Last week when UE-OMJ and myself explored 'frog manor', we stumbled upon a mobile phone. Bit odd we thought, and it didn’t seem to be related in any way to the house. Maybe a contractor or a fellow explorer may have lost it. So we made the joint decision to take it, plug a charger in and see if we could trace the owner.
UE-OMJ found a message that gave a clue to who the owner was and sent a message ‘I’ve found your phone’. Two days later he got a phone call from a guy who was astonished that he was tracing him about his old mobile. It seems the phone actually belongs to a guy who used to live in the house!
UE-OMJ explained who he was, what Urban Exploring is, our ethics and where we found the phone. He was genuinely interested, and said the following...
It seems he and his mum lived in that house from 1953! He was 7 when they moved in and was there for 40 years!
His mum lived there for 57 years but died 5 years ago. He thinks he must have lost the phone when they were clearing the house out. Subsequently the house was sold 3 years ago.
The house was empty for 5 years, they were worried people would break in and set fire to it, it seems they couldn't insure the building against fire as it wasn't occupied. Eventually 3 years ago it was sold to a developer. He was sad to learn that the house is earmarked for demolition, and mentioned that his sister would be heartbroken to hear the news.
The house was built in 1881 and always suffered from subsidence due to being built on chalk and at the top of the hill, and apparently there is a nasty crack in the wall.
The cellars have a fireplace, and were going to be used for the servants quarters, but the people downstairs could hear people talking upstairs which wasn't good, and so a side annex was added to the house (the kitchen, 2nd stairs, loo) and that was for the servants instead. (Before their time though, he didn't have servants)
And finally, he is a nature/animal lover and was chuffed that UE-OMJ rescued 7 frogs from a huge hole in the basement floor
He said we could either post the phone to him, or pop round for a chat and hear more about the house!! He has some old photos of it when it was lived in. Exciting aye! stay tuned for more updates.
UE-OMJ found a message that gave a clue to who the owner was and sent a message ‘I’ve found your phone’. Two days later he got a phone call from a guy who was astonished that he was tracing him about his old mobile. It seems the phone actually belongs to a guy who used to live in the house!
UE-OMJ explained who he was, what Urban Exploring is, our ethics and where we found the phone. He was genuinely interested, and said the following...
It seems he and his mum lived in that house from 1953! He was 7 when they moved in and was there for 40 years!
His mum lived there for 57 years but died 5 years ago. He thinks he must have lost the phone when they were clearing the house out. Subsequently the house was sold 3 years ago.
The house was empty for 5 years, they were worried people would break in and set fire to it, it seems they couldn't insure the building against fire as it wasn't occupied. Eventually 3 years ago it was sold to a developer. He was sad to learn that the house is earmarked for demolition, and mentioned that his sister would be heartbroken to hear the news.
The house was built in 1881 and always suffered from subsidence due to being built on chalk and at the top of the hill, and apparently there is a nasty crack in the wall.
The cellars have a fireplace, and were going to be used for the servants quarters, but the people downstairs could hear people talking upstairs which wasn't good, and so a side annex was added to the house (the kitchen, 2nd stairs, loo) and that was for the servants instead. (Before their time though, he didn't have servants)
And finally, he is a nature/animal lover and was chuffed that UE-OMJ rescued 7 frogs from a huge hole in the basement floor
He said we could either post the phone to him, or pop round for a chat and hear more about the house!! He has some old photos of it when it was lived in. Exciting aye! stay tuned for more updates.
Great pics from both of you and a wonderful story about the phone, hope you get to meet the chap and hear his stories
