Talbot House (Toc H)

1914-1918 Reference

Remembering

Interpretations

About the site

A Living Museum

Talbot House today is a living museum. The House was also the foundation of the worldwide Toc H Movement.

Many well-known personalities visited the house during the Great War. Some left works of art behind and these original paintings and drawings are still in the house today. Photographs depicting life at the club and in the Ypres Salient can be viewed too.

The Restored Concert Hall

The renovation of the former hop store, which was listed as an official monument in 1998, took several years. The building was in decay when it was purchased. Thanks to the financial support from the Town of Poperinge, the Flemish Government and the European programme EFRO, the monument could be restored in its original state. Extra care was spent on the relics of industrial-archaeological heritage remaining in the building.

One of these relics can be seen on entering the building. The old lift mechanism to pull up bales of hops was set up in its original place. This is also the case for the old hop drying areas, and the original brick floor of the store, which had disappeared under a layer of concrete over the years.

For the refurbishment of the restored Concert Hall, help was brought in from Event Communications of London. Unique artefacts from private collections returned to Talbot House. Family members of deceased veterans were contacted and provided the exhibition with unique objects and diary fragments. Also the co-operation with the photographic and film archives of the Imperial War Museum in London resulted in unique and authentic footage for the exhibition.

The New Visitors' Tour

The New Visitors' Tour highlights the different buildings and the garden by presenting them in a logical order. The visit includes a mixture of presentations and showcases, the garden, a film, authentic locations and a slide show.

1. 'Life behind the lines' exhibition

The ground floor of the hop store (the renovated Concert Hall) is dedicated to the exhibition 'Life behind the lines'. It tells about Poperinge and its neighbouring area during the First World War. Poperinge was situated about 10 miles behind the front lines of the Ypres Salient, right in the middle of the British sector. In 1916 and 1917 there were about 250,000 British soldiers in and around Poperinge although it had only had 20,000 inhabitants in peace time.

The exhibition follows Tubby Clayton, the inspiration and soul of Talbot House, on a journey through his photo album with themes such as the medical help for the injured, interaction between the soldiers and inhabitants, war logistics, and ensuring that the fighting spirit was maintained (medals for the brave and punishment for deserters). These themes are presented by one person and are illustrated with images, objects, quotations from diaries, letters and authentic documents. For example, the famous American brain surgeon, Dr Harvey Cushing is the central figure for medical help and Lt. John Gamble describes life in the tent camps.

2. The garden – "the largest room in the House"

After the introductory exhibition, the visitor enters the garden. Tubby Clayton himself named it "the largest room in the House". For soldiers who had to live for days at a time in a world of mud and shot-up trees, the garden was an oasis of rest and peace. The lay-out of the garden has been restored as it was during the Great War. It has been recently listed as a monument by the Belgian Monument and Landscapes service.

In the 1980s the garden at Talbot House was badly in need of renovation. Lieutenant Colonel Graham Parker arranged for a team of volunteer Servicemen from the British Army base of Emblem, near Antwerp, to visit the house at weekends. The garden was reconstructed in keeping with the original layout and Princess Alexandria visited the House on its completion. A sign from this Military Unit has been left in the garden in appreciation of their work.

3. The Slessorium

When leaving the garden visitors arrive at 'the Slessorium', named after Major Paul Slessor, who built it. Nowadays the building tells the story of Talbot House by means of the new Talbot House film which plays a central role. Tubby not only tells his mother the stories about Talbot House, but the visitor as well. Another striking artefact in the Slessorium is Tubby’s hut, in which he lived during the evacuation of Poperinge, caused by a German offensive in spring 1918. After the war, Chaplain Tubby Clayton took this hut back to the UK, and after 90 years the hut has returned to Belgium. Part of the hut is now decorated with the personal objects of the Chaplain.

4. The Old House

Visitors, who also want to feel the atmosphere of Talbot House, can enter the Old House itself. The interior is authentic and the objects displayed are still in use today. A new asset to the House is the opening of the Chaplain’s room, which was Tubby’s room during the Great War.

