QUEER HOMES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23850, 28 December 1940, Page 2 (Supplement)

QUEER HOMES

"T'LL see her in her coffin first before I'll let her marry you!" So swore a father of Brixham to the young fisherman who had timidly asked to marry his daughter, states a London journal. The young couple were very much in love, but the girl dare not disobey her father, so the young fisherman, finding that persuasion was no use with the old man, left the town, promising his sweetheart that somehow he would find a way to marry her. He was away for some years, then one day he returned secretly with all his savings and, without asking anyone's help, began to build a house. "When it was finished it looked just like a coffin raised on one end. He took his sweetheart there one day and then called for her father. Family in Coke Ovens He took him to the house and called the girl to the door. "There." he said. "Your daughter is in a coffin! Now can we be married?" The old man hadn't a word to say, and gave his consent. The house is now one of Brixham's show places. Other people have had queer ideas about homes and houses. For instance, one Yorkshireman had been out of

One House was Coffin-shaped

work so long and liis rent was so much in arrears that lie was forced to leave his house. He had a wife and eight children, and ho couldn't leave thc-ni in the street to starve. He knew of two old coke ovens near Dronfield, so he took the family there, and for years they lived in them, using one as a bedroom and the other as a livingroom. Another man, William Peek, collected all the be>— bottles lie could until he had move than five thousand, and then he built ins own house win; them, laying them neck to bottom m tiers, and filling the cracks wif.n anything he could lay his hand* on. Many years age, George Ley s as squire of Combe Martin, in Devonshire, and had the reputation of being the most reckless gambler in the county. But he was always lucky /ntd amassed a fortune. With it ho. builfc tf a bouse to represent a pack of cards. There were four feors, one for each suit, and every floor had "thirteen windows, one for each card in the suit. Every floor also had thirteen doors. The house is now an hotel.