Dolls' house known as the Hibberd House made in England in the early 1800s

A two-storied four-bayed town house. The walls are painted brown with a dark brown foundation strip and quoins. The front has three bays of two windows each and one bay of an upper window and lower door. Each side has two windows. The windows are inset mullioned sash windows with white frames and dark brown outer cells and glass panes. The door has six wooden panels and a turned brass knob. It is flanked by two pilasters and surmounted by a semicircular fanlight window and a triangular pediment. There is one tall staircase window in the back painted brown and from which the sill is missing. Along the top of the front and back are a series of jetties. The roof is hipped and painted black. There are three chimney stacks, the middle one having two pots and the others one pot each. These are painted brown and cream. The front of the house consists of two pieces hinged to the sides so that they can open. The join is hidden by a dark brown drain pipe. The front can be locked.

Given by C. J. L. and W. B. Hibberd

From the information folder:
'This house was bought from a shop in John's Wood High Street called "The Rocking Horse" on 16th August, 1965, for £60.
It was then said to be about 200 years old and had belonged to a family (for whom it was originally made) living in a house in one of the Regents Park Terraces. Only two elderly sisters were left and they had sold the house as they were moving into a smaller home where there would be no room for it.
The house was completely unfurnished. Some of the wallpapers were in very bad condition and had to be renewed. Those in the nursery, hall and landing were left. The paper in the 'pink' bedroom was in situ, but covered with a mauve patterned calico. Scraps of this, and of under-layers from the dining room, drawing room (2 layers) and principal bedroom are preserved at the back of this inventory.
There was originally a wall between the drawing room and the entrance hall, but this was removed, by the shop, in order to enlarge the rather poky room. All the fireplaces, though not the grates, are original.
The balusters on the lower flight of stairs were missing, although there were marks showing where they had been.
The skirting boards are obviously (Victorian?) additions. Some of them stuck out beyond the front edge of the walls and had to be cut off before the house could be properly closed.
Winifred Hibberd'

This is a house which was made in the early 1800s probably by a carpenter. It was bought by Mrs Winifred Alice Hibberd from a shop in St. John's Wood High Street, London in 1965 for £60. It had belonged to a family (for whom it was originally made) living in a house in one of the Regents Park Terraces. Only two elderly sisters were left, and they had sold the house as they were moving to a smaller home where there would be no room for it.
Mrs Hibberd repaired and furnished the house herself between 1965 and 1979, keeping a record of where the items had come from and all the work done. The furnishings came from many different sources including America, Spain, France and Scotland as well as craft and antique fairs and London shops. Mrs Hibberd also typed a guide to the house.
The only room that was not finished was the attic room which was completed by her son Dominic. Mrs Hibberd's father's family came from the Tower Hamlets area as long ago as the 18th century. This is partly why it was decided that the house should be offered to the museum where it was received in 1981.

MISC.1-1982