Harris staff member Rita chose ‘The Pedder Doll House’ as her staff pick. Featured in the Harris’ ‘Discover Preston’ Gallery – as it reminded her of fond memories visiting the Harris during her childhood where she dreamt she could have gone behind the glass and played with the doll house herself.

Margret Pedder was the first lucky child to have played with this doll house in the 1820s. This would have been the centre piece of a nursery inside her family home. Her grandfather, Edward Pedder was the co-founder of Preston first bank in 1776 and her other grandfather Richard Newsham, was a solicitor and an art collector, whose collection became the foundation of the Harris fine art collection.

The doll house style reflects a wealthy family house like the one this family would have owned. Interestingly, the doll house was passed down to the female members of Marget’s family with Elizabeth Ann Wilson as the last person to play with the doll house.