How could anyone not like a museum called Geffrye? (Pronounce as Geoffrey or Jeffrey, depending on your spelling preference). I’d never heard of this place until recently whilst trawling my Art Pass guide. (Quite frankly, I’m beginning to think the Art Fund should be paying me commission, the amount of times I mention the organisation favourably on this blog). Situated right by the railway station at Hoxton – an area of London I’d not visited since the early seventies -The Geffrye Museum is now in one of the most sought after postcodes for young moneyed Londoners – especially the ones with the lumberjack shirts and beards, apparently. (I don’t know what constitutes a female hipster but I’m guessing facial hair isn’t a requirement).
Hoxton lies just north-east of the city between Bethnal Green and Shoreditch. In my student days we had to travel to Shoreditch once a week to the college annex which was housed in a building that wouldn’t have been out of place in a Dickens novel. It had one of those cage lifts with the metal fretwork doors. We used to pile into this rickety structure, overload and get it stuck on purpose every Friday just to abbreviate and alleviate the tedium of Mr. Goldstein’s Cosmetic Science classes.
Anyway, back to Geffrye. When I saw that this is a Museum of the Home, I knew that WF1 (Work Friend 1) would be my ideal companion for the day. She likes anything home design related and of course shares the same days off as me. We discovered that it’s easy to get to from Waterloo and arrived as early as our off peak train cards would allow.
The spacious front lawns at the Geffrye
I picked up a comprehensive guide book which explains that ‘the museum is set in the former almshouses of the Ironmongers’ Company, built in 1714 to provide homes for the elderly poor. They were founded with a bequest made by Sir Robert Geffrye, a wealthy merchant who became Master of the Ironmongers’ Company (one of the London guilds) and Lord Mayor of the City of London.’
The buildings were converted into a museum of furniture and opened in 1914. The surrounding gardens were – and still are – a free space for local people to enjoy.
Conservatory overlooking the rear gardens
The museum has arranged its collection into a series of living-rooms through the ages, depicting the way the middle classes have lived since 1630. There is plenty for the visitor to read by way of storyboards and there are ‘feeling’ samples of the textiles used in each set which enhances the whole sensory experience. We were very impressed – the curating here has been done with meticulous attention to detail.
An 1830 drawing room
An 1870 drawing room
At home in 1890
How we lived in 1910
The height of modern living in 1935
One of the almshouses – Number 14 – has been restored so that visitors to two of the rooms can glimpse life as it would have been in the 1780’s and the 1880’s. A very knowledgeable and enthusiastic guide spends around half an hour explaining the history and restoration process which we found fascinating.
A simply furnished bed-sit, circa 1780
Same room, updated 100 years to 1880.
With the help of lottery funding and the work of the Geffrye Museum Trust (funded by the government) the resources available here are just wonderful. A full range of educational programmes is offered throughout the year for schools, families, youth groups and adults. WF1 and I visited during the half-term break so it was crowded with children busily finding out about how their ancestors lived. There is a delightful café on site where you have to wait to be seated. While waiting, you stand beside a delicious array of home-made cakes and pastries and when you are finally seated overlooking the gardens and bee hives, a waitress takes your order. I had home-made soup and sour dough while WF1 had a tasty looking sandwich on home-made bread. There is an option to have a full cooked meal with wine…maybe next time.
The gift shop’s not bad either: tasteful merchandise with relevance to home and garden and a good selection of books. Any trashy logo-imprinted tat was thankfully conspicuous by its absence.
A view through the garden ‘rooms’
Outside, between the museum and the station, the gardens are divided into a series of period garden rooms reflecting the rooms inside. There is a Knot Garden; a Herb Garden, a Town Garden and so on. Going in late October doesn’t show the gardens at their best so WF1 and I have already pledged to return next spring.
Entry to the museum is free (donations obviously welcome) and there is a charge of £3 for the almshouse tour which must be booked on the day in advance.
What’s not to like? I’d have no qualms about awarding the Geffrye five stars.
Thanks for taking us along on the tour, Jenny. What a great museum! I love to poke around other people’s houses. 🙂 The one hundred year comparison photos are great.
Thanks Jill, happy as always to have you along.
