Sepia Saturday 102

Alan's theme image this week shows an Alabama, Roadside Store in mid-30's with absolutely bags of choices. The thing that struck me was the House Mover sign as dragged a memory from the back of my mind something that I'd seen on the television somewhen in the deep distance.  A quick google search showed that May's task had received considerable publicity.  Whilst, many may recall the event or have knowledge of them, I think it is an House Moving tale that will stand another airing.

It is the story of a little old spinster and her mission to preserve her house.  Without going too deeply into her life, because this can be found in great detail in the book about her by her niece. "A Lifetime in the Building: The Extraordinary Story Of May Savidge and the House She Moved."  After the death of her intended in 1938,  May withdrew into herself and in 1947 bought the mid 15th Century Ware Hall House, at 1 Monkey Row, Ware, to restore.

May taught herself many of the building skills, and apart from employing a local builder to repair the roof she did the brickwork, plastering. carpentry, glazing and decorating herself.  In 1953 the Council told her that the was to be demolished to make way for a new road - an Act of Vandalism by todays' Standards.  For the next 15 years she fought against the Council's Plans.  In 1969, when she was 58, she decided it was time to move.  She acquired a plot of ground in Wells-Next-The -Sea, Norfolk and set forth to move the house one hundred miles from the hands and bulldozers of the Council

With help from a local firm of demolishers to dismantle the massive timber frame, she set about numbering every brick, every stick of timber, and every slate was meticulously numbered and stored.  Rubbings were made of the brickwork to ensure that the right bond was made.

With Planning Permission obtain, May began transporting her Home.  It took 11 lorry loads to bring the materials to Norfolk so that reconstruction could begin.  She had the help of  a local carpenter to fix the Massive timber frame to the foundations, and from then she was on her own.  As with the demolition she had night in the cold under the stars, but until she was able to move in, lived in a caravan.

The rest of her life was given to the rebuild, after ten years the property was made water tight and she was able to move in, but some brickwork still needed to built and walls had to be plastered.  She carried on through her seventies and into her eighties.  Whilst, climbing ladders and knocking-up cement was beyond her when she reached her eighties she was still able to install a wood-burning stove.

She died in 1992, just short of her 82nd. birthday, the house was willed to her niece, but it was little more than a shaky shell with a roof on it.  Throughout her life May had been a hoarder and her hoard provided the funds for the building works to completed - so even after death she assured the future of the building.