Here is an article, from a November issue of Radio Review magazine in 1935 by radio commentator Howard Marshall on the subject of the cosiness of his home being central to his happiness. He was a commentator for live broadcasts of state occasions and sporting events for BBC radio during the 1930s. It’s rather charming that he described himself as being “old fashioned” for preferring evenings by the fireside rather than being at the cinema or a dance hall.
His home was “an old farmhouse” which he described as having “no gadgets” except electric lighting. The farmhouse sounded charming, with stone flagged floors, some rugs for warmth, “an old sea chest” where he kept his hats, bookshelves, old armchairs, and dogs lying by the hearth. The photograph shows Howard and his family relaxing by the old fireplace, which is a scene that still many of us aspire to today, especially vintage people I see on Instagram.
He regarded “modern chrome plated furniture” as being austere and was of the opinion that older wooden furniture was “friendly.” I tend to be in agreement with him that wooden vintage/antique furniture does have a certain warmth about it.
I recently bought a Victorian sideboard and it might sound whimsical, but it really has changed the atmosphere of my sitting room. I am not alone in that feeling, because when I invited a neighbour in to see it she immediately remarked how it had changed the atmosphere!
It is beautifully carved with ornate brass handles and inside some of the drawers there are some ink stains, which add to its charm. It does need a little TLC : a professional polish and the hinges on the doors need replacing, but nothing new on eBay could come close to its beauty, even if it is a little shabby right now. I bet Will from The Repair Shop could make it look amazing. I bought it from an Oxfam shop for £75.
At the moment, to keep the left door shut there are two elastic bands!
But back to Howard Marshall. After describing some of his friend’s homes he went on to acknowledge that “so many of my fellow countrymen are forced to live in conditions which make happiness in the home virtually impossible.” It is nice that he realised how fortunate he was because in the 1930s many Victorian court slums were still in existence with people not much better off than their parents and grandparents had been.
I expect Howard had seen a few because he expressed that “I look forward to the day when every family in Britain shall at least have the opportunity to be happy.” It is a sentiment that is still relevant today.
I am very grateful for my little vintage style flat in a late Victorian terraced house. I still have a way to go to get it as vintage as I want it to be, though. This couple in the video below have my dream home! A 1930s semi complete with a 1929 cooker and 1937 fridge! I cannot take it that far due to having a modern fitted kitchen supplied by my housing co operative, so as I go along, I’m making it more of a retro 1950s looking one with the decor and vintage kitchenware.
For my own fireside I have an electric fireplace, which I think dates from the 1980s. I bought it from a very sweet lady off eBay for £65. As you will have seen in the video, there were electric fireplaces in the 1930s, which they had fitted into the fireplace. Mine doesn’t look quite like the one in the video, but it has a lovely wooden surround and creates a cosy look.
I had been looking at the new electric fireplaces with surrounds one can find on eBay, but I found out that the LED lights on them are not replaceable! This one had kept coming up in my search for electric fireplaces and I decided it was the right one for my room. When it was in place it looked and felt that it “belonged.” Like the Victorian sideboard it has added to the cosy vintage atmosphere I wanted.
This recording by Ray Noble and his Orchestra, with Al Bowlly on vocals, evokes the sentiments Howard Marshall expressed perfectly.
The article can be downloaded here as a pdf file:
Pages of Radioland. 