The Row Houses at Great Yarmouth

Photograph of: John sitting on a cement couch on Great Yarmouth’s South Quay.

Dear Reader, I hope you are sitting comfortably – as John is in the above photo. 🙂

Just after the May Bank Holiday, we visited the Row Houses at Great Yarmouth. This is a small museum, located along the South Quay, consisting of two houses. Both display artifacts from the Victorian and World War Two eras.

More details are found at the bottom of this page.

Below are the photographs we jointly took; (descriptions are included for people with blindness). Please do not use my photographs without enquiring.

Above photographs: John seems to be partaking in some sightseeing of my historic home town. In the immediate background are the commercial ships; the third photo shows him standing by the map of Great Yarmouth’s various museums (I believe there’s 8 in all!). Yes, we are fans of Breaking Bad (John’s t-shirt).

Above photographs: Two photos of the afore mentioned map.

Photograph of: John’s handsome Greek profile against the backdrop of maritime Yarmouth

Photograph of: The leaflet explaining admission costs and opening times of the museum. Not ideal for people with no mobility at all / full time wheelchair users, unfortunately.

Above photographs of: John standing under a sculpture of giant chicken bones; looking up at the sculpture against the cloudy sky. (He claims there is an orb and a ghost in the window of the first museum).

Above photographs of: John standing in the first and second doorways of the first museum. The walls are a patchwork of bricks from different restorations over time. The first doorway is oblong; the second, has a curved top, and is surrounded in cream painted wood panelling. On the second door is an iron, black lion door-knocker. I wonder how many hands have rapped it?

Above photograph: At this point we had overcome with excitement and a bathroom break was required. My dog walking stick – a little girl once named ‘Fred‘ – waited patiently against the wall. He is so good natured, he always has a smile on his face.

Above photograph: My, what a ferocious looking house! I hadn’t noticed it at the time. Just looking at its teeth would ease along a touch of constipation.

Above photographs: Out this window from inside the first museum, we can see the sculpture John was standing under; seems John made a friend. Here he is patting the seated chap on the shoulder when he is trying to eat his plastic dinner.

Photograph of: old wall relief of scrolls, leaves and growling beasts.

Above photographs: 1st – John wasn’t too pleased when I said he’d have to do our laundry here; 2nd – and then he realised I was joking. (I had told him it was the traditional English way, which is still popular today).

Above photographs: An old fireplace and old cupboard-come-shelves.

Above photographs: The beautifully ornate ceiling in the first museum. Scrolls and flowers and a coat of arms.

There’s an upstairs but I was unable to get up there, even with my stick.

The inflammation had kicked it at this point, so we shuffled to the next musuem, across the way – we waved to the lonely couch. It was plainly missing John, if not a few scatter cushions and a wedge-down-the-back t.v. remote control.

Above photographs: John standing by the entrance of the 2nd museum; an old pump/tap in the courtyard.

Above photograph: I found a mermaid with an uncanny resemblance to my good self. Holding mirror in the morning with bleary eyes and no bra on. Except I don’t really have a tail…

But my singing would probably kill the poor fishermen.

It’s one of many tiles on this beautiful old fireplace:

We chatted to the young gentleman at the reception who cautioned me about the steep stairs that have no railings. In the olden times it seems disabled people were shut up in cupboards or something. Those times were really tough although we still have a long way to go today to be more inclusive of people who aren’t the mainstream, bodily wise.

So, again, I had to avoid most of the stairs. John took photographs of the upstairs parts. Whilst I managed to bump down the steps on my capable bottom on the one flight I did manage.

If you’re a full time wheelchair user or have severe mobility problems with your legs like me, a visit to these two museums may not be in your best interests. However, if you’re mobile enough I definitely recommend a visit to the Great Yarmouth Row Houses museum.

We walked out of the gift shop/reception area where you can buy a brochure of the museum for £3.50.

Please follow me through the door into the courtyard…

Phew!

I couldn’t keep up with John – could you?

What?!

Out of my sight for five minutes. John, how could you be kissing a strange woman? You already have a strange woman at home.

Ahh. Now this makes sense.

FOOD.

That’s OK, the man can’t help himself.

Above photograph: A typical World War Two food menu. The photograph showing the food on the woman’s table is a typical week’s worth for a family!

Britain was being starved because of the Nazis. Strict food rationing went on long after the war had finished – ‘Restrictions were gradually lifted three years after war had ended, starting with flour on 25 July 1948, followed by clothes on 15 March 1949.‘ [BBC]

Well, I’m going to end the page for now. I may add more photographs later – we took many! But then, if I show you too much you might not want to actually visit the museum…?

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Where?:

Row 111 House (Great Yarmouth Row Houses) – English Heritage
Nos 6-8, Row 111, South Quay, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk NR30 2RG, England

About:

An early 17th Century Merchants House, later divided into three tenements. Displayed to show the living conditions of the last occupents in the late 1930’s and early World War Two. In this house and the neighbouring Old Merchants House you can see a large collection of Architectural fixtures and fittings rescued from period properties throughout Great Yarmouths’ Rows area. Architecture, Social History.

Telephone: 0044 (0)1493 857 900

Web site: www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/great-yarmouth-row-houses-and-greyfriars-cloisters/

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Copyright Faith McCord 2016

Story and artwork belongs to Faith McCord who is the author and artist holding the copyright. This is not a public domain work. Worldwide rights.

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