From Bombs to Bellbottoms

Cheltenham

Dates: 23/08/2025, 26/08/2025, to 30/08/2025, 02/09/2025 to 06/09/2025, 09/09/2025 to 13/09/2025, 16/09/2025 to 20/09/2025, 23/09/2025 to 27/09/2025, 30/09/2025 to 04/10/2025, 07/10/2025 to 11/10/2025, 14/10/2025 to 18/10/2025, 21/10/2025 to 25/10/2025, 28/10/2025 to 01/11/2025, 04/11/2025 to 08/11/2025, 11/11/2025 to 15/11/2025, 18/11/2025 to 22/11/2025, 25/11/2025 to 29/11/2025, 02/12/2025 to 06/12/2025, 09/12/2025 to 13/12/2025, 16/12/2025 to 20/12/2025, 30/12/2025, 31/12/2025

Venue: Holst Victorian House

What was Holst Victorian House like before it was a museum? To celebrate 50 years since it opened its doors to the public, the museum will host a new temporary exhibition, From Bombs to Bellbottoms, which will see two of its 19th-century spaces turned into 20th-century room sets. Through these rooms, carefully curated to tell the stories of past inhabitants, visitors will gain a fascinating insight into the house’s domestic life during the past century.

Wander into a 1940s sitting room inspired by the Doxey family, who lived in the house from 1935 until 1956. Retired coachbuilder Andrew, his wife Annie and children Evelyn, Harold, Hilda and Jack lived in the building alongside several lodgers throughout the 1930s and 40s. Discover their lives, together with histories of Cheltenham during WWII, including the bombing raids on Gloucester Road and St Paul’s nearby.

In 1956, Violet and Reginald Garlick moved into the house with their two adopted children, one of whom, Peter, studied at the Royal Academy of Music and became an accompanist for actress and singer Diana Dors.

Like the Doxeys, the Garlicks also rented out their surplus rooms, this time to students from the local college – now the University of Gloucestershire. As part of the exhibition, explore a 1970s fashion student’s bedroom based on the memories of a student who lived in a similar Pittville house.

In addition to the room sets, 1950s and 1960s labour-saving devices, which the Garlick family would have been familiar with, such as a fridge and washing machine, will be juxtaposed with Victorian items in the Kitchen and Scullery.

A specially designed newspaper will help guide visitors around these exciting spaces, supplementing the Victorian Room Guide for the other rooms.

 

More details about From Bombs to Bellbottoms (External Link)

 

Holst Victorian House

Explore life in Cheltenham’s only Victorian home open to all, the birthplace of composer Gustav Holst.

See all listings from Holst Victorian House

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