1900 House [Hardcover]

Mark McCrum (Author), Matthew Sturgis (Author), Matthew Sturgis (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 10, 1999

This title accompanies Channel 4's programme that reveals just how radically life has been transformed by a century of science and technology. This "living experiment" transports a family, with all their technological dependencies, back to 1900 to live for three months in a house restored to the exact specifications of the era. As the family struggle to adjust to these strange conditions in which electricity, plumbing, central heating, basic hygiene and all the other essentials that we now take for granted have not yet been discovered, the real difference science has made to our lives becomes amusingly clear. For the three months the family live in this 1900 house with gas lighting, coal fires, candlelight, carbolic soaps and an outside privy. They dress in starched collars, wash their clothes with a "dolly", haul coal up the stairs and use an earth closet instead of a flushing toilet. Revealing and entertaining, combining scientific discovery with surprising insights into everyday life, this book is an accessible approach to the history of science.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Could you live witout television? Without a washing machine? Without central heating? The Bowler family found out at first-hand when they were selected for an unusual three month experiment that was featured in a Channel 4 series. A Victorian house in South London had been restored to its exact original state and the Bowlers were whicked back in time to 1900. Using poignant extracts from the Bowlers' diaries and excellent colour photographs, the book gives an intriguing insight into a unique historical venture. A description of the state of the nation in late Victiorian times sets the experiment in context. There is also a detailed account of the painstaking conversion of the house. Whether or not you saw the original television series, you will enjoy sharing the trials and triumphs of this exceptional family. (Kirkus UK) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 228 pages
• Publisher: Channel 4 Books (September 10, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0752217119
• ISBN-13: 978-0752217116
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 7.6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #271,388 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lovely, informative, evocative, the 1900 House..., September 19, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: 1900 House (Hardcover)

This lush book should do more than grace your coffee table. It is a magnificent companion to the PBS "reality" tv show. In a departure from the self-consciousness of the genre, this project was undertaken very seriously and turned out to be dynamic and enriching to all involved. The book supplements the program with a detailed history of the house and of turn-of-the-century society. More detail is given about the Bowler family's experiment in "time-travel", including "behind-the-scenes" tales and commentary that is by turns hilarious, moving, and sometimes, downright horrifying. (If you haven't seen the series, by all means buy the tapes)

The Bowler family is charming and intelligent -- a real family with flaws, but a lovable group of six who gamely and thoroughly threw themselves in this experiment. The book delves much more deeply into the gritty conditions lived, and the joyous lessons learned. (we also find how the "the shampoo dilemma" was resolved!). More is told of Joyce Bowler's ambivalence in being a "lady of the house" and how the emotional experience enlightened and edified her -- and affected her for life.

She wants to go back, and so will you -- and you can, through this hefty, glossy, handsome book.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A very interesting experiment., February 17, 2005

By 

S. Hebbron "S B H." (Leicester UK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: 1900 House (Hardcover)

I revisted this book very recently, it chronicles the tale of a 20th century British Family trying to live live life as it was lived a the end of 19th century. A good proportion of Britains housing stock hails from the Victorian to pre WW2 periods, so it was not difficult to find a house suitable to be transported back in time. The family had a real struggle with all aspects of daily life, cooking, cleaning, entertainment, peronal hygiene and worst of all for the females, the clothes (moreover the loathed and dreaded corset!). A marvellous historical resource for children, particularly if you can get hold of the TV documentry as well. It was originaly shown on Channel 4 in Britian to mark the the millenium. I am pretty sure Amazon uk has it on DVD, for the intersted.

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THIS BOOK EMBODY A 1999 FAMILY, TIME TRAVELING TO 1900, October 1, 2000

By 

Jessica A. Bruno "I am an avid reader/cd/dvd ... (Near NYC on the NJ side of it USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: 1900 House (Hardcover)

Do you remember seeing this series on PBS earlier this year? This book is a conjuction to this series, but this series was orginally from England and the book too. The book embody a 1999 family, time traveling to the spring of 1900 to live three months as victorians. It's takes place in the south-east part of London, near the millenium dome. The book starts out with the history of late victorian britain and a timeline of 1900 in England. Then, you will read about how they started this project and etc. This book was a great read for me because I learned more than I learned watching this series or in history. This is a great read for anyone, I mean anyone.