In 2015, children at St. Andrew’s Primary School in Bath took part in a three-month intergenerational project exploring dolls houses with older Bath residents. Inspired by Bath Preservation Trust’s 2015 Small Worlds exhibition, which showcased 18th and 19th century dolls’ houses from the private collection of Liza Antrim, project participants created a beautifully detailed Georgian dolls house of their own.
Working with a variety of dolls house and miniature specialists the participants designed rooms complete with period decorations and learnt to create tiny furniture and food to fill those rooms. There was great attention to detail and after being exhibited at No.1 Royal Crescent the dolls house was given to St Andrew’s Primary School where it is still on view in the reception area.
In partnership with 5x5x5 = Creativity, all year groups at St Andrew’s Primary School were then part of an extended project with every child given the opportunity to work on a dolls house and create miniature furniture, decorations and people.
Highlights of the Small Worlds exhibition included ‘The Fry House’, a dolls’ house made in Bristol for the children of local chocolate maker Francis Fry, and the Georgian ‘Bellamy’s House’, displayed with its original furnishings. In total ten toy houses were loaned by collector, conservator and historian Liza Antrim. The exhibition was kindly supported by The Heritage Lottery Fund, The Jeremy and John Sacher Charitable Trust, Cosmo and Francis Fry, The Royal Crescent Hotel, The Pavey Group, and Henry Wray & Geoffrey Nesbitt.