Sudley House

What do you do on a wet Saturday in 'Flaming June'? Go to Sudley House of course!

Having 'Googled' Liverpool's National Museums, and avoided WILFING, we (well Chris if I'm honest) decided we would visit this 1821 built house. It was originally owned by Nicholas Robinson, a corn merchant, but, in 1883 was purchased by George Holt, a shipowner.

The ground floor is much as it was with original decorations and Holt's picture collection; I must say the collection was quite impressive and well worth a visit jut to see them. Just as a point of interest, this is the last Victorian merchant's house in Britain that still has its paintings!

His daughter lived there until, still single, she died in 1944; she left the house, paintings and grounds to the people of Liverpool. In 2004 the house was awarded £187k for general improvements, from the National Lottery fund and a year later closed for about 12 months for refurbishment.

Ground Floor

As in most of the house the original furniture has been sold off; the walls however are a perfect setting for the Holt collection of pictures. George Holt, on the interactive video in one corner of the Library, informed us that he used this room for a mixture of business and relaxation. There were pictures of him and family members on the wall.

Drawing room...

The family's 'best room'! According to the servant, that greeted us on another video as we entered, George's wife Elizabeth entertained afternoon visitors here. I wonder where she entertained visitors that arrived at other times? The pictures here were paintings by the Pre-Raphaelites.

Dining room...

The replacement table, purchased from a nearby house, was very grand and Holt, on yet another video informed us about sitting in that very room, with their friends, discussing their charitable work. Two Turner paintings hang in this room. Chris wasn't impressed with them!

Morning room...

Another room, another video; Emma Holt this time telling us about her hopes for the future including votes for women, women MPs and who knows what else. She used this room as her office for her charity work. Landscapes are the main type of pictures in this room.

First Floor...

The rooms here, after Emma died, were destroyed to turn the space into public galleries; modern displays on themes from the period when Sudley was a home can be seen here, including...

• the Childhood room (looking at Victorian childhood through the themes of mealtimes, getting dressed and learning through play; there is a novel idea!)
• the Small world room (toys that were miniature versions of real things)
• the Costume room (displays of costumes and fashions)

Special Exhibitions room...

An excellent display of photographs, by Bedford Lemere, showing Merchant Palaces, Liverpool and Wirral mansions. They were taken between 1888 and 1916. Most are the work of Harry Bedford. He used natural light and long exposure times which meant he rarely included figures. WOW! The sharply focused images provide more than just an insight into the private world of Liverpool's elite. I'm not sure if the black and white photographs would have been any more impressive in colour; the riot of clashing patterns and textures are in all the photographs and, visually, I think it would have all been too much.

Tea room...

Yes we did pay a brief visit for Tea and Sudley Slice for Chris and Coffee and Paradise Slice for me.

A grand day out! A pity that it was raining, a walk in the grounds looked inviting. Perhaps another visit is needed?

technorati tags:Sudley, Liverpool, House, Photographs, Museum, Holt

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