On Monday, January 27, Amersham Museum shared the story of the Duparcs, a Jewish family who settled in Little Chalfont in the 1920s.
Newlyweds Ursula and Isaac Duparc moved into their new home on Village Way in 1924. It remained in the family until their sons, David and Anthony, who were born in the house, moved into a retirement community in 2022.
In February of that year, Amersham Museum was informed that the home was due to be redeveloped and the contents might be of interest.
With a scholarship from the Understanding British Portraits Fellowship, collections manager Emma Treleaven was able to catalogue the collection of items found at the house.
Stepping through the front door was like stepping back in time, with the house perfectly preserved in its original state. There was paperwork from the 1910s, medicines from the 1940s, and local magazines from the 1960s. The newest item was a microwave from the late 1970s.
Also found in the house was a fantastic collection of photographs ranging from the 1890s to the 1960s, encompassing huge changes in technology. The photos are now cared for by the museum
As part of the project, Emma worked with filmmaker Ed Avern and the museum’s Young Curators, to produce a film about the family and bring their story to a wider audience.
More information about the collection can be found at www.shorturl.at/H2fUx
0 Comments