A Room Upstairs in 1956

Before Patrick moved to London, he would travel between Ireland and England several times a year for work, getting his ID card stamped for each trip. This is a common story among Irish migrants, with some continuing to travel rather than settling permanently in the UK.

Irish ID, Credit: Museum of the Home

While some left Ireland to break away from the dominance that the Church played in people’s lives, religion was still a crucial part of life for most people in the London Irish community. Sacred Heart artworks were a staple of Irish homes, with this print handed down through generations in Tom G’s family.

Sacred Heart Print, Credit: Tian Khee Siong

A landlord’s favourite and a tenant’s worst nightmare, woodchip wallpaper provided a cheap way to cover up blemished walls that was very difficult to remove if you didn’t like it. However, one advantage was that it could be painted over, and the newly developed magnolia became a fast favourite in the 1950s.

Woodchip and Magnolia