Mr Straw's House

Step back in time to the 1920s and discover how a grocer's family lived in a Midlands market town through their furnishings and household objects.

The modest semi-detached house at number 7, Blyth Grove has remained virtually unchanged since the Straws moved here in 1923. For over 60 years they threw little away and chose to live without many of the modern comforts we take for granted today.

Treasured possessions and ordinary domestic items can still be seen exactly where their owners left them in number 7, while number 5 provides space for displaying objects normally hidden inside drawers and cupboards.

Outside, the lovingly tended garden and orchard includes a greenhouse housing Walter Straw's cacti collection and various fruit trees once used by the family to make preserves and other recipes.

Education

Mr Straw's House provides students with the opportunity to step back in time to the early 20th century. An education visit really does bring the past to life here, as students are surrounded by objects from the Victorian and Edwardian eras onwards.

We welcome visits from primary and secondary schools, as well as university groups.