Alexandrine Tinne, Dutch explorer in Africa and the first European woman to attempt to cross the Sahara.

Alexandrine Petronella Francina Tinne (alternative spellings: Pieternella, Françoise, Tinné) (17 October 1835 – 1 August 1869) was a Dutch explorer in Africa and the first European woman to attempt to cross the Sahara. She was born at The Hague, Netherlands.

Alexandrine was the daughter of Philip Frederik Tinne, a Dutch merchant who settled in England during the Napoleonic wars and later returned to his native land, and of Baroness Henriette van Capellen. Henriette, daughter of a famous Dutch Vice-Admiral, Theodorus Frederik van Capellen, was Philip's second wife, and Alexandrine was born when he was sixty-three. Young Alexandrine was tutored at home, and showed a proficiency at piano. When her wealthy father died when she was ten years old, it left her the richest heiress in the Netherlands.

She and her mother traveled extensively in Norway, Italy and the Middle East, and visited Egypt. Alexine (as she preferred to be called) and Henriëtte were the first western women to navigate up the White Nile and pass the magical 4 degree latitude, arriving at Gondokoro on 30 September 1862. Falling ill at that point Alexine was not able to proceed and forced to return to Khartoum. Vague plans about joining in the search for the source of the Nile were not to be fulfilled. On her second journey to the Gazelle-river Alexine Tinne, as well, became the first western woman to reach the borders of the lands of the Azande in the summer of 1863. On her last journey to the Touareg-countries, moreover, she was the first western woman to enter the Sahara, reaching the area between Murzuq and Ghat in July 1869, whereafter she was killed on 1 August 1869. Alexine Tinne became the first female photographer in the Netherlands who achieved in producing some 40 large sized photographs of locations at The Hague and of the interiors of her house at the Lange Voorhout 32.

For the first extensive journey in Central Africa Alexine Tinne left Europe in the summer of 1861 for the White Nile regions. Staying at the famous Shepheard's Hotel in Cairo, and accompanied by her mother and her aunt, she set out on 9 January 1862. After a short stay at Khartoum the party ascended the White Nile to Gondokoro, where they were forced to return reaching Khartoum on 20 November. Directly after their return Theodor von Heuglin and Hermann Steudner met with the Tinne's and the four of them planned to travel to the Gazelle-river Bahr-el-Ghazal, a tributary of the White Nile, in order to reach the countries of the 'Niam-Niam'(Azande). Heuglin and Steudner left Khartoum on 25 January, ahead of the expedition. The Tinne's followed on 5 February. Heuglin also had a geographical exploration in mind, intending to explore the uncharted region beyond the river and to ascertain how far westward the Nile basin extended; also to investigate the reports of a vast lake in Central Africa eastwards of those already known, most likely the lake-like expanses of the middle Congo.

Ascending the Bahr-el-Ghazal, the limit of navigation was reached on 10 March. From Meshra-er-Rek a journey was made overland, across the Bahr Jur and south-west by the Bahr Kosango, to Jebel Kosango, on the borders of the Niam-Niam country. During the journey all the travelers suffered severely from fever. Steudner died in April and Madame Tinne, Alexandrine's mother, in July, followed by two Dutch maids. After many fatigues and dangers the remainder of the party reached Khartoum at the end of March 1864, whereafter Miss Tinné's aunt, who had stayed in Khartoum, died. After having buried her aunt and one of her maids, Alexine Tinne, devastated by the deaths, returned Berber and Suakin to Cairo, taking with her the corpses of the other maid and her mother. John Tinne, her half-brother from Liverpool, visited Alexine in January/February 1865, with the intention of talking her into joining him back home. Alexine was not to be persuaded, and John left with the two corpses and a large part of her ethnographic collection. Her mother's corpse later was buried at the Oud Eik en Duinen cemetery in The Hague. Alexine's ethnographic collection was donated by John to the Public Museum (now the Liverpool World Museum).

