PRESTON HALL MUSEUM.

Preston Hall is an early 19th century mansion house at Preston on Tees, Stockton on Tees, England, and is owned by Stockton on Tees borough council. It is a listed building. The house stands in 100 acres of parkland. The grounds of the house form Preston Park. On June 3rd, Preston Hall was officially opened for the first time as a public museum. It`s collection continued to grow rapidly, eventually reaching 100,000 items. Here are a few of them.

 

SEDAN CHAIR ( 18th century ).

 

The Sedan Chair was a status symbol for the wealthy who wanted to avoid getting their expensive clothes dirty. The carriage also served to avoid the physical act of walking, simply by getting other people to do it for them. The chairs where carried by `Chairmen` who held the poles, placed through brackets at either side of the chair. Grand Georgian houses were even built with larger front doors to allow residents and visitors to be taken directly into the house without ever setting foot on the filthy streets.

 

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BUTTER CHURN ( 19th century )

 

Butter Churns were widely used in homes during the early decades of the 19th century. Turning the hand crank caused the barrel to revolve, this motion eventually turned cream into butter. This example was made by Waide and Sons Ltd. Churns were still used on farms and in the dairies belonging to grand houses towards the end of the 1800`s.

 

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PUB TABLE.

 

This is a Britannia Pub Table. The legs each have a claw foot with a figure of Britannia and the rim of the table top features three lion`s heads.

 

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PLAYER PIANO.

 

The player piano was popular from the end of the Victorian period through to the 1930`s. Also called an Auto-Piano, this instrument automatically plays a tune using pre-programmed music on perforated paper.

 

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WASHING MACHINE ( 1930`s )

 

This is a Bendix automatic home laundry washing machine. An American company, Bendix aimed their advertising at women, stating that the washing machine guaranteed hands need never touch water again.

 

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PIANO ( 1810 - 1820 ).

 

These sturdy pianos were almost indestructible, a fact which made them very popular with Harpsichord players. They first appeared in London in 1766. This example was made by John Broadwood and Son`s, one of the oldest and most grand prestigious piano companies in the world. In 1796 Broadwood famously made a Grand Piano as a present for the Queen of Spain. Its cabinet designed  by Stockton born designer Thomas Sheraton.

 

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DOLLS HOUSE ( 1910 - 1920 )

 

The original dolls houses were not toys and certainly not intended for children. They trace their history back about 400 years to the baby house display cases of Europe, which showed idealized interiors and were used to display miniature collections. Smaller dolls houses all handmade with more realistic exteriors appeared in Europe in the 18th century. After world war two they were increasingly mass produced and became more affordable.

 

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CLEANLINESS NEXT TO GODLINESS.

 

Piped water, drains and the introduction of the new fangled Water Closet heralded the arrival of the Bathroom in well to do homes in the Victorian period.

 

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HIPPODROME STATUE.

 

Made in Germany 1893. The statue represents Fishing, holding a net and paddle behind her shoulder. Originally used as a garden ornament. The statue later became an addition to the upper exterior of the Hippodrome Theatre in Stockton. Added by the builder Mr McLead, who helped to reconstruct the building after it had suffered from devastating fire damage in the 1930s. It is believed that actors would look up and acknowledge the statue, to ensure a good performance.

 

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BROUGHAM CARRIAGE ( 19th century )

 

The Brougham carriage was designed by Lord Brougham, an English statesman in 1839. It was popular in the Victorian era, appealing to the middle classes and as a handy run around to more upper class gentlemen like Robert Ropner. Designed to be pulled by a single horse the vehicle is relatively light and small making it easy to manoeuvre around the narrower town streets. Not designed to accommodate a large group nor built entirely for speed, we could compare it to the modern day sporty hatchback car. The interior of the carriage is very sensitive to light, this is why there are blinds covering the windows of the carriage.

 

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BRONZE STATUE BY SAMUAL FRIEDRICH BEER ( 1846 - 1912 )

 

Beer was a Czech sculptor who studied in Vienna and quickly gained some recognition as a portraitist. His friendship with Theodor Herzl inspired his Jewish subjects, such as the monumental group Shema Israel. He designed the medal issued on the occasion of the second Zionist Congress at Basle. He later worked in Paris, Rome and Florence.

 

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BOTTLES AND CASKS.

 

 

 

 

CAMODE.

 

 

 

CLOCK.

 

 

 

 

FIREPLACE.

 

 

 

 

STAINED GLASS.

 

 

 

 

OLD PUBLIC HOUSE SIGN.

 

 

 

 

OLD RADIOS AND TELEVISION SETS.

 

 

 

Also on the grounds of Preston Hall is a Victorian Street which I shall show you next time.

 

 

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