1940s Co-operative
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This is a Co-operative shop with living quarters above.
Created and owned by Linda Holmes of Dorset.
KT Miniatures would like to thank Linda for allowing us to take a peek at her wonderful creation. The following text is in Linda's own words.
THE STORY BEHIND THIS CREATION
The shop was a kit that I bought when I used to go to the Minnows (Miniaturists of Wessex) group in Wiltshire. I can’t remember who the manufacturer was, it was just a nice couple who came along one day to sell their basic unmade shops to the group at a discount and in return helped anyone put them together and advised on electrification.
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It’s called the Hull Co-op because before the war my mum worked in it, branch number 45 (which is lettered on the sides of the columns). She left to go and work in ammunitions. Then much later in life, when I passed my 11+ and went to school across the city (so I didn’t come home for lunch anymore), she went back to work in the main Hull Co-op part-time ....so it means something to me personally and is a little way of remembering her too. The Co-op was a part and parcel of life in Hull and I well remember her saving up her dividend stamps which were an early form of “rewards” for shopping loyalty.
INSIDE THE SHOP
In the shop the little girl has a beret (Tam o'Shanter) on and is taking a remembrance poppy from the soldier - there is a box of them with a collecting tin on the counter.
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The lady with the ration book watching the little girl has my mums wartime hairdo and the soldier is meant to be my dad – I stripped and de-wigged an old Del Prado butler doll who was a bit swarthy so I reckon it is just after he came back from the western desert with a tan! I bought a job lot of Del- Prados off Ebay and am gradually stripping, re-wigging and re-dressing them. “Mum”, the shop assistant behind the counter, the old lady with the turban & cross-over pinny and the little girl at the piano are “converts” from DP too.
LIVING ROOM
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The living room needs some pictures on the walls....I thought perhaps a brass platter with a reproduction of the laughing cavalier in the centre, like I remember from my childhood? The photographs are my dad, mum and dads wedding group and on the fireplace a "snap" of them together when he was on leave.
THE "TARTS" BEDROOM
The tarts bedroom always looked a bit sad when the roof was removed but I have solved that by making a backing plate which I slide on when the roof is off and it makes a huge amount of difference. The room is only about 6" high at the peak so I can't use much furniture in it and that which I do use has to be low or cut down.
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I painted a resin brown wicker chair in "Farrow and Ball" paint. Then highlighted with gold and covered the resin cushion with material... it really looks like an original Lloyd Loom chair now. I cut up some old tights in stocking shapes and they are scattered on the floor along with an ashtray plus a "fag end" with lipstick on the end of it. There's a fur tippet on the end of the bed and her handbag is overflowing on the ottoman.
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On the dressing table she's spilt some nailvarnish and her powder compact is made with a couple of sequins (one half filled with real powder and the other has a little bit of mirror card - the puff is the palest pink felt) - it's all those little touches that make a scene isn't it?
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