The geographical and scientific results of the expedition were highly important, as will be seen in Heuglin's Die Tinnésche Expedition im westlichen Nilgebiet (1863–1864 (Gotha, 1865), and Reise in das Gebiet des Weissen Nils Leipzig, 1869). A description, by T Kotschy and J Peyritsch, of some of the plants discovered by the expedition was published at Vienna in 1867 under the title of Plantae Tinneanae, and introduced 24 new species to science, including 19 species in the mint family.

At Cairo Miss Tinne lived in Oriental style during the next four years, visiting Algeria, Tunisia and other parts of the Mediterranean. An attempt to reach the Touaregs in 1868 from Algiers failed.

In January 1869 she again made an attempt to fulfill her ardent desire to meet the Touaregs. She started from Tripoli with a caravan, intending to proceed to Lake Chad, and thence by Wadai, Darfur and Kordofan to the upper Nile. In Murzuq she met the German explorer Gustav Nachtigal, with whom she intended to cross the desert. As Nachtigal wanted to go to the Tibesti Mountains first, she set out for the South on her own. Her caravan advanced slowly. Due to her diseases (attacks of gout, inflammation of her eyes)she was not able to maintain order in her group.

In the early morning of 1 August on the route from Murzuk to Ghat she was murdered together with two Dutch sailors in her party, allegedly by Tuareg in league with her escort. According to the statements, given at the trial in Tripoli in December 1869/January 1870, two blows of a sword (one in her neck, one on one of her hands) made her collapse. They left her to bleed to death. Her body was never found.

There are several theories as to the motive, none of them proven. One is that her guides believed that her iron water tanks were filled with gold. It is also possible that her death came as a result of an internal political conflict between local Tuareg chiefs. Another explorer, Erwin von Bary, who visited the same area in the 1870s, met participants of the assault and learned that it had been a blow against the "great old man" of the Northern Tuareg, Ikhenukhen, who was to be removed from his powerful position, and the means was to be the killing of the Christians—just to prove that Ikhenukhen was too weak to protect travelers any more. In the context of the internal strife between the Northern Tuareg that lasted until the Ottoman occupation of the Fezzan Province (Southern Libya) this version is the most probable explanation of the otherwise unmotivated massacre.

It was said that her collections of ethnographic specimens in the museum at Liverpool, England were destroyed in 1941, during a bombing raid on the harbor of Liverpool in World War II, and the church built in her memory in The Hague was similarly destroyed. Recent research revealed however that around 75% (over 100 objects) of her ethnographic collection survived this Blizkrieg. Besides their value as an irreplaceable document of her two Sudan-journeys in 1862-1864, her collection, together with the contemporary one of Heuglin at Stuttgart (the Linden Museum), represent rare specimens of an early date belonging to material cultures in regions of Sudan. A small marker near Juba in Sudan commemorating the great Nile explorers of the 19th century bears her name, as well as a window plaque in Tangiers. Many of her remaining papers, including most of her letters from Africa, are stored at the National Archive in The Hague. Her photographs are at the National Archive and the Haags Gemeentearchief (Municipal Archive of The Hague).

Alexandrine Tinne in Afrika from Captain Video on Vimeo.

Castell Coch ,Cardiff, Wales, by William Burges

Castell Coch is a 19th-century Gothic Revival castle built on the remains of a genuine 13th-century fortification, cared for by Cadw, the Welsh Government's historic environment service. It is situated on a steep hillside high above the village ofTongwynlais, to the north of Cardiff in Wales, and is a Grade I listed building as from 28 January 1963.

Designed by William Burges, with an impressively medieval appearance, working portcullis and drawbridge, and sumptuous interiors which rival those of Cardiff Castle, it has been described as "the most spectacular example of [that architect's] translation from High Gothic into High Victorian."

Castell Coch was built on the site of a 13th-century castle. The earlier fortification was constructed by a Welsh chieftain referred to as Ifor Bach ("Little Ivor"). In the late 13th century the castle site was claimed by the De Clare family because of its strategic importance, commanding both the plains area and the entrance to the Taff valley. The castle was rebuilt in stone and consisted of a keep, towers, an enclosed courtyard and a gatehouse. Although the early history of the castle is largely undocumented, it is generally accepted that it was severely damaged during a period of Welsh rebellion in the early 14th century. Thereafter, the castle fell into disuse and by Tudor times, the antiquary John Leland described it as "all in ruin no big thing but high".

