, and each session includes a survey of their views on the US, the special relationship, and foreign policy issues. This is followed by a conversation on what frustrates or concerns them about America – usually guns and health care. And for balance, we also discuss what inspires them – generally Nasa

PHOTO: RICK HARRISON

and technology. To keep alive and deepen those relationships, we have set up a programme called Beyond London. It involves groups of American diplomats – accompanied by British colleagues from the embassy – getting to know a city or area better by visiting regularly and maintaining ties with all those who make the place tick. Just as in politics and entertainment, the rules of diplomacy have changed. The forces that influence attitudes are no longer centrally controlled, and opinions are formed through an array of social interactions and media. We have to inspire people who share our enthusiasm. As true believers in the indispensable role our special relationship plays on the world stage, we at the embassy are not waiting for our audience to come to us. So, a final admission. When I talk about my love of Leeds – and Newcastle, Leicester, Bristol, Cardiff, Aberdeen and others – it is genuine, but it’s also strategic. I don’t just love the places. I need their people. More precisely, we at the embassy need their help. We Need Leeds.

April 2015 15

The American

CHILD RELOCATION RELOCATION RELOCATION RELOCATION: the dilemmas of separated parents

nna Worwood, co-author of Relocation: A Practical Guide, and a Partner in the specialist Family Team at international law firm Penningtons Manches (www.penningtons.co.uk), examines the practicalities of moving with your children when parents are separated. It is not unusual for separated parents to encounter difficulties when parenting their children. Those difficulties can be even greater when you are an expatriate family and your former husband or wife wants to return home.

What is allowed?

If a family has established itself in England and has become habitually resident here it is not permitted for an unhappy parent who wants to return home to the USA to simply hop on a plane with the children. A parent who wishes to move with their child has to have written consent to the move from the other parent. There are parents who choose not to go through this process when they wish to leave the country with their child. These are cases of child abduction; if a parent removes a child from the country without the other parent’s consent, the removing parent can be ordered by the Court in the other country to return the child immediately and the parent who has abducted the child can

16 April 2015

face criminal charges, which can be very distressing for both parents and the child.

Reaching an agreement

The ideal way forward is for parents to agree the outcome between them. However, this is notoriously difficult in these cases. It is often difficult to find a middle ground; these cases tend to be “all or nothing” for each parent as regular contact during the week or at weekends is likely to be impossible. If a relocation is agreed, the parent remaining in England will need to focus on maximising holiday contact.

Approaching court proceedings

If an agreement cannot be reached and a court application has to be made for permission to relocate, the Court will expect to see extremely detailed plans. The Court will want to see that the applicant parent has a genuine motivation for wishing to relocate and that he or she is not trying to exclude the other parent from the child’s life. Each case is considered on its own circumstances, it may be that the children are at a crucial point in their education or they are old and mature enough to provide reasoned views for resisting a move. These “relocation” cases tend to fall into one of five categories, often with a degree of cross over between them. Whatever the category of

case, the Court must be satisfied that the proposed move is in the child’s best interests before sanctioning the move.

Types of cases

1. Going home cases After a relationship breakdown, a parent can feel isolated and unhappy, and have a strong desire to return to their home country. The Court is likely to need to consider that the way a parent is feeling may have an impact on the child’s welfare. The parent who wants to move will need to show details of their support network in their home country and often friends and family can help by producing statements explaining how they would support him or her and the child. 2. Specific opportunity cases If the reason for relocating is to pursue an opportunity or new job, the parent will need to provide clear evidence about the opportunity and explain how he or she and the child would benefit if the parent was able to take up the opportunity. The impact of not taking up the opportunity will also need to be explained. The court is likely to consider whether the move is necessary rather than just attractive. 3. New partner cases There are occasions when a move involves a new partner. In those cases, the Court will examine the nature and duration of the relation-

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IMAGE ÂŠTOMASZ WYSZOAMIRSKI/ISTOCKPHOTO

ship, including, how the couple met, how long they have known each other etc. The benefit of moving for the parent and child must be explained along with the effect that not being allowed to move will have on the parent and child. It may also be considered why the new partner cannot move to the UK. 4. Lifestyle cases Some moves are motivated by a desire to move to live in a more idyllic area, perhaps by the beach or

in the countryside. There may be a hope for a more relaxed lifestyle or a hope to send a child to a good local day school rather than board. 5. Get away cases It is very unusual for a relocation application to be based on the applicantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s explicit desire to get away from the other parent unless there is a real risk of harm by staying. Otherwise, an application brought on this basis is likely to be refused as the motivation would be

viewed as illegitimate.

Summary

Whatever the motivation for wishing to relocate, the applicant parent must have a comprehensive and detailed proposal for relocation and success can never be guaranteed. All cases need to be approached with absolute care and attention to detailed plans by experienced, specialist practitioners as so much rides on these crucial decisions.

April 2015 17

The American

Choosing a new Dentist C

hoosing a Dentist can be confusing and a bit daunting, especially when you have moved countries and loved your old dentist. James Goolnik, founder of the award-winning Bow Lane Dental group in the City of London (www.bowlanedental.com), has put together this handy list to help you narrow it down.

ÂŠSNEKSY13

Do you feel comfortable with the dentist? This may be a gut-instinct but do you feel they are listening to you and giving you bespoke advice related to your mouth and habits. You only have one set of teeth so be careful who you entrust them to. Is the practice well established? Experience and continuity of care can be very valuable. Will they be there next time you have your check-up? It takes time to build a relationship on both sides. They will get to know your mouth, what

materials work best in your mouth and how often to review you. Do they have a dental hygienist? With recent changes to the law you will probably see your dental hygienist more often than your dentist. Does the hygienist clean your mouth thoroughly? Do they guide you in what are the best oral hygiene aids for your mouth and encourage you in between appointments? Training and further education? Most dentists will have the basic qualification (BDS) but do they keep up to date with the latest techniques and materials? This is especially important if you are considering any extensive treatments such as veneers or dental implants. Membership to a recognizable institution such as the British or American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry is an added advantage. Do Your Research: Go online and research dental practices in your area. Dentist

websites should list the dentistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s credentials, experience, a picture of them and increasingly videos.

Ask Questions

The most important thing to remember is to ask questions! Make a list of questions to ask before your appointment as you may forget. Good questions can be: How long will this last before it needs replacing? What guarantees do you offer? How do I access care outside office hours? Do you have experience with similar types of treatment? A proven track record speaks volumes about a dentist. Do not be afraid to ask to see examples of similar treatments carried out by THAT dentist. If you are considering crowns, bridge, veneers or implants ask to meet the laboratory technician that will be making your work. Cosmetic dentistry requires a true artist and for an artist to work they need to see their subject. They will want to see you to get the colour shade for your teeth and make sure your new smile matches your face, skin tone and age. Get referrals. Ask your relatives, colleagues and friends if they can recommend reliable dentists. Do your research on the internet once you get a list of candidates and call them for more information. Remember this is a relationship for life; if you do not feel comfortable, find someone else.

18 April 2015

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UK Property & Mortgage Exchange Rate Gains The nasty smell at the back of your mortgage, warns Tameron McDougall

he London housing market is booming again and inevitably this results in homes being sold and mortgages being repaid. Most UK taxpayers, including those who happen to be US citizens, will be aware of the Principal Private Residence rules that provide an exemption from UK tax on the sale of their main home in the UK. However, if you are a US citizen this may not be the end of the story. The IRS requires US persons to report their worldwide income and gains annually, regardless of where in the world they might be living. As a result, Americans residing in the UK need to consider not only HMRC’s view of the sale of their UK home but also the US tax consequences. As London Mayor, Boris Johnson discovered recently, when a US citizen (which he was by birth) sells their UK home, capital gains tax may nevertheless be due to the IRS. There are exemptions which can allow up to $250,000 of the resultant gain to be excluded from US tax (up to $500,000 for a joint return with a spouse) and Tax Advisory Partnership can advise on these. Qualification for exemption

20 April 2015

depends upon the amount of time the property has been owned and how long it has been used as the main home. It might seem bad enough that the UK will exempt the sale of the main family home and the IRS may continue to subject that sale to US tax but there may in fact be an additional sting in the tail for US taxpayers. This nasty smell at the back of your mortgage results from the repayment (or refinance) of a non-US dollar mortgage, which usually happens when a UK home is sold. With apologies for citing the technical references, section 988 of the Internal Revenue Code deals with foreign currency transactions and includes becoming a borrower under a foreign mortgage e.g. a GBP mortgage to buy a home in the UK. Under the US law predating Section 988, the borrowing and repayment of a mortgage loan is a separate transaction from the purchase and sale of the property. The repayment of the mortgage constitutes a closed and therefore, taxable transaction and as such there are usually tax consequences for a US person who redeems their

UK mortgage or indeed any other non-US dollar loan. Whilst the particular focus of this article has been on UK private residences, the type and location of the property is irrelevant and these foreign currency transaction rules will apply equally to mortgage loans used to buy investment property, holiday homes and commercial premises, wherever they are situated. Whether or not there is a US tax liability will depend on how the dollar has moved against the currency of the foreign mortgage. As a general rule, if the dollar cost of repaying the foreign loan has reduced between the time of the original borrowing and the time of the loan repayment, there will be a gain. Any capital repayments made during the life of the loan must also be considered and this can add further complication. Unfortunately, whilst a gain would be taxable, any resultant loss is not recognised for the purposes of these rules. This issue of taxable gains arising on redemption of a mortgage is not widely known and has been the source of many difficult conversations with clients. We have nothing

The American

but sympathy for those having to find funds to pay often unexpected liabilities, particularly where a property has been remortgaged to take advantage of falling interest rates but the property itself has not been sold. Often however, there are choices that can be made or planning put in place in anticipation of the sale of a home or the redemption of a mortgage. At Tax Advisory Partnership we regularly advise clients on legitimate ways to mitigate tax liabilities arising from section 988 gains or from the sale of their homes and other properties, as part of a wider review of their tax strategies. We would encourage anyone who is, or believes they might be, regarded as a US citizen, to take

advice well in advance of the sale of any property or the redemption of any non-US dollar mortgage or other loan. Similarly, historic transactions should be considered and disclosure made to the IRS if appropriate. At the very least we can help you understand whether and to what extent there may be a liability and what choices may be available in terms of planning or managing the process with the IRS. As with any lingering nasty smell, there is no real alternative other than to roll up your sleeves and tackle the problem before it gets worse. We are always happy to discuss specific issues with potential new US clients in confidence and without obligation.

Tameron McDougall is a partner at the Tax Advisory Partnership 14 Devonshire Square, London EC2M 4YT t: 020 7655 6957 e: Tameron.McDougall@taxadvisorypartnership.com w: www.taxadvisorypartnership.com

tap into a wealth of tax knowledge London t: +44 (0)20 7655 6959 e: info@tap-london.com

Leeds t: +44 (0)113 8272 410 e: info@tap-leeds.com

www.taxadvisorypartnership.com

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Rethinking the Underground Railroad O

n the 150th anniversary of the abolition of slavery in the USA, Eric Foner examines the facts of the mythical Underground Railway. Every American with an interest in our history has heard of the underground railroad. While no one knows exactly when or where the term originated, by 1853 the New York Times could observe that “the ‘underground railroad’” had “come into very general use to describe

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the organized arrangements made in various sections of the country, to aid fugitives from slavery.” To what extent a clandestine network of agents in northern communities, with outposts in the South, actually existed has long been a point of dispute among historians. The first scholars to write about it presented a portrait of a highly organized system involving thousands of operatives and an network of stations and regularized

routes leading to Canada. In 1961, Larry Gara published The Liberty Line, which chided previous writers for legitimizing a “popular legend” that greatly exaggerated the underground railroad and emphasized the role of benevolent whites at the expense of escaping slaves and free black communities in the North. The idea of a highly-organized transportation system ferrying multitudes to freedom, he insisted, was a myth.

The Underground Railroad by Charles T Webber, 1893

COURTESY CINCINATTI ART MUSEUM

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Most historians quickly accepted Gara’s conclusions, a response that led to a long period of scholarly neglect of the underground railroad. Recently, however, historians have again directed attention to how antislavery activists carried out assistance to fugitive slaves. The picture that emerges is not of the secret, centralized, highly organized system with tunnels, codes, and clearly-defined routes and stations of popular lore, but of an interlocking series of local networks, each of whose fortunes rose and fell over time, but which together helped a substantial number of fugitives reach safety in the free states and Canada. The “underground railroad” was not a single entity, but an umbrella term for local groups that employed numerous methods to assist fugitives, some public and entirely legal, some flagrant violations of the law. Antislavery activists, white and black, hid runaway slaves and sent them on their way and on occasion violently rescued fugitives from the clutches of slave catchers, but they also defended fugitives in court and raised money to purchase their freedom. Running away, of course, constituted only one part of a spectrum of slave resistance that ranged from day-to-day contestation with owners and overseers to outright rebellion. But it had the strongest and most persistent impact on antebellum politics. At the most basic level, escapes from slavery gave the lie to proslavery propaganda about well-treated, contented slaves. The actions of fugitives and their allies, moreover, forced onto the center stage of national politics explosive questions about the extent to which the laws of slave states extended

The International Memorial to the Underground Railroad, Detroit

into the North, and the relationship of the federal government to slavery. The fugitive question emerged as a source of contention at the very founding of the republic - at the insistence of the South, the right of slaveowners to retrieve “persons held to labor” was written into the Constitution. The rising number of fugitives provided the immediate catalyst for the passage of the Fugitive Slave Law of 1850, which required private citizens to assist in the capture of runaways and overrode local laws and procedures that impeded their return. Effective enforcement of that law quickly became a source of deep resentment in much of the North. Ironically, when it came to fugitive slaves, the white South, usually vocal in defense of local rights, favored vigorous national action, while some northern states engaged in the nullification of federal law. My new book, Gateway to Freedom, focuses on New York City as a crucial nexus of the underground railroad, through which perhaps 3,000 slaves passed on

PHOTO: JASON PARIS

their way to freedom in the three decades before the Civil War. The book was inspired by the discovery of a remarkable document, hidden in plain sight in the Rare Book and Manuscripts Library of Columbia University - the Record of Fugitives. In 1855 and 1856, Sydney Howard Gay, an abolitionist editor in the city, meticulously recorded the arrival and experiences of well over two hundred men, women, and children at his office. The document is a treasure trove of information about how and why slaves escaped, who assisted them, and where they were sent from New York. (It has recently been digitized and, along with a transcript, can be examined online at exhibitions.cul.columbia. edu/exhibits/show/fugitives.) The fugitives Gay interviewed ran the gamut of occupations from field hands to domestic laborers and skilled urban craftsmen. Their escapes displayed remarkable ingenuity - they reached the North individually and in groups, on foot, by boat (some captains of coastal vessels were not averse to accepting money to hide escaping slaves

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The American

on their ships), in horse-drawn carriages appropriated from their owners, and by train. Of course the basic motive for running away was desire for freedom, but among the immediate reasons offered by the fugitives by far the most common was physical abuse. They told Gay stories replete with tales of frequent whippings and other brutality; their words of complaint included “great violence,” “badly treated,” “hard master,” “very severe,” and “a very cruel man.” Alongside the dramatic stories of individual escapes, the Record of Fugitives also contains insights into the operations of one key set of underground railroad networks. Gay noted nearly 50 fugitives who reached New York with the

WIN A COPY The OUP has kindly given us 10 copies of Gateway to Freedom to give away to readers of The American. Simply email your contact details by April 30 to theamerican@blueedge.co.uk to be in with a chance of a free copy, or send them on a postcard to FREEDOM, The American, Old Byre House, Millbrook Lane, East Knoyle, Salisbury SP3 6AW, UK.

24 April 2015

assistance of a Quaker businessman, Thomas Garrett, in Wilmington, Delaware, and around 30 who escaped on the voyages from Virginia of a single ship, the City of Richmond. But far more common in the slave states was assistance from individuals unconnected with any network. Not surprisingly, fugitives tended to approach black persons, free and slave, for help in initiating or conducting their escapes. Once they crossed the Mason-Dixon line into Pennsylvania, fugitives encountered many individuals willing to help them on their way. Over half the fugitives who reached Gay’s office had been forwarded by train from Philadelphia by William Still, a black abolitionist who headed that city’s Vigilance Committee, as urban groups aiding fugitives were called. Gay then sent them on to upstate New York and Canada. Gay directed more fugitive slaves to Syracuse, half-way between Albany and the border with Canada, than to all other destinations combined. In Jermain Loguen, himself an escaped slave, Syracuse boasted one of the most effective underground railroad operatives in the entire North. In a city where antislavery sentiment predominated, his operations were flagrantly public. Sympathetic newspapers reported on the arrival of groups of runaways “at Loguen’s” and published annual reports on the number of fugitives who had passed through the city (200 in 1855 according to one account). Gay’s record ends in 1856, but fugitives continued to arrive in New York City. And the fugitive issue played a crucial role in the secession crisis of 1860. Even though few slaves reached the North from the state, the very first complaint

against the free states in South Carolina’s Declaration of the Causes of Secession had to do with obstruction of the return of fugitives. But the outbreak of the Civil War led quickly to the end of the underground railroad. The war fundamentally transformed the opportunities available to slaves seeking freedom. No longer did slaves have to reach the North or Canada to escape from bondage - they could now seek refuge with the Union army. Far more slaves - men, women, and children, of all ages - escaped to Union lines than had reached the free states and Canada during the preceding thirty years. Indeed, by the middle of the war many of the fugitives who had found refuge in Canada returned to the United States; some enlisted in the Union army. No one knows how many slaves managed to escape to freedom in the decades before the Civil War. Certainly, their numbers were not sufficient to undermine the institution of slavery; on the eve of the war the population in bondage had reached four million. But stripped of previous mythologies and distortions, the story of the underground railroad remains one with an extraordinary cast of characters and remarkable tales of heroism, courage, and sheer luck. Given the fraught nature of race relations in the United States today, the underground railroad is worth remembering as a moment when black and white Americans worked together in a just cause. Eric Foner is DeWitt Clinton Professor of History at Columbia University and author of Gateway to Freedom: The Hidden History of America’s Fugitive Slaves, recently published in the UK by OUP.

