Call for papers – Ideal homes, a history of the home

Inspired by material from the Ideal Home Show found in the recently deposited Earls Court and Olympia Collection, this day of talks and document viewings will explore how the ideal and reality of the home has changed over the centuries.

Topics may include but are not limited to: 

Collections – How can the collections of archives, museums, libraries, galleries and other cultural organisations inform our understanding of the home and domesticity throughout history?

"Ideal" homes?  – What were people's aspirations for their homes and domestic spaces, what influenced these aspirations, and how have they changed? 

Real Homes – What were people's homes really like in the past?  How and why did they change over time, and what influence did social standing and wealth have on the home?

Participants are invited to send short abstracts of between 50 and 200 words for informal 10 minute presentations that share work-in-progress or provide an introduction to new projects or research that address these topics. 

A one day lecture will take place the 6th May 2016.