In 1871, John Crichton-Stuart, 3rd Marquess of Bute, ordered the site to be cleared of vegetation and debris while his architect, William Burges, drew up plans for a full reconstruction. Burges and the Marquess had been working for over three years on the rebuilding of Cardiff Castle; the aim at Castell Coch was to achieve another "dazzling architectural tour de force of the High Victorian era, a dream-like castle which combined sumptuous Gothic fantasy with timeless fairy tale."

A set of drawings for the planned rebuilding exists, together with a full architectural justification by Burges. The castle reconstruction features three conical roofs to the towers that are historically questionable. Burges sought to defend their use with references to a body of doubtful historical evidence but: "the truth is that he wanted them for their architectural effect." He did admit that they were "utterly conjectural" although "more picturesque and (...) affording much more accommodation", contending that:

"It is true that some antiquaries deny the existence of high roofs in English Mediaeval Military Architecture, and ask objectors to point out examples. As nearly every Castle in the country has been ruined for more than two centuries...it is not surprising that no examples are to be found. But we may form a very fair idea of the case if we consult contemporary (manuscripts) and if we do we find nearly an equal number of towers with flat roofs as those with pointed roofs. The case appears to me to be thus: if a tower presented a good situation for military engines, it had a flat top; if the contrary, it had a high roof to guarantee the defenders from the rain and the lighter sorts of missiles. Thus an arrow could not pierce the roof, but if the latter were absent and the arrow was fired upright, in its downward flight it might occasion the same accident to the defenders as happened to Harold at Hastings."

Burges's report on the proposed reconstruction was delivered in 1872 but construction was delayed until 1875, in part because of the pressure of work at Cardiff Castle, and in part because of an unfounded concern on behalf of the Marquess's trustees that he was facing bankruptcy.But in August 1875 work began in earnest. The exterior comprises three towers, "almost equal to each other in diameter, but arrestingly dissimilar in height." They form an awesome display of architectural power and ability. In a lecture, Burges called on architectural students to "study the great broad masses, the strong unchamfered lines".

The Keep tower, the Well Tower and the Kitchen Tower incorporate a series of apartments, of which the main sequence, the Castellan's Rooms, lie within the Keep. The Hall, the Drawing Room, Lord Bute's Bedroom and Lady Bute's bedroom comprise a suite of rooms that exemplify the High Victorian Gothic style in 19th century Britain. They begin weakly: the Banqueting Hall, completed well after Burges's death, is "dilute(,...) unfocussed"[9] and "anaemic." The Drawing Room is "more exciting", a double-height room with decoration illustrating the "intertwined themes (of) the fecundity of nature and the fragility of life." A superb fireplace by Thomas Nicholls features the Three Fates, spinning, measuring and cutting the thread of life. The octagonal chamber with its great rib-vault, modelled on one designed by Viollet-Le-Duc at Councy, is "spangled with butterflies and birds of sunny plume in gilded trellis work." Off the hall, lies the Windlass Room, in which Burges delighted in assembling the fully functioning apparatus for the drawbridge, together with "murder holes" for expelling boiling oil. The Marquess's bedroom provide some "spartan" respite before the culmination of the castle, Lady Bute's Bedroom.

The room is "pure Burges: an arcaded circle, punched through by window embrasures, and topped by a trefoil-sectioned dome." The decorative theme is 'love', symbolised by "monkeys, pomegranates, nesting birds". The decoration was completed long after Burges's death but his was the guiding spirit; "Would Mr Burges have done it?" William Frame wrote to Thomas Nicholls in 1887.

Following Burges' death in 1881, work on the interior continued for another ten years. The castle was not used much: the Marquess never came after its completion, and the family appeared to use it as a sort of sanatorium, although the Marchioness and her daughter, Lady Margaret Crichton-Stuart, did occupy it for a period following the death of the Marquess in 1900. But the castle remained "one of the greatest Victorian triumphs of architectural composition," summing up "to perfection the learned dream world of a great patron and his favourite architect, recreating from a heap of rubble a fairy-tale castle which seems almost to have materialised from the margins of a medieval manuscript."

