Search This Blog

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 A: outline

This property has only had superficial archaeological buildiing investigation, although the photographic record may form the basis of further enquiries.

Brief description:
The first house to be studied (Building A) is a mid terrace brick built building with a slate roof, lying close to a railway (when it was built - the only remaining feature is a goods shed across the road from this property), in a market town on the western border of the East Midlands.

The property has a front garden facing the road, and is entered via a narrow hall with stairs leading to the first floor. The ground floor had 2 living rooms - a 'front room' (with square bay window), separated from the hall a by thin a stud wall, and a back room, which would have probably been used as a kitchen - a scullery, and a pantry (this has now been altered: the scullery is now the kitchen; and the pantry is now a through lobby to an extension, which provides a bathroom). The first floor has 3 bedrooms (one over the front room; one over the original kitchen; and the smallest over what was the scullery), reached by a landing, being reasonably spacious for a 'lower class' terraced house (e.g. the old kitchen room measures 11' x 12' approx., and the front room c. 11' x14). There is a small back yard (much of which has been covered by the recent extension), with an outdoor toilet located next to that of the adjacent property, behind the pantry of the adjoining house. The properties are separated by a high fence of uncertain age. There are separate steps to a long terraced garden, which has a gate along the end wall leading to another byway with a number of properties.