# An unusual bungalow (Norfolk)



## hamishsfriend (Jun 4, 2011)

How best to describe the style of this building... it is locally known as 'The Bungalow' but that does not sound quite right either. It occurred to me that it has a distinctly military appearance. However, military buildings are not usually converted into dwellings. Not really being suited to be lived in permanently, they were more commonly used to complement existing farm buildings, or utilised as storage sheds or garages, once they had become surplus to requirements.












There are more clues inside. The peeling wallpapers reveal brick walls that were once painted blue, and that the paint had been applied directly onto the brick. This is typical military, and blue is the colour of the RAF. 





















Then realisation dawned. There used to be a WWII airfield nearby. In fact, there is a cluster of military buildings just across the field from here. There was no longer any doubt. The 'bungalow' had started its life in the 1940s as one of the airfield's administrative buildings. Interesting. Interesting also, just how much such a relatively small home can contain.




































The civilian owner/occupant had obviously been an electronics buff, and likely very adept at fixing all things electronic. The rooms are full of ancient TVs and computers, and parts required for their repair. There is a rusty oscillograph and something in a steel box that we failed to identify, and more. 


























Besides his interest in electronics, the occupant appeared to have been a keen horseman. Heaps of books and magazines, ranging from general animal to electronic topics, horses and farriery, and languages, including a quick guide to learning Swedish, indicate that he must have been a keen reader. 






Going by the amount of personal correspondence in form of handwritten letters, he had many friends. At the end of the day, however, nobody bothered to remove even his most personal items after his passing. 
















Occasionally we found ourselves pausing and quietly contemplating the remains of what surely must have been a full and interesting life. Many thanks to *wagg20* for sharing this gem with me! 

The little bungalow has recently been sold and will in all likelyhood soon be demolished to make room for a larger house.


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## Snips86x (Jun 4, 2011)

Fantastic images. Love the old electronic here!


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## rectory-rat (Jun 4, 2011)

Thank you very much for sharing 
A superb, insightful report as always, and some great photos

-RR


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## mookster (Jun 4, 2011)

That's brilliant!

The 'milk' looks disgusting though....


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## hamishsfriend (Jun 4, 2011)

mookster said:


> That's brilliant!
> The 'milk' looks disgusting though....



Thank you. The milk, it smelled worse than it looked. Lol


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## gingrove (Jun 5, 2011)

rectory-rat said:


> Thank you very much for sharing
> A superb, insightful report as always, and some great photos
> 
> -RR



I can't put it any better ! Fantastic well done for recording it before the bulldozers move in.


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## wagg20 (Jun 5, 2011)

Great post! I would like to make a return visit, to isolate some of the artefacts inside a little more!


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## Krypton (Jun 5, 2011)

looks like its a pretty sturdy building so hopefully it will find another use.

I love places like this - thanks for sharing


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## hamishsfriend (Jun 5, 2011)

wagg20 said:


> I would like to make a return visit, to isolate some of the artefacts inside a little more!



Yes, might be a good idea. I know exactly what you mean.


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