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Americans in Britain:

Stephen Sayre (1736-1818)

New Yorker in London proposed the kidnap and overthrow of George III, but became the first American to be incarcerated in the Tower of London, writes Gary Powell. London in the autumn of 1775 was a dangerous place for the significant American community living and trading in its midst. George III issued his Proclamation of Rebellion on August 23rd in response to increasing hostilities in the American colonies. He demanded that England’s population be aware of ‘diverse wicked and desperate persons’ and to report to the authorities any ‘traitorous conspiracies and attempts against us, our Crown and dignity’. History records the beginning of the War of Independence later that year and the Declaration of Independence followed in 1776. One such American, a merchant, city sheriff and close associate of the radical Lord Mayor of London John Wilkes (a great supporter of the American cause), was Stephen Sayre. Sayre, a farmer’s son from Long Island, New York, was ensconced in British society and enjoyed liberal passage around the city, rubbing shoulders with London’s fashionable society. He was a man of financial substance, able to afford a house in Cleveland Row, adjacent to St James’s Palace for his mistress, the English actress, singer and courtesan Sophia Baddeley (1745-86).

As winter 1775 approached tensions in London propagated as opposition to the British grew across the Atlantic. The State Opening of Parliament was due on 26th October; George III was to reaffirm his and his government’s commitment to the Proclamation of Rebellion. In a coffee house in Birchin Lane in the City of London (now EC3) Sayre met a fellow American, Lt Francis Richardson of the 1st Regiment of the Foot Guards, adjutant at the Tower of London. Richardson was astonished when Sayre proposed the kidnap of George III on his way to the State Opening, his incarceration in the Tower of London and forcible return to his dominions in Hanover; and that the plot had the backing of Mayor John Wilkes. Richardson, whose loyalties were more to the King than to the struggle in the American colonies, reported the plot to his commanding officer and then in turn to cabinet minister Lord Rochford. Richardson stated that the plot was at an advanced stage with bribes already paid to soldiers whose responsibility was the security of the monarchy, the government and London itself; Richardson’s part in the plot was to bribe the Tower garrison. Sayre was arrested at his Oxford Street home and became the first American to be incarcerated in the Tower of London.

Conspiritor? Sayre’s associate, the Lord Mayor of London John Wilkes in a satirical engraving by William Hogarth, above Sir William Beechey’s portrait of King George III

The state opening passed without incident, denials were issued by Wilkes and other alleged conspirators, using influence in the press to create a media frenzy. With no evidence to substantiate the claim and doubt over the character and motives of Richardson, Sayre was cleared and released and enjoyed a Georgian celebrity lifestyle. In 1777 he left England for France joining the United States diplomatic service. Sayre, who at one point faced the death penalty for treason, lived until the age of 82 years. Gary Powell is a retired London detective; he is the author of Square London, a social history of the London square. His latest book is Death in Disguise (History Press). He also conducts several walks around the darker side of London. garypowellauthor.co.uk

April 2015 25

The American

Michael Urie

You know him from Ugly Betty and Modern Family. Now Michael Lorenzo Urie is on the London stage playing Barbra Streisand’s shop assistant! The American caught up with him as he prepared for the marathon one-man show – and asked him about his great name...

y dad’s family came from Scotland. I actually worked in Scotland and the locals told me there’s a Ury House and a Urie Loch. That side of our family is a mystery to us because my dad’s father died when my dad was very young. I may look into it when I’m over there. I was sorta hoping to get on that show, Who Do You Think You Are? let them pay for it! My dad’s mother came to the US with her family and my dad’s father followed her, because he was in love with her. My mom’s maiden name was Bonazzi, she’s third generation American – her parents were both full-blown Italian and they grew up in New York and met there. My uncles were born in New York and they moved to Texas for work – they were in the construction business. I’m really more Texan than anything! You don’t sound very Texan. I know, I was raised by New York Italians. Then I went to Juilliard drama school when I was nineteen and whatever twang was left was stripped away. Michael Benjamin Washington was a year ahead of me in High School, I looked up to him so much because he’s an amazing actor. He didn’t get into Juilliard and I thought it must be the greatest school in the world if he didn’t get in, so I’d never get in. I then had the idea of being a drama teacher, but my grades weren’t great because I

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spent all my time building sets and rehearsing plays, so the teaching schools I applied to didn’t accept me. I decided to go to a community college which had a great theater program, really creative and modern. My teacher there urged me to audition for Juilliard, which I thought was crazy. Next thing I knew, I was in New York. The minute I got here I knew it was home – regardless of what I was doing, I wanted to be doing it here! Was that the family background? Maybe it’s in my genes! I like driving around the wide open spaces of Texas and I love nature and trees, but it makes sense for me in New York and Chicago and London – cities that thrive on pedestrians and mass transportation. I’m a creature of the urban! At Juilliard you won the John Houseman Prize for Excellence in Classical Theatre. Would you like to do more classical work? I would – I loved doing Shakespeare and Commedia. In fact I got Ugly Betty after a casting director saw me off-off-Broadway in a basement doing a Jacobean play, The Revenger’s Tragedy. It was a really cool production, very rock & roll and sexy and I played this evil, petulant Duke. He was the villain – well, they’re all terrible in that play – but I was very mean and bitchy and I looked like David Bowie. A casting

director stopped me after the show and said “I loved what you did.” I remember it well – actors always remember that kind of interaction – and I kept tabs on what he was working on. I saw a breakdown [information on a proposed show] for a tiny co-star part in a pilot he was shooting in New York and I thought it sounded similar to what he’d seen me doing. I told my agents to get me an appointment, but they didn’t want me playing a part that small as I had previously done one high profile series regular pilot thing that didn’t get picked up. I insisted so they did, and I got the job. And that was Ugly Betty. Is it true that Marc St James was not originally going to be a recurring character - Wilhelmina Slater, the villain played by Vanessa Williams, was going to have a different assistant in each episode? Yes, Marc was a great part, but only made greater by working with Vanessa. She could have kept me in the shadows, but as we were shooting she would say, stand closer to me and you’ll be in the shot. She noticed I was imitating her physicality, thought it was funny and asked me what else she could do that I could imitate. Between her and Silvio Horta, the creator, and Teri Weinberg the producer, and the directors we shaped the character, and Marc became an integral part

The American

Michael onstage in Buyer and Cellar PHOTO ©JOAN MARCUS

of the show. It was a game changing job for me. Were you friends offscreen too? I was so naïve, I assumed that always happened! We were so close. We’d have lunch together, and hang out after work - and at work! In a single-camera show like that, or a movie, there’s so much down time in which you could be on your own in your dressing room not talking to anybody, but we never did that. Some of that was because for America [who played Betty], Becki [Amanda], Ana Ortiz [Hilda], and little Mark Indelicato [Justin] it was our first big thing. We were not only learning the network television thing, but learning what it was like to go on set every day. It was like a real job – and actors don’t get that very often. Vanessa became our ‘fame teacher’ – how to walk red carpets, be photographed, take interviews, and how to treat the crew respectfully and have them love you. It became a wonderful group of 12 or so people who were different to each other (actors who are too similar can be tricky!), and liked each other, and loved what we were doing, and learned from each other. And the show was popular – that helps too. Silvio had two totally different worlds, the family in Queen’s and the bitches at Mode.

April 2015 27

PHOTO ©JOAN MARCUS

The American

We could have gone on for years because there were so many funny combinations. Anytime they put two characters together it was interesting – if I had a scene with Ashley Jensen, who played Christina the seamstress, it just wrote itself. Will there be more Ugly Bettys? I would love that. We all would. Actually I had lunch with Becki yesterday and I saw Silvio the other night – we miss working together sooo much. The problem is, the show has so many owners. It was a Colombian telenovela, then it was Disney and ABC, and Salma Hayek’s and Ben Silverman’s companies. There might be too many cooks for it to actually happen. But it lives on and people still find it – I get tweets every day from people discovering the show. You do a lot of theater work, smaller shows about serious topics as well as musicals like your Broadway debut, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, even your own web show, What’s Your Emergency? You’re also a television presenter, director and producer. If there was only one that you could do for the rest of your career, which would it be? I’m lucky in having options and I’m a big believer in following your nose. I get asked to present or host things a lot and my first instinct was, ‘I’m an actor, I don’t want to do that’, but if the universe is now telling me to be a host, why not try it? The first time I tried directing I co-

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directed a documentary which took years and years but it’s out now and it came out well. From that I got wrapped up in a group of people who trust me to be at the helm and, with various levels of success, I’ve been able to direct a feature film, a short film, and the web series. I love all of them, but live theater is on a totally different level, there’s a surge of creative energy. In Buyer and Cellar I’m on my own – and I’m in control of the night, the ebbs and flows of the energy and the pace. That’s also true with directing for the camera and editing. But if you put a gun to my head it would have to be acting on stage. Which is why you’re coming to London. How would you describe Buyer and Cellar? It’s a completely fictional play about a totally fictional guy who gets a job in the 100 percent real shops in Barbra Streisand’s basement, she really does have shops in her basement, it’s not a place people can actually go but it’s a street of antique, decorative shops where her collections live. There’s a dolls shop, an antiques shop, an antiques store and a ‘gift shoppe’. This guy doesn’t know what he’s been hired for, it’s not until Barbra starts shopping there that he realizes his job is not just inventory and working the floor, but also playing along with her - this is what Jonathan Tolins, the writer, has made up. It’s a fantasia on what it might be like to get to know Barbra

Streisand in an intimate way in her playground. The events in the play aren’t real, but all the references are, and they’re based on things she’s said and done. It was a big off-Broadway hit (in 2013 at Rattlestick Playwrights Theater) and you’ve done it for two years on and off. Are you a glutton for punishment? I enjoy it. It’s very hard work, and challenging mentally. It’s a hundred-minute monologue comedy so I have to keep hundreds of people interested and happy. There’s so much in it I have to keep their attention or they’ll miss something. The hardest part is the two hours before the show – my grumpiest and most depressed time, because my body knows that I’ll have to do all that and I’m saving my energy. Has one of those hundreds of people been Barbra? No, which I’m fine with! It would be so weird if she was there – for me, for her and really weird for the audience. I’m really excited about playing this show in London. I’m looking forward to taking a day trip or two and maybe seeing some other theater myself. Finally, what’s the best thing about being Michael Urie? I get to wear so many hats – like any actor I go from job to job but I have such variety in my work, from a Broadway musical to audio book narrator to live host to Shakespeare and television and direction... part of that is my own tenacity and part is the universe allowing me to. All I want to do is be in show business and I’m very, very satisfied. Buyer and Cellar runs until May 2 at The Menier Chocolate Factory, London.

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The American

Brew I

’ve never been down under so I was looking forward to some tucker at this Aussie restaurant. It’s a bit of a trek on foot, but Putney isn’t exactly the bush! Even in winter it’s a lovely walk on Lower Richmond Road. In summer it will be stupendous. Just off the road is a wonderful terrace. Chairs covered with sheep skin and beds with pillows and throws. Tempting, even for an old geezer like me, but not in February. Thankfully, the vibe was just as good inside. The staff was warm and friendly. Laid back Australian charm. I wanted to change into a swimsuit and flip-flops. There are some exciting things going on here. Wood fired ovens for pizza and bread, dry aging beef on site and of course, the coffee. Allpress espresso makes a damn fine brew indeed. The employees are all quite passionate about the quality of what they are serving. Rightly so. Breakfast is definitely the main focus of the place and is served all day. Even at dinner, it’s a good bet. Everything on the menu is based on

30 April 2015

brew-cafe.com

Reviewed by Michael M Sandwick

Blueberry pancakes

162 – 164 Lower Richmond Road, London SW15 1LY

quality ingredients, served simply at reasonable prices. We chose from the dinner menu. There are only 3 starters so we decided to sample them all. It’s my job! Smoked edamame beans with lemon and Maldon salt (£4) were really fabulous. Simplicity at its best and where the kitchen shines. Smoked potato and bacon croquettes with BBQ dipping sauce (£5) were not as exciting as they sound. The smokiness didn’t come through but the dish was saved by the excellent barbecue sauce. Polenta crisps with aioli (£4) were also good, but what struck me was that all 3 dishes were essentially bar snacks. Great for sharing with cocktails or, in our case, a wonderful glass of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc (£6). For a main I had The Hellfire Pizza: chorizo, king prawn, hot guindilla peppers, chilli butter, lemon and rocket (£7.50). The crust was exceptional. Crisp and light with the lovely taste of wood. There was however only one king prawn which went down my hatch with

the first slice. If 2 prawns isn’t in the budget, at least fry up the shells with the chilli butter to add that lovely taste to the rest of the pizza. A glass of light, delicious New Zealand Pinot Noir (£5.50) quickly removed all thoughts of prawns from my head. 42 day dry aged Aberdeen Angus NY cut sirloin, 300g was a triumph. A beautiful piece of meat, charred perfectly on the barbie. At £26 it was by far the most expensive item on the menu and worth every penny. Served with an exceptional £10 glass of Malbec, the only Australian wine on the menu, put this on the must have list. Desserts range from 50p for a blondie or brownie bite to £5 for ice cream with a slew of home baked cakes in between. We had the specials of the day, a decent crème brûlée and a heavenly tiramisu. Moist and oozing with coffee and cream. Top. I am definitely planning another trek. Next time in the summer for breakfast in bed and a brew from Oz!

Head Chef Jonathan Stephens

The American

Reviewed by Michael M Sandwick

Stoke Poges, Buckinghamshire SL2 4HT www.stokeplace.co.uk

STOKE PLACE W

ho knew a weekend in the country was so accessible? 40 minutes from Paddington! A 30 minute train ride to Slough (20 if you’re lucky), 10 minutes in a taxi and boom. Country heaven with all the trimmings. Manor house, park, lake, booze, gourmet food, luxury 4 star accommodation…my idea of country! The entrance is very grand and the house, originally from 1690, a well preserved example of William and Mary style architecture. Two wings were added in the late 1760s after which the 26 acres of parkland was designed by the renowned landscape architect, Capability Brown. The sprawling lawns just cry out for a game of croquet! Inside, the house has been done up with modern furnishings. An interesting mix of old and new, but what the house gains in comfort, it loses in personality. Our deluxe suite was huge, with a four poster bed and a free standing bathtub in front of the floor to ceiling windows overlooking the garden. The en-suite also had an enormous walk in shower. For such gorgeous bathing who needs the personality of 1690? There is quite a range of accommodation. Thirtynine rooms in all from £90-250/

night and many possibilities for meetings, events and especially weddings. We began the evening in the cosy bar with a couple G&T’s. I then had the pleasure of meeting Chef Jonathan Stephens. Young and talented, he cut his chops in South Africa and Germany before joining the kitchen at Stoke Place in 2009. Now he has deservedly taken over as head chef. Upon his advice we ordered the tasting menu (£70). 7 courses of delight. Stephens’ attention to detail makes his food both beautiful and surprising. More importantly, his execution is top. Chicken, fish and scallops were all cooked to the perfect degree of absolute succulence and every dish was plated meticulously. Monkfish wrapped in pancetta with wilted chard, clam dressing and bergamot sabayon was the winner if I had to choose one. It was the best example of Stephens’ ability to meld flavors together without any one domineering the others. Here there was sweet, savory, bitter, sour and umami all in one. Jackpot! The biggest surprises came with the chicken. Mayan gold barley casserole and salt baked turnip! I wouldn’t have thought either one

could excite me but they totally rocked. Turnip never had it so good and barley just pushed quinoa right off the chart! Very inventive. Also of note was a crumble deconstruction and a wonderful plate of cheese. The wine list is very extensive with something for every taste and pocket. I was impressed by the number of reasonably priced wines. We chose the flight of wines that were paired with the tasting menu. At £35 it is excellent value. From Champagne to port, all were good quality but there was one standout: Domaine Rijckaert Savagnin “Les Sarres” 2007. Full bodied, and multi layered with hints of butter and lots of citrus. The nose was extraordinary, the taste, exceptional. A “must have”! Get a bottle. Service throughout is excellent. Competence coupled with youth and genuine friendliness. I had the impression that everyone enjoys working there, creating a very relaxed atmosphere. The following morning began with an excellent full English, followed by a jaunt around the lake. Neither quite cleared our heads, so we headed back inside for a Bloody Mary. I love the country!

April 2015 31

Steve Golding’s Bollinger Champagne cured Severn and Wye smoked salmon

The American

Reviewed by Sabrina Sully Phil Howard’s Strawberry ripple soufflé ALL IMAGES ©ASCOT

©THE AMERICAN

High St, Ascot, Berks SL5 7HS www.ascot.co.uk/fine-dining-royal-ascot

Ascot Fine Dining H

orse racing at its finest, and now fine dining too. Although there’s racing here all year, the Royal Meeting at Ascot is the highlight of the British Season. Don a stunning outfit and eye-catching hat, and choose your chef. This year headlined by twice Michelin starred chefs, Michael Caines and Phil Howard each hosting a restaurant on all five days of the Royal Meeting. Raymond Blanc has designed an exclusive menu for the Private Boxes, and Angela Hartnett has created a picnic for Royal Enclosure guests in the Winning Post Gardens. Between them, the chefs involved hold seven Michelin stars. There are 12 restaurants to choose from, and the emphasis everywhere is food sourced as locally as possible. The broad range ensures there is a choice to suit all tastes and budgets. We met the chefs and sampled the menu - and yes, had a little flut-

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ter on the horses between courses. Raymond Blanc provided the delicious canapés, I especially enjoyed the mini beetroot tatin, which was washed down with a flute of Bollinger, Royal Ascot’s 2015 Official Champagne partner. Raymond Blanc has created the Private Boxes menu, having first visited Ascot as a guest of The Queen Mother, when he says he was inspired by a ladies hat to invent the plates with large rims! This was followed by Executive Head Chef Steve Golding’s Bollinger Champagne cured smoked salmon, with Exmoor Caviar jelly. Yes, you read that right - Exmoor Caviar who knew? And what caviar - the freshest and tastiest I’ve ever eaten - I’ve not sampled it in Russia (yet). The Champagne cure really works, it brings out the flavor of the salmon, and gives it life. I must just mention the little green blobs: they’re a

pure taste of summer, a silky fresh basil purée that complemented the salmon well. I’ll be trying this combination for myself this summer. The pairing of Bollinger Rosé worked well. I can never refuse a glass of Bolly! The Main of beef fillet with roasted shallots, celeriac puree, with a wild mushroom and red wine sauce was by Michael Caines. What can I say? A delicious hearty meal, after all that fresh air, cooked to perfection. It didn’t disappoint and neither did the glass of Chateau La Croix Ferrandat Saint Emilion 2011. Not to be outdone, the dessert was a triumph by Phil Howard, strawberry ripple soufflé with elderflower ice cream and raspberry coulis. Out of this world, probably because it contained blitzed slowcooked rice pudding, which gave it depth and who can beat elderflower ice cream? Britain is getting s-o-p-h-i-s-t-i-c-a-t-e-d!

