# The Teddy Bear Hunters House - March 2018



## mockingbird (Mar 31, 2018)

The Teddy Bear Hunters House​



So this place has been on my hard drive for sometime, cant say I was really bothered about posting it as most houses where being done rather quickly and uploaded right away, that isn't me and I love having a backlog so until I get to double figures I then decide to upload places, lately I have been busy and alas here we have another post.

It was posted before under a different name, think the original poster saw this in better glory, I went shortly after and found so much stuff left behind, it was a rather mess to be honest but still you found out more details on the people who lived here, I am unsure if the house still stands and I am sure if it does its been wrecked.

The house was beyond what I expected to be honest, after seeing the usual shots, I was taken back by how much people had missed and not bothered to photograph or just avoided it completely, me I like photographing letters and photos and really narrowing down on some personal details, even if I dont share it completely it tells more of a story than just "another house" while remaining with the usual "oh it was left" story, the photographs here are caught my attention more, therefore I have included a fair amount.

Well the bear stuff found in the living room, from magazine articles to photographs of the very woman who once lived here, either into art and the vintage things in life, or had a soft spot for so many collectibles it was unreal, but teddy bears was her thing. Looking past the globes, maps, passports it was clear the owners was onto something, an the woman in question used to own a vintage bear shop, so no wonder she was in so many magazines and proof copies I found... Sadly no one has seen her for a few years.

Amazing what you find out.


Well anyway I was rather fond of this place, so decided to really do it justice and put more effort into it, so on with the photos.























































































































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Cheers for looking an hope you enjoyed my take on this place ​


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## krela (Mar 31, 2018)

It's funny the memories things can provoke isn't it? My granddad used to have a light like that with the red on top.


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## Dirus_Strictus (Mar 31, 2018)

krela said:


> It's funny the memories things can provoke isn't it? My granddad used to have a light like that with the red on top.



One of the first 'motorist's lanterns', the red top warning light could be set to flash. Ray-O-Vac, Ever Ready and Pifco were the market leaders from memory - Pifco produced a rather up market version in alloy and the other two were tin plate. I think this is the one produced by Ray-O-Vac.

Very nice set of images Mockingbird. The real story here is your image of the 'Naturalisation Certificate' and the April 1964 date. Very stressful times back then for some people!


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## Sam Haltin (Mar 31, 2018)

Nice photographs. They tell a tale of a once happy house, going by the personal photographs.


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## urban-dorset (Mar 31, 2018)

Great photos. 

Poor Sooty and Sweep though!


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## titimo82 (Mar 31, 2018)

nice set of images, thanks for sharing


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## BikinGlynn (Apr 1, 2018)

As u may know Mockingbird its now gone! benn flattened into its own swimming pool.
The large barn, caravan & car remain still full of stuff but I cant imagine for very long.

You are right there was an overwhelming amount of stuff there, it sometimes hard to capture the "full story" when theres that much, I should think I came away with 200-300 images. 
I spent a particularly long time leafing through photo albums which were very personal.
Nicely captured btw


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## HughieD (Apr 1, 2018)

So many memories. Beautifully captured as always MB...


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## Mikeymutt (Apr 1, 2018)

Nice set mate.so many personal touches there that you have documented lovely


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## mockingbird (Apr 4, 2018)

krela said:


> It's funny the memories things can provoke isn't it? My granddad used to have a light like that with the red on top.



indeed, it can often take you back to places we had often forgot


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## mockingbird (Apr 4, 2018)

Dirus_Strictus said:


> One of the first 'motorist's lanterns', the red top warning light could be set to flash. Ray-O-Vac, Ever Ready and Pifco were the market leaders from memory - Pifco produced a rather up market version in alloy and the other two were tin plate. I think this is the one produced by Ray-O-Vac.
> 
> Very nice set of images Mockingbird. The real story here is your image of the 'Naturalisation Certificate' and the April 1964 date. Very stressful times back then for some people!



Thank you Dirus, im glad you was able to notice what I captured aswel as the memories  good insight into the lanterns too!


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## mockingbird (Apr 4, 2018)

Hugh Jorgan said:


> Nice photographs. They tell a tale of a once happy house, going by the personal photographs.



Many thanks, glad you liked it, found lots of information in the end due to the photos and names I captured


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## mockingbird (Apr 4, 2018)

urban-dorset said:


> Great photos.
> 
> Poor Sooty and Sweep though!



Thank you I did try a bit too much, haha indeed been left awhile they have!


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## mockingbird (Apr 4, 2018)

titimo82 said:


> nice set of images, thanks for sharing



Thank you much appreciated


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## mockingbird (Apr 4, 2018)

BikinGlynn said:


> As u may know Mockingbird its now gone! benn flattened into its own swimming pool.
> The large barn, caravan & car remain still full of stuff but I cant imagine for very long.
> 
> You are right there was an overwhelming amount of stuff there, it sometimes hard to capture the "full story" when theres that much, I should think I came away with 200-300 images.
> ...



Well that does suck, had no idea it was gone! then again I haven't traveled that way for months now 
Strange the barn and caravan remain though if the house is rubble!

