Victorian Farm; BBC TV

mardatha

At least the sheep didnt have to wear corsets...I wonder if Ruth did ??

rosieben

mardatha wrote: »

At least the sheep didnt have to wear corsets...I wonder if Ruth did ??

oh yes, wouldn't be too keen on the corsets but I love the bonnets and shawls! I've got a 'recipe' for a very simple knitted shawl, might have a go at that with some nice thick yarn

Primrose

NannaC - how thrilling to see your treasured items brought back into use. It must have been a fascinating experience for those who participated in the programme, and it has been an enlightening experience for those of us watching, realising the hardships involved in a farming life during that era. Whilst we may complain at some aspects of modern life today, I can't think that many of us would like to go back in time and live like that. But as an educational programme it has been both informative and entertaining. This is the BBC at its best. I hope we can see more programmes in this vein.

Mrs_Boo_Boo

Oh I'm glad we're not the only ones enjoying the series!!!! My husband and I were in raptures about the range!!! We have a cottage and were told by the lady next door that a range was originally in our lounge. Would love to have one.Rediscovered a cloam oven with door last year and yes we've also got the holes in the wall to keep the salt dry. Looked so familiar when they were doing up the cottage cos our bedroom has exposed beams and has been stripped back to the original stones ready for the lime plaster and horse hair!!!
We love it and will treat ourselves to the book to glean more info.
It fab to watch everyone so enthusiastic about the period and knowledgeable.
Yes I'm not bothered about the reality bit, getting fed up with them now anyway.

Seakay

nannaC wrote: »

Am sooooooooooo glad everyone loves this series, OK so now is the time to own up. Some of the household items used in the series actually belong to Grumpy grandad and I. Its a long story but it all started with the dough trough seen episode 1 on the table. To cut the story short we were more than happy to loan some of our much used and loved Victorian items to the series. We took them down before the start of the filming [the farm is even more beautiful than on the telly and had a wonderful day there with everyone, ditto when we went back to collect them a year later]. My greatest thrill to date was seeing my old Victorian scales carefully carried into the cottage by Ruth, I now tell the dresser each time I go into the kitchen that it is honoured to be the home to a TV star, as they are now back in their rightful place, my funniest was seeing my old apple basket used as a hat on Christmas day, that too is now back hung in the kitchen.

That is facinating - do tell us more about which things you lent, how you came to do so, how you had them in the first place and how you managed without them for a year!

Primrose

For anybody who is enjoying this series and is interested in life & history in Victorian times, I've just borrowed from our library a very interesting factual book called "Consuming Passions" by Judith Flanders. The author also wrote a best selling book called The Victorian House which was nominated for the British Book Awards History Book of the year.

rosieben

Thanks for that Primrose, I've just reserved them at my library. I'm sort of researching for my family history

mardatha

The one huge thing Im loving about this series - and the Victorians themselves - is how SENSIBLE they were. Take the range... it cooks, heats the home, gives light and comfort to sit by. No fussy gadgets no extravagant fripperies - just solid cast-iron living !

nannaC

Hi everyone, thank you so much for your lovely messages. Yes it is really thrilling watching the programme. Grumpy Grandad says I am like a groupie jumping up and down and squeeling with delight when I see one of our things. Ruth Alex & Peter wore authentically made clothes, Ruths dress was actually wool. The coal bucket was ours and is now back in service in the kitchen besides the range, plus a lot of the brushes, buckets, enamel ware, big tin trunk and gozunder/po . Also although I only got a peek in the opening credits I'm sure the bee smoker is ours [it certainly smelt of smoke when we got it back], we also loaned two of our cream/curd skimmers but not sure if they were used. The thing I missed most were my scales as although I dont weigh when baking [have a good old spoon that holds about 1oz] I do use them for bread making and to hold bananas [you should keep these separate form other fruit as the gas they give off turns apples, oranges more quickly]. The next most missed were my cream seives but only as I display them with all my other Georgian/Victorian copper cookware. I have always loved old kitchen/household/farmhouse things and gathered them long before kitchenalia/ruralania became both popular and expensive, indeed a lot of things have been passed down to us from elderly people in the village who were throwing them out as they no longer needed/used them but knew that we liked that old tatty stuff, or bought for little money [as we didnt have much] in auctions/boot fairs . Grumpy grandad always proudly states that we live in the house that the village threw out. The only criteria I have is that it has to be useful and able to be used i.e. I like practical things [I used to teach Art/Textiles/ Theatre], or taking something and finding an alternative use for it. If anyone wants a couple of fascinating books there is National Trust Book of Forgotton Household Crafts by John Seymour [he of the self sufficiency bibles] it is brilliant and never far away from me, also Sloe Gin and Beeswax by Jane Newdick, full of great recipies [will find the polish one and inc it later]. I also am a devotee of the Victorian Kitchen Garden, both the gardening and cooking.

rosieben

nannac, I love the sound of your house! I have the John Seymour book, it is fascinating, as you say.

we'll all be playing 'spot nannaC's things' next week.