Spring time is here at Howell House Clearance
Oh, the beautiful May sunshine. I picked up the dogs from a fantastic groomers in Slindon on the A27 coming from Chichester, I decided to treat them to a walk in Petworth Park which was glorious. I always think that Petworth House is an ugly building compared to other National Trust properties but I always enjoy looking at the paintings and antiques in the house. You certainly don’t get them in your average clearance! I often wonder what the value of the contents could possibly be with all those paintings – must be a fair amount.
I remember visiting a large property in Pulborough. It had had some valuable paintings which were stolen in a highly professional burglary. It must be almost impossible for those responsible to sell on as all art of a significant value is recorded on many art websites so no-one would touch them with a barge pole. I understand two auction houses (Strides in Chichester and Tooveys in West Chiltington near Storrington) have identified stolen valuables in the past and while the person depositing goods such as these would have to use a false identity, I understand that items such as jewellery, gold and silver can easily be broken down with it’s real identity changed. I just can’t see why criminals steal paintings by most famous artists – where on earth would you sell them?
A few years back, we were clearing an old gentleman’s cottage in Chidham near Bosham. His former agricultural employer, one of Bognor’s largest land and property owners, owned the cottage. Subsequently, we found out he had worked as a young man for the Cowdray Estate in Midhurst. The gentleman had never married and the property was a typical bachelor’s property – not too tidy!
Our instructing solicitor told us that he had been a part-time gardener for a wealthy family locally – we presume in Bosham – as well as being an agricultural worker. There was a rumour that he had been presented with a valuable paining and some silver when the family moved back to America. We had nearly finished clearing the property when we discovered, in the bottom of an outside cupboard, a large, wet canvas bag. The bag contained two beautiful silver candlesticks and a not too special silver Victorian tea set.
These must have been what the gentleman had been presented with. Under the silver was a very wet picture wrapped in cloth but unfortunately, when we unwrapped the package, the painting was completely destroyed – it was a soggy mess. I often wonder what that painting was but we took the silver to the instructing solicitors in Pagham near Bognor Regis for the estate of the gentleman.
It just goes to show that you never know what you might find when clearing a relative’s property and if you do find anything interesting it’s worth having it looked at by an expert just in case it’s one of those amazing finds you read about in the paper. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you need advice regarding the clearance of a property
House clearance in West Sussex's five villages
We have been clearing a property in Barnham, one of the lovely five villages in West Sussex comprising Eastergate, Walberton, Yapton and Woodgate. Sadly, all these villages are merging into one with the construction of new houses.
A spinster who had worked her whole life in the NHS and retired from the Bognor Memorial Hospital many years ago had occupied the property and the property had been empty for a number of years after she had gone to live in a care home. Amazingly, she lived to the fantastic age of 98.
The property had been cleaned every few weeks and it really was a time warp with everything in its place, as if she had popped to the shops in Barnham village. We were informed that the lady had a few elderly friends in the Arundel and Felpham areas, near Bognor Regis, who had been left some jewellery and china that the solicitor from Rose Green had already removed.
It’s always the way when people live to a ripe old age and have no children, that many of their friends and close relatives are also old. I find it sad clearing properties such as this as all the photos and personal letters precious to the owner (but unknown to us) get thrown away. Who are these people? What part of the deceased’s life did they play? Workmates, friends, children? Who knows? At Howell House Clearance, all we ever do is treat the property with the upmost respect – as if it was one of our own relatives.
We were instructed to assist two local charities from Chichester to attend a property and we delivered some good garden furniture to a beneficiary in Fontwell. We were able to recycle much of the contents of the house and after a good Hoover round, the job was complete and we could take the keys to the solicitors in Rose Green.
I always enjoy the programme Flog It – it’s amazing how many of the people on the show say, ‘Oh it’s been in a cupboard for years or under a bed.’ Such was the case a few months ago at a property in Emsworth. I pulled a suitcase out from under the bed and it had the largest thimble collection I have ever seen but, as with many old collections, no-one really collects them anymore and there was little value but we donated them to a local charity shop in Felpham near Bognor Regis anyway.
At another property in West Ashling, just outside Chichester, in two huge trunks in a garage we found a collection of milk bottles (yes!) some dating from many years ago. We informed the family and dropped them off to the family home in Charlton.
In West Wittering we found, in a box under the kitchen sink, a beautiful collection of hairpins. They were amazing. Why they were there, God only knows, but again we contacted the family who then donated them to a charity in Selsey.
We have jobs in Bracklesham, West Dean and Bognor coming up, with a garage in Pulborough to complete this week. Even if there are no exciting surprises, driving around, doing house clearances in West Sussex is a joy.
Thank you for taking the time to read my blog. Please do not hesitate to contact me at Howells House Clearance, Chichester if you require any advice regarding the clearance of any property