![[Header#^header-embed]] > [!SUMMARY] > On 6 October 2001, BBC Television broadcast _According to Beryl_. Their hour-long account of the family arrangement enjoyed by [[Dr. Samuel Johnson|Samuel Johnson]] and the Thrale family of [[Streatham Park|Streatham]] seen through the eyes of [Beryl Bainbridge](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beryl_Bainbridge), author of the book on the same subject, [[website/Books/According to Queeney|According to Queeney]]. > > ![[according-to-queeney.png]] > <div class="caption">According to Queeney by Beryl Bainbridge. Dust cover.</div> ## The plot The programme starts - like the book - with Beryl Bainbridge discussing Samuel Johnson's post-mortem and reading from the original handwritten post-mortem record. Beryl Bainbridge always does a painting after each book, and this one is called “_The Latin Lesson”_. It shows a painting of [[Dr. Samuel Johnson|Samuel Johnson]], Beryl Bainbridge and her editor - who once taught Latin to her, as Johnson once taught [[Hester Maria Thrale|Queeney]] Latin. Stuck onto the painting are reproductions of James Boswell, Tetty (Johnson’s wife), Mr & Mrs David Garrick and [[Hester Thrale née Salusbury|Hester Thrale]], the one closest to his heart, and Queeney with the Pope. Bainbridge visits [Johnson's Gough Square house](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dr_Johnson%27s_House) and talks about: - Johnson's mannerisms, and - Joshua Reynolds' portrait of Johnson. ![[1772-00-00_samuel_johnson_by_joshua_reynolds.png]] <div class="caption">Dr. Samuel Johnson by Sir Johsua Reynolds.</div> She describes Johnson's household and the event when Johnson was in deep despair - near to insanity - and was rescued by the Thrales who then took Johnson to live with them at [[Streatham Park]]. The programme shows: - an oil painting of Streatham Park; - Robert Edge Pine's portrait of Hester Thrale.; - Joshua Reynolds' portrait of Henry Thrale; and - a further portrait of Henry Thrale. Bainbridge describes how Johnson was introduced to the Thrales through their friend [[Arthur Murphy]]. Bainbridge goes to Streatham - now a London suburb - and goes up a hoist crane, comparing an old map of Streatham Park, whilst describing how it was at that time. Bainbridge talks of Johnson's happy family life with the Thrale family here. Actors read from [[Parting letters of Johnson & Thrale]]. Bainbridge visits a Council Estate in Streatham and sees a blue wall plaque inscribed … > Streatham Society > On this site stood > STREATHAM PLACE > the villa of the Thrales in which > Dr SAMUEL JOHNSON > frequently stayed > between 1766 - 1782 Bainbridge talks to the Streatham locals, some of whom know of Thrale and Johnson. She sees the Mulberry tree left from Streatham Place under which Johnson liked to sit and Hester Thrale's pet Spaniel dog - Belle - was buried. ![[hester-maria-thrale-at-20-months-with-belle-by-zoffany.png]] <div class="caption">Hester Maria Thrale aged 20 months with pet dog Belle, by Johan Zoffany, 1766.</div> Bainbridge talks about Thrale's [[Hester & Henry's children|12 children]]. The programme shows: - a miniature drawing of Hester Thrale; - the portrait of Hester and Queeney by Sir Joshua Reynolds - an engraving of Hester Thrale and Samuel Johnson. On the Streatham Council estate, many of the buildings are named after Johnson's contemporaries: - Burney House; - Boswell House; - Levett House; - Garrick House; - Boothby House; and - Chesterfield House. Bainbridge talks about why her work _According to Queeney_ looks at Johnson through Queeney's eyes. In Southwark, Bainbridge meets Ken Thomas (from Bristol) the archivist for [Scottish Courage Brewery](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scottish_Courage). They walk past the [[The Anchor]] and talk about the brewery. She sees: - an original plan drawing for Thrale's [[1758-1781 owner Henry Thrale MP|huge Southwark brewery]]; - a drawing of the brewery; - the site of the brewery; - an old engraving of all the brewery buildings; - a commemorative plaque on Park Street. > [!INFO] Commemorative plaque on Park Street > ![[anchor-brewery-park-street-plaque.jpg]] > > > Site of > Anchor Brewery > List of Brewers > The Monger Family 1616-1670 > Josiah Child 1670-1693 > Edmund Halsey MP 1693-1729 > Ralph Thrale 1729-1758 > Henry Thrale 1758-1781 > Barclay, Perkins & Co 1781-1955 > Courage Ltd 1955 - 1986. They walk to [Southwark Cathedral](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southwark_Cathedral) near where many of Thrale's children were buried. She talks about [[Lucy Elizabeth Thrale|Lucy Thrale]] and how she was called Lucy Elizabeth Thrale - Elizabeth is the