Yes, I like those old restored rooms…they were even lit by candle light.
Really enjoyed the tour. Looks like another destination to add to the growing list. Thanks for sharing once again.
You’re welcome as ever.
My list never seems to get any shorter…I’m amazed at all the places I’ve still yet to see.
Oh dear. That 1780s bedsit is so me!
I know, me too. Nice and minimal. We thought those almshouses would be brilliant to refurb for modern living. Not all, you understand, just a few to see what innovative design and technology would do with the space.
What a fabulous place! And it is free, the garden is open to locals and looks just as good as the inside ……. I think I would love to spend time touring this museum Jenny – and especially with enthusiastic and knowledgeable guides around. It does look like it has been curated exceptionally well – I noted candlelight!! This is my kind of museum!! And I agree, you should be on a retainer for the Art Fund folk!! Great post!! (Yes, I know! Too many exclamation marks!!) 🙂
Haha, this is a place for exclamation marks Pauline, so feel free to over punctuate! WF1 and I were exclaiming all day as we discovered everything on offer here. So nice to go somewhere and have nothing to gripe about. Although writing about the gripes can be fun…!!!
I am glad that the era of a potty under the bed has gone, and how sweet the modern bathroom or ensuite.
A great journey through the years gone by. A lovely post.
I suppose the potty was the original en suite?
Thanks, Gerard, glad you liked it 😊
Did I spot another potty in the 1880 room. It looks fancy, perhaps a porcelain potty and, from what I can glean, of a more generous size…
Yes, you did – well spotted! It’s hiding coyly in a Victorian way beneath the lacy bedspread.
I love this type of social history – looking at breath-taking castles & cathedrals is wonderful, too – but learning about the conditions that the ordinary people lived in is more interesting, for me anyway.
Reminds me of those shows where modern people are filmed trying to live in historically accurate periods. There was one here a few years back where two couples lived for a year as prairie pioneers and had to do everything from scratch, including building a shelter and securing enough supplies to get through a -35C winter. It was very difficult & tough for th and I wouldn’t have lasted a month. Interesting to watch, though.
Great post. 🙂
Thanks Lynette, me too. Museums are so much more interesting to me when they are relatable.
We have had shows similar to the one you describe here. The latest being living like Victorians which really was like living Dickens.
Years ago the BBC ran a social experiment where a disparate group of people were banished to an empty Scottish island for a year and they had to set up a community from scratch. It made fascinating television.
Thanks for this. Now very high on my list.
You’re welcome….and I’d urge you to go, I’m sure you’d love it!
Beautiful. What a wonderful and fascinating place to spend an afternoon. Now, when are we going to hear more about Mr. Goldstein’s Cosmetic Science classes?
It really was a great find, I must say.
Mr Goldstein? I can remember we all made our own hand cream using something called isopropyl myristate. I have no idea why I can recall this other than I just love the words…
Another excellent pictorial and prose tour of a place well worth visiting
Thanks Derrick. Definitely worth a visit.
What a deligthful tour, thank you Jenny, I really enjoyed this! The different styles through the years are fascinating. The 30’s style room looks to be making a comeback! As for hipsters, my boys complain that Brighton is full of them…will have to ask what the females wear! I love walking around places like this. And anywhere that does homemade soup and sour dough bread for lunch gets my approval any day of the week! I hope you’re having a good week my friend, lovely to read your delightful posts again 🙂 xxx
Hi Sherri, lovely to see you on the page again. Would love to hear your boys’ report on the state of the Brighton hipster 😀
I liked the 30’s room too – very retro. I had an email from the Geffrye this morning which detailed their Christmas program. They are decorating all those rooms with decorations of the time – I think it will be magical. Must try and remember for next year!
Good week? Hmm…a very wet one so far. Are you avoiding the floods there? 😕
Haha…I’ll have to grill them and report back to you Jenny! Oh how fascinating to see those retro Christmas decs…I always remember Mum stringing up those paper Chinese lanterns across the living room, I wonder if they’ll have any of those! You must go next year and take lots of pics!