The American

RECIPE courtesy of Ascot’s Steve Golding INGREDIENTS: Dover Sole 12 Dover sole fillets 1 egg 1 1/3 cups and 1tbs heavy cream Piment d’Espelette chilli powder Freshly ground salt and white pepper Cauliflower Cheese Puree 1 head cauliflower 2 cups milk 2 cups warm melted butter 2 egg yolks 2 tsp. lemon juice Tabasco sauce Freshly ground salt and white pepper Caper – Almond Gremolata 2 tbsp. tiny cauliflower florets reserved from cauliflower head 2 tbsp. chopped almonds 2 tbsp. Brunoised shallots 1 tbsp. chopped parsley 1 tbsp. white balsamic vinegar 2 tbsp. olive oil 1 hardboiled egg, peeled Freshly ground salt & white pepper Potato Tempura 1 cup clarified butter 1 large russet potato, peeled Canola oil for frying Tempura batter Freshly ground salt and white pepper To Finish 1tbsp. butter, melted Freshly ground salt and white pepper METHOD: For the Dover Sole Trim the ends and sides of 8 sole fillets, squaring them off, and score the skin. Dice the trim and 4 remaining filets, place in a chilled food processor along with the egg, ¼ tsp pepper, ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp piment d’Espelette and cream, to form a smooth mousse. Pass through a sieve and transfer to a piping bag. Chill in the fridge. Season the scored side of the fillets with salt, pepper and piment

Dover Sole Ballotine à La Polonaise d’Espelette. Horizontally lay 1 fillet seasoned side up on cling film, pipe a line of mousse across the top and lay a second fillet on top of this, seasoned side down with the thicker end meeting the thinner end at the bottom. Tightly roll fish to form a cylinder and tie off the ends. Repeat with the remaining fillets. For Cauliflower Puree and Gratin Cut 8 x 1 inch cubes of cauliflower and steam until tender. Let them cool before chilling in the fridge. Trim two tbsp. of cauliflower florets and save reserve for the gremolata. Chop and dice the remaining cauliflower and place in small saucepan. Add milk, 1 tbsp. salt and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for 15 minutes or until tender. With a slotted spoon scoop the cauliflower out and blend with just enough cooking liquid to form a thick puree. Season again with salt, pepper and Tabasco sauce before passing through a sieve. Chill for 1 hour before serving, season cauliflower cubes and place on a baking sheet. Make hollandaise sauce with yolks, lemon juice and 2 tbsp. water and melted butter. Season to taste. For Caper- Almond Gremolata Combine all ingredients, except egg and seasoning. Separate egg yolk and white and press through a fine mess sieve. Reserve and chill in the fridge.

For Potato Tempura Melt clarified butter. Slice the potato lengthwise into 1/8 inch thick slices with a mandolin, and then cut into 8 x 1 inch triangles. Season triangles and submerge in butter, cook until tender. Drain and pat dry. Heat canola oil and coat potato in tempura batter, fry until golden brown and sprinkle with salt. For the glazed Romanesco Cut 12 x 1 inch florets and 2 tbsp. of ¼ inch florets. Boil in salted water for 3 minutes until tender - 15 seconds for the smaller florets. Chill in ice water and pat dry. Sauté with butter and chicken stock and heat through. Season to taste and keep warm. To Finish Heat cauliflower puree. Spoon hollandaise sauce over cauliflower cubes and boil until sauce has browned. Submerge fish into water bath 148 °F and cook for 9 minutes or until cooked. Remove fish, trim ends, remove plastic, season and brush with melted butter. Evenly divide gremolata, sprinkle of egg, and few tiny bits of romanesco into a neat layer on top of the fish. For each serving, spread cauliflower puree in a rectangular shape on serving plate, place fish on top, alternate romanesco, cauliflower gratin, and 2 pieces of potato tempura.

April 2015 33

The American

Ryan Bingham “I was born a cowboy, way out west in New Mexico,” sings Ryan Bingham on his new album. Many country artists sing about the road and the Wild West, but Bingham has walked the walk and ridden the beast... the 34 year old spent years bull riding on the rodeo circuit, the sort of experience that creates songs like the Oscar-winning ‘The Weary Kind’, the song from Crazy Heart.

yan grew up in Hobbs, a small town in south eastern New Mexico, an area where life revolves around ranches, farms and oil fields. His family moved around, crossing the border into west Texas and as far as Bakersfield, California. “I liked it well enough – it’s all I knew at the time. There was a lot of room to run around in but it’s pretty desolate, you definitely had to use your imagination. I moved around so much I was always the new kid in town – I guess I fell in with whatever crew would have me. I got tired of making the effort of making friends in every town, I stuck to myself. I got comfortable being on my own doing my own thing knowing that we’d be moving again sometime soon.” Music was something portable that he could take with him. He loved it, but he was a late starter as a musician. He didn’t start playing guitar until he was seventeen, or writing songs until his early twenties. “It took a while to get there but once I found it, it became pretty important to me, it filled that void in my life for sure. My mother bought me a guitar but I didn’t know how to play it, and I didn’t know any musicians. It wasn’t until we moved

34 April 2015

to Laredo, Texas, down on the border with Mexico, my neighbor showed me how to play a few songs and I took it from there. When I started writing songs it was a therapeutic thing, a way to get things off my chest, I didn’t have in mind that I would play them to people. It was simple stuff, songs with one or two chords, just thinking about what was going on in my life at that time and getting my troubles off my mind. Even if I couldn’t talk to someone about it, I could sing it out loud.” Texas gave the young Ryan a lot of inspirations: “My uncles turned me onto Townes Van Zandt, Guy Clark and Lightnin’ Hopkins, people from that area.” In between playing came the rodeo riding, which led to Ryan’s music reaching an audience. “Yeah, that was a big part of getting into performing. The first people I ever played my songs for were my friends. On the weekends we’d load up a truck with three or four of us and head down the road to these rodeos. A lot of times we’d be in areas where you couldn’t pick up a radio station so I would sit in the back seat and play the guitar and make up songs about places we’d

been and where we were going. My buddies kept asking me to play the songs, and people would start coming around to parties and listen to these little songs. I never sat down with a piece of paper and try to craft songs about something, I always got more out of it when it was something that meant more to me. Even later on, it was ‘how is anybody supposed to believe what I’m singing if I don’t believe it myself? “There were so many bars and clubs to play in – open mics where you could do two or three songs. I feel fortunate to have gotten a start there, I don’t know if I could have done it anywhere else. I was still learning how to tune my guitar – I feel very grateful for the patience of a lot of those audiences! It was probably pretty rough but they would still encourage you.” The biographies say that Ryan self-released two albums, Wishbone Saloon and Dead Horses but he laughs and says, “I don’t know if you would call it self-released – it was just recording songs in a friend’s garage, making copies at home on the computer and giving them to my friends or selling them out of the trunk of the car.” But the experience and publicity led to a record-

The American

PHOTO COURTESY RYAN BINGHAM

ing deal with big time Americana label Lost Highway and two critically acclaimed albums, Mescalito, released in 2007 and two years later Roadhouse Sun. After that came a big break. Ryan collaborated with Grammywinning producer/musician T Bone Burnett on the soundtrack for the Jeff Bridges movie, Crazy Heart. He co-wrote & performed ‘The Weary Kind’, the theme song. How did that come about? “First I met the director Scott

Cooper, I guess he was a fan of one of my Lost Highway records. He called me up and he told me they were looking for some songwriters to contribute songs for the movie and would I like to take a shot at it? He gave me the script and I started working on some songs, and he introduced me to T Bone and the rest of the crew, and the rest is history! Hell, I was more or less just a kid touring around in a van playing these little clubs then all of a sudden I got to meet those guys and

play music with them. It was a great learning experience for sure.“ He learnt quick. That year Ryan won an Oscar, a Golden Globe, a Critics’ Choice Award and a Grammy for ‘The Weary Kind’, plus the Americana Music Association Artist of the Year award. A quadruple whammy! Was it a life-changing experience, or at least a career changing one? “You know it’s funny, my life really didn’t change that much, but it was surreal at the time. It wasn’t like I was playing to thousands of

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people all of a sudden. Or making a whole lot of money either. I was straight back to touring around with the band. A lot more people heard my music, but a lot of them only heard ‘The Weary Kind’, they didn’t even know I had any other records. Despite movieland success, Ryan left Lost Highway and the band, and set up his own label, Axster Bingham Records with his wife Anna. Why mess with the formula? “There was a lot of rough stuff in my personal life. I lost both my parents. My mother passed away from mescalito, and after the Oscars my dad killed himself. The band had been on the road playing rough clubs for ten years and the guys were burned out. The guy that ran Lost Highway was retiring, it was part of Universal and it wasn’t going to carry on, so setting up my own label just came naturally – my wife had been doing a lot of the management already.” Tomorrowland, a more rock and roll album, was released. Like its predecessor, Junky Star, it came

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PHOTO COURTESY RYAN BINGHAM

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from the darkness that surrounded Ryan. Great songs, but he found them difficult to sing and he had to take time out, get help and seek a fresh start. It resulted in a new album written in an Airstream trailer in the LA mountains.

Fear and Saturday Night

Overall Fear and Saturday Night is the sound of a deep-thinking man who’s come to terms with tragedy and come out stronger, self-belief and sense of humor intact. “That’s where I am now, with the new album. I’m having fun with it. There’s still some darker stuff – I write about personal things – but I’m having fun with my wife, and we’re starting a new family, I feel I’m on the upswing now.” Highlights include the opening song, ‘Nobody Knows My Trouble.’ It is like The Grapes of Wrath, a sad on the road tale set off by a jaunty tune. “You can’t ignore the harsh realities of life,” says Ryan, “but that doesn’t mean you can’t be optimistic and hopeful. Look out the windshield and quit lookin’ in the

rear view mirror all the time.” ‘Broken Heart Tattoos’ sounds like Bruce Springsteen if he came from Texas – I wrote down “lullaby to an unborn child” before the interview, not knowing Ryan and Anna would be expecting a child this summer. Did they know that, when he wrote the song? “No, but we were talking about it.” ‘Top Shelf Drug’ teams ‘Helter Skelter’-style Beatles guitar with Billy Prestonesque electric piano, while ‘Island in the Sky’ is an uplifting, optimistic anthem – I bet audiences will love it live. ‘Adventures of You and Me’ proudly waves the Tex-Mex flag with accordion and references to the Texas Tornadoes and Flaco Jiménez, on a tale about a road trip from Texas to New York City and back. ‘My Diamond Is Too Rough’ is a ragged, dirty rocker in which no-one gives a damn, and ‘Radio’ is a Neil Young-ish lope. Finally, what’s the best thing about being Ryan Bingham? “The adventure!” TOUR DATES Ryan heads back to Europe in October with his band. He says, “We’ve been trying to come over to Europe for quite a while – it’s one of the main reasons I got into playing music, I really enjoy the travel and adventure part of it. I love the pace of things in Europe. My wife’s originally from Germany. I love the different food – and the short distances to travel.” After concerts in Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands Ryan plays these UK and Irish dates: October 21st Bristol, Thekla; 22nd London, KOKO; 23rd Manchester, Gorilla; 24th Glasgow, Òran Mór; 26th Dublin, Ireland, Vicar Street.

The American

New York Blues Hall of Fame Opens to Brits & Americans, Seeks Permanent Home S

even months before he passed away in 2014, Blues guitar idol Johnny Winter was pictured holding a framed certificate, presented to him at BB King’s club in New York when he was inducted into the New York Blues Hall of Fame. This particular Blues Hall of Fame is a little different from its unassociated namesake, the Blues Hall of Fame run by America’s most famous Blues music organisation, the Blues Foundation. In both cases, recognition of this type can be a welcome icing on the cake of a musical career. Both organisations induct Americans and those of other nationalities. The three inductees to the Blues Foundation’s Hall of Fame this year are Atlanta’s Tommy Brown, Georgia’s Little Richard and British icon (from Surrey), Eric Clapton. However, there are differences that extend beyond ownership and locations. For example, the Blues Foundation’s Hall of Fame has a building, or soon will, as it opens between May 6 and 8 in Memphis. The New York Blues Hall of Fame as yet has no permanent home. Who they celebrate is also different. The Blues Foundation’s Hall of Fame inducts household names. The New York equivalent does that, but also recognises people at all levels who have contributed to the Blues scene. The UK’s Blues Matters magazine (already a Blues Foundation ‘Keeping The Blues Alive’ award

winner) was inducted in 2014, and British DJs Dave Watkins (Frome FM, Blues & Roots), Kevin Hardy (KCOR, Main Street Blues), Kevin Beale (Channel Radio, Blues On The Marsh), and Gary Grainger (Bishop FM, The Blues Show) are all New York Blues Hall of Fame inductees. The latest New York Blues Hall of Fame induction ceremony came on February 11, 2015, again at B.B. King’s in New York. Among those inducted was Mikey Merola (pictured below), guitarist with the City Boys Allstars, a thirteen-strong band that after a seventeen year time out has got together and has a critically acclaimed recent album

in Blinded By The Night with another coming soon. Fellow musician Michael Packer said, “As Ambassador and 2011 inductee to the NY Blues Hall of Fame it was an honor to induct Mikey G. Merola as a master blues artist and also perform a smokin’ version of ‘The Thrill has Gone’ with him at BB Kings Blues Club in NYC”. Keep an eye on the New York Blues Hall of Fame’s website to watch developments such as their quest for a permanent home, at www.newyorkblueshalloffame.org Report by Darren Weale PHOTO © AMY KERWIN

October April 2013 2015 37

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Richard Diebenkorn, Hon RA

Sackler Wing, Royal Academy of Arts, Burlington House, Piccadilly, London W1J 0BD to June 7

Inventing Impressionism

Sainsbury Wing, National Gallery, Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 5DN to May 31 Unbelievably this is the UK’s first major exhibition devoted to entrepreneurial art dealer Paul DurandRuel (1831-1922), recognising him as ‘the man who invented Impressionism’ and a founding father of the international art market as we know it today. It’s a feast of around 85 works, most of which he dealt, and a number of Impressionism’s greatest masterpieces never before seen in the UK, borrowed from key European and American collections he helped form, and from Japan. Durand-Ruel discovered Monet, Pissarro, Degas and Renoir in the early 1870s, buying their works when they were still largely ignored or ridiculed. Loyal friend and advocate of the Impressionists, he unwaveringly supported them financially and morally. Organised with the

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Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Paul Durand-Ruel, 1910 Oil on canvas, 65 x 54 cm PRIVATE COLLECTION © DURAND-RUEL & CIE

Edgar Degas, The Ballet Class, c.1880 Oil on canvas, 82.2 x 76.8 cm © PHILADELPHIA MUSEUM OF ART, PENNSYLVANIA

Réunion des Musées Nationaux – Grand Palais partnering with the Musée d’Orsay, and the Philadelphia Museum of Art. For the first time in its 190 year history, the National Gallery has introduced membership, from as little as £50 per year. It offers free, unlimited entry to all exhibitions; invitations to a programme of after-hours events, special offers, an e-newsletter and an online magazine with behind-the-scenes features. Buy from www.nationalgallery.org.uk/membership-info, in the National Gallery (from any of the shops), or phone 020 7747 2850 or by post. Contact membership@ng-london.org.uk for further information. Richard Diebenkorn, Cityscape #1, 1963 Oil on canvas, 153 x 128.3 cm

A UK retrospective of revered postwar US artist Richard Diebenkorn (1922-1993). Over 50 works display his early 1950s Abstract Expressionism, then a surprising change of direction to figuration from the mid-1950s to 1960s and finally his late 60s return to abstraction looking at his famous Ocean Park series, of which the Boston Globe says “some of the most beautiful works of art created in America or anywhere else since the Second World War.” (There’s one hanging in the White House right now, by presidential request.) The seven meter sculpture Inflated Star and Wooden Star, 2014 in the Annenberg Courtyard (to May 17) is by American artist Frank Stella, another Hon RA. He’ll be in conversation with curator and Art Historian, Dr David Anfam, at the RA Schools Annual Lecture on May 11 at the Royal Institution London. The Whitney Museum of American Art, New York will have a major retrospective of his work in the Fall.

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Amedeo Modigliani, L’Amazone, 1909 Black crayon , 30.8 x 23.2 cms

IMAGE COURTESY OF RICHARD NATHANSON, LONDON

DON’T MISS ...

Love Bites: Caricatures by James Gillray & Great British Drawings

Henry Moore: Back to a Land

Ashmolean Museum, Beaumont Street, Oxford OX1 2PH to June 21 & August 31 respectively

On the bicentenary of his death, this takes a fresh look at James Gillray’s (1757–1815) caricatures, taking the theme of love in his pictures of courting, friendships and marriages, in the context of a canon of artists who have treated the subject of love, from Brancusi to Rubens. New College, Oxford, owns one of the world’s finest collections of Gillray’s work and is home to more than two thirds of Gillray’s 1100 engravings. With Great British Drawings the Ashmolean celebrates its position as one of the world’s leading collections of drawings and works on paper and builds on the popular 2013 Master Drawing exhibition. It features more than one hundred of the Ashmolean’s best drawings by British artists, charting the history of drawing and artistic development in Britain with work from JMW Turner, Rossetti, Millais, Holman Hunt, Henry Moore, Ben Nicholson, Graham Sutherland, LS Lowry, Peter de Francia, and more.

Yorkshire Sculpture Park, West Bretton, Wakefield WF4 4LG March 7 - September 6

Modigliani - A Unique Artistic Voice

Estorick Collection of Modern Italian Art, 39a Canonbury Square, London N1 2AN April 15 – June 28 This exhibition focuses on modern Italian artist Amedeo Modigliani’s (1884-1920) works on paper, showing the spiritual and stylistic development of his portrayal of the human face and form through some 30 drawings, including many from the collection of Modigliani’s close friend Paul Alexandre, his only patron in the early years, along with other works on paper and paintings from private collections, including that of Eric Estorick. Among the works in crayon, ink and watercolor is the closest known study to Modigliani’s major painting L’Amazone of 1909. His obsessive search for an essential truth and character in his subjects is demonstrated in the successive studies for the painting. American sociologist and writer, Eric Estorick (1913-93) began collecting art when he married an English heiress and moved here after WWII. He became a full time art dealer in the 1950s, founding the Grosvenor Gallery, London in 1960. Tip: There’s a great little licensed Italian cafe here with seating in the garden. James Gillray, A Sphere Projecting Against a Plane, 1792, Hand-colored etching © COURTESY OF THE WARDEN AND SCHOLARS OF NEW COLLEGE, OXFORD / BRIDGEMAN IMAGES

Henry Moore, Large Two Forms, 1966-69 REPRODUCED BY PERMISSION OF THE HENRY MOORE FOUNDATION, PHOTO ©JONTY WILDE, COURTESY OF YORKSHIRE SCULPTURE PARK

Produced in partnership with The Henry Moore Foundation, this major exhibition offers a fresh perspective of Henry Moore (1898–1986) displaying more than 120 works, and considering the artist’s profound relationship with land, something which was fundamental to his practice and fuelled his visual vocabulary. Born into a mining family in Castleford, West Yorkshire, Moore is one of the most important artists of the 20th century and was a founding patron of YSP. Here monumental sculptures, such as Large Two Forms (1966–69) and Large Reclining Figure (1983), are displayed against the beautiful and historic vistas of the Bretton Estate, experienced with the resident flock of sheep, an animal described by the artist as an ideal foil for the appreciation of his work, being exactly the right size and scale.

