Monday, 17 January 2011

The ordinary made extraordinary

5-7 Blyth Grove
Worksop
Nottinghamshire

This typical three-storey, semi detached house (No. 7 is to the right in the image above) which belonged to the Straw family remained unaltered for some 60 years. After their parents died in the 1930s, brothers William and Walter Straw remained in the house without altering any of its inter-war interior.

Today it is part of the National Trust and is open to the public as a museum dedicated to  inter-war life.



William senior, wife Florence and son Walter moved into Blyth Grove, built in 1905.

Florence decorated it in the style of the day, dark and heavy wallpaper, patterned carpets, dado rails holding portraits and paintings in ornate wooden frames.

They lived a quiet, well-ordered life until the day in 1932 when Walter's father died suddenly at the age of 68. In their grief, the family decided nothing would be changed. 

Bygones: Mr Straw's House Frozen In Time In 1932  by Dlowe






Now playing: America - Tin Man

3 comments:

John J. Tackett said...

The semi detached house at 7 Blyth Grove is an amazing time capsule that has remarkably been preserved from the 1930s (and earlier). Doing without a telephone, radio, and television is true sign of eccentricity, although I know many who have given up on one. I think the British National Trust is very forward-thinking in preserving this property; I am not sure that it would happen in the U.S. __ The Devoted Classicist

Christina @ Fashion's Most Wanted said...

Dear HOBAC, what a great post! I really enjoyed watching that.

How amazing that modern life completely passed them by xx

Anonymous said...

How fascinating! Thank you for posting this. I love the unused light bulb story.