Finding the chase and cutting to it

For me, the story starts in the Spring of 1992 when I got a phone call from my parents telling me the offer they’d made on a house had been accepted. I was living in Bath in rented accommodation working out what was next in my story.

The house had been built in the 1600s and was partially renovated by the current owners but it was a big job and they couldn’t finish the task.

What my parents got was a lot of furniture left in the big house: 254m² with a big garden and a lot of work which over the next 12 years they did. They down-sized and what they couldn’t use they left. That helped my parents out a little and in turn, as me and my brother left to make our own lives: us.

One piece was a small “gentleman’s wardrobe” from 1960. At 50cm deep, 80cm wide and 150cm tall, it had a built in tie rack, 5 shelves, a 3/4 hanging rail and two locking doors, one with a key. It was made by a company called Austinsuite who specialised in fitting Londoners with bedroom furniture just before the war.

Between the wars, it wasn’t uncommon for a “bedroom suite” to come with two wardrobes – a larger woman’s one to house her dress, often with full skirts, and a small man’s one. A dressing table for the lady would finish off with a little storage for jewelery and of course cosmetics.

Of course, for us in modern times, with all the pieces we have, it’s not nearly enough but being freestanding, when I moved into a house, I inherited it from my folks. Along with a tall boy, that lasted until we got to fit our family house. Then my son got to use the cupboard.

It lasted him until he was 13 and we fitted his room. At which point, the little wardrobe went in to the spare room for guests.

It was pulled in to full time service again when we bought our current house. Having sloped ceiling in a chalet styled house is very awkward but it’s narrow and short stature allows it to nestle. Again it was relegated to a spare room and now it sits in our upstairs lobby, providing emergency storage while another cupboard sits in the spare room.

But we don’t actually need it which means what’s next in its 62 year history? Do we hang on while my son decides his next step or sell it?

Watch this space.