April 2015 39

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Beautiful

The Carole King Musical Book by Douglas McGrath Aldwych Theatre, 49 Aldwych, London WC2B 4DF Reviewed by Jarlath O’Connell

top class US creative team, led by director Marc Bruni, have replicated their deserved Broadway success with Beautiful and simply added a very talented London cast. Katie Brayben is a revelation in the title role. She goes beyond mere impersonation and brings an intelligence and sincerity to the character, which really delivers in the dramatic moments. Vocally she is simply astonishing. It would be a mistake to dismiss Beautiful as just another jukebox show. Yes, we have had far too many of these lately, but Douglas McGrath’s well judged book takes it in a new direction. He uses the Goffin and King songbook as the context for the personal story but the songs are never, mercifully, shoehorned into a narrative. Along the way we get a great insight too into the music business, at a time when it was really turning a corner. Beautiful is essentially a portrait of an artist. The gawky, musically precocious, teenager from Brooklyn never really wanted to be a performer and yet it is astonishing to consider that she was churning out hits at the age of 16. This was down to the unique support she received from bosses and colleagues in New York’s famed hits factory the

40 April 2015

PHOTO © BRINKHOFF MOEGENBURG

Katie Brayben as Carole King, Alan Morrissey as Gerry Goffin

Brill Building. She and Goffin, who coupled up quite quickly, suddenly hit a seam of pure pop gold. Her ordinariness always defined her, however. For her, the dream was a house in the suburbs but this was never enough for the wayward, troubled Goffin, sensitively portrayed here by Alan Morrissey. He needed the kinetic energy of the city, with its late-night clubs and girls and drugs to make him feel more alive. That happy ending in the ‘burbs was never going to happen. The story ends up therefore as Carole’s ‘romantic’ education and her realisation, by the time of Tapestry, that she didn’t need to be an adjunct to a man. With ‘Tapestry’ (an indulgence allowed only after shifting so many records) she crafted one of the greatest albums of all time, found her own voice and set a template for so many to follow. Dramatically the challenge here was how to make a good ordinary person interesting. McGrath stirs the mix by running the Goffin-King story in parallel with the story of their close friends and competitors, the songwriting duo Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil. From the outset Brill Building boss Donnie Kirshner (Gary Trainor) had set the couples in competition, demanding for

example that they deliver overnight a new hit for The Shirelles. The Goffins won that one and that all night burst of creativity produced ‘Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow’. Although they were competitors the friendship between the two never waned and Lorna Want and Ian McIntosh give solid support here as another couple caught in this crazy maelstrom. Bruni’s staging avoids too many ‘eureka’ moments at the piano and he skilfully presents the songs emerging from their chrysalis before they get beefed up into full performances, cleverly choreographed by Josh Prince, in careful recreations of the original artists. We see the girl groups like The Shirelles (initially a bit snooty about ‘Will You Still Love Me’ dismissing it as too country) and The Chiffons. We meet The Drifters and see how ‘The Locomotion’ got started, turning the Goffin’s own babysitter into the overnight sensation called Little Eva. We also follow the trajectory of the great Mann/Weil songbook including their gigantic hit for the Righteous Brothers ‘You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling’. This show combines a goldplated songbook with a story which has heart. It is a total triumph.

The American Kevin Spacey as Clarence Darrow PHOTO © MANUEL HARLAN

By David W Rintels Old Vic Theatre, London Reviewed by Jarlath O’Connell

larence Darow is Kevin Spacey’s swansong at the Old Vic and it showcases what makes the man so special. During his twelve-year reign in Waterloo Spacey has transformed a shaky ‘receiving house’ into a theatrical powerhouse that acts as a magnet for star talent in (mostly) well-chosen programmes. This play, originally staged on Broadway in 1974 with Henry Fonda, is a one-man show that any actor would relish, packed as it is with bravura speeches. Spacey premiered this production last May at the Old Vic and its 22 performances created a box-office frenzy. On top of his past triumphs, Spacey is now basking in the wider glory of his hit show House of Cards, which he created and stars in for Netflix. Like Olivier before him, the man is a one-man culture industry. Seduction is the key here. He entrances us from the very outset, even if he starts under a huge office desk fixing a drawer. The monologues, rather perfunctorily sewn together by Rintels, give us a rundown of the greatest hits in the career of the legendary crusading defence lawyer Clarence Darrow (1857-1938). Spacey uses

CLARENCE DARROW photos and mementos drawn from storage boxes to recount the tales and he avails of every opportunity provided by Thea Sharrock’s in-the-round staging, to connect with audience members by having them read or sitting among them or addressing them face-to-face discussing the art of jury selection. For Spacey it gives him an opportunity to relish getting up close and for us it’s a chance to see the glint in the eye of an actor at the top of his game. (One hopes, by the way, that Matthew Warchus, who takes over from Spacey, will retain the theater-in-the-round as it has been a huge improvement.) Actors can’t go wrong playing lawyers, and Darrow won over his juries, usually with the odds totally stacked against him, by using a thespian’s mixture of charm, guile and bullying. Darrow fashioned what was to become an American archetype - the lawyer for the little guy – who spoke with emotional conviction about the nobility of man and the threats to liberty posed by wealth and power. It set a template for so many screen lawyers to follow. Darrow is perhaps best remembered from his portrayal by Spencer Tracey in Inherit the Wind, when

he defended the teaching of the theory of evolution in Tennessee schools in the 1920s, in the notorious Scopes ‘Monkey’ Trial. Long before that showdown, however, he had made his name and shaped legal history by defending striking railway employees and miners against the excesses of the Robber Barons. He also helped those persecuted in ‘Red scares’ as well as the labor activists charged with bombing the then fiercely anti-union Los Angeles Times. Darrow was also ahead of his time in defending numerous wrongly accused African Americans facing death row. One particularly poignant case was of a family, on trumped up charges, who had all been driven from their home by a mob for daring to move into a white neighborhood. Spacey, a great raconteur, is in his element here and his achievement is to make this litany of labor and race relations’ cases come alive, particularly some of the great closing arguments, such as the one he made at the Leopold and Loeb trial. This piece is a salutary reminder of the importance of Darrow and what he stood for and it’s a fittingly noble end to Spacey’s tenure at the Old Vic.

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his challenging examination of the future of the internet and the downside of virtual reality raises many difficult questions however it leaves most of them up in the air. The play, by American writer Jennifer Haley, started life at the Kirk Douglas Theatre in LA and went on to win many prizes. It received its UK premiere at the Royal Court last summer and after a sell out run has transferred to the West End. At 1hr and 15 mins it is an intellectual amuse bouche. Set in 2050, the Nether follows an investigation into the complicated and disturbing morality of identity in the digital world, where everyone can be anyone, so long as they have an avatar. For many this virtual world of sensory delights is a blessed escape from the drabness of their “real world” and it represents a form of re-birth where they can feel more alive. One of the darker recesses of the Nether is the Hideaway, which has been set up by successful business-

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By Jennifer Haley Duke of York’s Theatre, St Martin’s Lane, London WC2N 4BG 0844 871 3051 Reviewed by Jarlath O’Connell

man Sims, played by a gruff Stanley Townsend. Here, in this curiously Victorian idyll, consenting adults can engage in role-play with a precocious little girl called Iris. Sims seems to be the stylish host to his customers but it is clear that the games are ultimately far from innocent. As the play begins Morris (Amanda Hale), an investigator employed by the Nether, is trying to dig up the truth about what goes on in this world and is attempting to close it down. She even resorts to sending an agent undercover to the virtual world. As well as Sims she also quizzes a retired science teacher Doyle (the great David Calder) who is so totally in thrall to this alternative universe that he is contemplating permanently crossing over, an option which is now humanly possible. Through the rather censorious voice of Morris we are presented with all the arguments about the ethics of eschewing the real world

and the impact on the human soul (if we have one!) of trying to live in a world where actions have no apparent consequences. Images create our reality she says and the Hideaway is dangerous because it fosters a culture of legitimisation of abuse. These are bracing arguments but from the mouth of Morris they often come across as shrill, when set against the libertarian counter arguments. Sims describes how the Hideaway saved him from a life of abusing real children. Is this a solution therefore? As Morris puts it, it is not because “In the end the world is still the place we have to learn to be”. Director Jeremy Herrin does a great job in marshalling this debate and a strong cast give it their all but the piece, despite its brevity, never catches fire. Having the abuse take place in a Lewis Carroll type universe may make it slightly more palatable for an audience but it ultimately undermines the potential power of the arguments. What elevates this production way beyond a sterile debate however is the sheer brilliance of Es Devlin’s designs. She fills the stage with the electronic world of screen immersion and then contrasts this sharply, by giving us real woods in the Victorian underworld. All of it stunningly lit by Paul Pyant. It perfectly encapsulates the play’s arguments about the pull of reality versus fantasy and is yet another example of the theatrical panache of Headlong, Jeremy Herrin’s company, which originated this with the Royal Court. This is a truly memorable production of a play, which though unsettling, ultimately gets lost in its own woods.

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BOOK REVIEWS

Reviewed by Sabrina P Sully and Richard L Gale

Season of Fear

The Red House

By Brian Freeman Paperback, 432 pages Quercus £7.99 ISBN 9781782068990

By Emily Winslow Hardback, 320 pages Allison & Busby, £19.99 ISBN 9780749018955

Florida, the election race for governor, just like 10 years ago. Then the leading candidate was assassinated along with a member of his team and a bystander. Now his widow is the leading candidate in the race. The leader of the far right guntoting Liberty Empire Alliance was blamed for her husband’s murder and is still in prison. But now the widow’s getting threats, is she safe? Step forward Cab Bolton, the son of her best friend, a successful film actress. He’s amazingly good looking, intelligent, rich, and a cop. Taking time out from his day job he starts to investigate and as Hurricane Chayla gets closer, and the anniversary of the first shooting approaches, the web gets more intricate, and the bodies pile up (as do the fish!). I first came across Brian Freeman’s work with Spilled Blood in 2013, which went on to win Best Hardcover Novel in the 2013 Thriller Awards. This thriller doesn’t disappoint, and he’s every bit as good as Harlan Coben, but with longer sentences. Extremely well written, the plot is intricate and surprising, the characters have depth - you care about them; and in this book the weather takes a star turn that builds the tension, and feeds the drama of the action. A little slow to start, it quickly becomes a page turner, a great vacation book for reading in stormy or sunny weather. Cab Bolton is a great character, from an earlier Freeman book, and in the course of this one quits the police and goes it alone. I’ll be looking out for the next Bolton iteration. SS

If coincidences cause you discomfort when reading mysteries, The Red House may test your nerve. However, simply accept that Emily Winslow’s novels are masterfullycrafted crimes of circumstance and you will be suitably rewarded. Her third novel (as with The Whole World and The Start of Everything before it) is not driven by the moustachetwirling machinations of planned murders, but by characters driven to desperate acts when fate conspires to unearth that which was buried – in the case of The Red House, literally. The bones begin to surface just three pages in, and the New England-raised author once again takes us on a dance through a pleasing maze of viewpoints, each character presenting their accounts. Her regular cops, Morris Keene (here invalided into retirement) and now-pregnant Chloe Frohmann are again woven into the tapestry, but it is young couple Maxwell and Imogen who find themselves unexpectedly drawn into events, Max quickly embedded in suspicious circumstances, and already suspicious of their own circumstances: is his fiancée actually his adopted sister, and why does he seem to recall Cambridge? Familial mysteries offer dizzying layers, and as present events are intermixed with half-memories and future hopes, the inner longings, logic and vulnerabilities of the participants are steadily revealed, as Winslow wrings every last satisfying twist from her characters. RG

The Exit

By Helen Fitzgerald Paperback, 320 pages Faber & Faber, £7.99 ISBN 978057128795 As with The Red House, half-remembered events and vulnerability are themes in Helen FitzGerald’s The Exit, as Facebook-obsessed 23-year Catherine submits to her mother’s suggestion and accepts work at the local care home. There she meets Rose, an 82 year-old children’s author who fluctuates between the present and a traumatic event from her childhood. Rose soon shares her misgivings about events in one of the other rooms. Is it just a manifestation of her dementia, or is something far darker afoot? FitzGerald’s track record as a crime writer is probably a clue that this isn’t merely a tale of reminiscences and the young connecting with the old. While the darkness and ending may not suit all, this book offers plenty for the reader to ponder long after the final chapter about people’s control over the details of their final moments, and about the ability of the healthy to cope with the care and frailty of loved ones. RG

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Ready for Hillary? Sir Robert Worcester, long-term American expat and founder of pollsters MORI, reviews and analyses Ready for Hillary? Portrait of a President in Waiting, a fascinating new book by the former British Ambassador to Washington, Lord Renwick.

s the world ready for Hillary Clinton as President of the United States of America? Is the United States ready for Hillary? These questions are well answered in this timely book, authored by the British Ambassador to Washington between 1991 and 1995, Robin Renwick, now Lord Renwick of Clifton KCMG. The race to the White House has begun. Actually it never stops. As soon as a president is elected, the pollsters start asking American electors who they think will be the best candidates for the presidency. Aspirants ‘just happen’ to start raising their profile, visiting key states such as Iowa and New Hampshire (where most hopefuls’ dreams are ended). Time for a change? That’s the American way. Presidents are lucky to have two terms: of the last eight presidents, four did, four didn’t, Nixon, Ford, Carter and Bush #41. President Obama is just a year and a half from leaving office. Ambassador Renwick arrived in Washington to overlap with the Clintons, Bill and Hillary, for Clinton’s last two years, and as British Ambassadors do, had close contact with the President and First Lady, a very hands-on First Lady. Of course he’d been observing the Washington scene for many years and had seen presidents (and first ladies) come

44 April 2015

and go. He’d served in Washington earlier in his career (’81-’84) so the Washington scene was not new to him. And he’s been a close observer ever since. This has given Lord Renwick both access and perspective, probably as much as any diplomat gets, as most American presidents tend to consider the British as ‘one of us’ rather than ‘one of them’. They are relatively relaxed about seeing them socially, allowing easy access to their staff and advisors, and continue in many cases, to maintain contact after leaving office. Certainly this is the case here, and in chapter after chapter it shows. This book is no hagiography. Renwick is acutely critical of Hillary Clinton’s early years in the spotlight, with her relations with Congress, with the public, and most of all, with the media. She did not ‘play the game’ with much skill. He describes her during the Clinton years as a ‘disciplined northern workaholic, not devoid of charm, but rarely bothering to show it, not gregarious at all’, ‘better at argument and knowledge of the facts than any attempt at humour in her speaking’. In her early days in the West Wing, she blocked off the corridor which had allowed correspondents to have easy access to the press secretary’s office, which

did nothing to ease her somewhat spiky relations with the press. She was thought of by two key Senators whose support she needed as self-righteous and arrogant. She even upset potential funders of her campaign for the Senate once she and Bill left the White House. The turning point for her is ‘Reinventing Hillary’. She turned from being a First Lady to being a Senator; a major and unique transition. As a politician she learned fast, worked hard as she always had done, and soon learned that you catch more flies with honey than vinegar, an old Southern truism. The experience of her first attempt at the presidency against Barak Obama was frustrating and embittering for her. She won her re-election campaign to hold her Senate seat by a two-thirds majority, and was seen by this to be a strong contender for the Democratic nomination, but Obama’s campaign both organizationally and personally was too tough to beat. When Obama won the Iowa caucus, open to anyone, not just registered Democratic voters, it showed a black man winning in a Midwestern state (in admittedly a strange system) could win the presidency. Hillary won New Hampshire, no surprise there, but the Obama fund raising and recruiting of volunteers through new media was too strong

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for her to get the nomination. When Obama nominated her to be the Secretary of State it became the making of yet another new Hillary. No longer the Senator, she became a strong team player, a valuable ally in fighting the internal wars and policy disputes, and became a cheer leader for the State Department staff. She even made peace between the State Department and the Department of Defense and made an ally of Bob Gates, the Defense Secretary. Hillary’s remake as roving ambassador for America, clocking up nearly a million air miles during her time in office, made international respect for her and for her office rise among her peer group. She found the job daunting but also personally rewarding, and while frustrating much of the time, had its moments. Certainly the transition to a person with charm and humor, while being a ‘hawk’ on foreign policy itself, won her friends around America’s allies if not its enemies. Robin Renwick’s tour of hotspots, Russia, Iraq and Afghanistan, Iran, Syria, Libya, Israel/Palestine, Africa and the rest, following Hillary’s travels, is instructive in itself, and benefit greatly from his long service in the Foreign Office and observation of foreign alignments and entanglements alike.

Look who’s just walked in...

His final two chapters deal with the questions raised at the outset. Britain is certainly ready to see the Anglophile that is Hillary in charge. Is the world ready for Hillary? The answer he argues is ‘Yes’. Is the USA? Yes, but by default. He believes that the Republicans should have the presidency by a landslide, but this coming presidential election will likely prove closer than it looks at the moment, even with the Republicans in disarray and the Democrats with a yet-to-be-

PHOTO: PETE SOUZA, WHITE HOUSE

announced front runner in Hillary. There is no-one in sight who can beat her both to the nomination and to the phone call from the Prime Minister offering his congratulations to the newly elected President of the United States. Ready for Hillary? is published by Biteback Publishing Ltd., 256 pps, ISBN: 9781849547888, £17.95. ebook: ISBN: 9781849548342, £8.39

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Baseball is Back! s’ Giancarlo Miami Marlin

O: CORN FA Stanton PHOT

RMER

he hot stove was absolutely smoking over the winter, with players moving all over the place, crazy contracts being signed, and even a new commissioner sitting down at the head of the Major League Baseball table for the ﬁrst time in 23 years. Spring has officially sprung in Florida and Arizona with MLB teams reporting to camp, and it will soon be time to call “play ball”. So what’s it all mean? Who’s landed where? Who looks good, who needs more seasoning and who’s going nowhere fast? Jay Webster runs through the baseball gamut and looks at each team’s chances for the 2015 season.