Yes, very wet here too, of course, the Somerset Levels once again flooded but not like before thankfully. Sunny today again…but cold. Whatever the weekend, have a lovely one my friend 🙂 xxx
Oh my goodness, I remember those Chinese lanterns- we had them too! They flattened down, didn’t they, to store away. I think we had them for years until they got too tatty😄
That’s right…and yes Jenny, just the same, too tatty and they had to go 😀
Jenny, I absolutely love your writing, the wonderful “…until recently whilst trawling my Art Pass guide…” As a college English major, I spent part of one summer in London, and your posts remind me of all I loved and learned.
The pictures make me think of scenes from Pride and Prejudice (and I don’t mean the new movie Pride and Prejudice and Zombies) 🙂 and the charming final picture is my favorite. Yes, you definitely should be hired to do this! ❤
Aw, thanks Marylin. I’m happy to help you relive your student summer in London – that must have been fun. Those rooms do evoke a bit of Jane Austen, don’t they? The story boards for each room contained fascinating time lines so the bigger world picture could be imagined outside the windows of those middle class living rooms😉
What an interesting museum – and definite bonus points for the name 🙂 Maybe not so comfy, but I kind of like the 1780 bedsit….
That room could tell many a story, I wouldn’t mind betting. And I’m sure some Londoners would give their last Rolo for a space like that. I like it too…uncomplicated. But I’d have to have a shower…😐
Wowzers! This place is fabulous. I always love the idea of seeing something reconstructed from another time. Of course, what we’re missing are all the smells, but still. And did you notice the ceilings? The woodwork was wonderful. thanks for another great tour!
That’s just the word, Lisa – Wowzers indeed. Yes, the ceilings were beautifully reconstructed. My friend noticed those first. We spent our day continually gazing up, down and side to side…so much to take in😀
I think my friend Sarah exhibited a ceramic thing here once. It’s great that you can take pictures – definitely makes me think it’ll be worth a visit if I’m passing, especially if I am with the History minded daughter.
Im hoping that you’ll get there so you can let me know what you think – I’m sure History minded daughter will enjoy it. Is LD1 doing A levels or is my time line completely out? Nice t o hear from you, Denise😉
That looks really good Jenny. Always best, I think, to choose your time of visit wisely to avoid the school groups in particular. Great value too and nice that the gardens are free to wander.
Yes, I’d recommend going out of school holiday time if possible. That’s one of the downsides for me – although working in a school provides long holidays, it’s always when everywhere is at its most crowded. Ah well, can’t have it all…
This is quite a unique museum of high quality antiques, along with the simplicity displayed in the old “alms quarters” for the poor folks. Or would you say “dormitory?”
I had quite a feast for my eyes travelling along through your exquisite photographs, Jenny!
Thank you ever so much, my excuse for a tardy arrival is I was up on Lake Erie, three grown children, their significant others and seven grandies plus I was in charge of side dish, veggie tray and my Mom! ❤
Happy almost November and even though we no longer use an Advent calendar, I do think of those beautiful ones we has as children. 🙂
No excuses needed Robin, it’s always nice to see you, whenever you turn up!
Yes, alms quarters or houses is what we’d say.
You sound as if your weekend has been pretty full on but I’m sure you all had a lovely time😊
This is a fascinating post about a most unusual museum…I wasn’t too convinced about its premise until I saw your photos and was immediately drawn into the eras, almost as if you could feel, hear the previous generations! I don’t live too far from here so hope to visit in the coming months. Thank you so much for sharing!
You’re welcome, Annika – thanks for taking the time to comment. The Geffrye is well worth a visit- I hope that if you go you’ll enjoy it as much as I did!
I went in 1977 and have been meaning to go back ever since!
Definitely time to revisit. I loved it.
Love your photos! I’ve been there twice and now I want to go there again 😉
Isn’t it just wonderful? We’re definitely planning a return visit 😉
I love the gardens and the tour you gave us through the rooms. Like Jill, I like the 100 year comparison of the same room. And the 1935 modern one. Sounds like a good place to meet a friend for lunch too. Thanks for the post.
Thanks, Hollis. It’s about time I paid a return visit – we vowed to go back and see those gardens in the summer…but I’m staying out of London for the time being😐😉
No kidding!