Yes so much stuff inside here, it carried on when I was reading all the paperwork and such, upstairs empty but downstairs that first room was so packed and so much left to the elements if I remember correctly 
I walked away with alot of images and had to break it down for this report, but still some of my favourite photos was taken inside here, (minus the caves ive been in and mountains i went too last year).

Yes the photos! how many! most of the documents was everywhere, shame upstairs was rather bland considering, but downstairs certainly made up for it, looking at the names and doing research on who lived there, it was rather brilliant though. Thank you glad you liked my photos!


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## mockingbird (Apr 4, 2018)

HughieD said:


> So many memories. Beautifully captured as always MB...



Lots of memories indeed it never ended, thank you so much


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## mockingbird (Apr 4, 2018)

Mikeymutt said:


> Nice set mate.so many personal touches there that you have documented lovely



Thank you mate, much appreciated as always, I did really try here where as half the time its a walk in an out job


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## Dirus_Strictus (Apr 4, 2018)

mockingbird;352262 I did really try here where as half the time its a walk in an out job :)[/QUOTE said:


> This report has taken me back to remembering the very early '60's when the countryside seemed full of abandoned properties and we were just nosey buggers - Door open, in you went for a shufti. However this was no way exploring as one does today; just as MB states a 'walk in and out' job if the door was open. But sometimes; on a very few occasions, the photographs and documents brought one to a sudden stop and you started thinking, because all those particular properties had two things in common (when you read the evidence in the photographs etc.) 1/ The last occupant was either an old lady or man, the last survivor of the family that lived in the house. 2/ All their children had died, serving in WW2. Although I was privileged once to find an old cottage; way out in the wilds of North Yorkshire, where the two brothers of the resident family had perished on the Western Front in WW1. In this instance I passed my info onto the Regimental Association and the small archive was eventually saved to honour the brothers.


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## Potter (Apr 4, 2018)

This is rather sad. Excellently captured.
It's rather strange seeing that TV and combi DVD/video. It doesn't seem that long ago that those were new.
The boxing Sooty and Sweep is somewhat odd.

A real shame it's now gone.


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## prettyvacant71 (Apr 5, 2018)

Loved looking through your shots of the old photographs, the 3 kids in masks sitting on the sofa looked rather sinister but then clowns always do that for me lol. From what BG says its all gone now well hope someone saved some of its memories by collecting up a few bits and pieces before it got demoed, but then maybe just explorers pic's are all that remain?


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## Sabtr (Apr 6, 2018)

Incredibly sad images there. I can't help but think a family 'line' has ended and had no-one to gather those personal items and keep them. Damn I hope my house doesn't end like that!

Thanks for posting. A nice 'wet film' feel to the photos which I think suits the location well.


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## Dirus_Strictus (Apr 6, 2018)

prettyvacant71;352299:( well hope someone saved some of its memories by collecting up a few bits and pieces before it got demoed said:


> Having a branch of my family in the demolition business, I know that, from that aspect, it will have all ended in the skip/landfill. The memories on this forum and perhaps other similar ones are what are carried forward, for as long as this interest by us members remains


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## BikinGlynn (Apr 6, 2018)

prettyvacant71 said:


> Loved looking through your shots of the old photographs, the 3 kids in masks sitting on the sofa looked rather sinister but then clowns always do that for me lol. From what BG says its all gone now well hope someone saved some of its memories by collecting up a few bits and pieces before it got demoed, but then maybe just explorers pic's are all that remain?



As mentioned the barn & caravan were still full a month back, but I imagine everything in em will be skipped.
Strange as after my visit I popped in a local antique shop & there was several items for sale (not cheap either) that I had just been rummaging through, like the records that are making a real comeback!


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## Dirus_Strictus (Apr 8, 2018)

Sausage said:


> Incredibly sad images there. I can't help but think a family 'line' has ended and had no-one to gather those personal items



Perhaps it was inevitable; but the really sad thing for me is that the 'founding father' figure will just disappear from memory, almost in the same way as if he had perished in the Polish concentration camps of WW2. Still; as long as people are interested in this thread, some thoughts will linger on.

The story of the displaced Poles and other Eastern European people has always been an interest to me - I lived in an area as a child where many settled and worked.


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## Infraredd (Apr 12, 2018)

How weird - I was in June/ July 2016 & I didn't get teddy bears at all. I saw it was an antiques centre - sign by the gate & all the ephemera suggested a male last occupant. All the dog paraphernalia & hairs & no dog pictures - how strange. Saw the pile of photos in the garage but they looked like a normal families collection - lots of kids with horses etc. Going through the dog flap was fun - 3 weeks later it had been kicked in & all the copper pipes had been ripped out. Nice house - shame it's now rubble. Must have just missed each other....


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## fernus89 (Jun 11, 2018)

Awesome find. Great pictures, love the sewing machine. Thanks for sharing


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## Ferox (Jun 12, 2018)

Brilliant that mate and really nicely shot. I like the detail and personal touch to them. Pic 4 is mad. Looks like something from the Purge flims, getting ready to go out


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## guy anderson (Aug 20, 2018)

This place seems to get stripped more each time I see it. If I knew where it was, I’d go now, before it’s empty.


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