American League East

Baltimore Orioles A year after surprising many in the baseball world by winning 96 games, the O’s won’t be sneaking up on anybody this year. The team suffered two substantial losses with the departure of Nelson Cruz and Nick Markakis. With no significant additions, fans in Baltimore will be relying on their big three of Manny Machado, Adam Jones and Chris Davis to stay healthy (and clean) enough to post some monster numbers and carry the Orioles back to the post season. Toronto Blue Jays After teasing their fan base for the past two seasons, the Jays brought catcher extraordinaire Russell Martin back home to Canada and traded for one of the top third basemen in the league in Josh Donaldson. If nothing else, a line up with Donaldson, Jose Bautista, Edwin Encarnaciòn at its heart has to be fun to watch. After a couple of misfires in recent seasons, this year is looking like a make or break year in Toronto. Boston Red Sox Following a disappointing 2014 campaign, the front office in Boston brought in veterans Pablo Sandoval and Hanley Ramirez to mix with upcoming youngsters like Mookie Betts, Rusney Castillo and Xander Bogaerts. The reality is that

46 April 2015

quite a few things have to go right for Boston to challenge, including progress from the youngsters, Ramirez making the adjustment to life as a left fielder in the shadow of the Green Monster and Dustin Pedroia staying healthy. New York Yankees Speaking of question marks, there are more of them in Gotham this year than there are on the Riddler’s green suit. Is Didi Gregorius really Derek Jeter’s heir apparent? Can CC Sabathia, Masahiro Tanaka and Michael Pineda stay healthy enough to anchor the rotation? Do the likes of Stephen Drew, Carlos Beltran and Mark Teixeira have any tread left on the tires? And oh yea, what about the whole Alex Rodriguez thing? As the Bronx Turns may be a soap opera of epic proportions in, but it’s bound to make scintillating viewing if nothing else. Tampa Bay Rays Joe Madden, Ben Zobrist, Matt Joyce and Wil Meyers? Gone. It will be hard to replace so much offensive production and a manager with a proven track record of working with what he’s given. Evan Longoria is still in town, and pitching staff that includes Drew Smyly, Alex Cobb, Chris Archer and Jake Odorizzi give the folks on the Bay some reason for hope. Runs might be hard

to come by, though, which means the Rays are going to need every bit of that pitching to keep them in ballgames.

American League Central

Cleveland Indians While the Tribe have some issues defensively, they are loaded with young talent and pitching. Left fielder Michael Brantley, first baseman Carlos Santana, second baseman Jason Kipnis and catcher Yan Gomes are all coming into their primes. Add in some solid pitching from the likes of Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber, the playoffs are a distinct possibility on the banks of the Cuyahoga. Detroit Tigers The last four AL Central titles have gone to the Motor City, and there’s no reason to think they won’t give it up this year without a fight. Max Scherzer has moved on to richer pastures, but David Price can step in. Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez bring lots of punch at the plate, so plenty of offense and pitching to go around, though Justin Verlander could use a bounce-back year. Kansas City Royals The Royals brought small ball back into fashion

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while making their first World Series run since 1985, but the loss of James Shields, Billy Butler and Norichika Aoki will hurt The brass in KC will be hoping that Yordano Ventura is ready to be an ace and that there is still some magic left over from last year. Chicago White Sox Credit the front office on Chicago’s South Side for going out and bringing some talent to add to the likes of Chris Sale and Jose Abreu. Pitcher Jeff Samardzija, outfielder Melkey Cabrera and first baseman/DH Adam LaRoche are all upgrades, but there are still big holes at catcher, third base, second base and the back of the rotation. Minnesota Twins The Twins have the highest ranked farm system in baseball, which means it will be a few years before the talent starts to filter through to the big leagues. Look for baseball’s top prospect Byron Buxton to make it to Target Field this season, if he can stay healthy.

American League West

Los Angeles Angels After winning 98 games a year ago, MVP Mike Trout and the Halos will be looking to get back to the playoffs for a second straight year, but it’s hard to see them equalling last year’s win total. The rotation is solid, but Jeff Weaver and C.J. Wilson might not be what they once were, and the loss of second baseman Howie Kendrick will hurt. That doesn’t mean they aren’t the team to beat out west. Seattle Mariners The M’s brought in Nelson Cruz to add some muchneeded pop from the right side of the plate. Robinson Cano and Kyle Seager are rock solid at second and third base, respectively, and Felix Hernandez remains “King Felix”. It’s not too hard to see Seattle equalling or exceeding their 87 wins of a year ago to challenge for the division title. Oakland Athletics GM Billy Beane is known as a gambler, and he rolled the proverbial dice once again, completely remaking a team that won 88 games and held on for a wild card berth. Shipping the team’s most valuable player, Josh Donaldson, to the Blue Jays for Brett Lawrie was a bit of a head scratcher, and with a whole slew of new faces taking the field, it’s hard to

know what to expect by the bay this time around. Houston Astros Evan Gattis and Jed Lowrie head to the Lone Star State, where the lineup has a lot of pop but whiffs a lot. Houston may not be as bad as they were a couple of years ago, but that’s not saying much. Texas Rangers The Rangers look to put an injury-filled season behind them and get banner years from Adrian Beltre and Prince Fielder, as well as contribution from newcomer Yovani Gallardo, who joins Yu Darvish and Derek Holland in the rotation.

National League East

Washington Nationals It’s World Series or bust this year in the Nation’s Capital. Not content to rest on their laurels after a 96-win season, the Nats gave pitcher Max Scherzer 210 million reasons to come to D.C. and join a rotation that was already one of the best in baseball. 100 wins is by no means out of the question for a team that, on paper anyway, has no real weaknesses. New York Mets After years of futility in Queens, the Mets are finally showing signs that they might be able to stay in contention for a post season berth. Matt Harvey returns from Tommy John surgery to join Rookie of the Year Jacob deGrom and Zack Wheeler in the rotation. A healthy David Wright and an encore performance from first baseman Luke Duda could lead to post season play in Citi Field come October. Miami Marlins The NL East was certainly the division of the big spenders, with the Marlins locking up Giancarlo Stanton with a $325 million contract extension. The hope is that he comes back from being hit in the face with a pitch late last season to once again be one of the most exciting players in the league.

There is hope in Miami this year, and a run at the wild card is not out of the question. Atlanta Braves As good as things are at the top of the division, they are bad at the bottom. The Braves officially shifted into rebuilding gear by jettisoning Jason Heyward, Justin Upton and Evan Gattis for prospects and hope they are ready to compete by the time their new stadium opens in 2017. Philadelphia Phillies The Phils managed to unload Jimmy Rollins, and they’d be happy to move anything that’s not nailed down, including Cole Hamels and Ryan Howard to build for the future. But for now, things look bleak in Philly.

National League Central

Pittsburgh Pirates There is a lot to like about the Bucs. They have one of the best outfields in the game, led by MVP candidate Andrew McCutchen. They score a lot of runs, have great depth, play great defense and their pitching is sneaky good. The loss of catcher Russell Martin hurts, but maybe not as much as at first glance. The Pirates will be in the hunt once again, me hearties. St Louis Cardinals The Cards always seem to find ways to stay in the hunt, and there isn’t a lot of reason to expect differently this time around. Jason Heyward will be an upgrade in right field, and while they can’t afford drop-offs from veterans such as Yadier Molina, Matt Holliday and Jhonny Peralta, an infusion of young talent and a wealth of pitching depth should keep the Redbirds in the running for a fifth consecutive playoff berth. Chicago Cubs Manager Joe Madden and veteran pitcher Jon Lester come to Wrigleyville to join a host of top prospects such as Chris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo, Javier Baez, Arismendy Alcantara and Jorge Soler. The Cubbies are definitely getting closer and should be fun to watch this year, but a bit more seasoning might just be required. Milwaukee Brewers The Crew will rely heavily on Carlos Gomez, Jonathan Lucroy, a Ryan Braun comeback and improvement from shortstop Jean Segura. Even

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if all of those pieces come together, it’s hard to see the Brewers much above .500 at the end of the season. Cincinnati Reds The Reds are another team that has some talent with the likes of Johnny Cueto, Joey Votto and Jay Bruce, but nothing to suggest they will be much better than average either.

National League West

LA Dodgers After winning the division last season, the Dodgers overhauled their lineup, parting ways with Matt Kemp and Hanley Ramirez, while bringing in Jimmy Rollins and Howie Kendrick as defensive upgrades. Yasiel Puig is still electric, and rookie Joc Pederson will be one to watch in center field. Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke are still the best one-two pitching punch in the game, and the Dodgers will be hoping to go a step farther than last season. San Diego Padres The Friars won the off season, bringing in outfielders Matt Kemp, Justin Upton and Wil Meyers, infielders Will Middlebrook and Clint Barmes, and their prime catch, right hander James Shields. The Padres will be better, but the question is how much better? San Francisco Giants We all know the Giants only win titles in evennumbered years (2010, 2012, 2014). Pablo Sandoval and Michael Morse are gone. The Giants barely even made the playoffs last year before going on their amazing playoff run, and there were no significant upgrades in the off season. Pitching has always been a strength in San Fran. The good news is Madison Bumgarner takes the hill every fifth day, but there might be some concerns this year on the other four days. Colorado Rockies Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gomez remain topflight talents, but will they be anything more than trade bait come July? And the pitching? It’s a problem. Arizona Diamondbacks Apologies to the folks out in the desert, but the D-Backs are a mess these days, and aside from Paul Goldschmidt and Mark Trumbo, there isn’t a lot to see here.

48 April 2015

Clayton Kershaw of the LA Dodgers

PHOTO: KERSHAW MIFFED

Magna Carta Uncovered Anthony Arlidge and Igor Judge

2015 marks the 800th anniversary of the grant at Runnymede of Magna Carta. The story of how Magna Carta came into being, and has been interpreted since, and its impact on individual rights and constitutional developments has more twists and turns than any work of historical fiction.

Nov 2014 9781849465564 204pp Hbk RSP: ÂŁ25 Quote Ref CV5 to receive 20% discount

The authors bring their wide legal experience and forensic skills to uncover the original meaning of the liberties enshrined in Magna Carta, and to trace their development in later centuries up to the drafting of the Constitution of the United States of America. By providing that the powers of the King were not unlimited, the Charter was groundbreaking, yet it was also a conservative document, following the form of Anglo-Saxon charters and seeking to return government to the ways of the Norman kings. This book tells the enthralling, ultimately inspirational, story of Magna Carta in a concise and readable fashion and will captivate laymen and lawyers alike. Anthony Arlidge has been a Queenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Counsel for over 30 years. In 1990 he was called upon during a case to argue the meaning of clause 40 of Magna Carta. Igor Judge was a judge for 25 years and retired as Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales in 2013.

Published by Hart Publishing. Website: www.hartpub.co.uk Hart Publishing Ltd. is registered in England No. 3307205 Hart Publishing Ltd. is an Imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc.

JAFFE & CO LLP AMERICAN TAX INTERNATIONAL US Expatriate Tax Services Established in 1981 and managed by Bruce L Jaffe, BA JD, we provide a full range of US and UK tax services for US expatriates residing in the UK and have over 55 years of cumulative experience preparing tax returns for US taxpayers. Please contact us today to see how we can help you. 020 8346 5237 www.jaffeandco.com info@jaffeandco.com 54 Hendon Lane, London N3 1TT

The American

Fizzle Over Flash Buyers Opt For Restraint At NHL Trade Deadline, says Jeremy Lanaway

n Monday, March 2nd, at 3pm (EST), business closed on the National Hockey League’s busiest trade deadline day in five years, solidifying 24 deals around 43 players and 21 draft picks - but ultimately resulting in more fizzle than flash. The dead calm on deadline day was produced in part by a handful of general managers who had already inked prominent deals in the weeks leading up to the deadline, eager to get out ahead of the pack, effecting an atmosphere of anti-climax on March 2nd that sports networks did their best to hype for fans. Despite the absence of marquee moves, deadline day divided the league into buyers and sellers, causing multiple roster ripples - the effects of which won’t be clear until the post-season. The biggest buyer on trade deadline day was the Anaheim Ducks, the team that many experts have blue-ribboned as the deadline’s top winner. The Ducks bolstered their blueline by acquiring James Wisniewski from the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for forwards Rene Bourque and William Karlsson (plus draft picks); and Simon Despres from the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for forward Ben Lovejoy (plus draft picks). The moves are expected to right the forward-favoring lean of the Ducks’ roster, providing veteran defenceman Francois Beauchemin with some much-needed support. The Ducks also added some defensive depth by dealing defenceman Eric

50 April 2015

Brewer to the Toronto Maple Leafs for the much younger blueliner Korbinian Holzer. The Ducks made some significant pre-deadline moves as well, trading the underachieving Dany Heatley (rightwing) to the Florida Panthers for Tomas Fleischmann (left-wing) on February 28th. Heatley, a former fifty-goal-scorer, failed to live up to lofty expectations in Anaheim, and with an offensive corps that already includes Corey Perry, Ryan Kesler, Ryan Getzlaf, and Andrew Cogliano, the Ducks could afford to cash in their chips on Heatley. On 24th February, the Ducks dealt grinder Devante Smith-Pelly (left-wing) to the Montreal Canadiens for fleet-skated Jiri Sekac (right-wing), a Czech prospect who is projected to add more speed and unpredictability to the Ducks’ attack. The Minnesota Wild are also going for broke this year, establishing themselves as another big buyer at the trade deadline. The Wild got the ball rolling way back on 14th January, dealing with their ongoing goalie uncertainty by picking up Devan Dubnyk from the Phoenix Coyotes for a third-round pick. After a disappointing tenure with the Edmonton Oilers and a so-so term with the Coyotes, Dubnyk was quick to establish himself as the Wild’s number-one backstop, compiling a remarkable record of eighteen wins and only four losses since signing with the club. The Wild know that if Dubnyk falters or succumbs to injury down the stretch,

their backup, Niklas Backstrom, a former Vezina Trophy finalist, has the skill set and experience to man the pipes in Dubnyk’s absence. On 24th February, the Wild started bolstering their skaters by trading with the Panthers, picking up left-winger Sean Bergenheim for a third-round pick. Bergenheim is a depth player, having amassed eighteen points in thirty-nine games with the Panthers before being shipped to St Paul. The Wild also traded for veteran defender Jordan Leopold, dealing Justin Falk to the Blue Jackets in return, a move that is expected to add secondary support to the team’s primary blueline presence, Ryan Suter. The Wild finished off their roster renovations by swapping a second-round pick to the Buffalo Sabres for right-winger Chris Stewart, a big-bodied power-forward viewed by Wild GM Chuck Fletcher as a step in adding grit to the team - without sacrificing too much secondary scoring. Many expected Stewart to end up with the Boston Bruins, citing him as a perfect prototype of the Beantown model, but GM Peter Chiarelli clearly felt that the cost of adding Stewart to the Bruins’ roster was too dear. Others teams to establish themselves as buyers, albeit budgetwary ones, included the St Louis Blues, the Montreal Canadiens, the Chicago Blackhawks, and the Bruins. The Blues strengthened their middle by acquiring veteran centreman Olli Jokinen from the

IMAGE ©BRUCE KLUCKHOHN 2015, COURTESY MINNESOTA WILD

The American

Maple Leafs for Joakim Lindstrom and a conditional sixth-round pick, and German centreman Marcel Goc from the Penguins (on 27th January) for Maxim Lapierre. The Blues also made one of the minor splashes on deadline day by trading for defenceman Zbynek Michalek, sending centreman Maxim Letunov to the Coyotes in return. The Blues, who currently hold the seventh spot in NHL standings, only four points behind the league-leading Ducks, hope that Michalek will push their alreadyimposing defence corps - a la Alex Pietrangelo, Jay Bouwmeester, Carl Gunnarsson, Barret Jackman, and Ian Cole - over the top and make the team a true Cup contender. Speaking of Lord Stanley’s highly coveted mug, the Canadiens gave themselves the best chance of returning it to the Great White North, since they themselves won

Devan Dubnyk of The Minnesota Wild in action against the Edmonton Oilers

it back in 1993, by adding forwards Torrey Mitchell and Brian Flynn (from the Sabres for picks), and defenceman Jeff Petry (from the Oilers for picks). None of the picks, examined individually, have the sizzle to make the team an instant Cup-favorite, but taken collectively, they might pack enough punch to dispel the nagging criticism that the Canadiens, who presently sit second overall, are playing beyond their paygrade. The Blackhawks, always contenders, sought to lengthen their run of dominance by participating in the Coyotes’ fire sale, picking up centreman Antoine Vermette for defender Klas Dahlbeck. The Blackhawks further boosted their middle by trading for Andrew Desjardins, sending winger Ben Smith to the San Jose Sharks to uphold their end of the deal. A few days before the deadline, the

Blackhawks acquired defenceman Kimmo Timonen from the Philadelphia Flyers. Pushing nearly forty years of age, Timonen will add an additional leadership voice to the Blackhawks’ dressing room, and his point-every-other-game offensive output is expected to buttress the squad’s secondary scoring. The Blackhawks, sitting in ninth spot overall with eighty-four points, have the rare luxury of a young roster with plenty of experience thanks to their recent Cup wins in 2010 and 2013. Can they beat the Los Angeles Kings in the race to become the only team to win three Stanley Cups in the same decade for the first time since the Oilers championship era of the 1980s? The Blackhawks’ moves on trade deadline day although understated in scope - are more likely to help than hinder their chances.

April 2015 51

IMAGE ©KEITH ALLISON

Tiger, Tiger Burning Bright .... and not in a good way, suggests Darren Kilfara

recently bought an IKEA loft bed for my son. The morning after I purchased it, I disassembled his old bed, tidied away the old toys and rubbish formerly under it, vacuumed the floor, painstakingly hauled the first two boxes of chipboard slabs upstairs, took a deep breath, and finally started building the new bed. After maybe 30 minutes of assembly, I realized I’d done everything backwards: the shelving unit I’d been working on was facing the wrong way, and I needed to start over. So I reluctantly started unscrewing everything…and in doing so, I carelessly allowed one upright plank to topple over, ripping two screws out of their sockets in a way which looked unrepairable. As a Tourette’s-like torrent of profanity escaped my lips, I thought I’d ruined everything. What a perfect metaphor for Tiger Woods’ golf game right now.