name of Johnson's late wife. Bainbridge also talks about Henry Thrale's [[1758-1781 owner Henry Thrale MP#Production|near bankruptcies]]. Bainbridge talks about Johnson’s padlock which was sold in 1807 with Hester's possessions after her death. Bainbridge puts forward her idea that this wasn’t a sexual domination thing but to chain Johnson - at his request - during periods of, uncontrollable, near insanity. Bainbridge visits [Poets Corner](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poets%E2%80%99_Corner) at [Westminster Abbey](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westminster_Abbey) and sees Johnson's grave and his marble bust. She visits the [National Portrait Gallery](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Portrait_Gallery_%28United_Kingdom%29) and sees [portraits of Johnson](http://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/person.php?search=ss&sText=samuel+johnson&LinkID=mp02446). Bainbridge goes to [[Thrale burial vault|St Leonard’s Church Streatham]]. She meets Rev. Jeffrey Wilcox and sees the gravestone of [[Susannah Arabella Thrale]] inside the church. They see [[Thrale burial vault#Henry Thrale|Henry Thrale's mourning tablet]] and talk about his gluttony. They visit the church’s underground burial crypt and see Henry Thrale’s very large leather-decorated, lead-lined coffin. > [!INFO] Thrale family vault > > > ![[thrale_vault_st_leonards_streatham.jpg]] > <div class="caption">Henry's coffin with some of his children.</div> > > Henry's plaque is inscribed: > > Henry Thrale Esq. > > Died 4 April 1781 > > aged 53 years. They discussed: - the events following [[Henry Thrale's death]]; - Hester's later passion for and remarriage to [[Gabriel Piozzi]]. A further portrait of Hester Thrale was shown. The infamous [[Parting letters of Johnson & Thrale]] written shortly before Johnson’s death are read by actors. Bainbridge discusses the scandal of Hester’s marriage to Gabriel Piozzi and "_wonders what the fuss was all about! and why?_" Bainbridge discusses the six-year break with Queeney. Bainbridge sees [Johnson’s death mask](https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portrait/mw03497/Samuel-Johnson?search=ap&subj=98%3BDeath+masks&rNo=2) in the National Portrait Gallery. Bainbridge visits [[Brynbella]] in Wales to talk about Hester’s happy life with Piozzi here for about 20 years. She talks of Hester’s total devotion to Piozzi and wishes she could have been brought up in a house like this. The programme is interspersed throughout with Bainbridge’s readings from _According to Queeney_. I thoroughly enjoyed watching this documentary. > [!INFO] Listing > ![[radio-times-2001-oct-06.png]] > <div class="caption">Radio Time listing. 6 October 2001.</div> > > > A one-off film in which author Beryl Bainbridge chronicles the extraordinary relationship during the 18th century between Samuel Johnson and Hester Thrale, the wife of rich London brewer Henry Thrale, which forms the basis for her latest novel, _According to Queeney_. > > > Johnson lived with the Thrales for most of the last 20 years of his life, during which time Hester nursed him through his bouts of melancholia and gout - until she ran off with her daughter Queeney’s Italian singing teacher. > > > [Jim Carter](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Carter_%28actor%29) and Suzannah Harker read extracts from letters Johnson and Mrs Thrale wrote to each other. [Beth Goddard](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beth_Goddard) and Bainbridge herself read from _According to Queeney_. > > > Director Udayan Prasad; Producer Anthony Wall. > [!INFO] Review > ![[radio-times-review-2001-oct-06.png]] > > <div class="caption">Radio Time review. 6 October 2001.</div> > > > Hotly tipped to win this year’s Booker Prize and yet, surprisingly, not in the shortlisted six, Beryl Bainbridge’s novel _According to Queeney_ is generally considered to be one of her best. It brings to life the last 20 years of the extravagant figure of 18th-century scholar and wit Samuel Johnson and explores one of his less well-documented relationships – with rich brewer Henry Thrale and his wife. > > > Director Udayan Prasad came across the story independently and had begun to develop a film on the subject when he discovered Bainbridge was writing about it, too. They joined forces for this poignant and amusing tale. > > > Jane Rackham ## See also ![[hester-maria-thrale-1764-1857🔎#^hester-maria-thrale-infoblock]]![[samuel-johnson-1709-1784🔎#^samuel-johnson-infoblock]] #history/person/THRALE/hester-maria-born-1764 #history/person/JOHNSON/samuel-born-1709 #history/place/wales/brynbella ![[Footer#^footer-embed]]