Strands#265 Did You Hear That?
Quizzes & Puzzles3 mins ago
May Savage
Does anyone know anything about May Savage featured on the Antiques Roadshow tonight
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I saw the shaw and really can only tell you what was on. The lady in question moved her house in pieces from Ware in Hertfordshire to Wells in Norfolk. She died before the house was fully completed but left the house to her children providing they completed it. It is now fully restored an a B&B called Ware Hall House. You can find the website by putting in Ware Hall House. Her niece now lives there and runs the B&B Hopes this helps.
Doris
Doris
I missed the show, but was told about it and am really interested to find out more. So I e-mailed the Roadshow and was told that this has generated lots of interest. I understand Mays neice is in discussion with publishers and may be writing a book on this which could be out within the next couple of years.
It too am fascinated by May Savage whom I learnt about today, February 19, 2011 on Antiques Roadshow. The only information aside from the show I have been able to garner is what you good people have offered here. Please keep up to date should any information become available. I shall keep my eyes open too for any information or a book to become available here in the U.S.
www.u3anorwich.org january.html
Miss Savidge moves her house
For all of us moving house is an exhausting and stressful process. In that event we are merely transferring the contents of one box into another. For May Savidge moving house was literally just that – moving the house. On Wednesday 19th January a capacity audience heard a very entertaining account of how and why this was done.
May Savidge was an eccentric and redoubtable lady. Her niece-in-law, Christine Adams, described how Auntie May became a self taught engineer and was employed by De Havilland during World War II as a draftsman. She lived in Ware Hall built in 1450. She loved her home and when the local authority wanted to compulsorily purchase it in order for it to make way for a roundabout she refused to co-operate. Despite repeated letters and visits Auntie May stuck to her guns or rather her house.
After a long war of attrition she agreed to move on condition she could demolish her home and re-assemble it in Wells-next -the-sea of which she had happy memories of childhood holidays. This was agreed and the enormous task of planning the operation began. Every brick, beam and tile had to be logged and numbered. We saw slides of May in the midst of piles of timber.
She built up her strength carrying enormous beams and hods of bricks. When beams needed repair she spliced in new timbers. Whatever obstacle she encountered she overcame. She was an incredible hoarder keeping everything, including every sweet paper and match she had ever used.
Whilst re-assembling her house she lived in a caravan on site. The whole project took 23 years, begun in her 50’s it was, barely finished when she died. The prodigious effort needed for this task is difficult to imagine. The talk was vividly and amusingly told by her niece who now lives in the house. A house which is a monument to one woman’s determination and refusal to be cowed by bureaucrats. The roundabout was duly completed and a commemorative cherry tree planted. It blooms close to the date of Auntie May’s birthday. A fitting tribute. Jean Oldham
Miss Savidge moves her house
For all of us moving house is an exhausting and stressful process. In that event we are merely transferring the contents of one box into another. For May Savidge moving house was literally just that – moving the house. On Wednesday 19th January a capacity audience heard a very entertaining account of how and why this was done.
May Savidge was an eccentric and redoubtable lady. Her niece-in-law, Christine Adams, described how Auntie May became a self taught engineer and was employed by De Havilland during World War II as a draftsman. She lived in Ware Hall built in 1450. She loved her home and when the local authority wanted to compulsorily purchase it in order for it to make way for a roundabout she refused to co-operate. Despite repeated letters and visits Auntie May stuck to her guns or rather her house.
After a long war of attrition she agreed to move on condition she could demolish her home and re-assemble it in Wells-next -the-sea of which she had happy memories of childhood holidays. This was agreed and the enormous task of planning the operation began. Every brick, beam and tile had to be logged and numbered. We saw slides of May in the midst of piles of timber.
She built up her strength carrying enormous beams and hods of bricks. When beams needed repair she spliced in new timbers. Whatever obstacle she encountered she overcame. She was an incredible hoarder keeping everything, including every sweet paper and match she had ever used.
Whilst re-assembling her house she lived in a caravan on site. The whole project took 23 years, begun in her 50’s it was, barely finished when she died. The prodigious effort needed for this task is difficult to imagine. The talk was vividly and amusingly told by her niece who now lives in the house. A house which is a monument to one woman’s determination and refusal to be cowed by bureaucrats. The roundabout was duly completed and a commemorative cherry tree planted. It blooms close to the date of Auntie May’s birthday. A fitting tribute. Jean Oldham
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