The Uplands 1924

Following on from my 2016 newsletter article,  the following may be of  interest:  a description of The Uplands from the 1924, sixth edition, of the Thorpeness Company's handbook Concerning Thorpeness, price one shilling.  The softback handbook was substantial and included an account of the creation of the holiday village by G S Ogilvie, detailed descriptions of the types of accommodation and facilities available to visitors and a story set in the village.  The first edition of Concerning Thorpeness was published in 1912 and there were further editions in 1913, 1914, 1921 (after the First World War), 1922 and 1924 onwards.

The following description, starting on page 77, is reproduced in the original with capital letters for important words, extolling the attractions of these 'little Bijou Bungalows':-
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'This range of wooden Bungalows is situated on the highest portion of Lake Side and lies in broken lines and irregular tiers at the foot of the old Windmill.  The houses have been constructed largely of unused building materials which were thrown on to the market at the end of the War.  All exterior walls have been reinforced with a triple lining of felt, lath and plaster.

The houses are frequently occupied during the Christmas Holidays.  They contain a convenient Kitchen, Bathroom and usual offices, a cosy Common Room and from three to five Bedrooms, accommodating from five to eight persons, and have been specially designed to meet the present shortage of domestic servants.  It has been found in practice that the entire housework of the largest of these Maisonettes, when crowded to utmost capacity, can be finished before eleven a.m., thus giving the maids almost the same opportunities for the healthy outdoor life of Thorpeness as their Mistress and the Children.

Each of these little Bijou Bungalows stands well back from the road, and is provided with a well-furnished garden and a large lawn, overlooking the Meare to the South, where the children can play, or the babies bask, until it is time for them to go down to the beach.

​As an instance of the deserved Popularity of these Holiday Bungalows, which are often let two or three times during the Season, the case of Number 15 may be quoted.  It has been leased for several years to a well-known Society Lady, who last year occupied it with her children from Easter to July.  Having occasion to go to Scotland for August, she sub-let her Bungalow for six weeks through Agency of the Estate Office, with the result that the rent of her Holiday House Bungalow for the entire year, including all taxes and outgoings, amounted to less than £10.'