
Appendix: Participants’ Biographies A version of this is available via Hurdley (2012), with photos – and photo-calendars for those who took part. The three principal fieldwork sites were in Cardiff, or on its outskirts: Radyr Gardens: a large modern ‘executive’ private housing development on the city outskirts, on the M4 motorway corridor, with excellent road links to London and west Wales. Llandaff North: an established suburb, consisting principally of early 20th-century terraced houses near a local railway station. There is some social (public) housing, including a large estate and smaller developments of flats and houses. On the high ground above the railway line are large 1930s houses. Cardiff Bay: this is the former dock area that has undergone extensive regeneration, including the demolition of traditional Victorian terraces, the construction of modern social public housing, and large gated private apartment blocks. Participants in the second stage of fieldwork lived in different areas of Cardiff and Wales, and in other countries. Adrian Adrian is 40 years old and is a university science lecturer. He lives in Radyr Gardens with his wife, who is a doctor, and their three young children. They bought the house (with a mortgage) ‘off plan’ four years ago and had some input into the design, includ- ing kitchen and bathroom fittings. He considers himself ‘British’ and ‘middle [class] now, working by upbringing’. He thinks that the mantelpiece is different from other display spaces because it is in the ‘central location in the main room’, and that the mantelpiece in his childhood home was ‘Similar to present one. Display but also with letters etc. A bit cluttered’. Other focal points include ‘display cabinet, window sills, dressing table, office table and filing cabinet’. Adrian made a photo-calendar. Ailsa, Sasha and Emilia (second-stage participants) This Scottish family relocated to New England ten years before our interview. They are well integrated into a wealthy middle-class American suburb. Ailsa, who is an artist in her forties with three daughters, is married to a Harvard professor. Her eldest daughter, Sasha (aged 18), also takes part in the interview. Sasha’s younger sister, Emilia (aged 16) joins us towards the end of the conversation. For Sasha, who has been at boarding school in Scotland for two years, the fireplace is a ‘comforting image’ – the objects move to each house, it reminds her of ‘mother’, ‘home’: ‘I can smell it almost.’ We talk around photos of their own mantelpiece (which I later view when I visit), and photos of their friends and neighbours’ fireplaces. 225 226 Appendix: Participants’ Biographies Alison Alison is 49 years old and works as a civil servant in London. She is divorced and has no children. She bought a house (with a mortgage) ‘off plan’ in Radyr Gardens five years ago and had some input into the design, including kitchen and bathroom fittings and choosing a fireplace. She terms herself ‘white’ and ‘middle class’. The mantelpiece is different from other display spaces because, ‘I change it more frequently; the clock is there; better for postcards and things not in frames.’ Other display spaces are: ‘sideboard in dining room & wall above it; to a lesser extent the dresser next to it’. She has no ‘strong memories’ of the mantelpiece in her childhood home: ‘Vague recollection of parents’ mantelpiece being sparse and functional – i.e. not used on a daily basis – merely a place for select ornaments’. Alison made a photo-calendar. Annette Annette is 40 years old and works as a dentist. She lives with her partner in Radyr Gardens. She bought the house (with a mortgage) nearly four years ago ‘off plan’ and had some input into design features, including kitchen and bathroom fittings. She terms herself ‘Caucasian’ and ‘working to middle [class]’. She thinks her wooden display unit in the living room is different from other display spaces because: ‘1st impressions!! Sit looking at it every evening.’ In the dining room is a ‘similar shelf system (adds symmetry)’. Her childhood mantelpiece ‘was always the first place to be dusted had a few ornaments on it and clock in the middle. Don’t remember what else.’ Becky and Pete (second-stage participants) Becky and Pete are in their early forties. They are tenants of a Cardiff Housing Association (HA), one of many not-for-profit organisations which now provide and manage affordable housing (also known as public housing). It is a small, century- old terraced house in the Canton district of Cardiff, in a street containing only five other HA properties. They will never be able to buy a house unless, as Becky says, they ‘win the lottery’. Pete is long-term disabled and does not work, while Becky is a domestic cleaner, who fits her work around their teenage twins’ school hours. Her wages supplement the government-funded financial support they receive. Their oldest daughter is in temporary accommodation, waiting for a secure tenure from the same HA. Belinda Belinda is 65 years old and a mature student. She lives in Radyr Gardens with her spouse, Frank, who is retired. They bought the house (with a mortgage) nearly four years ago. She considers herself to be ‘British’ and ‘working [class]’. Belinda distinguishes the shelf unit in the dining room as different from other display spaces because they ‘put there things that don’t have a permanent place (bills until paid, event tickets’. The bookcase in the living room is another ‘focal point’. She has no memories of a mantelpiece from her childhood. Frank took part briefly in the interview. Appendix: Participants’ Biographies 227 Bernie Bernie is 68 years old and is a retired seaman rigger. He is long-term disabled, follow- ing a road accident in his youth. He lives alone in Cardiff Bay, in a house that he now owns outright, having been a local authority tenant. He and his parents were rehoused in this square of social (public) housing, following demolition of their ter- raced house and other original terraces in the area in 1989. He has lived in the area all his life, with his parents (until their deaths). He defines himself as ‘Welsh’ and ‘working class’. The china cabinet in the living room is soon to be replaced by a mantelpiece and gas fire from B&Q, if all goes to plan. Other ‘focal points’ are the walls in other rooms. ‘The terraced house in Adelaide Street [now demolished] had fireplaces in every room including the bedrooms. The clocks seemed to be on every fireplace.’ It was very hard to understand the interview recording, due to his difficulties communicating verbally and background noise from the washing machine. Bronwen Bronwen is 25 years old and works as a research student. She lives in Llandaff North with her sister and a friend. They rent the terraced house from a family member and have lived there only a few months. She terms herself ‘white’ and ‘middle class’. The mantelpiece in the living room ‘is central in the room, and is therefore a focal point’. Other ‘focal points’ are ‘on bookshelves, walls, on top of drawers and dressing table, on coffee table’. ‘Our mantelpiece at home was over a wood fire, and had a large mirror above it. It had a photo of my grandfather, and one of my parents’ wedding day on it.’ Bronwen made a photo-calendar. Christine Christine is 60 years old and works as a housewife. She lives in Radyr Gardens with her husband, Harry, who is retired. They own their house outright and have lived there for two and a half years. She terms herself ‘white’ and ‘middle [class]’. As well as the mantelpiece, there are other focal points, such as ‘all windowsills in house, display cabinet, small tables’. Harry joined us for the latter part of the interview. Christine took part in the photo-calendar. Dan Dan is 44 years old and works as an independent financial adviser. He lives in Radyr Gardens with his wife, Julia, a nurse, and their two children (aged 12 and 14). They bought their house (with a mortgage) ‘off plan’ six years ago and had some design input, including floor coverings. He terms himself ‘middle class’. The mantelpiece differs from the other focal point of the ‘kitchen walls’, in that there is ‘very little change to what’s on display even over years’. He remembers in his ‘parents’ house – plain mantelpiece with two bar fire’. Julia and their 12-year-old daughter participated briefly in the interview. Dan made a photo-calendar, using his digital camera. 228 Appendix: Participants’ Biographies Deb Deb’s story is in the Epilogue. Some months after I wrote this, she made a decision to enter a residential alcohol rehabilitation centre, a place she loves. Although fearful of returning home, she is looking forward to regaining residency of her son. Derek and Diane Diane is 63 years old and lives with her spouse, Derek, who is 66. They own their terraced house in Llandaff North outright and have lived there for 40 years. They removed the fireplaces because they were ‘old-fashioned’. They term themselves ‘British’ and ‘middle [class]’. Derek selected the breakfast bar in the kitchen as the mantelpiece ‘equivalent’ and sees ‘room dividers, TV corner unit’ as other focal points. They remember mantelpieces in ‘our parents’ houses’. They both filled in parts of the questionnaire and took part in the interview. Emma (second-stage participant) Emma is a mature research student, aged 46. She defines herself as a black Kenyan woman, who spent much of her childhood in Malaysia. Married to a Belgian, with two adult children, she currently sees her family only on visits home to Nairobi.
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