The 1900 House

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The 1900 House
Genre Historical reality television
Country of origin Flag of the United Kingdom United Kingdom
No. of seasons 1
No. of episodes 4
Production
Running time 60 min.
Broadcast
Original channel Channel 4/PBS
Picture format 480i (SDTV)
Original run June 12, 2000 –
July 3, 2000
External links
Official website
IMDb profile
TV.com summary

The 1900 House is a historical reality television programme made by Wall to Wall/Channel 4 in 1999. The show is about a modern family that tries to the live in the way of the late Victorians in 1900 for three months in a modified house. It was shown on Channel 4 in the UK and PBS in America (with American commentary).

Contents

[edit] Introduction

The programme was originally going to be a documentary about late Victorian domestic life, but the idea of a living family doing it was suggested. The concept of reality television at the time was relatively new. After 400 applications, the Bowler family was selected & the house was “made”.

[edit] The house

The 1900 House in question is 50 Elliscombe Road, Charlton, South-East London. An 1890's-built two-storey terraced house with a drawing room, a dining room, a kitchen, a scullery, a bathroom, three bedrooms (there were actually four, but one was used as a safety room with a telephone) and an outside loo. To make it the 1900 house, major changes were made, such the electricity being taken out and a copper (a large pot used for heating washing clothes over a fire) installed.

[edit] The Bowler family

Paul was the father of the family. In normal life, he was a Warrant Officer in the Royal Marines. In the house, he worked in the recruiting office in London (for two months after that he had to go to his regular job in the Marines). He felt that the role of 'Man of the House' was difficult to act.

Joyce was the mother of the family. In her normal life, she was a civil servant for Somerset Social Services. She looked after the family and later in her free time she looked at the growing suffragette movement. She had problems with her hair (shampoo wasn't invented) and difficulty with her vegetarian lifestyle.

Kathryn was a 16-year-old performing-arts student. In the house, she missed her friends and her social life.

Ruth & Hilary were 11-year-old twins. In the house, they missed their friends and their music.

Joe was a 9-year-old boy. In the house, he missed sweets and fast-food.

[edit] Other people

[edit] Daru Rooke

Daru was the resident historian (he helped by post), who helped the family with the 1900 lifestyle. He later visited the house for a dinner party with the family.

[edit] Elizabeth Lillington

Because looking after the house became difficult, the Bowlers decided to hire a maid-of-all-work. Elizabeth was chosen, however after a few weeks the family sacked her as the mother decided that she could not agree with women's emancipation but at the same time hire a woman as domestic house. Being 'liberated' was not the view Elizabeth herself took of her dismissal. It was pointed out that a woman in Elizabeth's position in 1900 would have faced desperate poverty had she been denied housekeeping work.

[edit] Afterwards

The show was a ratings winner for Channel 4, so much so that after the programme had finished another series was commissioned, The 1940's House.

[edit] Sequels

[edit] UK

[edit] Australia

[edit] Germany

  • Schwarzwaldhaus 1902 (Black Forest House 1902) – a family “living” without electricity, no city on Kaltwasserhof in Münstertal (August 2001 - January 2002.
  • Windstärke 8 – Das Auswandererschiff 1855 (about an emigrationship for the United States)
  • Die Bräuteschule 1958 (girls in the 1950s)

[edit] USA

[edit] External links