New artefacts on display at Flambards after cleaner finds them in secure lock-up
Published: 25th May 2023Artefacts hidden away in a secure lock-up for years have been put on display for Flambards’ summer season, after painstaking renovations by one of its exhibition curators.
A baby walker, push cart and a bicycle from the Victorian era, as well as a carriage from the early 20th century, were all unearthed from an on-site storage location and given new life by Daiga Grinberga, who has cleaned the indoor attractions at the theme park for 11 years.
General manager Richard Welby said: “These hugely important, period-correct pieces have been in secure storage due to their importance. The historical value is immeasurable as these items simply are not available on the open market. Any remaining examples are in private collections and realistically not available to view publicly.
“They needed a really good clean but they are now on display for everyone to enjoy, thanks to Daiga’s hard work and dedication,” he added.
The bike is particularly impressive and is dated to the 1820s. The frame is made of steel and the wheels have wooden spokes. The leather seat is also still intact. Daiga used sandpaper, paint, a hard brush, sponge and linseed oil to restore all the artefacts, which are in the exhibition room with the wedding dresses.
Richard added: “We are incredibly proud of the work our curators accomplish when stabilising items such as these, not just for display but for the future generation of visitors to Flambards. Their dedication to the exhibits and artefacts contained within the exhibitions is humbling.”
Daiga’s devotion to preserving the indoor attractions is a year-round job. When Flambards closed for winter last year, she spent from September to December deep cleaning the 48 rooms of the Victorian Village.
With thousands of artefacts included inside every type of business including a tailor, ironmonger, dairy, pub, toy shop, tobacconist, haberdashery, her work is painstaking. The toy shop alone can take almost two days to clean.
The village is a fascinating, atmospheric walk through a bygone era, which visitors love to discuss with Daiga as they move from shop to shop.
She said: “I particularly love the coach parties who come in, because they always have so many questions about the displays. I am interested in history so I do my best to answer them. Every day I wake up and look forward to coming to work. That hasn’t changed for 11 years.”
Whilst Daiga’s discoveries may not be the only secrets in the closet, there are no surprises when it comes to the cleaning process – bleach, polish, Brasso, a soft cloth, gloves and good old-fashioned elbow grease are all she needs.
However, some of the spaces are quite challenging, requiring her to squeeze through small windows in order to access the beautifully cared-for indoor displays.
The Victorian Village, which opened in 1986, is a labour of love for the Flambards team. The exhibition has won several national awards for its authentic reconstructions, which include original granite setts salvaged from Bath and a wood block floor rescued from demolition diggers in a school in the north of England.
Besides the delights of the village, there is also a Britain in the Blitz exhibition and the incredible Chemist Shop Time Capsule, which was rescued from Somerset after it closed in 1909 and subsequently had lain dormant for almost 100 years. Flambards rescued the shop, numbering and recording thousands of artefacts right down to the cobwebs, before disassembling and transporting it to Helston to create an exact replica.
Other indoor attractions include The War Gallery, Aviation Experience (complete with a replica flight deck of Concorde), wedding dresses and motorcycles dating back to the 1940s. For younger children, there is the fantastic Ferdi’s Indoor Play, a soft play space which is new to the park this year.