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Cartmell Cottage - Recapturing Memories of the Good Old Days By Alison Inglis One of the earliest residential buildings in Stanley has been refurbished and was opened to the public for the first time in November 2003. Cartmell Cottage on Pioneer Row is named in memory of Andrew 'Nutt' Cartmell who generously donated the house to the Museum and National Trust in 1993. Museum Manager, Leona Roberts says it is hoped that the Cottage will prove to be a popular visitor attraction but, more importantly, an important tool for educating young Falkland Islanders in the way that their ancestors lived. The house was one of thirty kits sent from Britain in 1849 for a detachment of military "pensioners" who came to the Islands as settlers in the mid-1800s. These pensioners were far from the modern interpretation of the word - the oldest was just 42 - rather they were military men who had been retired from active service for a variety of reasons. The men were encouraged to settle in the Falklands, being offered a house with a plot of land that they were required to cultivate. Stanley had only recently become the capital of the Islands and these houses were some of the first residential properties to be built. Private Thomas McDonnel and his family are believed to have been the first tenants of No. 11 Upper Row, as it was then known, but they returned to Britain in 1857 along with several other families who were not content with life in the Islands. In later years improvements were made, with rooms being built on and new features added, resulting in a very good example of an old Stanley house - loaded with charm and character. In later years the direction for numbering the streets was changed to fun west to east, new street names were given and it became Number 7 Pioneer Row. Following the decision in mid-2003 to refit the cottage, a great deal of work has been carried out by Museum staff and volunteers. The original ground floor kitchen/living-room and bedroom are furnished in 1850s style; the later lean-to kitchen is a 1930s kitchen/living-room; and the more modern rear lean-to added to accommodate a back kitchen and bathroom is used to display information. The upper floor will not be open to the public in the immediate future due to a rather precarious staircase. Some Stanley residents may remember Mrs Tilly Cartmell running a shop from the rear lean-to during the 1970s. The Trust hopes that, when finished, Cartmell Cottage will not look like a museum display. "We hope that, instead, it will feel more like walking into someone's home," says Mrs Roberts. "The 1930s room, in particular, should feel comfortable and perhaps familiar to many of the older generation." Although the Museum has many of the furnishings and fittings that are needed for the Cottage, any loans or donations would be gratefully received. Small domestic items are especially needed such as rag rugs, blankets, some pots and dishes and even decorative items such as pictures. An old bedstead and a sturdy kitchen table are also proving difficult to find. Mrs Roberts says the Museum is not looking for items of financial value and condition is not important: "The more 'lived-in' the better. Please remember, too, that loans are very welcome." Extensive research by Museum staff has gone into making the rooms look as authentic as possible, right down to the food on the tables. In the earlier kitchen the sparseness of the time gives the impression that a family has left hurriedly, whereas in the 1930s kitchen where newly installed electricity provided light the kitchen table laden with baking equipment brings back childhood memories of poking fingers into cake mixture, and stealing biscuits, steaming hot from the oven, off the cooling racks - all that is missing is the singing of the kettle on the 'Modern Mistress' range whcih replaced the open grate. The 1850s bedroom has one of the earliest en-suite bathrooms on display, complete with wash-stand and a 'peat dust' flushing toilet - one cannot help but wonder if the idea was derived from observing cats about their business in the garden. A large piece of sailcloth that helped to insulate the house is now a fascinating piece of social history - no less than 14 layers of wallpaper are visible over an original covering of 'The Illustrated London Times' of 1851. The next stage was to restore the overgrown backyard to a working vegetable garden (essential for every household until recent years), with a peatstack and occupied hen run. The house now has an outside loo (originally from the grounds of Miss Madge Biggs' house and moved with permission of St. Mary's Catholic Church), a very attractive hen-house and yard, and a new picket fence, along with a fully-equipped wash-house and sheds. The back yard has been landscaped and a vegetable garden planted. Cartmell Cottage was featured recently in the top British magazine Country Life, which commented that: "Although small, it undoubtedly stands in the proud tradition of pre-fabricated buildings that produced the Crystal Palace, the Brooklyn Bridge and the Eiffel Tower." Mrs Roberts is keen to hear from anyone who might like to share memories of life in the 1930s and 40s. "This is to be a good old Falkland house and we want to fill it with memories of those days. We would love to come and talk to anyone who can spare the time; similarly, we would like to hear from anyone who lived in the house at any stage, or has any particularly interesting stories about life on Pioneer Row. "It is so important that we do not forget the origins of our community. This wonderful little house can show visitors and residents alike the way we used to live and we hope it will be enjoyed for years to come. Although still very much a work in progress, Cartmell Cottage will offer visitors and residents a great experience and the opportunity to step back in time to simpler, if not easier, days." A small entrance fee is charged to allow the Trust to carry out further work on the house and yard. The next phase is the prospective addition of a 1970s kitchen, and the furnishing of the upstairs rooms. Thanks to several very generous donations by members of the public, furniture will not be a problem. However, small items are still needed, particularly bits and pieces for the pantry, such as milk basins, jugs, bottles and jars, a chopping board, biscuit tins (and all sorts of grocery tins and boxes), crockery and sugar bins. Also, a record player, dart board and an old 2-metre set. "We are not looking for anything especially fancy - just the basic everyday items", says Mrs Roberts, "and these are the hardest to come by because most were just dumped." Objects do not need to be in pristine condition - Cartmell Cottage is very much a normal, working house. Some large pieces are still missing though, such as a mangle and, vitally, a Rayburn stove. Anyone who can help is reminded that loans are just as welcome as donations. The 1970s kitchen is expected to be popular and is the last major phase of work at Cartmell Cottage. "This rooms is going to be fun, although it might be a little loud," says Mrs Roberts. "The house has existed from the earliest days of Stanley and this room will help us to demonstrate home-life through the history of the capital." Cartmell Cottage has looked out over Stanley harbour for more than 150 years, witness to the changing times but altering little itself. Now, you can take a step back in time by visiting a house where, to quote one of last year's visitors, "it feels as if the family have just popped out....." This Article was compiled from material published in the Penguin News on 17 October 2003, 5 December 2003, 29 October 2004 and 2 September 2005 and in the Penguin News Visitor's Guide 2004/5 and 2005/6 sponsored by the Falkland Islands Tourist Board
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