In 1950, the 5th Marquess of Bute placed the castle in the care of the Ministry of Works. It is now administered by Cadw, an agency of the Welsh Government. Ths castle is Grade I listed, of exceptional architectural and historical interest.

William Burges (2 December 1827 – 20 April 1881) was an English architect and designer. Among the greatest of the Victorian art-architects, he sought in his work to escape from both nineteenth-century industrialisation and the Neoclassical architectural style and re-establish the architectural and social values of a utopian medieval England. Burges stands within the tradition of the Gothic Revival, his works echoing those of the Pre-Raphaelites and heralding those of the Arts and Crafts movement.

Burges's career was short but illustrious; he won his first major commission for Saint Fin Barre's Cathedral in Cork in 1863, when he was 35, and he died, in 1881, at his Kensington home, The Tower House, aged only 53. His architectural output was small but varied. Working with a long-standing team of craftsmen, he built churches, a cathedral, a warehouse, a university, a school, houses and castles. Burges's most notable works are Cardiff Castle, constructed between 1866 and 1928, and Castell Coch (1872–91), both of which were built for John Crichton-Stuart, 3rd Marquess of Bute. Other significant buildings include Gayhurst House, Buckinghamshire (1858–65), Knightshayes Court (1867–74), the Church of Christ the Consoler (1870–76) and St Mary's, Studley Royal (1870–78) in Yorkshire, and Park House, Cardiff (1871–80).

Many of his designs were never executed or were subsequently demolished or altered. His competition entries for cathedrals at Lille (1854), Adelaide (1856), Colombo, Brisbane (1859), Edinburgh (1873), and Truro (1878) were all unsuccessful. He lost out to George Edmund Street in the competition for the Royal Courts of Justice (1866–67) in The Strand. His plans for the redecoration of the interior of St Paul's Cathedral (1870–77) were abandoned and he was dismissed from his post. Skilbeck's Warehouse (1865–66) was demolished in the 1970s, and work at Salisbury Cathedral (1855–59), at Worcester College, Oxford (1873–79) and at Knightshayes Court had been lost in the decades before.

Beyond architecture, Burges designed metalwork, sculpture, jewellery, furniture and stained glass. Art Applied to Industry, a series of lectures he gave to the Society of Arts in 1864, illustrates the breadth of his interests; the topics covered including glass, pottery, brass and iron, gold and silver, furniture, the weaver's art and external architectural decoration. For most of the century following his death, Victorian architecture was neither the subject of intensive study nor sympathetic attention and Burges's work was largely ignored. However the revival of interest in Victorian art, architecture, and design in the later twentieth century has led to a renewed appreciation of Burges and his work.

 In 1865, Burges met John Patrick Crichton-Stuart, 3rd Marquess of Bute. This may have resulted from Alfred Burges's engineering firm, Walker, Burges and Cooper, having undertaken work on the East Bute Docks in Cardiff for the second Marquess in 1855. The 3rd Marquess became Burges's greatest architectural patron; both were men of their times; both had fathers whose industrial endeavours provided the means for their sons' architectural achievements, and both sought to "redeem the evils of industrialism by re-living the art of the Middle Ages".

On his succession to the Marquessate at the age of one, Bute inherited an income of £300,000 a year, and, by the time he met Burges, he was considered the richest man in Britain, if not the world. Bute's wealth was important to the success of the partnership: as Burges himself wrote, "Good art is far too rare and far too precious ever to be cheap." But, as a scholar, antiquarian, compulsive builder and enthusiastic medievalist, Bute brought more than money to the relationship and his resources and his interests allied with Burges's genius to create what McLees considers to be "Bute's most memorable overall achievement."

"A prime example of the partnership of aristocratic patron and talented architect producing the marvels of Cardiff Castle and Castell Coch."

