23 years to move one house 100 miles.
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May Savidge's Ware Hall House, now in Norfork, is a B&B
May Savidge was a little old lady who lived in
Hertfordshire, Britain. What makes May unique is that she spent 23 years single-handedly dismantled her house and rebuild it 100 miles away. May had a tough life; she started to work when her father died. She was only 10 and the year was 1921. When May found the love of her life Denis they were engaged, but he died prematurely. A broken hearted May bought a 400 years old house in 1947 and decided to restore it.
A self-taught Do it Yourselfer, May did everything from brick-laying, carpentry, re-glazing and stripping plaster and 20 layers of wall paper – she did it all with her own hands.
Then in 1953 the city council told May Savidge that her home would be destroyed to make way for a new road. May dug her heels in and resolved to save her house. For 15 years, she fought the council’s plans and she write to them: ‘If this little house is really in the way, I would rather move it and re-erect it than see it destroyed.’
This determined woman decided to take the construction materials and rebuild her historic home—by hand—100 miles away.
When May was 58, the bulldozers reached her gate. Her response was to number each beam and pane of glass with a permanent marker. So she could reassemble all the pieces after just like a giant jigsaw puzzle.
May Savidge numbered each beam according to her floor plans
Each night after the demolishers left, May slept inside the remains of the house, despite the bitter cold. May decided to relocate her home in a coastal town 100 miles away, Wells-next-to-the-Sea in Norfolk, and sent a truck on eleven delivery runs to carry all of the building materials there.
Rather than hiring a construction crew to rebuild her beautiful house, she decided to take on the entire project by herself, sleeping in a trailer on the property while working on construction. May had no electricity and worked by the light of Victorian paraffin lamps. It was often unbearably cold, but as she told the Fakenham Ladies Circle Club in 1971: “My mother brought us up on the maxim that there is no such word as ‘Can’t’.”
Two years later the framework was up with the help of a local carpenter and May was determined to lay every single brick herself. Another eight years before the roof tiles were put in place and watertight. In the early 80’s May was in her 70’s and she had moved into her proud home. With each old beam in place, the brickwork nearly complete and many of the walls plastered.
May Savidge and her dog Sasha inspects the tons of roof tiles
In 1986, the queen recognized what May was doing and invited her to a Buckingham Palace garden party. Despite her age, she continued to build, climbing scaffolding to reach the top windows.
May Savidge passed away at age 81 in 1993. In twenty-three years May Savidge moved a four hundred years old house, accompanied by only her faithful dog, Sasha. She battled the authorities, deathwatch beetles, rats and her failing health; through all the difficulties May Savidge made it happen. She moved and saved her house. .
If a little old lady can take apart and rebuild a house all by herself. Would you agree that anything is possible if we can just follow through and don’t quit!?
Extracted from A Lifetime in the Building: The Extraordinary Story of May Savidge and the House She Moved. To read much more of May Savidge’s incredible story go to The Daily Mail, or order a copy of the book from Amazon.
Giovanna Garcia
Imperfect Action is better than No Action
[...] Originally posted here: 23 years to move one house 100 miles. [...]
What an amazing story. That little old woman had guts! I’m moving now - just the contents is driving me crazy. I cannot imagine moving every brick of my current place. Wow. Her house is beautiful though, I can imagine why she wanted to save it.
Giovanna, what a great story. To move and restore a house 100 miles away. To do it all by herself. That is wonderful. Never give up is a great way to put what she did.
Dan and Deanna “Marketing Unscrambled”
Giovanna, you left a message on our blog. This is a link to the videos that we just made. Check them out for yourself. http://marketingunscrambled.blogspot.com/2009/05/new-videos-on-you-tube.html
Dan and Deanna “Marketing Unscrambled”
Hiya
A fantastic story. Its almost unbelievable. She was perseverance personified and THE ‘can-do’ girl.
That’s a pretty incredible story. Talk about determination. It reminds me of Up, but I think moving a house by balloons is way easier, especially when it’s a cartoon.
wow that is amazing. I thought I was a determined person but this takes the cake. I am quite impressed.
Hi Deanna
Yes, I like that, “Never give up.” is what she is May is all about.
Thank you for your comment and joining the conversation.
Giovanna Garcia
Imperfect Action is better than No Action
Hi Deanna
Thanks,
Ok, I will go look at it.
Giovanna Garcia
Imperfect Action is better than No Action
Hi Jens
I think May would like name “The Can Do Girl.”
Thank you for your comment and sharing your thoughts.
Giovanna Garcia
Imperfect Action is better than No Action
Hi J.D.
May is the most determined person I have ever heard of.
Thank you for your comment and support.
Giovanna Garcia
Imperfect Action is better than No Action
Hi Giovanna
The story is really superb and motivetional :). Thanks for publlishing this story
Gobi
Yet again, another great story.
Amazing! I deeply admire the character of such a woman who would let nothing dissuade her from her desire to save her house. “No such word as Can’t”. Indeed
Hi Annalaura
Yes, May might just be the most determined person in the world.
Thank you for your comment and support.
Giovanna Garcia
Imperfect Action is better than No Action
Hi Gobi
I am so glad you enjoyed this post. I had fun putting it together.
Thank you for your comment and sharing your thoughts.
Giovanna Garcia
Imperfect Action is better than No Action
Hi Christopher
It always makes me happy to see you here.
Thank you for your comment and your support.
Giovanna Garcia
Imperfect Action is better than No Action
Hi Keith
May is an amazing role model for all. She shows us that we can all do just able anything.
Thank you for your comment and being a part of this story.
Giovanna Garcia
Imperfect Action is better than No Action
Actuallly, the information you have given is wrong! May Savidge began building work on Ware Hall-house just after she RETIRED! Not at the age of 10! And please don’t be part of the trend that belittles women over a certain age by calling them, ‘little old ladies.’ She was an intelligent, strong and devout woman who just got on and did what needed to be done. She proved that toughness, strength, resolution, intelligence, technical and engineering skills are not the province of men. Respect!
Hi Kruse
May Savidge is an inspiration to many men and women of all ages. I have the highest respect for her.
Thank you for your comment.
Giovanna Garcia
Imperfect Action is better than No Action
[...] that she moved it I don’t mean that she hired a house moving company, I mean that May Savidge moved it. She didn’t hire a contractor to rebuild it, May Savidge rebuilt and restored the entire [...]
We went to Wells yesterday & called in to see Christine at the house. May was an amazing woman and so is her niece-in-law - what an inspirational story.