An Afternoon at Old Thatch...

[Francis]

Proper sprinkler systems that would minimise water damage have been installed in historic buildings in Germany - where something like this is very unlikely to happen. Why do these disasters happen in this country?
I know that they are expensive to install but how much do we value our heritage? This is something that should be funded by Government - we are too fond of doing things in an amateur way and leaving things to chance.

[Francis]

Sorry, I did not mean to get on my high horse but a friend of mine gave the Surrey Regiment museum a lot of their precious family military documentation and artefacts only to have them destroyed - they were not impressed.

[Katharine]

Sorry to hear about your friend's loss Francis, I would be extremely upset if I lost family possessions in that way. I've sometimes thought about donating similar items to a museum myself, in the belief they would be safer there than at home.

I also agree about the lack of long term planning that seems to happen in this country. I think I'm right in saying that other countries which have more extreme weather than we do, don't have the same problems with roads crumbling or trains being disrupted just because we have 'the wrong sort of weather'. The trouble is, to do the jobs properly would cost a lot more than cheap repairs, and either the politicians, or the public won't invest in the future because they'd rather have a bit more money in their pockets now. The same is happening with renewable energy.

[Francis]

Save money in the short term and lose money in the long term!

[Moonraker]

I'm just wondering if the current owners are reading this thread? Part of me hopes they are as they may take pity on us and we could arrange an EBS meeting at Old Thatch.

I am afraid not, Katharine. I emailed Jacky a week or two back and this was her reply:

Hi Nigel,

Lovely to hear from you again.

We don't mind your asking at all but unfortunately we'll not be opening to the public, even very special EB Soc ones!

Kind regards
Jacky

[Katharine]

That's a shame, but at least we know.

I'm grateful that I was able to visit twice.

[Courtenay]

Glad we've found out for sure, Nigel. I still hope Old Thatch will eventually pass into the hands of the National Trust - or any organisation that would restore it and open it to the public as a home of historic and literary significance. (With fire fighting equipment installed, of course. )

[Julie2owlsdene]

Old Thatch is Jacky's home, Courtenay, she probably would never give it up to the N.T. If she sold it, she'd want to sell it for the highest price, as anyone would when they sell their own home.

[Katharine]

I know this is speculation, and as far as I know, Jacky has no intention of selling Old Thatch at the moment, but I would have thought it unlikely The National Trust would be interested in the building. I doubt Enid Blyton would be important enough to warrant them buying her house, and although it's a charming place, I don't think it would be interesting enough to draw enough visitors to justify opening it. The house didn't strike me as being an easy place for people to wander around in any great numbers either, which could cause difficulty. Also, I know Viv encountered problems when trying to market her business in Poole using the Enid Blyton name, so would the NT have the same problems with the publishers? They would probably be allowed to say it was Enid's house, but would they be allowed use any EB character's in displays around the place? If not, who would want to see Old Thatch without any references to her most popular characters?

[Moonraker]

Old Thatch is Jacky's home, Courtenay, she probably would never give it up to the N.T. If she sold it, she'd want to sell it for the highest price, as anyone would when they sell their own home.

Exactly. It isn't a stately home or castle and as Julie says, is her home and she has no plans to sell it.

[Courtenay]

Oh, I said "eventually" - I didn't mean that the current owners ought to sell it or give it away. I wouldn't expect that at all, unless it's their personal choice to do so.

The National Trust does have more "ordinary" homes as well as stately ones and castles, by the way, and they certainly have the homes of a few other famous authors! But I agree, the fact that Enid's works are still in copyright and still commercially viable would probably create problems for anyone wanting to make an official attraction out of her former home.

[Katharine]

Interesting to hear that the NT have some "ordinary" houses too. I don't know much about them, I'm a member of English Heritage, so we mostly visit those properties if we are on holiday, and I don't think there are any NT places near here.

[Francis]

The National Trust also maintains areas of coastline and, near us, the lovely 'Winkworth Aboretum'.

[Moonraker]

Interesting to hear that the NT have some "ordinary" houses too. I don't know much about them,

Ordinary houses that housed famous people of the future!

[Katharine]

Thanks for the link Nigel. I thought there was a big hue and cry a few years back because one of their houses was set to be demolished? Did the bulldozer win or did the National Trust step in?

Sadly I don't think Enid Blyton's house would get the same backing.