 —Dixon and Muthesius characterising the relationship between Burges and Bute

However occasioned, the connection lasted the rest of Burges's life and led to his most important works. To the Marquess and his wife, Burges was the "soul-inspiring one". The architectural writer Michael Hall considers Burges's rebuilding of Cardiff Castle and the complete reconstruction of the ruin of Castell Coch, north of the city, as representing his highest achievements. In these buildings, Crook contends that Burges escaped into "a world of architectural fantasy" which Hall describes as "amongst the most magnificent the Gothic Revival ever achieved."

Castell Coch. Gothic in Glamorgan

An English Room by Derry Moore

Book review: An English Room

Sunday 10 November 2013/ http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/book-review-an-english-room-by-derry-moore-8929666.html

This collection of photographs invites readers into the favourite rooms of some of our most beloved celebrities. Everyone has a treasured place to read, study, work, and dream – but there’s something special about an English room.

In this handsome volume, filled with perceptive photographs, some of the nation’s most renowned figures share their favourite spaces and their personal musings about Englishness and English rooms. Benedict Cumberbatch reveals his favourite place to read a script; Jeanette Winterson describes why she adores the Shakespeare and Company bookstore in Paris; actress Harriet Walter is photographed at the bottom of her stairs; and fashion designer Paul Smith wallows in his book-lined study. Gilbert & George invite you into their Queen Anne house, while Alan Bennett explains his rumpled existence in Primrose Hill, north London.

Derry Moore’s discerning eye captures the essence of the English room, whether in a country cottage, large estate, ancient chapel, or artist studio – at home or abroad. All those with an interest in English culture, society, design, and fashion will take pleasure in this unique view into the private lives of some of our most public figures.

Review of An English Room by Derry Moore

Derry Moore is a world renowned portrait photographer whose work has appeared in Men’s Vogue, Architectural Digest and whose photos appear in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the National Portrait Gallery. In An English Room he shoots a diverse group of Britain’s finest in their favourite ever places, their personal sanctuary, the place they go to work, read, relax and get away from it all. Through his photos he attempts to discover what makes the essence of “An English Room”.

An English Room is a beautiful hard copy book that would look fine on many a coffee table. Moore shoots his subjects in their choice of room with accompanying text explaining why they love it so. Each room also gets an additional two page spread of photographs. The photos are, as you would imagine, superb - beautifully lit and composed making the architecture come alive. What is particularly impressive is how he manages to imbue his photos of the empty rooms with the personality of the person who loves them. It’s like they’re haunting the rooms after they’ve left.

The book covers a diverse array of individuals from various different fields. We see author Jeanette Winterson embracing the joys of book shop Shakespeare and Company in Paris, actress Harriet Walter in her elegant home framed by a wallpaper of trees rising high into the sky, Alan Bennett in the room he decorated in Primrose Hill 40 years previously, Paul Smith in his studio surrounded by art and vintage toys - a room “full of lovely things”, Stephen Fry in his dressing room at the Apollo Theatre nesting amongst his books and photographs and the Duchess of Northumberland in a tree house that she has built at Alnwick Castle - festooned with fairylights and grander than my flat.

http://cumberbatchweb.tumblr.com/post/62613357129/review-of-an-english-room-by-derry-moore

Cumberbatchweb

Cumberbatchweb - the unofficial website for actor Benedict Cumberbatch - star of Sherlock, Star Trek into Darkness, The Fifth Estate, The Imitation Game & The Lost City of Z Visit us at : http://www.benedictcumberbatch.co.uk

Lucan ITV: week starting 7 December, day and time to be announced

Lucan is a thrilling new two-part drama based on the life of flamboyant aristocrat, Lord Lucan, and written by award-winning writer, Jeff Pope.

Rory Kinnear (Southcliffe, Loving Miss Hatto, Skyfall) will play Lucan whilst Christopher Eccleston (Song for Marion, Blackout, The Shadow Line) takes the role of John Aspinall. 

The drama will tell the story of Lucan’s exploits as a member of the infamous Clermont set and will focus on his marriage collapse to Veronica (Catherine McCormack), the Countess of Lucan. 

