The 1900's House-should be interesting

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Just saw the advertisment for a docu-drama PBS will start on June 12th, called the "1900 House". Takes place in London, where a modern family agrees to take part in a project and stay in a victorian house, as if they were transported by time machine back to the victorian era. They do without all the "modern" conveniences, refrigeration, shampoo, etc. Dress in period costumes, etc. Might be interesting! Some of us live that way now, just thought it might be intersting to see how they cope. Jan

-- Jan B (Janice12@aol.com), June 11, 2000

Answers

I saw that advertised also and was looking forward to seeing it untill you said "docu-drama". Is this a set up or are these people really trying this?

Jason

-- Jason (AJAMA5@netscape.net), June 11, 2000.


Jason: That was just how our TV guide listed it, as a Docu-drama, but the rest of the write up stated it was an actual family, who answered an ad in their local newspaper in London, and the rest is what followed for the "experiment". I figured I would give it one week and see how factual it seemed to be. Jan

-- Jan (Janice12@aol.com), June 11, 2000.

Jan B, what area do you live in? I have heard this discussed in the Backwoods Home forum, but when I checked the guide for my local PBS station (Channel 8, Houston) I didn't see it!!! I'm dying to see it!

-- Hannah Maria Holly (hannahholly@hotmail.com), June 11, 2000.

It should be interesting. One of the three different PBS stations we pick up is carrying it and I'll be watching. A bit unfair since these folks were picked up and "dropped" back in time. If they'd truly been living in 1900, much of what they're having trouble with (judging by the clips that have been airing) wouldn't have bothered them. Boar bristle toothbrushes, lack of bathing, cooking with a wood or coal stove have been featured in the clips. At the very least, there should be some good laughs in the show. Gerbil

-- Gerbil (ima_gerbil@hotmail.com), June 11, 2000.

I saw a real good segment that interviewed some of the participents. Very interesting. One daughter wanted to keep living the old way, one hated it. I think that if you will do some checking, the show is also getting ready to be produced in the US or Canada with the same circumstances, i.e. olden times and conditions. Should be fun. Would love to have volunteered.

-- greenbeanman (greenbeanman@ourtownusa.net), June 11, 2000.


I saw some clips, but forgot the time. What time is it tonight?

-- Abigail F. (treeoflife@sws.nb.ca), June 12, 2000.

In Iowa is is on PBS at 8:00. (tonight, Mon.) I am looking forward to it. Too bad Countryside folks could not have been picked. I am new to the forum. Anyone else from Iowa?

-- Jean (kjean@i-rule.net), June 12, 2000.

Check out this link to purchase the 4 hour program for under $30...ask your library to buy it! http://shop.pbs.org/products/A4275/

-- Anne (HT@HM.Com), June 12, 2000.

I thought this thread would be full of commentary this morning...Did anyone watch this? Was it what you expected? I enjoyed watching the restoration of the house, but I think I will be more interested next week when the people get to move in. I also think it would have been better if the family could have chosen their own tools, but understand that it wasn't within the experiment.

-- sheepish (rborgo@gte.net), June 13, 2000.

We watched it here in England earlier this year and enjoyed it . they didnt seem to know much about old fashioned things , had problems with not being able to use shampoo! and the fire not giving them enough hot water! They were a real family And did reply to an advert. Hope you all enjoy it but us smallhoders would have done better!!! I too would have missed music on my radio too though.

-- Sue Cuthbert (fareacre@btinternet.com), June 13, 2000.


My problem with these shows is that they do not have adjustments for the fact that families in the 1900's would have had a significant network of friends and family to help them when they needed it.

-- Anne (HT@HM.com), June 13, 2000.

I watched--or attempted too, as our cable reception was lousy, due to a passing storm front, but what I saw was interesting. Too bad they didn't check out the chimney before they did all the other restoration, though! What I didn't see or hear, maybe I was out of the room, was whether the family went about their normal day to day activities outside the house? School, work, etc? If so, did they stay in the 1900's personna? It would have been a real eye opener to participate in something like that. Have to see what the next episode brings. Jan

-- Jan in Colorado (Janice12@aol.com), June 13, 2000.

Sue in England,

Perhaps you can expln something to me about the show. They said they had a difficult time finding a coal range for the kitchen. Why was it so hard? Do they not make them in England anymore or did they want an antique one from that era?

I believe coal ranges are still made or are available here in the USA, but how closely they would resemble a 1900 one I don't know.

-- R. (thor610@yahoo.com), June 14, 2000.


