Even though Vervia Todd died in November 2012, it is only recently that the secrets of her home have come to light. Having died in the home she was born in, which has been in her family for 200 years, Todd had left behind an Aladdin’s Cave of dresses, hats, shoes, ration packs, newspaper cuttings, postcards from the trenches, water bottles with bullet-holes in, and much more. It is estimated to be a collection worth around £100,000.
Some of the clothes have already been sold, and it was believed that this was where Todd’s collection ended, but historians have recently found the war memorabilia that proved otherwise. It turned out that there was an undiscovered loft area of her home that neighbours had not known about, and it was here that the virtually-untouched items were found. Her best friend and local historian, Sheila Ellis, said “in a loft area we found piles of boxes contains war memorabilia – there’s everything from magazines to tin hats with bullet holes in.”
Her home is now open to the public, who are able to explore the collection of clothes and shoes that they can purchase, but it is not yet known what will happen to the war antiques.