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The Friends of Czech Heritage: keeping you informed about our activities

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For events and news from other organisations please click here, where we feature a broad range of Czech-related items on Facebook, regularly updated.

The Death of the Journalist Mr. Jan Jůn

Jan Jun CC cJindřich Nosek

On Saturday 23rd July 2022, Mr. Jan Jůn, a Czech journalist living in the United Kingdom, died after a short, serious illness. Jan Jůn graduated at the Faculty of Social Sciences and Journalism of Charles University. In Czechoslovakia he worked as an editor in the newspaper 'Svobodné slovo', in the publishing house Avicenum. After emigration, he wa...

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The Pheasantry in Červený Dvůr has a new use

Pheasantry cFoCH Small

The Pheasantry, in the park of the Château of Červený Dvůr in South Bohemia, was one of our first projects. The Gothic-revival building forms an important feature in the park of the psychiatric clinic that occupies the château.We arranged a grant for the conservation of the roof and interior to facilitate its reuse for residential and creative acti...

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Summer Outing to Rousham and Chastleton, 13/07/2022

Rousham House cJason BallardCC

Rousham is 12 miles north of Oxford, and Chastleton is four miles from Moreton-in-Marsh. Both are exceptional houses set in celebrated gardens, both have remained in the ownership of the same families for nearly 400 years. Chastleton was acquired by the National Trust in 1991. ROUSHAMThe landscape garden at Rousham should be a place of pilgrimage f...

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Visit to Tilbury and Bata Heritage, 22/06/22

BataTilbury220622 cFoCH

The Friends' tour to the Bata Museum and former company town at East Tilbury was a great success despite transport problems due to the current strike. In gloriously sunny weather we were guided around the town by the enthusiastic volunteers from the museum. There was time for lunch and a visit to Coalhouse Fort overlooking the Thames before our ret...

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Lecture on Tuesday 17/05/22: Sir John Tusa - My Life with Bata

BataCompoRectFLAT cMark Surry CC et al

Sir John Tusa - ‘MY LIFE WITH BATA’ John Tusa came to Britain in 1939 with his family at the age of three from Zlín in Moravia where his father had worked since the age of sixteen in the famous Bata shoe factory – a Bata baby. By the 1930s Bata of Czechoslovakia were the world’s leading manufacturer of footwear and factories were increasingly estab...

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Lecture 26/04/22 by Dr Philip Mansel: 'The Bourbons and Bohemia'

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Louis XIV was a life-long enemy of the Holy Roman Emperors and Kings of Bohemia, Leopold I and Charles VI. The armies of his successor Louis XV occupied Prague in 1741. Thereafter, however, the Bourbons became allies of the House of Austria. During the French Revolution the resort of Teplitz/Teplice in Bohemia became a residence of many emigrés, in...

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Working Holiday: Restoration at Červený Dvůr, 21 to 28 May 2022/ 28 May to 4 June 2022

CD2019 cMSteibelt

Červený Dvůr is a historic estate that was once the summer residence of the Schwarzenberg family and is now a sanatorium. In 2022, participants will be helping to complete work on the two gatehouses, working on the facade, the plaster and the final coat. During the week there will be the opportunity to visit some of the region’s houses and castles....

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Working Holiday in Moravia: the World Heritage site at Žďár nad Sázavou, 4 - 11 June 2022

ZdarGroup2018 cZbynekVintr

The working holiday: participants will work on the site of the UNESCO pilgrimage church of St John of Nepomuk at Zelená Hora, designed by the famous Baroque architect J.B. Santini-Aichel. Tasks may include simple building work, painting and simple ground work. No prior skill is required. Volunteers will be working alongside Czech participants. Duri...

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Wednesday 20/04/2022: Visit to Holland Park and the Czech Embassy

CzEmb cPJamieson

The visit was led by Peter Jamieson and Peter Ruback and started at on Kensington High Street outside the Design Museum. The walk celebrated some of the best mid-century and Brutalist buildings in an area best known for High Victorian architecture. We started outside the Design Museum which was formerly the Commonwealth Institute, by Robert Matthew...

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Lecture 15/03/22: Legends of Czech Glass

CzechGlassCompoST cMHill

The 1950s-70s saw a renaissance in Czech glass design that re-established the Bohemian region’s global reputation in this area. From behind the Iron Curtain, skilled designers pushed the boundaries of 20th century glass design and produced unique art glass masterpieces that went on to inspire visually stunning, highly innovative and commercial rang...

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