5. The 'Concert Party'

After the peaceful and quiet atmosphere of Talbot House, visitors can go to the first floor of the former hop store, the actual Concert Hall. It was this room that became the stage for many recreational activities in 1917. Visitors are shown a film of a concert given by the performers 'The Happy Hoppers'. Sentimental and happy songs, jokes and dances are brought together in a non-stop show and this gives a good idea of how things were in 1917. One of the actors in the film is Mr Lester Simpson from Derbyshire, who is famous for his musical contribution to the peace concerts in Passchendaele, and the threesome 'Cope Boys & Simpson'.

Opening Hours

Open daily (except Monday) from 9.30am to 5.30pm. Last admission 4.30pm.

Closed: Mondays.

Annual closure: December 24th to the second Saturday in January inclusive.

Accommodation

Accommodation for individuals and small groups (there are 18 places for guests) is offered on a self-catering basis and a fully equipped kitchen is at your disposal. Reservations must be made in advance.

Contact Talbot House for details of rates and bookings at info@talbothouse.be

Location

Talbot House is situated at 43 Gasthuisstraat, one of the streets leading from the main square in Poperinge town centre. The new entrance and exit to the museum is in Pottestraat, just around the corner from the front door of Talbot House.

Admission

(Prices correct as at May 2008)

* Your Ticket to the In Flanders Fields Museum grants you a ticket 2 access to Talbot House along with the ticket 1 fees.
In the IFF Museum, you will be offered a € 2,50 reduction on display of your Talbot House-ticket.

** Group = minimum 15 persons. Group visits should be reserved at least 14 days in advance. See contact details below to make a reservation.

Information about your visit

The Talbot House Association offers the following advice for those planning a visit:

"As the larger site offers more possibilities, all presentations are self-explanatory which means that a guide is not necessary. A visit is an individual visit. The story of Poperinge and Talbot House is told through text, graphical material and objects so that the visitors can choose to spend as much or as little time on each aspect as they wish: some may prefer to spend a greater time in the exhibitions whilst others may prefer the garden. The result will be a more even dispersion of the visitors, hence an increased quiet and quality of the visit.

A visit to Talbot House itself or not? Ticket 1 and Ticket 2 :

Due to the large number of visitors to the listed Talbot House we are obliged – on the advice of the Belgian Heritage Department – to take measures to reduce the level of wear and tear on the building caused by the vast numbers of visitors. That is why 2 types of entrance tickets will be offered:

Ticket 1:
Includes access to all buildings but not to Talbot House itself. In the Slessorium, the visitors can gain an in-depth knowledge of the founding of Talbot House and how it functioned.

Ticket 2:
Gives access to all buildings including Talbot House itself. This ticket is destined to those visitors who wish to experience – besides acquiring the historical information – the House.

• Entering the House will not add much historical knowledge about the House, but wandering around in the House is a unique chance to taste the atmosphere of where tens of thousands of soldiers and pilgrims experienced Talbot House.
• A bonus for the Ticket 2 holder will be a visit to the completely renovated Chaplain’s Room in Talbot House.
• It is also interesting to know that Talbot House offers accommodation to guests and tourists. Many of the rooms are accessible for residents only.

Now, how to make the choice for your group between Ticket 1 and Ticket 2? The following three questions may help you to decide:

• Do you have the time to visit everything on the estate? It is envisaged that to gain the quality of the visit at least one hour is required for Ticket 1 and at least one hour and a half if you visit Talbot House itself too with Ticket 2.
• Are you interested besides acquiring the historical facts to 'experience' the atmosphere of the House?
• Do you wish to pay 2.50 euros in addition to Ticket 1 for the 'Talbot House experience'?"

Talbot House Association, Gasthuistraat 43, B-8970 Poperinge, Belgium

Tel +32 (0)57 33 32 28

Fax: +32 (0)57 33 21 83

Visit the Talbot House website for full information about Talbot House including a virtual tour.

e-mail: info@talbothouse.be

next>> The Story of the House

Acknowledgements

Photograph 1: View of Talbot House in Gasthuisstraat by B de Grendel. Available as a postcard from Talbot House.

Talbot House Association

Copyright Joanna Legg & Graham Parker © 2002. Updated May 2008. All rights reserved