Making Ourselves At Home

In our early sessions, we explored different rooms and spaces around Whitehall - from what used to be the Parlour, to the Attics, and the Garden. We set our base in the Activity Room and started by drawing objects that drew our attention while exploring. We then brought and photographed our own objects from home and imagined how these would be placed around Whitehall if we lived here. We looked at the Killick family albums and talked about life in Cheam through the centuries. Finally, we brought everything together by creating collages and drawings.

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Collage and drawing by Gemma, featuring the medieval skull found in the Parlour - here seen enjoying some cereal from the breakfast bowl she brought.

Collage and drawing by Gary, featuring his mug, the saddle found in the Attic, Jake the horse and a boy playing tennis in Whitehall’s Garden in the early 20th century.

Robert’s collage features objects found in the Attic, ex-residents - pets included - and the ghost skeleton haunting the Parlour...

David brought together a suitcase and cricket bat found in the Attics, displays from the Nonsuch Room and the pan he brought from home - where we “cooked” a meal to share with the skeleton.

Ellie kept meticulous notes about everything we saw and did in Whitehall - she brought her notebook upstairs in the Attics, in the room currently dedicated to writer and merchant James Boevey.

Nijan created a Whitehall’s own version of ‘Starry Night’ - adding the vintage mobile phone he brought from home. In the image he chose, we can see the back of Whitehall and the Tearoom Door.

Ben combined the porcelain dog figure he brought with the dogs often found in the old family albums - you can also spot some of the curiosities found in the Attics and lots of different hats!

Laura brought together her favourite gadgets that she uses to watch films and TV series and an archival image of furniture that used to be in the Attic.