Strange But True

Strange But True

  • Inexpressibles

    The name given to the tight trousers worn by some Regency gentlemen, such as the notorious Beau Brummell and his ‘dandy’ followers,  as they showed off their leg muscles.

  • What did Victoria do first

    after her coronation in 1837?  Have a parliamentary meeting?  Have tea with all the royal dignitaries?  No – she gave her dog, Dash, a bath.

     

  • Now that’s what we call a cake!

    Victoria and Albert’s wedding cake was a colossal 9 feet wide and weighed 300 pounds.

     

  • Victorian ladies’ knickers had no middle

    Once they got all those big dresses on, they couldn’t reach their knickers to pull them down, so they could stand over a potty to wee with these on instead.

     

  • Would you wee in your dining room?

    Victorian gentlemen did! Some dining rooms (like ours) had a special cupboard to house a chamber pot so all the gentlemen could go for a wee without leaving the table (once the ladies had left the room, of course!).

     

  • The last ducking stool to be used in England

    (in 1809) can still be seen not far from us in the Priory Church, Leominster, Herefordshire. It’s huge.

     

Handy Hints

Handy Hints

  • An insect trap

    Scoop out the inside of a turnip, scallop the edges, and place it downward in the earth. The insects will pass into it as a place of retreat through the holes, and the cucumbers, squashes, melons etc., may soon be clear of them.  1852

     

    As with all our historical handy hints, this is a real tip from a Victorian book. We cannot say that it’ll work and it’s up to you if you want to try!

     

  • Anti-magnetic properties of the onion

    The magnetic power of a compass needle, will be entirely discharged or changed by being touched with the juice of an onion.

     

    As with all our historical handy hints, this is a real tip from a Victorian book. We cannot say that it’ll work and it’s up to you if you want to try!

     

  • To clean gilt buckles, chains &c.

    Dip a soft brush in water, rub a little soap on it, and brush the article for a minute or two, then wash it clean, wipe it, and place it near the fire till dry, then brush it with burnt bread finely powdered. 1823

     

    As with all our historical handy hints, this is a real tip from a Victorian book. We cannot say that it’ll work and it’s up to you if you want to try!

     

  • To remove grease from books

    Lay upon the spoon a little magnesium or powdered chalk, and under it the same; set on it a warm flat iron, and as soon as the grease is melted, it will be all absorbed, and leave the paper clean. 1852

     

    As with all our historical handy hints, this is a real tip from a Victorian book. We cannot say that it’ll work and it’s up to you if you want to try!

     

  • Antidote against mice

    Gather wild mint, put it where you wish to keep them out, and they will not trouble you. 1852

     

    As with all our historical handy hints, this is a real tip from a Victorian book. We cannot say that it’ll work and it’s up to you if you want to try!

     

  • Keeping your kettle clean

    To prevent teakettles coating with lime – put the shell of an oyster in the teakettle and the lime will adhere to it, instead of coating the sides. 1852

    As with all our historical handy hints, this is a real tip from a Victorian book. We cannot say that it’ll work and it’s up to you if you want to try!

     

Museum celebrates Welsh Government support

Museum celebrates Welsh Government support

Museum Celebrates Welsh Government Support

Press Release

27/8/19   The Judge’s Lodging may have seemed a little quiet to outsiders of late. They have been busy planning their new future, as they move towards their charity, The Judge’s Lodging Trust, taking the building over entirely from Powys County Council, its current owners.  It has now received some exciting news to help it on its way – the Welsh Government has shown is support of this immersive award-winning Victorian museum through its new Transition Grant Programme, open to museums, libraries and archives across Wales.

MALD (Museums, Archives, Libraries Division) have chosen the Presteigne historic attraction as one of only four museums they are supporting over the next year in this new capital grant scheme. They are funding £120,000 towards a £146,000 capital project with three aims: Firstly, work will be done to stabilise the roof structure of this Grade 2-star building, with new lead-work, slate repairs and a repainting of its front facade, making the building watertight for the future and sprucing up its appearance to visitors and residents of the town alike. Then a new, enhanced shop and Tourist Information Point, creating a more welcoming and accessible space for everyone. Finally, a new audio system to replace the much-loved, but sadly no longer functioning, walkman system, used to run the popular character-based audio tour for visitors. Recent audience research has shown just how popular this tour is, with characters taken from the real history of the building, such as Mary the Maid, William Luggar the Housekeeper, PC Rogers and prisoner William Morgan, all overseen by Richard Lister Venables, Chairman of the Magistrates, portrayed by the late actor Robert Hardy. A decision has therefore been made to keep it, but provide new technology to access it, and a Welsh version to be worked on to compliment it.

At the helm is Chair, Diane Gwilt, Keeper – Collection Services, National Museum Wales, and Gaby Rivers, the museum’s Manager, who has been a driving force for the museum since it opened to the public in 1997. Says Gaby ‘With the museum reaching its 21st birthday this year, this is terribly exciting news. It really feels like we are starting to forge forwards in our quest to protect this wonderful building and provide an amazing experience for visits’. Joking about the building’s legal past she says ‘we really want to do the museum justice’!

Staff at The Judge’s Lodging cannot pretend that it is all plain sailing, as the local authority move away from supporting the museum, and they are working hard to raise funds to keep the building moving forwards. To this end, they have just opened up a pop-up Welsh Tearoom, with all locally sourced teas, coffees, soft drinks and cakes, all served in vintage china.

A summer trail for families ‘The Judge Wants His Dinner’ is running throughout the school holiday, where participants search for cunningly-hidden ingredients throughout the historic rooms and get themselves a certificate and a mouth-watering recipe sheet at the end.

The museum has an active volunteering programme, run by Volunteer Coordinator, Sue Knox, so if you fancy helping The Judge’s Lodging do pop by, find out more, sign up to be part of the team…or even buy yourself a nice cuppa!

And if you can’t get enough of The Judge’s Lodging, why not watch it this Friday  (August 3rd) on Weatherman Walking, 7.30pm BBC Wales, where you will see the popular Welsh weatherman Derek Brockway visiting the building and giving his verdict!

END

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