READING AND SPEAKING Living in the past 1 What do you know about the time when your grandparents and great-grandparents were ‘young? When was it? What were their houses like? What did they do for entertainment? 2 Look atthe pictures. What things can you see that are typical of the 19th century and the 1950s? Peter Saunders is a council worker from ‘Nottingham. He's just 30 years old but heis a huge fan of all things Victorian. He has spent £1000s tuming his house into a late-1800s haven. 3. Divide into two groups. Group A Read about Peter Saunders: Group B Read about Joanne Massey. Answer the questions, mag 1 Which era is he/she. shsensed by? S jeter takes Victorian life very seriously, even down to What started the ebsession? wearinga waistcoatand flat cap. Every item in his cottage 2 What does she/he wear? gas is 100 per cent authentic. There is no factory-produced 3 How docs hefshe source A Ihings for furniture, everything from the toilet to the tins in his paltry the house? gam ‘have been lovingly hand-picked from car boot sales, antique fairs, and eBay auctions. A portrait of Queen Victoria hangs proudly above the sitting room fireplace. 4 What does Sfe/he not lke about modern life? asp 5. What does hAMM tke sboutthe'bygone erat 6 Which ‘mod cons’ do they have in their houses? Where do they keep them? 7 How do they entertain friends? gas 8 What do other people think of 7 ne 2\st century thekr LSC ga woman who a in ‘9 What do you le out other members of the family? am 4 Work with a student from the other group. Use the questions to tell each other about your person, What is your opinion of their lifestyles? Which do you prefer? What do you like/not like about them? Joanne Massey, 35, livesina 5 With your partner try to guess the meaning re-creation of a 1950s home in Stafford of the highlighted words in your text with her husband Kevin, 42, who is a graphic designer. What do you think? ee + Why do some people like the idea of pact times neue «Which past. would you Beto Bat or do ju prefer fe today? + What mod:cons mould you findt hard tlie without? Project Choose a past time which interests you. Research it and present your findings to the class. 74 Unit 9 + The way we werePeter's four-bedroom house new looks much like it used to look when a real-life Victorian family lived there, and Peter is consider opening ts doors to the pul He says: ‘ve gone to a lot of trouble and 1 would Like to shave it with people who will appreciate it. The Victorian period was a fascinating time. Both my mum and my sister are interested in it too, so I guess my passion for it started from them. My mt is always picking things up for me from ear boot ssles. 1 like the idea of the lifestyle that the Vietorians had. They ‘would entertain themselves, They used to love a sing songround the piano, And they were less wasteful th re today. Things were built to last. | can’t stand all that modern stuff made of plastic that all looks the y friends are very supportive and they for dinner patties, when all the old es and cutlery comes out ove nothing better than fastening my pinry round my waist ‘and baking a cake for Kevin in my 1950s kitchen. put on some lovely Frank Sinatra musicand am completely last in my oven litle fantasy world. In our marriage, lam very much alady ‘and Kevin is the breadwinner. We've been married for 13 ‘years and we're extremely happy because we both know our roles.| make sure ourfiome is immaculate, there's dinner on the table, and look pretty ta welcome my husband home” Joanne doesn’t even put patel in their Ford Anglia car, ‘which is 83 yasss ole, because she thinks that's unladylke, ‘She asks Kevin to dot. She only ever weors 1950s clothing, uch as tight Bencll skits a white blouse and a wide belt. Her furniture isall fromthe $0s.The kitchen is an original “English Rose’ design, which used to be very much the in ‘thing: They advertised foritin an antiques magazine and Wout roma family in Scotland who edit thet garage tokeep tools in. Joanne thinks mode life istoo hectic, Shopping in supermarkets isan ordeal, and she doesn't read newspapers - they are just too stressing. She says:"We do have a television set, but we hide it Ina retro cabinet. Neither of us drinks and our social ife revolves 210uund visiting like-minded friends for tea and cakes! iain lonsae rem tio ao oe ree ee auomnie Peter uses all the original cooking features in his kitchen, butadmits to having a microwave oven. He also has television, central heating and a fridge freezer but he says ‘All my mod cons are cleverly hidden around the house in cupboards or behind curtains. And | hare running water, as most Victorians had, but they didn't Ihave hot water like {do \e house has an outside 160, which Peter is restoring “But [also have a Victorian-style indoor bathroom with antique fittings. so Isuppose Ihave thebestof both werlds ~all the modem conveniences but ‘with the romantic and quaift feet ‘of the Victorian period, ar very Cosy - the Victorians were bout comfort’ Experts agree with Peter that the house genuinely reflects torian times, Hilary Silves jan of Nottingham Ci Society, seid: ‘Peters done it extremely well. It's not twee in any way and has been restored in such a genuine fashion’ ‘She says: was marking time untif met the right man. Kevin and Imet ata Fifties Convention, and we hae an olé-fashionee! courtship before he proposed, Iwas eestatic, because had found someone with the same passion. Some women! mact askme if Hee! patronised by spending all my time caring for Kewin, but | never would? ‘At work. Kevin gets teased because he's the anly ane with home- made cakes and even home-made jam in his sandwiches. Joanne thinks his colleagues are jealous that he has a wife who devates herself solely to his happiness. How many men these days can realy say that? Unit 9 - The way we were 75