52 April 2015

A few weeks ago, a buddy emailed me to say, “You HAVE to write about Tiger. This may be the most astounding story of the last several decades if he’s really lost his fastball and can’t break 80 – he may not be able to even finish a round at Augusta like this.” In one sense, that is hyperbole: Tiger Woods is 39 years old, and many great golfers (Jones, Nelson, Palmer, Watson, Ballesteros…the list goes on) were washed up by age 39. Since 1960, the average and median age of major championship winners is 32 – the same age Tiger was when he last won a major – and less than 10% of all majors have been won by players over 40. And the recent examples of David Duval and Ian Baker-Finch prove that outstanding golfers do sometimes forget how to play golf well. Still, a whole generation of golf fans can’t remember a time when Tiger wasn’t golf’s true north,

and legendary sportsmen rarely collapse as quickly and comprehensively as Tiger seems to be. His back problems were foreseeable, if unfortunate, but his mind is degrading even faster than his body: his attempts to tear down, tidy up and retool his golf swing appear to have crumpled his previously adamantine self-belief, as most shockingly evidenced by the state of his short game. I know double-digit handicappers who chip and pitch better than Tiger does at present, and despite his protestations to the contrary, expert consensus and common sense both suggest the root cause is mental. And now, everyone from Butch Harmon (happy to help if asked) to Rocco Mediate (could fix Tiger “in a few minutes” but also thinks he should consult Lee Trevino) has advice for Tiger – and also pity, which is way worse. Is Tiger up for this fight? To

IMAGE ©DENELSON83

The American

extend my IKEA metaphor, although it took eight hours and I’m still sore even as I type this paragraph, I found a way to finish building that bed; of course, I had no real choice but to finish it. For a long time, we all thought Tiger had no choice either: he’d either catch Nicklaus’ record of 18 majors or die trying. But now his glutes aren’t firing, he’s on a self-imposed double-secret PGA Tour probation, and it seems he’d rather chill in the mountains with girlfriend Lindsey Vonn than fiendishly plot a comeback. Does Tiger know he’s started down the wrong road to recovery, and can he figure out how to step back and undo the damage before moving forward? Will he ever win another major, or indeed any other tournament? How much further will his world ranking drop before he next makes a cut? Does he even care anymore? Tiger’s shadow, however droopy, will continue to darken all of professional golf until some of these questions are answered.

Darren Kilfara formerly worked for Golf Digest magazine and is the author of A Golfer’s Education, a memoir of his junior year abroad as a student-golfer at the University of St. Andrews. His latest book, a novel called Do You Want Total War?, is also now available online at Amazon and elsewhere.

The International Sailing Federation’s official racing signal - offshore meaning: ‘follow this boat’ onshore meaning: ‘a notice to competitors has been posted’

Follow this boat - it’s more than just a boat, says Sabrina Sully

ormula 1 and the Americas Cup enjoy a great many technical and operational synergies, and are hoping for more (see our report in the October 14 issue), not least the latest news that Martin Whitmarsh, former CEO of the McLaren Group and Team Principal of McLaren’s F1 team, will join the British challenger shortly at their new team HQ in Portsmouth, as CEO for the 35th America’s Cup. Ben Ainslie Racing (BAR) has raised the flag, and is coming together nicely, with Adrian Newey (who worked with Whitmarsh for nine years at McLaren) heading Red Bull Advanced Technologies, RBAT, who are providing simulation and math modelling skills to the awesome team of designers who make up BAR’s Technical Innovation Group (TIG) TIG is also backed by the UK government’s GREAT Britain campaign to help attract the very best of British talent to the project, and to showcase British expertise overseas. Representatives from 20 world class British technology, design and engineering companies attended a forum on the TIG at the team’s sailing base in early March. More partners joining the TIG will be announced in the coming weeks. BAR are racingon behalf of The Royal Yacht Squadron, located in Cowes, Isle of Wight, just across the Solent from Portsmouth. The Squadron’s patron is the Queen, its

Admiral is HRH The Duke of Edinburgh. The Duchess of Cambridge is the patron of the 1851 Trust, the charity which BAR supports and which seeks to inspire and engage a new generation through sailing and the marine industry. Why 1851? It was the year of the Great Exhibition, a celebration of modern industrial science, technology and design, championed by Prince Albert. A syndicate of US businessmen brought a schooner called America to demonstrate their shipbuilding skills, which outclassed the British racing fleet of 1851, winning the first America’s Cup, and starting the America’s Cup Challenge. “We don’t underestimate the challenge ahead of us” Ben Ainslie commented, “over 162 years and 34 contests, Britain has never won it. We are a first time challenger, and only one challenger has ever won it at the first attempt.” It’s all gearing up to be exciting, and near enough to easily enjoy, with a race this year and next being held on the Solent. Portsmouth, the proud home of the Royal Navy, is mirroring the latter’s decline, so it looks like BAR shoulders not only Challenge hopes, but Portsmouth’s rejuvenation hopes but a new UK PLC strength and export hope as well. It’s going to get crowded in the Solent! Even if they don’t win the Cup (this time!).

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hen this issue of The American is published, the start of the 2015 Formula One season will be at full throttle, but we here at the magazine are also looking ahead to 2016, and the impending arrival of Haas F1, the first American-led Formula One team in 30 years. As was revealed in last month’s issue, Haas F1 have now confirmed their acquisition of a base in Banbury, Oxfordshire, offering the team a base from which they can move equipment easily to and from European races. The team have also announced several high profile personnel signings which are cementing the team’s position ahead of 2016. Guenther Steiner, no stranger to Formula One, had already been confirmed as Team Principal for the new squad in 2014, and is now joined by Dave O’Neill as team manager, Rob Taylor as chief designer and Ben Agathangelou as chief aerodynamicist. O’Neill was previously Team Manager for the Jordan Formula One team between 1998 and 2005, a time of great success for the team, including their standout year in 1999 when they finished third in the Constructor’s Championship. Taylor, who has also worked for the likes of McLaren and Red Bull Racing, will be charged with design of the team’s 2016 car. Agathangelou, who arrives to Haas F1 from the Ferrari Formula One team, also brings a wealth of experience to the squad. Haas have confirmed that Taylor and Agathangelou have already designed the 60% scale model of the car that the team will race during the 2016 season, confirming that the squad is well on its way to competing next year. Speaking of the developments,

54 April 2015

HaasF1 update By Daniel M Byway

Steiner commented that “While there is still a lot of work to do, a lot has already been accomplished for Haas F1 Team to be competitive when we join the F1 grid in 2016”. Steiner went on to say that “Our technical partnership with Ferrari has allowed us to develop our car and our people at an exceptional pace. The way we’re going about our F1 team is new and different, but it’s working. We’re committed to our plan, we’re committed to F1 and, most importantly, we’re on

schedule. This time next year, our cars will have already been tested and we’ll be readying them for Melbourne.” With plenty of talk on the costs and difficulties of running a Formula One team, Haas F1 appear to be underlining the real potential of their project with a very professional approach to preparing for 2016. All that’s left to do now is start the rumours about which American driver will spearhead the team’s 2016 campaign!

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American Friends of English National Opera (ENO) London Coliseum, St. Martin’s Lane, London WC2N 4ES 0207 845 9331 Americanfriends@eno.org www.eno.org/memberships American Friends of Gladstone Library www.gladstoneslibrary-us.com annette.lewis@gladlib.org American Friends of Historic Royal Palaces 020 3166 6321, harriet.james@hrp.org.uk www.hrp.org.uk/supportus/donatingfromtheusa American Friends of the Jewish Museum London Stephen Goldman 020 7284 7363 stephen.goldman@jewishmuseum.org.uk www.jewishmuseum.org.uk/american-friends American Friends of the Lyric Theatre Ireland Crannóg House, 44 Stranmillis Embankment, Belfast, BT9 5FL, Northern Ireland info@americanfriendsofthelyric.com www.americanfriendsofthelyric.com/ American Friends of the National Portrait Gallery 020 7312 2444 individualgiving@npg.org.uk www.npg.org.uk/support.php American Friends of the Philharmonia Orchestra jennifer.davies@philharmonia.co.uk www.philharmonia.co.uk/support/friends/afpo/ American Friends of the Royal Court Theatre U.S.: Laurie Beckelman, Beckelman and Capalino +1.212.616.5822, laurie@beckcap.com UK: Gaby Styles, Head of Development 020 7565 5060 gabystyles@royalcourttheatre.com or info@afrct.org

American Friends of St Bartholomew the Great 2925 Briarpark, Suite 600, Houston, TX 77042, USA. UK: 020 7606 5171, administrator@greatstbarts.com

American Friends of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust John Chwat, President, 625 Slaters Lane, Suite 103, Alexandria, VA 22314, +1. 703.684.7703 info@americanfriendsofsbt.org www.americanfriendsofsbt.org American Friends of the Victoria and Albert Mus. U.S.: Diana Seaton, Executive Director 61 Londonderry Drive, Greenwich, CT 06830 +1.203.536.4328 diana.seaton@afvam.org www.afvam.org UK: 020 7942 2149 American Friends of Wigmore Hall U.S.: c/o Chapel and York, 1000 N West Street Suite 1200, Wilmington DE 19801. UK: 020 7258 8220, mhosterweil@wigmore-hall.org.uk American Institute of Architects 27 Old Gloucester Street, London WC1N 3AX 020 3318 5722 membership@aiauk.org, www.aiauk.org American International Church Senior Pastor: Rev. John D’Elia. 79a Tottenham Court Road, London W1T 4TD Tel: 020 7580 2791/07771 642875 www.amchurch.co.uk churchsecretary@amchurch.co.uk American Museum in Britain Claverton Manor, Bath BA2 7BD. 01225 460503. info@americanmuseum.org www.americanmuseum.org American Red Cross RAF Mildenhall 01638 543742 After Hours (Toll free) +001 877 272 7337 red.crossv3@mildenhall.af.mil American Women Lawyers in London www.awll.org.uk info@awll.org.uk The Anglo-American Charity Limited Jeffrey Hedges, Director. 07968 513 631, info@anglo-americancharity.org www.anglo-americancharity.org

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Anglo American Medical Society Hon. Sec.: Dr Edward Henderson, The Mill House, Whatlington, E. Sussex, TN33 0ND. 01424 775130 ed@themillhouse.eclipse.co.uk The Association of Americans Resident Overseas 34 avenue de New York, 75116 Paris, France + 33 1 47 20 24 15 www.aaro.org Association for Rescue at Sea To make a tax efficient gift to the Royal National Lifeboat Association contact AFRAS. Mrs. Anne C. Kifer, P.O. Box 565 Fish Creek, WI 54212, USA, 00-1-920-7435434 ackafras@aol.com Atlantic Council UK 185 Tower Bridge Road, London SE1 2UF 0207 403 0640 info@atlanticcounciluk.org Bentwaters Cold War Museum c/o Bentwaters Aviation Society, Building 134 Bentwaters Parks, Rendlesham, Woodbridge, Suffolk IP12 2TW 07588 877020 info@bcwm.org.uk Bethesda Baptist Church Kensington Place, London W8. 020 7221 7039 office@bethesdabaptist.org.uk bethesdabaptist.org.uk Boy Scouts of America Mayflower District Executive: Cristina Priddy The Old Coach House, 81A London Rd, Brandon, Suffolk IP270EL 075 9210 1013 crpriddy@bsamail.org British American Business Inc. 75 Brook Street, London, W1K 4AD. T el. 020 7290 9888 www.babinc.org ukinfo@babinc.org British American-Canadian Associates Contact via The English Speaking Union – esu@esu.org Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 66-68 Exhibition Rd, South Kensington, London SW7 2PA 020 7584 7553 adcockmp@ldschurch.org https://lds.org.uk, http://mormon.org Church of St. John the Evangelist Vicar: Reverend Stephen Mason. Hyde Park Crescent, London W2 2QD 020 7262 1732, parishadmin@stjohns-hydepark.com www.stjohns-hydepark.com Commonwealth Church Rev. Rod Anderson, PO Box 15027, London SE5 0YS commonwealthchurch.com Democrats Abroad (UK) Box 65, 22 Notting Hill Gate, London W11 3JE www.democratsabroad.org.uk 020 7724 9796 www.democratsabroad.org/group/united-kingdom Register to vote/ request Absentee Ballot: www.votefromabroad.org Farm Street Church 114 Mount Street, Mayfair, London W1K 3AH Tel: 020 7493 7811 www.farmstreet.org.uk

56 April 2015

Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) Department of Defense, 1155 Defense Pentagon, Washington DC 20301-1155. UK 0800 028 8056, US:1-800-438- VOTE (8683). www.fvap.gov vote@fvap.ncr.gov

Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner 5th Floor, Counting House, 53 Tooley Street, London SE1 2QN 0207 211 1500 info@oisc.gov.uk www.oisc.gov.uk

Friends of Benjamin Franklin House Director: Dr. Márcia Balisciano 36 Craven St,London WC2N 5NF 0207 839 2006 www.benjaminfranklinhouse.org info@benjaminfranklinhouse.org

Republicans Abroad (UK) Chairman Dr. Thomas Grant chairman@republicansabroad-uk.org www.republicansabroad-uk.org

Friends of Chicksands Priory (12th Century) Julie Benson 01525 860497 friendsofchicksands@gmail.com www.chicksandspriory.co.uk Friends of St Jude London Debbie Berger debbie.berger@stjude.org 07738 628126 www.friendsofstjude.org/london

Rotaract in Great Britain & Ireland For 18-30 year olds, international membership www.rotaract.org.uk Rotary Club of London 6 York Gate, London NW1 4QG. Tel. 020 7487 5429 Rotary Great Britain and Ireland www.ribi.org

Grampian Houston Association Secretary: Bill Neish, 01224 484720, wineish@sky.com 5 Cairncry Avenue, Aberdeen, AB16 5DS

Royal National Lifeboat Institution Head Office, West Quay Road, Poole BH15 1HZ 0845 045 6999 www.rnli.org.uk

International Community Church (Interdenom.) Pastor: Rick Andrew 01932 571820 Chertsey Hall, Heriot Road, Chertsey, Surrey KT16 9DR Office: 13 London Street, Chertsey, Surrey, KT16 8AP churchoffice@icc-uk.org www.icc-uk.org

The Royal Oak Foundation Sean Sawyer, 35 West 35th Street #1200, New York NY 10001-2205, USA 212- 480-2889 or (800) 913-6565 ssawyer@royal-oak.org www.royal-oak.org

Junior League of London President: Suzy Bibko; Office Admin: Ruth Linton CAN Mezzanine , 49-51 East Road , London N1 6AH Tel: 020 7499 8159 jrleague@jll.org.uk www.jll.org.uk Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation 19 Angel Gate, City Road, London EC1V 2PT. Tel: 020 7713 2030 info@jdrf.org.uk www.jdrf.org.uk Liberal Jewish Synagogue 28 St John’s Wood Road, London NW8 7HA Services 6.45pm Fri., 11am Sat. First Friday each month service is 7pm with a Chavurah Supper. Please bring non-meat food dish to share. 020 7286 5181 ljs@ljs.org

St Andrew’s Lutheran Church Serving Americans since 1960. Whitby Road & Queens Walk, Ruislip, West London. Services: 11 am. 020 8845 4242 pastorvan43@hotmail.com www.standrewslutheran.co.uk, www.lutheran.co.uk T.R.A.C.E. P.W. Reuniting children with GI fathers and their families. Norma Jean Clarke-McCloud 29 Connaught Avenue, Enfield EN1 3BE normajean78@hotmail.com www.tracepw.org

Lions Club International Lakenheath & District 105EA, 15 Highfields Drive, Lakenheath, Suffolk IP27 9EH. Tel 01842 860752 www.lionsclubs.org

United Nations Association, Westminster Chairman: David Wardrop 61 Sedlescombe Road, London SW6 1RE 0207 385 6738 info@unawestminster.org.uk www.unawestminster.org.uk www.wethepeoples.org.uk

St Anne’s Lutheran Church stannes.stagnes@gmail.com www.stanneslutheranchurch.org.uk

USA Girl Scouts Overseas – North Atlantic gsmembership@usagso-na.org www.usagso-na.org

Methodist Central Hall Westminster, London SW1H 9NH 020 7654 3809, church@mchw.org.uk www.methodist-central-hall.org.uk North Am. Friends of Chawton House Library US Office: 824 Roosevelt Trail, #130, Windham, ME 04062 +1.207 892 4358 UK Office: Chawton House Library, Chawton, Alton, Hampshire GU34 1SJ 01420 541010 www.chawtonhouse.org

SOCIAL American Club of Hertfordshire President: Lauryn Awbrey 63-65 New Road, Welwyn, Herts AL6 0AL 01582 624823 amclubherts@aol.com American Expats of the Northwest of England The Ruskin Rooms, Drury Lane, Knutsford, Cheshire WA16 6HA. expatsnw@gmail.com

The American

American Professional Women in London Rebecca Lammers, Flat 9 Hanover Court, 5 Stean Street, London, E8 4ED 075 3393 5064 abwinlondon@gmail.com www.meetup.com/American-Business-Women-inLondon American Society in London c/o The English Speaking Union 37 Charles Street, London W1J 5ED info@americansocietyuk.com 020 7539 3400 American Stamp Club of Great Britain Chapter 67 of the American Philatelic Society. Hon. Publicity Secretary: Stephen T. Taylor 5 Glenbuck Road, Surbiton, Surrey KT6 6BS. 020 8390 9357 American Womens Association of Bristol 0800 0834804 awabristol_membership@fawco.org AWBS International Women’s Club [formerly American Women of Berkshire & Surrey] PO Box 10, Virginia Water, Surrey GU25 4YP. www.awbs.org.uk info@awbs.org.uk American Women of Surrey PO Box 185, Cobham, Surrey KT11 3YJ. www.awsurrey.org

Canadian Women’s Club 1 Grosvenor Square, London W1K 4AB Tues–Thurs 10.30-3.30 0207 258 6344 info@canadianwomenlondon.org www.canadianwomenlondon.org

Daughters of the American Revolution St James’s Chapter Mrs Natalie Ward, 01379 871422 nattyward@aol.com or UKDARStJames@aol.com http://mysite.verizon.net/jean.sutton/main.htm

The East Anglia American Club 49 Horsham Close, Haverhill, Suffolk CB9 7HN 01440 766 967 eaacexpats@karej.co.uk

Hampstead Women’s Club President - Betsy Lynch. Tel: 020 7435 2226 email president@hwcinlondon.co.uk www.hwcinlondon.co.uk

