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First Family Day of 2022! A Georgian Easter Celebration

On Tuesday 4th April 2022, we held our first Family Event of the year! As it was during the Easter Holidays, the theme for the day was a Georgian Easter Celebration.

Our families enjoyed a tour of the House that featured a Benjamin Franklin-themed Easter Egg hunt in each of our historic rooms. Children learned about Georgian Easter traditions alongside some interesting fact about Franklin and the years he spent at 36 Craven Street.

Following this, the families had some fun with Easter inspired arts and crafts. We made Easter bonnets, cards and decorations!

It was a fantastic day for all involved, pictures can be found below. Our next Family Event will be on Tuesday 31st May and is called ‘Inside Benjamin Franklin’s Georgian House.’ This day will teach families the architectural history of 36 Craven Street and Georgian homes. Check out more by going to our event page here.

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Benjamin Franklin House and the latest documentary from the renowned filmmaker, Ken Burns

On April 4th and 5th 2022, the latest two-part documentary series from the world-renowned Ken Burns debuts on PBS in the US. His award-winning biopics have been broadcast across the world and have focused on an array of influential Americans such as Muhammad Ali, Ernest Hemmingway and Thomas Jefferson. His latest subject is none other than ‘the First American’ himself, Benjamin Franklin. Across four hours, Burns’ documentary explores the extraordinary life of Dr Franklin and features two of Hollywood’s most recognisable stars, Michael Douglas and Mandy Patinkin, in the starring role.

Benjamin Franklin House is proud to feature in an exclusive behind-the-scenes video detailing the Founding Father’s time in London and at 36 Craven Street. In the clip, our Director, Dr. Márcia Balisciano leads us through the history of the House, from the time Franklin resided here, to the present day and the efforts that have gone in to preserving this fascinating piece of American history.

If you would like to find out more about the documentary and watch the exclusive piece about Benjamin Franklin House, visit Ken Burns: Benjamin Franklin website here.

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Outreach: Become and Inventor!

In March 2022, our Education Manager travelled to Drew Primary School in Newnham (London) to deliver one of our Outreach Programmes to two groups of Year 6 students. In each session, the pupils were asked to follow in Franklin’s footsteps and become inventors!

The classes produced some fantastic ideas, from innovative water bottles to pizza guns, homework machines to snack-grabbers! At the end of each session, the pupils pitched their inventions to the rest of the class for the group to decide on which to invest in.

Our Education Manager has selected his favourites from the two sessions and these can be found in the gallery below!

Allowing one to walk on water for just £35!
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Frankly Speaking 2022

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Georgian Easter Celebration!

Join us for Easter-themed crafts and games. Take part in a special Easter egg hunt inspired by Benjamin Franklin’s inventions and scientific work.

Create an Easter card, decorate eggs and make Georgian Easter bonnets!

Tuesday 5th April 12.30pm-14.30pm.

Suitable for children aged 5-11.

Book a ticket now! Tickets can be found here.

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Frank(lin) Views: Sir Bob Reid

Frank(lin) Views podcast features thought leaders across disciplines on themes associated with Benjamin Franklin – the great diplomat, writer, inventor, scientist and more – including leadership, the purpose of history, modern day publishing, and diplomacy.

In this episode of Frank(lin) Views, Benjamin Franklin House Director, Dr Marcia Balisciano, sits down with BFH Board Member Sir Bob Reid to discuss the purpose of history.

Sir Bob Reid graduated from St Andrews University after studying political economy and modern history. In 1956 he joined Shell International Petroleum Company Limited, and he served as chairman and chief executive of Shell UK from 1985 to 1990. During his tenure at Shell, Sir Bob spent much of his career overseas, including posts in Brunei, Nigeria, Thailand and Australia while responsible for all oil exploration, production, refineries and coastal shipping.

In 1997 he joined Bank of Scotland as Deputy Chairman, where he remained until 2004. He became chairman of the British Railways Board in 1990 during the build-up to privatisation and held this post until 1995. From 1997 to 2004 he was the deputy governor of the Bank of Scotland. He received his knighthood in Queen Elizabeth’s 1990 Birthday Honours.

