An exploration of archives of The Times and The Illustrated London News reveals how the Charterhouse was represented in the press in the latter half of the 20th century.

When carrying out research, our goal was to focus on when, how, and why the Charterhouse appears in external news sources at a regional and national level. Our search covered a range of articles, from obituaries to leisure guides. Of course, newspapers do not present a complete picture of the Charterhouse, but rather their perspectives on what is deemed of interest to their readers.

We chose to start with the 1960s because there was already a good understanding of the Charterhouse’s media presence in the 1940s and 1950s, most of which was coverage of the damage suffered to the buildings during the Second World War and subsequent rebuilding and conservation efforts.

The research revealed that the subject of the Charterhouse during this period is rarely about the almshouse itself. Whether this was because the residents, or Brother, and day-to-day operations were protected from the public, or conversely, that they were considered too mundane to be of much comment, is open to interpretation. Rather, the buildings were used to illustrate wider historic points, or the institution came up in connection to otherwise notable individuals.

The newspaper features we found position the Charterhouse as a well-connected fixture of London life, but not as a site of innovation or notoriety. It is perhaps this “very age without action” that provides the core function of the Charterhouse as an escape from city life in this period. As a place of retreat and relaxation, whether for the Brothers or private individuals booking the site for celebratory events, the Charterhouse’s non-appearance in the news speaks just as loudly about how it was perceived. May you live in a time of little history!

Two archives form the central body of this research: The Illustrated London News and The Times.

The Illustrated London News

The Illustrated London News (editions from 1962–1992) provides a more local perspective over a longer period of time, and the paper also provides visual sources, including photographs of the post-war rebuilding and associated notable figures. It was generally more focused on the location and architecture of the Charterhouse, perhaps due to its readership’s expected access or proximinty to the site.

The Charterhouse appears in occasional history pieces in The Illustrated London News, including articles on the medieval and early modern periods when the Charterhouse was a monastery and aristocratic mansion. One article mentions the Charterhouse in the time of the plague and the Great Fire of London. Another covers ‘Sutton House’ in Hackney, another Tudor-period mansion which was believed to be connected to the charity’s founder Thomas Sutton (in fact, Sutton lived in the house previously next door). Thomas Sutton is also mentioned in an article that republishes an illustration of 1867, showing the cooking for the Founder’s Day dinner held in his name.

A 1979 guidebook for summer activities in London provides details on public access to the Charterhouse. It is advertised as: “16th-century buildings, formerly a monastery, a school & now a home for elderly gentlemen. Chapel, Great Hall, Great Chamber. Wed only, 2.45pm promptly. 30p”.

 The Times

Meanwhile, The Times provided a greater range of subject areas connected to the Charterhouse between 1960 and 1963. With its much more frequent publication (many times a week) and broader scope, the paper contained many more references to the Charterhouse, but often only in passing.

Despite its much wider readership outside of London, the Charterhouse features fairly frequently in the paper. This may partially be due to its frequent publication and need for content. It is interesting to note that the London almshouse is not the most prominent “Charterhouse” to be featured in this paper; Charterhouse school and its alumni are far more dominant.

Perhaps surprisingly, the Charterhouse appears often as an events venue. The Great Hall and chapel are the areas used to host business meetings, weddings, and funerals. Notices of deaths and marriages were published in The Times and served as a useful source for research.

When Canon John Macleod Campbell died in 1961, an initial death notice, a full obituary, and then information about his will was published. Campbell was a key Anglican leader, whose post as Master of the Charterhouse was his last. This article also includes a mention of the Charterhouse in Southwark, which is a separate charity related to the school and almshouse with an outreach mission focused on local children.

John Seely, Lord Mottistone, is afforded an obituary, which covers his work with his architecture firm Seely and Paget. The restoration of the Charterhouse is mentioned, but other projects are covered in much more depth.

The Times also covers the movement to canonise forty English martyrs, including three of the London Charterhouse’s Carthusian monks, executed in 1535 for refusing to accept Henry VIII as head of the church in England. Prior John Houghton was canonised by the Catholic church in 1970.

These features are not rich in discussions about the Charterhouse itself, which appears as a site of historic or architectural interest, or is occasionally referenced as a London landmark, but not as something to be actively interacted with. The residents in particular are decentred, whilst ‘notable individuals’ such as Reverend Campbell and Lord Mottistone are highlighted.

 A Yardstick for History

In a wider context, the coverage of the Charterhouse serves to illustrate Britain’s relationship with its past. That newspapers were still discussing post-war rebuilding through the sixties demonstrates the scope of this undertaking, with one article on urban planning in Islington taking this story all the way into 1973.

Both papers also featured ‘100 years ago today’ style articles—one on the Founder’s Day dinner and another on railway stations. These serve to bring a longer-term view of change and continuity in London and use the Charterhouse’s historic status as a cornerstone of this. The Charterhouse is understood as a site with a rich history that can be placed on a very long timeline.

This past is articulated fluidly. Bryant’s 1965 ‘Note Book’ recognises that the Carthusian monastery was built as a direct response to the Black Death, while later, in 1992, it becomes clear how old knowledge about Thomas Sutton’s history has been disproven and updated. Here, the Charterhouse as a site serves as a case study for the changing understanding of time and historical knowledge in the popular press.

This post is a summary of research undertaken by Freya Horseman

The Charterhouse hosts week-long student placements in partnership with the Oxford University Careers Service Micro-internship programme and the Crankstart Scholarship programme, helping students gain experience of heritage research.

Each term, we set a group of students a series of research questions relating to the Charterhouse and support them in identifying historical sources and interpreting their findings.  In return, we get a set of research reports from the students, uncovering fascinating stories from history.