Masters by Research, Art & Design: Valuing Women: A few days in Kent

After my PRP, Jim and I decided to have a few days in Kent, using our National Trust tickets. What was interesting was the differences between the larger properties, and the smaller ones. We tried to visit places that had promoted themselves as following the NT Women & Power theme - with varying outcomes. Additionally, I was looking for pattern and whether it could be attributed to have a meaning, either in its day, or decipherable now.

Larger properties were Ightam Mote, Knole, Bateman's (Kipling's home) and Petworth.

Grade 1 listed Victorian dog kennel at Ightam Mote
Cannot be removed as it was cemented to the wall of the 17th century building

This was a really imposing chair.
Did the sunflower symbol indicate Royalist leanings?
Was it meant to indicate the power of the head of household in his absence?

I liked her work for its concept and narrative, even if I find her style not to my taste

The black laundry maid, with her image positioned on the drain pipe
that would have gathered the water for her to conduct her duties.

Collars

Cuffs

And bonnets that she would have washed by hand

Smaller properties were Stoneacre, Smallhythe (actress Ellen Terry's home), Monks House (Virginia & Leonard Woolf's home)

Unsurprisingly different properties achieved different things. I preferred the smaller properties for their intimate feel, but their management seemed to take different attitudes to the Women and Power theme. Smallhythe looks like it was set out about 20 years ago and has not been reworked since. Lots of potential with lots of acting artefacts about a woman, but very little narrative. Old dusty labels, no interpretation panels or voiceovers. Could have been so much, but actually quite poor.

Monks House was great, with excellent staff who knew a lot about the Woolf's and added much narrative. Talked about Virginia's bipolar disorder, and reasons for her illness, and aggravating factors (being sexually abused by half-brothers), relationships with other women, Leonard's relationship with another woman after her death. Plus a lovely garden.

Sampler at Stoneacre - unusual multiplication table - stitched by the cleverest daughter.

Sampler at Stoneacre

Kipling's house was very interesting and lovely. He was portrayed as a man of empire whose views were inappropriate, but who ameliorated his wife's ill temper. However, there was no consideration that he was of his time - brought up in India as part of the Raj, bi-lingual in the Indian language of his region and able to speak it as a native (taught by his Ayah), educated in England, and returned to India to work as a journalist (eyesight too poor for military) and accepted by indigenous and white communities because of his language skills. His wife was portrayed as fierce, rude and very protective of him (many people turned up unannounced and uninvited - celebrity in their day appeared to have the same issues as today!). They found it difficult to keep staff - allegedly because of Mrs Kipling and the remoteness of the house in the days before rural public transport, but no context was given of the nationwide difficulties of getting domestic staff post WW1.