What will you treasure forever?

"My Adventures" by My Mother

Added by Christine Wilshaw

Located under Letters & documents

Story behind the treasure: At the age 15 my mother came to England from Vienna on the Kinder Train. Within a year she had learned enough english to write a brief account of her experiences of this time which she illustrated with a number of attractive brightly coloured cartoons. The book was never completed as she married my father and had two babies. Trajically she died at the age of 27 when I was 9 years old.

You can see this treasure on display at Sizergh Castle and Garden from March-September 2010.

Burried Treasure

Added by Deborah Hall

Located under Toys, games & sports

Story behind the treasure: My dad knew that I loved old things, so one day while walking our dog we stopped to dig at a site where as a boy he would dig for old bottles. I was ten years old and the thought of buried treasure was very exciting. To my utter delight we found more that I could have wished for - a tiny dolls head. Thirty seven years later she is still my most treasured possession as she is so beautiful and a perfect reminder of a perfect day spent with my dad who is no longer with us.

You can see this treasure on display at Wallington from March-September 2010.

The Thornhill Bakery

Added by Sally Garner

Located under Photos & pictures

Story behind the treasure: My most treasured possession is a timeworn painting depicting my great-great-grandparents’ bakery and grocer’s shop which they built in Derby in the 1850s. It includes my great-great-grandmother in the doorway and her eldest son (my great–grandfather) bringing home milk. The shop’s wares are visible in the window and the family name is painted proudly above the door. The painting has passed through five generations - its fortunes waxing and waning with the passage of time; having been first hung with pride; then lost in Halifax; hit by darts; stored in a roll - and finally hung with pride again.

You can see this treasure on display at Sudbury Hall and the Museum of Childhood from March-September 2010.

Victorian Sheet Music

Added by Hugh Bailey

Located under Memorabilia

Story behind the treasure: My 81 year old grandmother was once 18. Unbelievable to a youngster. But there she is, at that age, on the cover of Cordelia Waltz - piano music dedicated to her and, how wonderful! composed by her father, my great grandfather. When I married, I received and framed this family memento. When my mother died this - waltz - was our exit music at her funeral. Since then this sheet music with its lovely portrait has sparked new musical and other interests but remains a delightful, unique, link between me and three previous generations.

You can see this treasure on display at Chartwell from March-September 2010.

Child’s wooden high chair

Added by Barbara Duncan

Located under Furniture

Story behind the treasure: My treasured item is a child’s wooden high chair which converts to a low rocking chair. It originally belonged to the family of a Northumberland cleric and all six of their children used the chair from the late 1890’s when my maternal grandmother was employed as a nurse. After my grandmother married and started her family they gave her the chair and over the following seventy years, a procession of family bottoms sat in the seat. It now stands proudly in my hall – albeit in need of some TLC due to several decades of messy eaters!

You can see this treasure on display at Nostell Priory and Parkland from March-September 2010.

Motorist Teapot

Added by Rosie McDonnell

Located under Memorabilia

Story behind the treasure: No longer able to cope with a small farm at the foot of Slieve Donard,my recently widowed mother bought a green wooden seaside 'bungalow' on the Ards Peninsula in 1946. This teapot was included in the contents and we children, bereft of our Enid Blyton/Laurie Lee existence in the hills, soon found holidaying beside the sea just as exciting. I value this this little bodyless driver as a continuing reminder of an escapist lifestyle enjoyed by so many people in cottages, bungalows, caravans and converted trams or railway coaches all over the country.(He's useless for tea!)

You can see this treasure on display at Mount Stewart House and Gardens from March-September 2010.

Camel

Added by Audrey Hill

Located under Ornamental

Story behind the treasure: I discovered that I was adopted only in March 2008. It was quite a shock to discover this at the age of 63! It took me a year to trace my maternal mother living in South Africa. I wrote to her and she replied explaining that she had been brought up by an elderly aunt. During the war she got engaged to an American soldier who was sent to train for the D Day landings but never returned. My mother was shown the door by her aunt and had to give me up for adoption as she had no-one to help her.

