Contents of little-changed 1930s house go up for sale
A 1930s art deco house is being opened to the public, so islanders can see a lifetime of gathered treasures, which will be going up for auction.
The Dolphins, at Jerbourg belonged to Anne White, who died last year, aged 93.
Now her daughters, Julia White and Alex Haining, are arranging for the contents, which include Victorian treasures and items brought back from India, to be sold.
'The house is very much of its period,' said Mrs Haining.
The house was built in the 1930s by a Harley Street doctor, Dr Byam, as a second home. With two wings, the building centres around the octagonal hallway at the heart of the house. However, it was hardly lived in before the Germans occupied it as the Naval Battery headquarters.
Mrs Haining said they had discovered items left behind by the occupying forces under the floorboards, such as German toothpaste packets and cigarette papers.
After the war Lt-Colonel Mackay and Mrs Mackay lived in the house after returning from India, bringing with them the contents of Mrs Mackay's late parents' home in Lewes, most of which they had collected when they too lived in the Far East.
Dolphins was inherited by their daughter, Anne, who kept it all just as it was when she had grown up there.
Mrs Haining said her mother was a hoarder, who led an interesting life. That included helping with the 1948 London Olympics and working in the Women's Auxiliary Air Force.
She was a keen collector of elephant statues, with hundreds going up for sale.
The house and garden will be open on Friday, Saturday and a week tomorrow from 10am to 5pm, and it will be open from 10am to 7pm a week today. Parking will be available in the field across the road.
The Guernsey Voluntary Service will be offering tea, coffee and cakes on Friday, while Les Bourgs is organising refreshments on Saturday. On Saturday, Floral Guernsey will also be helping with the garden visits.
The auction will take place on Wednesday 26 April at Martel Maides' auction rooms. Part of the proceeds will go towards Mrs White's favourite charities, including St John, The Guernsey Voluntary Service and the Gurkha Welfare Trust.
The house is also up for sale, but the price is on application only.