American Women’s Club of Central Scotland P.O. Box 231, 44-46 Morningside Road, Edinburgh, EH10 4BF info@awccs.org www.awccs.org

High Twelve International, Inc. Arnold Page High Twelve Club 298 Secretary, Darrell C. Russell 01638 715764 russelld130@btinternet.com

American Women of South Wales 07866 190838 awsouthwales@fawco.org

The Inter-Cultural Society of London Contact: Dr Kenneth Reed, 01753 892698, kjreed37@yahoo.co.uk ticsl.org

British Association of American Square Dance Clubs Patricia Connett-Woodcock, 87 Brabazon Road, Heston, Middlesex TW5 9LL, 020 8897 0723 tricia_baasdc@btinternet.com www.squaredancing.co.uk Canadians & Americans in Southern England 023 9241 3881 contactcase@casecommunity.com

Petroleum Women’s Club of London www.pwc-london.co.uk Petroleum Women’s Club of Scotland pwcscotland@yahoo.co.uk www.pwcos.com

Daughters of the American Revolution Walter Hines Page Chapter Diana Frances Diggines, Regent dardiana@hotmail.co.uk www.dar.org

American Women’s Club of London 68 Old Brompton Road, London SW7 3LQ. 020 7589 8292 awc@awclondon.org www.awclondon.org

Association of American Women of Aberdeen PO Box 11952, Westhill, Aberdeen, AB13 0BW email via website www.awaaberdeen.org

Northwood Area Women’s Club c/o St John’s UR Church, Hallowell Road, Northwood, Middlesex HA6 1DN 01932-830295 info@northwoodareawomensclub.co.uk www.northwoodareawomensclub.co.uk

Colonial Dames of America Chapter XI London. President Anne K Brewster: AnneBrewster@hotmail.com

English-Speaking Union Director-General: Jane Easton Dartmouth House, 37 Charles Street, London W1J 5ED. Tel: 020 7529 1550 esu@esu.org

Association of American Women in Ireland aawireland@fawco.org

North American Connection (West Midlands) PO Box 10543, Knowle, Solihull, West Midlands. B93 8ZY 0870 720 0663 info@naconnect.com www.naconnect.com

Chilterns American Women’s Club PO Box 445, Gerrards Cross, Bucks, SL9 8YU membership@cawc.co.uk www.cawc.co.uk

The American Women’s Club of Dublin P.O. Box 2545, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4 IRELAND www.awcd.net info@awcd.net

Americans in Bristol Tim Ellis 07572 342483 Twitter @americansinbris americansinbristol@yahoo.com www.facebook.com/groups/USEXPATSINBRISTOL

New Neighbours Diana Parker, Rosemary Cottage, Rookshill, Rickmansworth, Herts WD3 4HZ. 01923 772185

Kensington & Chelsea Men’s Club John Rickus, 70 Flood St., Chelsea, London SW3 5TE. (home): 020 7349 0680 (office): 020 7753 2253 johnrickus@aol.com kcwc (was Kensington & Chelsea Women’s Club) President: Anna Groot, president@kcwc.org.uk Membership: potential@kcwc.org.uk www.kcwc.org.uk Facebook /kcwc.kcwc Twitter @kcwc_womensclub Knightsbridge Village Private invitation-only network for discerning mothers in Knightsbridge, Kensington and surrounding areas. For a limited period The American’s readers are invited to join online with this key: american2014. Membership is £10 per month. info@knightsbridge-village.com www.knightsbridge-village.com

Pilgrims of Great Britain Allington Castle, Maidstone, Kent M16 0NB. 01622 606404 sec@pilgrimsociety.org

Propeller Club of the United States – London, England propellerclubhq.com Royal Society of St George Enterprise House, 10 Church Hill, Loughton, Essex IG10 1LA. +44 (0) 20 3225 5011 info@royalsocietyofstgeorge.com www.royalsocietyofstgeorge.com Order of the Eastern Star #45 Washington Jurisdiction District #9, RAF Lakenheath sogb45@yahoo.com elizabeth.jackson.tripod.com/sogb St John’s Wood Women’s Club membership@sjwwc.org www.sjwwc.org Thames Valley American Women’s Club PO Box 1687, Maidenhead, Berkshire SL6 8XT. 01628 632683 membership@tvawc.com www.tvawc.com UK Panhellenic Association Contact Susan Woolf, 10 Coniston Court, High St. Harrow on the Hill, Middlesex HA1 3LP. 020 8864 0294 susanrwoolf@hotmail.com Anglian Shrine Club Recorder/Secretary: Allan David Warnes “Koloma House”, Warren Avenue, Fakenham, Norfolk NR21 8NP 01328 862001, 07860187333, VOIP 08714084364 Skype batman4499adw allan@allandavidwarnes.co.uk www.anglianshrineclub.co.uk W.E.B. DuBois Consistory #116 Northern Jurisdiction, Valley of London, England, Orient of Europe, Cell: 0776-873-8030 mjack36480@aol.com

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MILITARY 290 Foundation (UK Confederate Navy memorial) Ian Dewar, President, 2 Thompson Drive, Middleton on the Wolds, East Riding, Yorkshire YO25 9TX 01377 217 442 290admin@onetel.com sites.google.com/site/290foundation

AFJROTC 073 Lakenheath High School. Tel: 01638 525603 Air Force Sergeants Association UK POC Timothy W. Litherland CMSgt, USAF (ret). Chapters at RAFs Alconbury, Croughton, Lakenheath, Menwith Hill and Mildenhall. timothy.litherland@outlook.com www.hqafsa.org American Legion London Post 1 Adjutant: Christopher Shea, 10 Ivel Bridge Road, Biggleswade, Befordshire SG18 0AB 07501-062-882 info@amlegionpost1london.org.uk www.amlegionpost1london.org.uk

Western UK Retiree Association President: R. Jim Barber, MSgt (USAF), Ret 01280 708182

EDUCATIONAL ACS International Schools ACS Cobham International School, Heywood, www.acs-england.co.uk AFJROTC 20021 Principal.AlconburyHS@eu.dodea.edu Alconbury Middle/High School RAF Alconbury, Huntingdon, Cambs, PE17 1PJ, UK. www.alco-hs.eu.dodea.edu AlconburyHS.Principal@eu.dodea.edu

Society of American Military Engineers (UK) UK address: Box 763, USAFE Construction Directorate: 86 Blenheim Crescent, West Ruislip, Middlesex HA4 7HL London Post. President: W. Allan Clarke. Secretary: Capt. Gary Chesley. Membership Chairman, Mr. Jim Bizier.

American Institute for Foreign Study 37 Queensgate, London SW7 5HR 020 7581 7300, www.aifs.co.uk info@aifs.co.uk American School in London 1 Waverley Place, London NW8 0NP 020 7449 1200, www.asl.org admissions@asl.org

US Army Reserve 2nd Hospital Center 7 Lynton Close, Ely, Cambs, CB6 1DJ. Tel: 01353 2168 Commander: Major Glenda Day.

Brookwood American Cemetery The American Battle Monuments Commission Superintendant: Craig Rahanian. 01483 473237 Brookwood, Woking, Surrey GU24 0BL www.abmc.gov/cemeteries-memorials/europe/ brookwood-american-cemetery

American School of Aberdeen Craigton Road, Cults, Aberdeen. 01224 861068 / 868927.

US Air Force Recruiting Office Bldg 239 Room 139, RAF Mildenhall, Suffolk IP28 8NF 01638-54-4942/1566 phillip.guffa@mildenhall.af.mil

Commander in Chief, US Naval Forces Europe US Naval Forces Europe-Africa - US Sixth Fleet www.c6f.navy.mil, CNE-C6FPAO@eu.navy.mil Eighth Air Force Historical Society Gordon Richards/Michelle Strefford UK Office, The Croft, 26 Chapelwent Road, Haverhill, Suffolk CB9 9SD, 01440 704014 www.8thafhs.org Friends of the Eighth Newsletter (FOTE News) Chairman: Ron Mackay, 90 Elton Road, Sandbach, Cheshire, CW11 3NF, 01270 767669

58 April 2015

Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States Commander: Ernest Paolucci, 00 33 (0)1.42.50.96.34 24, rue Gerbert, 75015 Paris, France

Reserve Officers Association London Col. B.V. Balch, USAR, 72 Westmoreland Road, Barnes, London SW13 9RY memberservices@roa.org www.roa.org

British Patton Historical Society Kenn Oultram 01606 891303

Joint RAF Alconbury/Molesworth Retiree Affairs Office 423, ABG/RAO, Unit 5623, RAF Alconbury, Huntingdon, Cambs., PE28 4DE, rao@alconbury.af.mil 01480 843364 (Tues only 10:30-14:30)

Marine Corps League Detachment 1088, London, England. Commandant Mike Allen, Creek Cottage, 2 Pednormead End, Old Chesham, Buckinghamshire HP5 2JS detachment1088@mcl-london-uk.org www.mcl-london-uk.org

Navy League of the United States, United Kingdom Council Council President: Steven G. Franck steven.franck@googlemail.com www.navyleague.org

Bentwaters/Woodbridge Retirees’ Association President: Wylie Moore. 2 Coldfair Close, Knodishall, Saxmundham, Suffolk, IP17 1UN. 01728 830281

USNA Alumni Association UK Chapter Pres: LCDR Tim Fox ’97, timfox97@hotmail.com Vice Pres: Miguel Sierra ’90, mrsierra@chevron.com M’ship: Bart O’Brien ’98, bartonobrien2@yahoo.com Secretary: Matt Horan ’87, matthoran@btinternet.com

Military Officers’ Association of America www.moaa.org msc@moaa.org

American Overseas Memorial Day Association To remember and honor the memory of those who gave their lives in World War I and II, whose final resting places are in Europe. info@aomda.com, aomda.com

Madingley American Cemetery Cambridge The American Battle Monuments Commission Madingley Road, Coton, Cambridge CB23 7PH 01954-210350 www.madingleyamericancemetery.info damian.lappin@madingleyamericancemetery.info

Joint RAF Mildenhall/Lakenheath Retiree Affairs Office Co-Directors Dick Good & Jack Kramer Unit 8965, Box 30, RAF Mildenhall, Bury St. Edmonds, Suffolk, IP28 8NF 01638 542039 rao1@us.af.mil

Retired Affairs Office, RAF Alconbury Serving Central England POC: Rex Keegan Alt. POC: Mike Depasquale 423 SVS/RAO, Unit 5585, Box 100, RAF Alconbury, Huntingdon, Cambs PE28 4DA. 01480 84 3364/3557 Office Hours: Tuesday and Friday, 10:30am–2:30pm RAO@Alconbury.af.mil. Emergency no. 07986 887905

Benjamin Franklin House 36 Craven Street, London WC2N 5NF. 020 7839 2006 info@benjaminfranklinhouse.org

Boston University – London Graduate Programs Office 43 Harrington Gardens, London SW7 4JU. 020 7244 6255, www.bu.edu/london

2nd Air Division Memorial Library The Forum, Norwich, Norfolk, NR2 1AW 01603 774747 www.2ndair.org.uk 2admemorial.lib@norfolk.gov.uk

British American Educational Foundation Laurel Zimmermann, Executive Director BAEF, 520 Summit Avenue, Oradell, NJ 07649 USA (201) 2614438 www.baef.org

USAF Retiree Activities Office Director: Paul G Gumbert, CMSgt (USAF), Ret 422 ABG/CVR, Unit 5855, PSC 50, Box 3 RAF Croughton, Northants NN13 5XP 01280 708182 422abg.rao@croughton.af.mil

BUNAC Student Exchange Employment Program - Director: Callum Kennedy, 16 Bowling Green Lane, London EC1R 0QH. 020 7251 3472 www.bunac.org enquiries@bunac.org.uk

US Merchant Marine Academy (Kings Point) UK Chapter President: Allison Bennett, bennett.ac@gmail.com Facebook: Kings Point Alumni - London/United Kingdom

Butler University, Institute for Study Abroad 21 Pembridge Gardens, London W2 4EB 020 7792 8751 www.ifsa-butler.org/england-overview.html

The American

Centre Academy London 92 St John’s Hill, Battersea, London SW11 1SH Tel: 02077382344, info@centreacademy.net www.centreacademy.net

Harlaxton College UK Campus, University of Evansville, Harlaxton Manor, Grantham, Lincs. NG32 1AG. 01476 403000 harlaxton.ac.uk. Huron University USA in London 46-47 Russell Square, Bloomsbury, London WC1B 4JP Tel +44 (0) 20 7636 5667 folu@huron.ac.uk www.huron.ac.uk

Centre Academy East Anglia Church Rd, Brettenham, Ipswich, Suffolk IP7 7QR Tel: 01449736404 admin@centreacademy.net www.centreacademy.net

Institute for the Study of the Americas Director: Professor James Dunkerley. Tel 020 7862 8879 americas@sas.ac.uk www.americas.sas.ac.uk

Central Bureau for Educational Visits Director: Peter Upton, The British Council , 10 Spring Gardens, London SW1A 2BN, 020 7389 4004. Wales 029 2039 7346. Scotland 0131 447 8024. centralbureau@britishcouncil.org

International School of Aberdeen 296 North Deeside Rd, Milltimber, Aberdeen, AB13 0AB 01224 732267 admin@isa.aberdeen.sch.uk www.isa.aberdeen.sch.uk

Council on International Educational Exchange Dr. Michael Woolf, 52 Portland Street, London WIV 1JQ Tel 020 7478 2000 www.ciee.org contact@ciee.org

International School of London 139 Gunnersbury Avenue, London W3 8LG. 020 8992 5823, mail@ISLschools.org www.islschools.org

Ditchley Foundation Ditchley Park, Enstone, Chipping Norton, Oxon OX7 4ER Tel 01608 677346 www.ditchley.co.uk info@ditchley.co.uk

International School of London in Surrey Old Woking Road, Woking GU22 8HY, 01483 750409, www.islsurrey.com mail@islsurrey.com

Dwight School London Formerly North London International School 6 Friem Barnet Lane, London N11 3LX 020 8920 0600 vrose@dwightlondon.org www.dwightlondon.org

Ithaca College London Centre 35 Harrington Gardens, London SW7. Tel. 020 7370 1166 www.ithaca.edu/london bsheasgreen@ithacalondon.co.uk

European Council of International Schools Executive Director: Jean K Vahey Fourth Floor, 146 Buckingham Palace Road, London SW1W 9TR 020 7824 7040 www.ecis.org ecis@ecis.org

Marymount International School, London Headmistress: Ms Sarah Gallagher George Road, Kingston upon Thames, KT2 7PE 020 8949 0571 info@marymountlondon.com www.marymountlondon.com

European-Atlantic Group PO Box 37431, London N3 2XP 020 8632 9253 justinglass@btinternet.com www.eag.org.uk

Missouri London Study Abroad Program 32 Harrington Gardens, London SW7 4JU. 020 7373 7953. web_office@umsl.edu www.umsl.edu/services/cis/

Florida State University London Study Centre Administrative Director: Kathleen Paul 99 Great Russell Street, London, WC1B 3LH. 020 7813 3233 intprog1@admin.fsu.edu www.international.fsu.edu/london Fordham University London Centre Academic Coordinator: Sabina Antal 23 Kensington Square, London W8 5HQ 020 7937 5023 londoncentre@fordham.edu www.fordham.edu Fulbright (US-UK Educational) Commission Dir. of Advisory Service: Lauren Welch Battersea Power Station, 188 Kirtling Street, London SW8 5BN 020 7498 4010 www.fulbright.co.uk Halcyon London International School Co-educational International Baccalaureate (IB). 33 Seymour Place, London W1H 5AU +44 (0)20 7258 1169 , hello@halcyonschool.com halcyonschool.com

Regent’s University London Inner Circle, Regent’s Park, London NW1 4NS. 020 7486 9605. www.regents.ac.uk exrel@regents.ac.uk

Richmond, The American International University in London Queen’s Road, Richmond-upon Thames TW10 6JP Tel: +44 20 8332 9000, enroll@richmond.ac.uk www.richmond.ac.uk Schiller International University Royal Waterloo House, 51-55 Waterloo Road, London SE1 8TX. Tel. 020 7928 1372 www.schillerlondon.ac.uk admissions@schillerlondon.ac.uk Schiller International, Wickham Court School Layhams Road, West Wickham, Kent BR4 9HW. Tel 0208 777 2942, Wickham@schillerintschool.com www.wickhamcourt.org.uk

Sotheby’s Institute of Art Postgraduate Art studies, plus day /evening courses 30 Bedford Square, London WC1B 3EE Tel: 0207 462 3232, info@sothebysinstitute.com www.sothebysinstitute.com Southbank International Schools Kensington and Hampstead for 3-11 year olds; Westminster campuses for 11-18 year olds. 020 7243 3803, admissions@southbank.org www.southbank.org Syracuse University London Program Faraday House, 48-51 Old Gloucester Street, London WC1N 3AE, sulondon.syr.edu TASIS England, American School Coldharbour Lane, Thorpe, Nr. Egham, Surrey TW20 8TE. 01932 565252, england.tasis.com ukadmissions@tasisengland.org UKCISA - Council for International Education 9-17 St. Albans Place, London N1 0NX 020 7354 5210 www.ukcisa.org.uk University of Notre Dame London Program 1 Suffolk Street, London SW1Y 4HG 020 7484 7811, london@nd.edu http://international.nd.edu/about/notre-dameglobal-gateways/london-global-gateway Warnborough University International Office, Friars House, London SE1 8HB. Tel 020 7922 1200 www.warnborough.edu admin@warnborough.edu Webster Graduate Studies Center Regent’s College, Regent’s Park, Inner Circle, London NW1 4NS, UK. 020 7487 7505, webster@regents.ac.uk www.webster.ac.uk Wroxton College Study Abroad with Fairleigh Dickinson University, Wroxton, Nr. Banbury, Oxfordshire OX15 6PX 01295 730551, www.fdu.edu admin@wroxton-college.ac.uk

ALUMNI ASSOCIATIONS Alliant International University (formerly United States International University) England Chapter Alumni Association Chapter President: Eric CK Chan chane@regents.ac.uk c/o Regents College London, Inner Circle, Regents Park, London, UK. www.alliant.edu Amherst College Bob Reichert, RAreichert26b@aol.com Andover/Abbot Association of London Jeffrey Hedges ‘71, President 07968 513 631, hedgeslon@hotmail.com Association of MBAs Leo Stemp, Events Administrator Tel 020 7837 3375 (ext. 223), l.stemp@mba.org.uk

