The House - Introduction and Research

The House  

Introduction

My practice (which I discovered in year 1) involves all things archive, vintage, archaeological, connecting stories from the past and mudlarking. I am drawn to objects and stories of everyday people, how they lived and how we connect to them.

The start of my block 1 project begins with a dream I have often. I dream I am in a house I have never been to and will never go to. The house is the house where my Great Grandad Percival Sitford lived and worked with his family, including my Grandad, Eric Sitford. Percival Sitford was the reservoir keeper on Debdale Reservoir in Gorton, Manchester. It's a reoccurring dream and I feel I know the house, it's layout and it's decor, although I have never seen the interior.

The grand Victorian house was their home throughout his job, where he managed a team of workers who looked after the waterways. The house was based in parkland which was not open to the public at the time. Stories of my Grandad's childhood growing up at the house, how they tended the vegetable gardens, hunting hares for dinner and wandered the land as if they were country children. Even though the reservoir is based quite close to central Manchester. The family were moved to a new, modern house in 1939 close to the reservoir and the old house was demolished at Christmas of the same year. He continued to work for the waterworks until 1955, when he retired the job also finished, he was the last reservoir keeper.

Fast forward to my youth and the 'resers' are now open to the public, we live close by and walk there with our dog most days. I know the place like the back of my hand. I have stories from my Dad and Grandad, where the workshops were, the house grounds and gardens and the life they lived. The grand gate posts still stand and the low wall around the garden. We play and wonder around on the overgrown park area, although we can feel the foundation of the basement under foot.

Many years later the whole family (aunties, uncles, parents, cousins, sisters) congregate in the ground of the house to scattter my Grandad's ashes, where he once played happily with his siblings.

Research:

I love the research stage especially when it involves revealing long lost narratives. I get carried away and lost in another world. I have to be mindful not to research for too long and know when to start creating. Why my obsession with the house? I am from a large, close knit family and nobody else seems interested in the house, yet I dream I am wandering the halls with sun shining through the windows onto my feet. Is there unfinished business for me to attend to?

My first mission was to find a photograph of the house. I have done this a few times over the years, only ever finding the side view of the house. Contacting the waterworks United Utilities only turns up information, no images. The 'Friends of Debdale Park' turns up a story about my Great Grandad which is lovely to hear. Various family members looks for photographs and information on the house. I look through the hundreds of Manchester Archive images online library and contact the research team too. I finally find a possible image on Ebay of all places! But is it the house? I will share the image on this blog so you can join my search in my next post.

Which direction will this project take? Is it about dreams, forensic site clues, archive, longing, hauntiology, para-conceptualism, homesickness or documentation?

Side view of the house on the right hand side of Favourite Walk, Gorton Reservoir.

The siblings who lived in the house (Violet, Eddie, Erica (on the chair) and Percy)

Violet's wedding party held in the garden of the house.