The Story of Emily is a fresh, immersive historical experience. A tale of incredible bravery, determination and impact. It shines the light on Emily Hobhouse, an inspirational woman from Cornwall who challenged the social norms of the Victorian era and changed the lives of thousands of women and children during the Second Anglo-Boer War.
Nearly 165 years ago in the small village of St Ive, Cornwall, a baby girl was born to the Anglican priest, Reginald Hobhouse, and his wife Caroline Trelawny. Her name was Emily Hobhouse.
She would become both famous and infamous in her lifetime. Revered by some, loathed by others.
The story of Emily begins in her childhood home, the Victorian Rectory, where Emily lived from birth until age 34. Guests are invited to ring the bell and step inside the Gothic Revival-style family home, which was commissioned by her father between1852 and 1854 having hailed from Hadspen House in Somerset.
Restored to the year 1875 when Emily was 15 years old, it is decorated in detail with full Victorian splendour. Replica wallpaper (based on original pieces found during the restoration) adorns the walls alongside prints of Emily’s watercolour paintings.
There’s a chance to explore what lies in the larders, scullery, and fuel stores. Take a peek inside Emily’s school room and bedroom and see the maid’s room on the top floor. There are even Victorian clothes to dress up in, for both children and adults.
This is not a museum but an invitation to wander curiously through the house. With tea left in teacups and biscuits on plates, it is as though the Hobhouse family has popped out to the garden, leaving their home open for discovery.