With his marriage disintegrating, Lucan became obsessed with regaining custody of his children.   Ultimately the drama will reveal what happened on that fateful night in November 1974 when his children’s nanny, Sandra Rivett (Leanne Best), was cruelly bludgeoned to death in the basement of the family’s home in London’s Lower Belgrave Street.

To this day Lucan is thought to have mistaken Sandra for his wife Veronica, whom he blamed for the fractures in his family life.  His whereabouts and eventual fate have remained a mystery for nearly four decades, captivating and intriguing the public whose fascination with Lucan is undiminished.

The drama is inspired by and based upon the book, The Gamblers, written by author John Pearson who conducted exhaustive interviews with those most closely connected to Lucan at the time of Sandra’s murder.  Pearson gained unprecedented access to Lucan’s friends and acquaintances from the Clermont Club who helped him try to piece together the Earl’s movements on the evening of 7 November. Once the dreadful murder had taken place they speculated on how Lucan might have escaped the police search, and what might have ultimately been his fate.

Michael Gambon plays older Burke, Paul Freeman plays John Pearson, Rupert Evans plays Dominic Elwes, Jane Lapotaire plays Susie Maxwell Scott and Gemma Jones plays Lucan’s mother Dowager Countess.

Cast:

Lord Lucan - Rory Kinnear

John Aspinall - Christopher Eccleston

Veronica Lucan - Catherine McCormack

Older John Burke - Michael Gambon

John Pearson - Paul Freeman

Older Susie Maxwell Scott - Jane Lapotaire

Ian Maxwell Scott - Alan Cox

Susie Maxwell Scott - Helen Bradbury

Dowager Countess - Gemma Jones

Lady Osborne - Ann Bell

Sandra Rivett - Leanne Best

Dominick Elwes - Rupert Evans

Jimmy Goldsmith - Alistair Petrie

John Burke - Rufus Wright

Susie Maxwell-Scott - Helen Bradbury

Annabel Birley - Annabel Mullion

Jane Hastings - Anna Walton

Charlie Benson - James Bradshaw

Ulrich -  Aleksandar Mikic

http://www.itv.com/presscentre/ep2week51/lucan#.UpBwr9JWySo

ITV commissions two-part drama Lucan

Published: Wed 31 Jul 2013/ http://www.itv.com/presscentre/press-releases/itv-commissions-two-part-drama-lucan#.UpB799JWySo

ITV today announced commission of a two-part drama, Lucan, based on the life of flamboyant aristocrat, Lord Lucan, and written by award-winning writer Jeff Pope.

Rory Kinnear (Southcliffe, Loving Miss Hatto, Skyfall) will play Lucan whilst Christopher Eccleston (Song for Marion, Blackout, The Shadow Line) takes the role of John Aspinall.  Acclaimed actor Michael Gambon will also appear in the drama.

The drama, produced by ITV Studios/GroupM Entertainment and from the department headed by Creative Director and Executive Producer for ITV Studios Francis Hopkinson (Wallander, DCI Banks, Married, Single, Other), will tell the story of Lucan’s exploits as a member of the infamous Clermont set and will focus on his marriage collapse to Veronica, the Countess of Lucan. 

With his marriage disintegrating, Lucan became obsessed with regaining custody of his children.   Ultimately the drama will reveal what happened on that fateful night in November 1974 when his children’s nanny, Sandra Rivett, was cruelly bludgeoned to death in the basement of the family’s home in London’s Lower Belgrave Street as she made her way to the kitchen to make a cup of tea.

To this day Lucan is thought to have mistaken Sandra for his wife Veronica, whom he blamed for the fractures in his family life.  His whereabouts and eventual fate have remained a mystery for nearly four decades, captivating and intriguing the public whose fascination with Lucan is undiminished.

The drama is inspired by and based upon the book, The Gamblers, written by author John Pearson who conducted exhaustive interviews with those most closely connected to Lucan at the time of Sandra’s murder.  Pearson gained unprecedented access to Lucan’s friends and acquaintances from the Clermont Club who helped him piece together the Earl’s movements on the evening of 7 November. Once the dreadful murder had taken place they shed light on how Lucan escaped the police search, and ultimately his fate.

