Kitchen from 1916

Hi All, I'm looking for some help! I'm co-producing a short film set in 1916 and we'd like to find a typical kitchen of this era or perhaps talk to somebody who is very knowledgable of this time period. The film is set in Coventry and we'd like as much filming to be done in the local area as possible but of course we can go outside Coventry if we find the right location. If you can help please do get in touch! Thanks!

Hi OJ, I guess the problem you are going to find is that most people will have 'modernised' their kitchens at least once since this date! However, if anyone has spotted any good photos or descriptions in their many 'local history' books then maybe you could shout up and guide OJ to their source. It would be nice if we could help out a local upcoming film production company!

Yes the house I inherited a few years ago had over my lifetime been slightly updated, I have no photos but do have a good memory and would be able to describe the built in copper, the ancient cooker, the sink, the mangle, the open fire.

If you can't find (or recreate) a kitchen in Coventry, might I suggest you have a look at the National Trust's back-to-back houses in Birmingham? I think they cover the 1840's to 1970's so they'll give you some ideas or even a location to film.

The Trusts Back-to-Backs are great aren't they Vernon. Shame considering how many there were no-one really saved one in Coventry (apart from the watch museum!)

Yes, Neil - a credit to the NT and to Birmingham. I was extremely impressed with both the detail they've captured and the presenter's knowledge demonstrated during the tour. Like lots of other forum members, my family lived in the courts in Spon St/Spon End. I don't know whether these were back-to-backs or just tiny terraced houses.

There were 'back-to-back' houses in the area. I remember houses that fronted onto Thomas Street with the back property fronting onto a court. There was a single tap in the middle and a row of toilets for every householder to use. These were demolished around 1967/68 as I recall.

I would have thought that the Black Country Living Museum would be the best source as they have rescued complete buildings/streets/contents and rebuilt them. My great grandparents down in Dinas nr Pontypridd, West Glamorgan had a double ended range, coal or coke burning I would imagine, cooking at one end, hot water at the other, and a fire in the middle, Dutch ovens etc. This was back in 1961, but the cottage dated back into the 1800's, as did they. I was not old enough at the time to realise the importance of what I was seeing, and never took photos of any of it.

Try this link of photo's and video of some Victorian kitchens.

Hi everyone, Thank you all for your help and keep the info coming, everything is helpful I'll work through all your responses and keep you updated on how things come along. HUGE THANKS!!!

I know it's far away from the Midlands, but if you are ever in the North East then a trip to Beamish Open Air Museum should be of help. They have a whole row of houses representing life in 1913, all furnished accordingly.

They are great, but very sanitised! My late partner lived in the Winson Green area as a child and his cousin lived in a back to back in a court nearby. He said that conditions were dreadful.

There was two old cottages in Bedworth not sure if they are now gone, they were in Coalpit Fields, through an entry side of I would say 30s built houses on the left about half way down, at the back, you could cut through to Bulkington Road from there. The living room had a black fire grate and oven which you could cook on, just two chairs and a table and chairs, back window and front window, the kitchen was like a small cupboard, the door was off the living room second door as the first door in the living room was the stairs, with one bedroom a dividing wall with a small space the other side. The kitchen had small shelves to the left as you walked in with a sink to the right above was a very small window, toilet was around the back no back door. This belonged to Austin Beers, the other cottage adjoining it belonged to a Billy Ball. I lived in Grange Road Longford cottages the kitchen there was small red quarry tiled, as you came from the back room into the kitchen opposite was a walk in pantry with a cold slab to the left and shelving straight in front, to the right was the back door, then a window to which a Belfast sink was with just a cold tap no hot water and a wooden grooved side which you would put your washing up on to drain. Opposite side of the sink was the cooker which was an old grey one with a white door black knobs that was all that was in the kitchen, no bathroom or toilet that was outside next to a coal shed, bath was a tin bath hung outside the kitchen door, now you would never believe this was in the late 70s would you.

Yes the house I inherited had a kitchen from that time but had in my life time been modernised, when I sold it had the original dresser in the corner built in, not free standing, glass doors at top, wood at bottom, and quarry tiles on the kitchen floor. Before I sold it I had to have a damp course put in (as nobody could get a mortgage if the whole property did not have a damp course, the kitchen appeared to have been built on to the downstairs rooms). Originally it had an open fireplace, and a brick built copper in the corner. The washing would be put into it ready for next morning plus soap and soda, and cold water and next morning a fire lit underneath to heat the water, beside this was the stone sink, not very deep with a cold water tap. The mangle also was in the kitchen with its big wooden rollers and an enamel bath to catch the water. The cooker was I think one of the first you could buy, yes it was converted to "north sea gas" in the 70's and was still there 13 years ago, I wish now I had taken photos.