April 2015 59

The American

Babson College Frank de Jongh Swemer, 020 7932 7514 babson.alumni@btinternet.com Barnard College Club Hiromi Stone, President. 0207 935 3981, barnardclubgb@yahoo.co.uk Berkeley Club of London Geoff Kertesz berkeleyclublondon@gmail.com http://international.berkeley.edu/LondonClub www.facebook.com groups/223876564344656/ www.linkedin.com/groups/Berkeley-ClubLondon-4186104 Boston College Alumni Club UK Craig Zematis, President +44 7717 878968 BCalumniclub@gmail.com www.alumniconnections.com/olc/pub/BTN/cpages/ chapters/home.jsp?chapter=41&org=BTN Boston University Alumni Association of the UK Will Straughn, Snr International Development Officer, University Development and Alumni Relations, 43 Harrington Gardens, Kensington, London SW7 4JU 020 7244 2908 020 7373 7411 bstraugh@bu.edu Brandeis Alumni Club of Great Britain Joan Bovarnick, President http://alumni.brandeis.edu office@alumni.brandeis.edu Brown University Club of the United Kingdom President: Tugba Erem. Communication: Patrick Attie Alumni Club & Liaison: Vanessa Van Hoof Brown Club UK, Box 57100, London, EC1P 1RB contact@brownuk.org www.brownuk.org Bryn Mawr Club Lady Quinton, President. Wendy Tiffin, Secretary/Treasurer, 52 Lansdowne Gardens, London SW8 2EF wendytif@ukgateway.net Claremont Colleges Alumni in London Hadley Beeman, hadley_beeman@alumni.cmc.edu Colgate Club of London Stephen W Solomon â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;76, President 0207 349 0738 swsolomon@hotmail.com Columbia Business School Alumni Club of London 6 Petersham Mews, London SW7 5NR www.cbsclublondon.org londonadmin@gsb.columbia.edu Columbia University Club of London london@alumniclubs.columbia.edu www.alumniclubs.columbia.edu/london Cornell Club of London nmt4@cornell.edu www.alumni.cornell.edu/orgs/int/London Dartmouth College Club of London alumni.dartmouth.edu www.dartmouth.org

60 April 2015

Delta Kappa Gamma Society International sandra.blacker@outlook.com,www.dkggb.org.uk

NYU Alumni Club in London Jodi Ekelchik, President alumni.london@nyu.edu alumni.nyu.edu

Delta Sigma Pi Business Fraternity London Alumni Chapter. Ashok Arora, P O Box 1110, London W3 7ZB 020 8423 8231, bertela@yahoo.com www.dspnet.org

NYU STERN UK Alumni Club www.stern.nyu.edu/portal-partners/alumni sternukalumniclub@hotmail.com fjrodrgo@yahoo.com

Delta Zeta International Sorority Alumna Club Sunny Eades 01543 490 312 SunnyEades@aol.com www.deltazeta.org

Ohio University Alumni UK & Ireland Frank Madden, 01753 855 360 frank@madant.demon.co.uk www.ohioalumni.org

Duke University Club of England rpalany@gmail.com, a.sagar@promemoriauk.com www.dukealumni.com/alumni-communities/ regional-programs/groups/london

Penn Alumni Club of the UK w ww.alumniconnections.com/olc/pub/UPN/cpages/ home.jsp?chapter=4&org=UPN pennalumniuk@gmail.com

Emory University Alumni Chapter of the UK Matthew Williams, Chapter Leader 079 8451 4119, matthew.eric.williams@gmail.com www.alumni.emory.edu

Penn State Alumni Association pennstatelondon@gmail.com www.alumni.psu.edu

Georgetown Alumni Club Alexa Fernandez, GeorgetownLondon@Yahoo.com UKHoyas@gmail.com , alumni.georgetown.edu

The London Association of Phi Beta Kappa phibetakappalondon@gmail.com www.pbkldn.org www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=5117368 @phibetakappaldn

Gettysburg College Alumni London Britt-Karin Oliver, brittkarin@aol.com alumni@gettysburg.edu www.gettysburg.edu/alumni2

Princeton Association (UK) membership@princeton.org.uk princeton.org.uk

Harvard Business School Club of London admin@hbsa.org.uk www.hbsa.org.uk

Rice Alumni of London Kathy Wang 07912 560 177 a lumni.rice.edu kathyw@alumni.rice.edu, suzanne.boue@rice.edu

Harvard Club of the United Kingdom president@hcuk.org, membership@hcuk.org www.hcuk.org Indiana University Alumni club of England ukhoosiers@gmail.com www.alumni.indiana.edu/clubs/england

Skidmore College Alumni Club, London alumni.affairs@skidmore.edu w ww.skidmore.edu/alumni www.facebook.com/SkidmoreCollegeAlumni

KKG London Alumnae Association londonalumni.kkg@gmail.com w ww.kappakappagamma.org

Smith College Club of London smithclubgb@gmail.com www.smithclubgb.org

LMU Loyola Marymount Alumni Club London Alumni Relations: heather.wells@lmu.edu 310.338.4574 http://alumni.lmu.edu

Stanford Business School Alumni Assn. UK alumni@gsb.stanford.edu alumni-gsb.stanford.edu/get/page/groups/ overview/?group_id=0038990048

Marymount University Alumni UK Chapter President: Mrs Suzanne Tapley, 35 Park Mansions, Knightsbridge, London SW1X 7QT. 020 7581 3742 www.marymount.edu/alumni MIT Club of Great Britain reenan@alum.mit.edu greatbritain.alumclub.mit.edu Mount Holyoke Club of Britain mhcbritain@gmail.com sites.alumnae.mtholyoke.edu/wp/ukclub Notre Dame Club of London ndlondon@alumni.nd.edu http://london.undclub.org/

Syracuse University Alumni UK SUalumniUK@syr.edu sulondon.syr.edu/about/sualumniuk.html www.facebook.com/SUajlumniUK Texas Tech Alumni Association - London Chapter Scott Dewar 077754 35877 sdewar2@gmail.com www.texastechalumni.org/chapters Texas Exes UK (UKTE) England: Carra Kane 0778 660 7534 carrakane@alumni.utexas.net Scotland: Corey Cripe coreycripe@gmail.com www.fornogoodreason.com/UKTEMain.htm

The American

Texas A&M Club London london@aggienetwork.com www.aggienetwork.com/club-page/londn The John Adams Society johnadamssociety@gmail.com www.johnadamssociety.co.uk Tufts - London Tufts Alliance tuftsalumni.org Londontuftsalliance@yahoo.com UConn Alumni Association uconnalumni.com UnitedKingdom@UConnAlumni.com UMass Alumni Club UK President, Renu Singh, renu.singh@alumni.lse.ac.uk umassalumni.com University of California 020 7079 0567 london.universityofcalifornia.edu alumni@californiahouse.org.uk University of Chicago Alumni Association rupalyp@gmail.com, w ww.uchicagouk.org University of Chicago Booth Alumni Association President: hbunuan@chicagobooth.edu www.chicagobooth.edu/alumni/clubs/uk University of Colorado Alumni alumni.colorado.edu/cu-in-london allyson.frusciano@colorado.edu University of Georgia Alumni Association 07919 057 538 nealjohnsonuk@yahoo.com www.alumni.uga.edu/alumni/index.php/site/ chapters/london_chapter

US Merchant Marine Academy (Kings Point) Alumni UK Chapter www.usmma.edu/alumni bennett.ac@gmail.com Facebook: Kings Point Alumni - London/United Kingdom USNA Alumni Association, UK Chapter President: Tim Fox ‘97 timfox97@hotmail.com Facebook - USNA Alumni Association, UK Chapter Vassar College Club Sara Hebblethwaite, President 020 8788 6910 contact@vassarclubuk.org www.vassarclubuk.org Warnborough Worldwide Alumni Association 01227 762 107 www.wwaa.info/wwaa.htm admissions@warnborough.edu Washington University UK Alumni Club Steven Leof, steven@leof.co.uk alumni.wustl.edu/Community/Pages/London.aspx www.facebook.com/groups/WUSTLLondon Wellesley College Club www.wellesley.edu/alumnae/groups/clubs/intlclubs/ wellesley_uk_club WCLondon@alum.wellesley.edu Wharton Alumni Club of the UK 020-7447-8800 www.whartonclubuk.net Williams Club of Great Britain Ethan Kline: ethankline@gmail.com, alumni. relations@williams.edu, alumni.williams.edu Yale Club of London President, president@yale.org.uk Secretary secretary@yale.org.uk www.yale.org.uk

University of Illinois Alumni Club of the UK Amy Barklam BUS 1994, President, 07796 193 466 amybarklam@msn.com www.uialumninetwork.org

Zeta Tau Alpha Alumnae Kristin Morgan 07812 580949 kristinamorgan@gmail.com www.zetataualpha.org

University of North Carolina Alumni Club unclondoncochairs@googlegroups.com alumni.unc.edu

CIVIL WAR SOCIETIES

University of Michigan Alumni Association 0788-784-0941, jesscobb@yahoo.com alumni.umich.edu University of Rochester/Simon School UK Alumni Association Julie Bonne, 0118-956-5052, alumni@rochester.edu julie_bonne@yahoo.com, www.rochester.edu/alumni

SPORTS English Lacrosse Wenlock Way, Manchester M12 5DH 0843 658 5006 info@englishlacrosse.co.uk www.englishlacrosse.co.uk British Baseball Federation / SoftballUK 5th Floor, Ariel House, 74a Charlotte Street, London W1T 4QJ 020 7453 7055 www.britishbaseball.org British Morgan Horse Society 01981 500488 admin@morganhorse.org.uk www.morganhorse.org.uk Ice Hockey UK 02920 263 441 ihukoffice@yahoo.co.uk www.icehockeyuk.co.uk

Fundraising event?

Tweet @TheAmericanMag Inﬁnity Elite Cheerleading (founded by CAC) 077 9132 0115 infinityelite@yahoo.co.uk www.facebook.com/InfinityAllstars Herts Baseball Club Adult & Little League Baseball www.hertsbaseball.com Lakenheath Barracudas Swim Club Open to all military affiliated families. laken.barracudas@yahoo.com www.barracudas.moonfruit.com LondonSports American flag football, baseball, basketball and soccer, boys/girls, 4-15 all nationalities, new or experienced players. www.londonsports.com vll@me.com London Warriors American Football Club info@londonwarriorsafc.co.uk www.londonwarriorsafc.co.uk

American Civil War Round Table (UK) Civil War historical soc., sandra-bishop@hotmail.com www.americancivilwar.org.uk Southern Skirmish Association (SoSkan) The oldest American Civil War Re-enacting Society outside the USA. membership@soskan.co.uk www.soskan.co.uk

ARTS

University of Southern California, USC Alumni Club of London Walter Ladwig, President usclondon@gmail.com www.usclondonalumni.org

American Actors UK 07873 371 891 admin@americanactorsuk.com www.americanactorsuk.com

University of Virginia Alumni Club of London uvaclubs.virginia.edu/group/uvaclub-of-london londonuvaclub@yahoo.com 020 7368 8473

Savio(u)r Theatre Company Britain’s American theatre company www.saviourtheatrecompany.com

Has your group done something you’re proud of? Tell us email sabrina@theamerican.co.uk

We rely on you to keep us informed. Every eﬀort is made to ensure that these listings are correct but if your entry requires amendments please tell us. Send profiles, news or articles about your organization for possible publication in The American. email sabrina@theamerican.co.uk, tel +44(0)1747 830520 Twitter @TheAmericanMag

April 2015 61

The American To find out whether you’re eligible to advertise your products and services here, and for rates, call Sabrina Sully on +44 (0)1747 830520. You’ll reach Americans living in and visiting the UK as well as Britons who like American culture and products. Jaffe & Co., incorp. American Tax International

ACCOUNTANCY & TAX BDO LLP

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Burton Sweet

Suppliers of quality products and services hand-picked for you ANTIQUES & COLLECTABLES Stephen T Taylor Your American stamp dealer in Britain since 1995. 5 Glenbuck Road, Surbiton, Surrey KT6 6BS 020 8390 9357 info@stephentaylor.co.uk www.stephentaylor.co.uk

COUNSELLING AND PSYCHOTHERAPY Anji Holland and Associates

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Greenback Expat Tax Services

Expert preparation of US and UK taxes from our highly experienced CPAs, UK Chartered Accountant and IRS Enrolled Agents US Toll Free: +1 888-362-5032 www.greenbacktaxservices.com info@greenbacktaxservices.com www.facebook.com/greenbacktax www.youtube.com/GreenbackTaxServices

Certified Public Accountants specializing in tax planning and preparation, retirement planning and consulting for American expatriates and foreign nationals. Also offer a program to assist human resource professionals in serving the needs of the their expat employees. 1776 N. Pine Island Road, Suite 316, Plantation, Florida, USA 33322 +1 954-332-1345 sr@krcpas.us www.americantaxhelp.com

Montage Services, Inc.

For all your US tax needs in Europe: individual & corporate, international & domestic. Offices in San Francisco, Houston, London, Toronto and Berlin. 020 3004 6353 sam@montage-services.com www.montage-services.com

62 April 2015

Transitions Therapy

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Bow Lane Dental Group

Professional service at affordable prices. Fixed fee U.S. Expatriate tax preparation service in London. Federal/ State, Foreign bank account/IRS audits response 152 Burford Wharf, 3 Cam Road, London, E15 2SS +44 (0)20 3286 6445. M: +44 (0)79 1439 3183 kader@taxandaccountinghub.com www.taxandaccountinghub.com

For all you and your families dental needs visit the award winning Bow Lane Dental Group in the City of London. We have been making the City smile since 2001. www.bowlanedental.com 020 7236 3600 reception@bowlanedental.com

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EDUCATION Castle Education Consultancy Ltd

Penningtons Manches LLP

Independent education consultancy that works with families on school and university search. 50 Scholars Drive, Penylan, Cardiff CF23 9FE 02920 214424 www.castleeducationconsultancy.co.uk Matthew@castleeducationconsultancy.co.uk

FINANCIAL ADVICE

Family, international private wealth, immigration and residential property teams advise international families and expatriates on relocation, wealth management, tax, immigration and all aspects of family law. Abacus House, 33 Gutter Lane, London EC2V 8AR T: +44 (0) 20 7457 3000 F: +44 (0) 20 7457 3240 anna.worwood@manches.com www.penningtons.co.uk @penningtonslaw

REAL ESTATE RE/MAX Property Group

Notting Hill Gate Branch: 49 Cottesmore Court, Stanford Road, London W8 5QW 07511-895090 www.remax.co.uk

VISAS & IMMIGRATION US Visa Solutions - Law Office of Janice A. Flynn

MEDICAL

Tanager Wealth Management LLP

108 Medical Chambers

Integrated financial and investment advice for US expats living in the UK provided by US expats. Global account consolidation, UK/US savings and retirement planning together with investment advice. Contact us for a no obligation meeting or telephone conversation. 020 7871 8440 www.tanagerwealth.com contact@tanagerwealth.com @tanagerwealth

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NOTARIES

Rolando Luci

US-licensed immigration lawyers advising on US citizenship, green cards, visa and US entry issues. Honest, straightforward advice and a high level of bespoke service. Third Floor, 6 & 7 Hatton Garden, London EC1N 8AD UK +44 (0)20 7092 6830 US +1 (312) 361-0581 Janice@usvisasolutions.co.uk www.usvisasolutions.co.uk Twitter: FlynnUSVisaLaw

WEDDING PLANNING Extraordinary Days Events

Edward Young LLP Edward Young LLP (inc. Kober-Smith & Associates) is a full practice Notary Public in London. We can solve your problems. Full notary service. 9 Carlos Place London W1K 3AT (nr US Embassy) Appointment only. 00 44(0)20 7499 2605 notary@NotaryPublicInLondon.com www.edwardyoung.co.uk

Luxury lighting, including American brands, some unique to the UK 01778 218121 www.rolandoluci.co.uk

SOLUTION 9

An American wedding planner in London creating elegant, sophisticated, and unique weddings in England. Bespoke services ranging from full service planning to day-of coordination. 020 7433 0300 info@extraordinarydaysevents.com www.extraordinarydaysevents.com

CoďŹ&#x20AC;ee Break Answers

1.Frank Sinatra; 2. Jimi Hendrix; 3.b) American Independence; 4. The Boss; 5. Holy Loch; 6. Herman Melville, author of Moby-Dick; 7. The Memphis Belle; 8. Liverpool; 9. a) Lisbon, Portugal; 10. The Hubble Telescope; 11. Ellis Island

April 2015 September 2013 63

The American

Coﬀee Break QUIZ ➊

Way before Beatlemania, ‘Bobby soxers’ were the screaming teenage fans of which singer?

➋

Which American rock artist lived in an apartment next to the former residence of composer George Frederic Handel, in London?

➌

William Petty, the 2nd Earl of Shelburne, has a blue plaque in London which proclaims his support of what? a) Colonisation of America b) American Independence c) Abolition of Slavery

➍ ➎

What is the nickname of Bruce Springsteen?

➏

Benjamin Franklin once lived on Craven Street, London, but which well known American author also lived on the street for a short time in the mid 1800s? Hint: his name isn’t Ishmael. RAF/USAAF Bassingbourn in Hertfordshire was home to which well known US Flying Fortress?

➑

James Maury, a friend of George Washington, was America’s first Consul for which Northern English city?

➒

2 7

Which of these European cities is on the same time as London? a) Lisbon b) Minsk c) Berlin

1 4

8 5

2 9 5 3 6 2

Which former US Navy base was located near Dunoon, in Argyll and Bute, Scotland?

➐

8 2 1 4 7

It happened 25 years ago...

➓

April 24th, 1990: Which telescope, carried by the Discovery shuttle, launched from Cape Canaveral?

⓫

April 1890: America’s first Federal immigration station was constructed, where was it located?

It happened 150 years ago...

Quiz answers and Sudoku solution on page 63.

64 April 2015

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Free to Read in Print or On Screen Every issue of the magazine now available online... IN PRINT: Pick a copy up from (among other places):  The US Embassy in London and US Consulates  The United/Continental and Virgin clubhouses at Heathrow  Hotels around the UK  The American Museum in Britain (near Bath)  Automat American Brasserie, Dover Street, Mayfair, London  Sports Bar & Grill Marylebone and Victoria  All the organizations listed in back of the magazine, and USAFE bases  see www.theamerican. co.uk for a full list Get a copy delivered to your home or workplace, the only thing we’ll ask you to pay for is the post and packing – call us on +44 (0)1747 830520. ON SCREEN: Read The American on your mobile device or computer at www.theamerican.co.uk – Click on the front cover image for the current issue, or on the MAGAZINE tab where you can read back issues too.

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