You can see this treasure on display at Penrhyn Castle from March-September 2010.

Biscuit tin of films

Added by nigel sorrell

Located under Photos & pictures

Story behind the treasure: An old biscuit tin containing 34 rolls of exposed but undeveloped film was given to me in 1987.The pictures were taken in the early 1940s. After viewing the processed negatives in remarkable condition, India and Iran were identified as locations. For 20 years I did little with these negatives. Then technology improved and I scanned the negatives and retouched where necessary. A national newspaper published some of the pictures and the family, whom I lost touch with saw the pictures and excitedly contacted me. We met in London and I gave them copies of all the photos.

You can see this treasure on display at Ickworth from March-September 2010.

Grannie's Notebook & Travelogue

Added by Julie Pocock

Located under Letters & documents

Story behind the treasure: My Grandmother’s little spiral-bound notebook contains some absolute gems- Christmas shopping lists from 1937-38-39 including presents of ‘spats’ and ‘a ferret’, but best of all, discovered by chance at the back, a tiny pencil account of her Round The World Cruise to Australia starting in June 1939 and returning safely under the protection of The Admiralty in October 1939. The story shows me a glimpse of the glamour of high society and the excitement, the unusual sights and smells of another world, the naval build-up and the uncertainty of the impending World War.

You can see this treasure on display at Attingham Park from March-September 2010.

Red Engine

Added by Arthur Alexander

Located under Toys, games & sports

Story behind the treasure: My father made this wooden engine for my second birthday-I am now 71-in February 1941. He was a firefighter in the City of London, and during the docks raids, after being on duty for days without meals or sleep, he collapsed, and died a few days later aged 34. This engine, now freshly painted is the only memento I have of him. Well played with first by me, then my 3 children, and now we watch 5 grandchildren still enjoying a toy, made by their great grandfather, whose name is inscribed on the Firefighters Memorial near St.Pauls.

You can see this treasure on display at Osterley Park and House from March-September 2010.

Ancestors indenture

Added by Barry Kempson

Located under Letters & documents

Story behind the treasure: This is the original indenture signed on 25th March 1844 for my great great uncle John Kempson junior to enter into apprenticeship as a Bootcloser with a John Shepherd in Oxford. It is also signed by John Kempson senior, my great great grandfather. It prohibits the apprentice from (amongst other things)"commit fornication nor contract Matrimony or shall not play at cards or dice tables nor haunt Taverns or Playhouses nor absent himself from his said Master service day or night unlawfully"! How times have changed.

You can see this treasure on display at Killerton from March-September 2010.

Baby's cradle

Added by Ann Swabey

Located under Furniture

Story behind the treasure: This is the cradle that my late father made for my first child in 1982. It is made from solid English oak and the wood was sourced from the church where I was married – they were selling off the old pews at £5.00 each. Both my children slept snugly in the cradle and I hope to pass it on to my grandchildren. I treasure the cradle, not only because it is a beautiful and useful object, but because of the memories it holds of my children and especially of my father, a talented craftsman and a wonderful father and grandfather.

You can see this treasure on display at Stourhead from March-September 2010.

Linen chest

Added by Dorothy Caddy

Located under Furniture

Story behind the treasure: My father carved and made this linen chest to commemorate the wedding of my late husband and myself. Dad had not been too keen that is only daughter, youngest of four children, wished to marry a man 46 years older! But the creation of this chest two years into our marriage just showed how he had accepted our decision after seeing how happy we were together. Dad made the chest from oak. The left end of the chest depicts Wymondham Abbey, Norfolk, our wedding venue, and on the right Tregonning Farm, our marital home with our initials, and date of marriage are encompassed within the heart shape gracing the lid. Sadly Dad passed away in 1984, aged 88 but we were blessed with 20 years of marriage and two daughters Violette and Iris.

You can see this treasure on display at Cotehele from March-September 2010.