The Burbidge family at home

We are quite amazed to realise that we have never used this photo on the museum blog. It shows the Burbidge family in the front garden of their Market Lavington front door.

This family lived at the house which is now our museum building. Most of them moved there in 1907 when Mr Burbidge, Alf, got a job as gardener for Miss Pleydell Bouverie at the Old House. A year later, the younger daughter Florence was born at that house.

The Burbidge family at home

From left to right we have Florence who was known as Flo, Louisa the mother of the children who, we gather, was quite insistent on being called Mrs Burbidge. Then we have Alf and then the older daughter Doris who was known as Dorrie.

Dorrie left home in 1934 when she married and moved, with her husband to Bristol.

Flo married Bert Shore in 1940 and continued to live in Market Lavington.

Both Louisa and Alfred died in 1954 and both are buried in the churchyard in Market Lavington. Their cottage then fell into disuse until the school made use of it. It became the museum in 1985.

Flo Burbidge

Flo Burbidge was born in our museum building, then the family home, back in 1908. We therefore feel a real affection for her and we have quite a few memories of her in the museum. But of course, Flo had a life to live and no doubt went off to see friends elsewhere in the village. And perhaps she had here.

Flo Burbidge at a Knapp Farm cottage in the 1920s

Here we see Flo, probably in the 1920s, outside quite a different cottage. Our caption tells us the cottage was once occupied by the coachman at Knapp Farm.

We are not 100% certain where this was and it reminds us to caption photos in terms of things that won’t change, if possible. However, it is a lovely photo of the youthful Flo.

Flo married Bert Shore in 1940. The couple never had any children. They lived in the Market Place in Market Lavington and Flo was the honoured guest when the museum opened 30 years ago

Flo died in 1994. There is a memorial plaque for her in the churchyard, just outside our museum.

Blue and White China

First of all, in our photos it looks less than blue. But it is! Honest!

Blue and White Poppy pattern china by T Till and Sons

We are looking at vegetable tureen and a serving plate. There is also a sauce boat.

Matching tureen and lid

This china carries this makers’ mark.

The makers’ mark

These items were made by T Till and Sons and the design was called Poppy. If you want to know more about these Staffordshire potters then visit the website at http://thomastillandsons.webs.com/

Now what makes these items so special to our museum in Market Lavington?

The answer is simple. These items are the remains of a dinner service that belonged to Alf and Louisa Burbidge. Alf and Louisa lived in the cottage which is now our museum so these items are in their very rightful place.

In fact we have quite a full history of these items for when the Burbidges died the crockery went to Mrs Lily Gilbert. Lily was born a Shore and her brother had Married Flo Burbidge, the daughter of Alf and Louisa.

The items were given to the museum by Lily’s daughter, Mrs Clarke in 2001.

After fifty years, the Poppy china had come home. And you can see it now in the kitchen where once it would have been used by Louisa and her family.