Lucan will be produced by Chris Clough (Dates, Strike Back, Skins) and executive produced by Francis Hopkinson, Jeff Pope and Quentin Curtis.  The drama will be directed by Adrian Shergold (Mad Dogs, Pierrepoint, Dirty Filthy Love).  Lucan is an ITV Studios/GroupM Entertainment co-production with Executive Producers for GroupM Entertainment being Richard Foster and Tony Moulsdale.

Francis Hopkinson, ITV Studios Creative Director and Executive Producer commented:

“This extraordinary and tragic event has fascinated people for 40 years. Jeff Pope's script, based on John Pearson's book The Gamblers, brings new insight and revelations, which will surprise the audience. We are delighted that a top cast and director have come together to tell this story."

Richard Foster, Managing Director, GroupM Entertainment:

“We are delighted to continue to build on our relationship with

ITV Studios and to be moving into drama with them - especially

when that drama is based on such an intriguing and ultimately tragic story and written by such a talented writer.”

ITV’s Director of Drama commissioning Steve November has commissioned the drama.

“The story of Lord Lucan continues to mystify and intrigue us,” said Steve.  “Jeff’s reputation for award-winning factual drama goes before him and these new scripts offer a compelling insight into the events surrounding Lucan’s disappearance.” 

Jeff Pope has devoted his career to writing and producing factual drama and has a formidable reputation within the genre.  Most notably he wrote and executive produced Mrs Biggs for ITV Studios, and was the executive producer of Appropriate Adult, See No Evil: The Moors Murders, This is Personal: The Hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper and The Murder of Stephen Lawrence. 

Filming of Lucan will begin in August 2013 in and around London. 

Richard John Bingham, 7th Earl of Lucan (born 18 December 1934), popularly known as Lord Lucan, a British peer and suspected murderer, disappeared without trace early on 8 November 1974. He was born into an Anglo-Irish aristocratic family in Marylebone, the elder son of The 6th Earl of Lucan and his wife, Kaitlin Elizabeth Anne Dawson. Evacuated during the Second World War, he returned to study at Eton and from 1953 to 1955 served with the Coldstream Guards in West Germany. Lord Lucan developed a taste for gambling and, skilled at backgammon and bridge, became an early member of the Clermont gaming club. Although his losses often outweighed his winnings, he left his job at a London-based merchant bank and became a professional gambler. He was known as Lord Bingham from April 1949 until January 1964.

Once considered for the role of James Bond, Lucan was a charismatic man with expensive tastes; he raced power boats and drove an Aston Martin. In 1963 he married Veronica Duncan, who bore him three children. When the marriage collapsed late in 1972, he moved out of the family home at 46 Lower Belgrave Street in London, to a property nearby. A bitter custody battle ensued, which Lucan lost. He began to spy on his wife and record their telephone conversations, apparently obsessed with regaining custody of the children. This fixation, combined with his gambling losses, had a dramatic effect on his general demeanour and personal finances.

On the evening of 7 November 1974, the children's nanny, Sandra Rivett, was bludgeoned to death in the basement of the Lucan family home. Lady Lucan was also attacked; she later identified Lucan as her assailant. As the police began their murder investigation he telephoned his mother, asking her to collect the children, and then drove a borrowed Ford Corsair to a friend's house in Uckfield, Sussex. Hours later, he left the property and was never seen again. The Corsair was later found abandoned in Newhaven, its interior stained with blood and its boot containing a piece of bandaged lead pipe similar to one found at the crime scene. A warrant for his arrest was issued a few days later and in his absence, the inquest into Rivett's death named him as her murderer, the last occasion in Britain a coroner's court was allowed to do so.

Lucan's fate remains a fascinating mystery for the British public. Hundreds of reports of his presence in various countries around the world have been made since Rivett's murder, although none have been substantiated. Despite a police investigation and huge press interest, Lucan has not been found and is presumed dead.

Fred Dinenage Murder Casebook . lord lucan

the lord lucan story part 1 (+afspeellijst)