They were looking for a 1900 range but I dont think anything like that is used or made here anymore . Agas and Rayburns are still made but they are from the 1940s onwards. We've got virtually no coal mines left in this country now anyway. to answer the other question , the man was in the army and got a transfer to the local recruiting office wearing 1900 clothes, the children left the house in 1900 dress but then changed into 2000 clothes at a friend house before going to school!

-- Sue Cuthbert (fareacre@btinternet.com), June 14, 2000.

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/1900house/

Look here for more info about the show and a behind the scenes look. They did talk about not having anyone else around with the family who would be living the same lifestyle.

And about choosing a family they said they didn't want any eccentric family which eschewed modern appliances.

-- r. (thor610@yahoo.com), June 15, 2000.



Hey, I thought you were all interested in this show...what... NO comments? Did all the drudgery get to you? Did you like how the father got to go to work every day and leave mom home (and the kids got to go to school)to do learn how to do everything?

I personally thought it was ridiculous to just throw somebody into that house who had no experience with the stuff. Mom looks like a corpse already, I think. I probably would, too!

-- sheepish (rborgo@gte.net), June 20, 2000.


Have to admit-after watching a couple episodes, I wouldn't have liked being dropped into that situation without any knowledge of how to use or do some of the "old time" things. I personally, would have studied all I could before beginning that adventure. Still might have been a challenge, but with a little more knowledge than those poor folks seem to have. I really feel sorry for the mother-she has the biggest load, but then, that was undoubtedly how it was! Jan

-- Jan in Colorado (Janice12@aol.com), June 20, 2000.

I see someone already provided a link, but it wasn't clickable so I thought I'd leave this one anyway. This is a nice place to go for all of you who are like me and get only one station. I get NBC. If it doesn't come on NBC I don't watch it. Yuck I hate it! We have a roof antenna, but We are in a valley between two hills. Here is the link. The reason it is so neat is because they have clips to veiw on line.

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/1900house/

Have fun!

Little Bit Farm

-- Little bit Farm (littlebit@calinet.com), June 21, 2000.


They seem like a pretty neat family, though a little whiney. I don't know why they didn't do more reading before they started -- (like old Countyside magazines...) And there are lots of places today where people live without running hot water. You heat up a bucket of water and use a mug to pour it over yourself, soap up and rinse. It's not luxurious, but it works, and it's a whole lot better than wasting energy on frustration and lashing out. Maybe they'd never gone camping. And I imagine it would be irritating to have cameras and technicians following you about all the time. Did you see how she couldn't even bend to get the dropped bobbin because of the whalebone corset? Society's straightjacket....Yikes!

-- snoozy (allen@oz.net), June 21, 2000.

I agree with you Snoozy they do tend to "go on" a lot about their bathing problems. Seems like the father would have had some experience of roughing it though. I was in Somalia for 4 months with the US army. Most of that time we were way out in the bush. We had nothing! Had to wash up in a little rubbermaid container (about 12"x 8") It was 115 degrees during the day and we were in full uniform most of the time so you can imagine how sweaty that was. Had to hand wash all that stuff in the same little container. Even though we had been warned to expect "nothing" it was surprising how many people hadn't even given a thought to what they were going to wash up with. I guess some people just don't have that "survival" or "homestead" mind set. It was funny, When I reached into my ruck and pulled out this little container and announced that I was going to take a bath all eyes were upon me. "where did you get THAT?!!" You would have thought I'd produced the crown jewels! We really thought we had struck gold though when we managed to procure a "real" toilet seat! No more sitting on a piece of plywood with a hole cut out of it and getting splinters in your bum! But if I had to do chores in a whalebone corset and long frilly dresses then I'd be completely handicapped. Enjoying the show though. The chicken coop looked interesting. Pauline

-- Pauline Adderley (tworoosters_farm@AltaVista.com), June 21, 2000.

Pauline -- I'd like to hear more about Somalia. Whenever I hear people yammering on about the federal govt or how much better anarchy would be, I think about places like Somalia where they're living with so little govt, so little infrastructure, with the true "market economy" of blackmarket & brigands. What is it really like?

-- snoozy (allen@oz.net), June 23, 2000.

I think the show sounds interesting, I think this would be a great money making opportunity sans the cameras, offer people the opportunity like a vacation package to live like pioneers, for a week or two at a time (anyone looking to start a rural home business)? I know of people that would pay for the opportunity to give this a try

-- ronda (thejohnsons_doty@hotmail.com), August 21, 2000.

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