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Archaeology of domestic life in early 20th century Britain

The aim of this blog is to publish data on early 20th century buildings, whilst this is still accessible. Much material of interest to the historian is being destroyed through 'home improvements' and DIY, and objects are increasingly being divorced from their context through dispersal after the death of their owners. By creating an easily accessible contextual record of material culture, it is hoped that those interested in this period of history may have a resource through which the details of domestic life might be studied.

If you have any artefacts of interest, or make discoveries during the process of your own investigations that you would like to share, please contact me!

BUILDING C (Holmfields): outline

This building is a large detached property, built during the late 1920s - early 1930s, located in a suburb on the western fringes of Derby City centre. It was initially located away from a road to a developing housing estate, though is now surrounded by buildings mainly developed during the early 1960s. Investigations of this building were necessarily brief, prior to major development of the property; an archaeological building investigation report (ABIR) has now been completed, a revised version of which will soon be available through these pages; blog descriptions of the property will therefore be limited.


The substantial changes planned to the property by the owners when the survey was undertaken have now been completed; it was possible to record a number of original fittings that remained in place.

Brief description:
The property was approached via a wide drive, and entered through a deep porch. This led to a large hall, which in turn had stairs to the first floor, and doors to the Kitchen, Lounge, and Dining Room. The Lounge was a relatively large room, with French windows to the side, and windows to the front and rear of the building. The Dining room had French windows to the rear of the building, and was again relatively large. The Kitchen was large, had windows to the rear of the building, and a pantry, and door leading to an enclosed store room and external toilet, and the outside door, to the front of the building.

The first floor had a large landing, with doors to bedrooms - a double bedroom, placed over the dining room, and good sized bedrooms over the Kitchen and Lounge (one with a walk in wardrobe), and a smaller bedroom over the Lounge - and to the toilet and the bathroom.


A large garden once surrounded the property, although much of this has now been sold for the construction of adjacent housing.


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