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Frank(lin) Views: David Bruce Smith

 

Frank(lin) Views podcast features thought leaders across disciplines on themes associated with Benjamin Franklin – the great diplomat, writer, inventor, scientist and more – including leadership, the purpose of history, modern day publishing, and diplomacy.

In this episode of Frank(lin) Views, David Bruce Smith speaks with Benjamin Franklin House Founding Director, Dr Márcia Balisciano, about making learning accessible, ways of thinking about history, and the virtues of polymathy.

Smith is based in Washington DC and is an author, publisher, businessman, and philanthropist. Following a successful two-decade career in residential and commercial property management at the Charles E. Smith Realty Companies, Smith shifted his focus to writing, editing, and publishing. In 2003 he founded David Bruce Smith Publications, a company specialising in books about authors, historical figures, artists, and leaders.

To date, he has authored twelve books: In Many Arenas, 13 Young Men, Tennessee, Three Miles from Providence, Conversations with Papa Charlie, Afternoon Tea with Mom, Letters to My Children, Building the Community, Continuum, Building My Life and the children’s book American Hero: John Marshall, Chief Justice of the United States and Abigail & John.

In 2014 Smith launched The Grateful American Series, an interactive multimedia program designed to restore enthusiasm in American history for children and adults. In the same year he formed The Grateful American Foundation, which focuses on publishing materials and producing activities for children about American History. In 2015, along with Dr Bruce Cole, Smith cofounded the Grateful American Book Prize. The annual award recognises written 7-9th grade level work in fiction, historical fiction, and nonfiction categories.

 

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Frank(lin) Views: Gay Huey Evan, CBE

 

Frank(lin) Views podcast features thought leaders across disciplines on themes associated with Benjamin Franklin – the great diplomat, writer, inventor, scientist and more – including leadership, the purpose of history, modern day publishing, and diplomacy.

Gay Huey Evans CBE sits down with Founding Director of Benjamin Franklin House, Dr Márcia Balisciano, to discuss her long career in finance and her thoughts on Benjamin Franklin and leadership.

Gay is Chairman of the London Metal Exchange and also serves on the Boards of Standard Chartered, ConocoPhillips, IHS Markit and HM Treasury. She is a Trustee of Benjamin Franklin House, Sr Advisor to Chatham House and is a member of the US Council on Foreign Relations and the IUKFP (Indian UK Financial Partnership).

Since taking up her role as Chairman of the LME, Gay has supported and steered a number of key initiatives – from the major technology infrastructure rebuild, to the diversity and inclusion agenda and sustainability initiatives.

Gay has worked within the finance and commodity industry for the past 30 years, as both an established market practitioner and regulator, giving her deep expertise across commerce, risk, governance, policy and regulation in capital markets. Awarded a CBE in 2021 for services to the economy and philanthropy, and an OBE in 2016 for services to financial services and diversity, Gay is a passionate advocate for ensuring markets build trust through accessibility and transparency and for increased diversity in business.

Gay has previously served on the Boards of Itau BBA International, the Financial Reporting Council, Aviva and the London Stock Exchange and held executive roles with Barclays Capital, Citi, the Financial Services Authority and Bankers Trust.

Funding for Frank(lin) Views has generously been provided by the United States Government

US Embassy London logo with US flag

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Science on Stage 2021

 

Science on Stage, held in partnership with The Royal Institution, illuminates the National Curriculum through a variety of activities which demonstrate how the work of Franklin and scientists at the Ri arose from a spirit of awe and curiosity about the world in which they lived. The content is appropriate for upper Key Stage 2 children with the focus on a range of learning styles to enable all children to benefit from the experience.

