Run-up to Christmas 1855

The Daughter of the House was occupied in learning some new Christmas carols ready to accompany her parents and friends in their traditional after-dinner entertainment on Christmas Day in a week or so's time. Currently, her favourite is a new arrangement by Mr W Cummings of Wesley's Hark the Herald Angels Sing, which apparently is based on a tune written about 15 years ago by the German composer Mendelssohn.

One of the maids was busy lighting the candles on the big tree outside the conservatory. The Master was an enthusiastic supporter of the Christmas Tree tradition which Prince Albert had introduced into the Royal family, as publicised back in 1846 in the illustrated London News. However, the Maid was not too sure that lighting a large tree with lighted candles in the cold and wet of a dark December's evening was quite what Prince Albert intended, and she couldn't really see the tradition carrying on.

Another view in the occasional series of shots from my Doll's House collection. This one is in 1/12th scale. I build both the piano and conservatory from kits