Social History. Tormead.

Our last look inside this grand old house, a home I am thinking passed down through the generations of one family. Join me as I try to unravel the past and bring them back to life if only for a fleeting moment.

I don't usually spend so much time doing this but the place is an enigma, there were no serious defects to the building and it could quite easily be renovated and modernised for under £750k. The land it stands on could easily be sold for close to £1.5 million and could hold at least three modern day new build houses. So why is it in this state, abandoned for years?

Documents

Let us start with the oldest document I have ever found in my years climbing through windows. A journal entry from 1869.

Thomas Medcalf... Pretty hard to read, faded with time and not the best of snaps.

Fast forward 62 years, another Thomas Medcalf, and a rather grand Insurance document from 1931 relating to the house we are in, insured for the princely sum of just over £4. Which in 2024 is around about £350.

Various invoices to Mr Medcalf from local businesses dated from 1947-1957, all in pristine condition,

I am sure buried there would be more about this generation, but I move on.

In 1912 we are introduced to the first female of the Medcalf family, a Miss Medcalf the first page of a (love?) letter, is she the daughter of Thomas from 1869, a sister maybe? I think I can make out that the letter comes from somewhere in Europe, the writer makes reference to his poor english and losing his english dictionary.

Thirty three years later in 1945 we meet Rose Marie Iona Medcalf who is studying at the Veterinary school in Liverpool. I think we maybe are encountering the 3rd generation

All hand written and hand drawn her study books surely belong in a museum.

In 1973 Miss Medcalf now a fully qualified vet herself receives a very passive aggressive letter from Liverpool University, I mean wow, if it had been sent to me it would have gone straight in the bin, the tone is disgraceful. Probably a standard letter sent out to all students.....even from 30 years previous, but! has our Miss Medcalf now found love and married?

For there were a series of letters from 1968 stapled together between a Mrs R (Rose Marie?) Leopold now living here,( are the Leopolds live in servants?) and a business in Glasgow, regarding the purchase of a pair of gents "chelsea boots". the beauty, care and formality of the grammar and the letters says a lot for todays quick click and collect anonymity of the soul destroying town centre annihilating amazon.

Drugs

So yes the Veterinary Surgeon and a cupboard full of drugs, not all for animals Paraldehyde for Miss Medcalf... prescribed to treat alcoholism and for nervous and mental conditions.... to calm or relax those who are nervous or tense and to assist in bringing a restful sleep

Just do not pick up the wrong bottle or you will be clucking all through the night

I am sure the lady did not suffer from split hooves

Pethedine.. a synthetic similar to morphine
Petrolagar (30 years past its exp. date)....is well self explanatory really.

Did you hear about the constipated mathematician?
He worked it out with a pencil

Boom! I'm here all week

Books and Periodicals

There were many editions of these to be found, Argosy magazines were a monthly publication of short stories featuring mainly up and coming and new authors, Ray Bradbury was possibly one of its most famous contributors.

Inflation from 15p to 40p in just 7 short years

Clearly the lady likes to ride as well as repair horses.

Start the indoctrination young, sadly I was in dim light not concentrating. I wish I had read the letter behind it

"...we had a terrible calamity at our sand works last Wednesday, a fall of earth and sand and five men who were drilling a hole for blasting,,,,, were killed there has been an......Accidental death....."

A few books for very young children circa 1950's 60's. Writing this up is now all to confusing, I found on line that....

Rachel Medcalf died in 1961 leaving the house and a sum of £7635 to Rosemary Iona Medcalf her daughter, the Vet. That sum is equivalent to just over £200k in 2024.

There can be perhaps many reasons why this house remains in an abandoned state, the most compelling to me is that Miss Rose Marie Medcalf, died a spinster of the parish, intestate, and with no heirs or siblings to pass the property onto then The law of Bona Vacantia kicked in, an archaic piece of legislation from the 13th C, whereby all monies property etc. pass to the monarch of the UK......and is used to pay off the national debt.

FFS people make a will and leave your wealth to a donkey sanctuary if need be, DO NOT give it to the UK Govt.

Fuck it lets just look at the rest of the snaps as my head hurts.

"Punch" a UK published satirical magazine, one has to have shall we say, a reserved sense of humour to enjoy. Nothing adult and smutty. Love the handwritten designation "House Library".

....talking of which, someone has made a poster of Jerry Hall.

......Wonder if it is Mr. Leoplold seen here in 1987, guess he is French as the month of the snap is "Mars"

Meticulously kept household accounts from December 1914 and January 1915. Amazing history Treasure without a doubt.

Harrow School, where posh tory boys study, an exclusive public school, the shoulder flash referrring to the Officers Training College. many of whom served and died in the world wars of the last century.

Passion killers....

....Or silk stockings

If only teddy could talk.

Definitely one of my favourite, yet most perplexing capsules for quite awhile.