Some of heaviest lifting we have had to do recently is at Christopher Dresser’s house in Wigston for Mr Owston and thanks to the council’s planning committee who were so engaged and supportive of our efforts to save and enhance this almost unique house – Dresser is believed to have only done two houses – that they gave us a planning approval and listed building consent unanimously.
Much of Dresser’s work remains intact at Wigston or has been taken to museums around the world including MOMA in New York and amongst many quirky objects is the frog wardrobe (Victoria & Albert Museum). Victorians had a fascination for frogs and often pictured them anthropomorphically as postmen or officials whereas to us they seem to represent craziness – ‘mad as a box of frogs’! Wardrobe image, below, credited to the V&A.