You can watch a recording of Science on Stage 2021 below. This year’s event took place virtually on 26 May:

We took our annual Science on Stage event online for the first time in 2021. Our presentations and live demonstrations reached 3368 live participants. 3305 students joined from 60 schools across the country and from a British School in Spain: Holy Trinity Pewley Down School, Guildford; Mosaic Jewish Primary School, Wandsworth; Oxford Gardens Primary School, Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea;  Awliscombe C of E Primary School, Honiton; Fairfield Primary School, Croydon; Marian Vian Primary School, Bromley; Heathland School, Harrow; Jubilee Primary School and Children’s Centre, Lambeth; Crocketts Community Primary School, Smethwick, Loughborough Primary School, Lambeth; Herbert Morrison Primary School, Lambeth; Embley, Hampshire; Acorn Academy, Exeter; Belmont Primary School, Hounslow; Falkland Primary School, Berkshire; St Jude’s Primary School, Lambeth; Castlecombe Primary School, Bromley; Y Bont Faen Primary School, Cowbridge; Hallfield Primary School, Westminster; Albert Primary School, Penarth; Orchard Primary School, Lambeth; Normanhurst School, Chingford; Archbishop Summer CofE Primary School, Lambeth; Catmose Primary School, Oakham; The Norwood School, Lambeth; St Giles CofE Primary School, Walsall; St Stephen’s CofE Primary School, Lambeth; Payhembury CofE Primary School; Honiton; St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea; Christchurch Streatham CofE Primary School, Lambeth; Butlers Court School, Beaconsfield; Ashmole Primary School, Lambeth; St Saviour’s CofE Primary School, Lambeth; St Barnabas’ CE Primary School, Westminster; St Cuthbert’s RC Primary School, Cardiff; St Augustine’s Priory, Ealing; Sherfield School, Hook; Smallwood Primary School, Wandsworth; St Nicholas CE Junior School, Newbury; Soho Parish Primary School, Westminster; Squirrels Heath Junior School, Havering; Burdett-Couts & Townsend Federation Primary School, Westminster; St Joseph’s, Croyden; Clapham Manor Primary School & Nursery; Lambeth, Mandeville Primary School, Hackney; Vauxhall Primary School, Lambeth; English Martyrs’ Catholic Primary School, Reading; St Vincent de Paul Catholic Primary School, Westminster; Holy Trinity CofE Primary School, Lambeth; St Dominic’s Catholic Primary School, Hackney; Baden Powell Primary School, Cardiff; Ton Pentre Junior School, Pentre; Shiphay Learning Academy, Torquay; The Priory Primary School, Tadley; Marshwood Academy, Axminster; Fairlawn Primary School, Lewisham; ; Gospel Oak Primary & Nursery School, Camden; Gwauncelyn Primary School, Pontypridd; Morton CE Primary School, Bourne; Oakfield Preparatory School, Lambeth. 63 home educated students also joined us from all over the UK: London, Norfolk, Bletchley, Sherfield on Loddon, Reading, Eastleigh, Corsham, Failsworth, Potters Bar, Hermitage, Rickmansworth, Southampton, Northampton, Meldreth, Llandysul, Swindon, Basingtoke, Rooks Bridge, Stevenage, Cambridge, Cardiff, Stanford le Hope, Bradford, New Bradwell.

Feedback has been incredibly positive:

Thank you for the brilliant workshop. We learned a lot and have been looking more into Benjamin Franklin since the session. We’re very interested in music, so delved a bit deeper into his instrument.

Thank you, children love the WOW factor moments!

The children really enjoyed the event. They particularly liked the explosions and the stories behind the science. Thank you.

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Mary Robinson receives Benjamin Franklin House Medal for Leadership

 

Former President of Ireland, stateswoman and campaigner Mary Robinson has received the Benjamin Franklin House Medal for Leadership in a virtual ceremony on Wednesday 7 July. The award recognises extraordinary individuals following in Franklin’s footsteps who exemplify a commitment to justice, cross-cultural understanding, tolerance and humanity.

Robinson was the first woman President of Ireland from 1990 to 1997 and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights from 1997 to 2002. Her many roles now include Adjunct Professor for Climate Justice in Trinity College Dublin and Chair of The Elders.

Robinson received the award in recognition of her many achievements, over several decades, particularly on gender equality, human rights and climate change.

Watch the full ceremony below:

Previously the Award has been given to:

  • Michael Bloomberg, former Mayor of New York and Founder of Bloomberg LP (2014).
  • John Kerry, then Special Envoy on Climate Ambition and Solutions (2016).