Mrs Baxter has devoted the last decade of her life to the Quartermaine family, and is a much-valued, serene force in the household. Her Parlour down in the Basement is a place of homely comforts, without giving much away about her personal life. In her private room, however, there are a few more glimpses of her past. A poster for a performance of an Amazonian Scene at Shrewsbury Music Hall in 1875 gives away her hometown, and an album of newspaper cuttings betrays her taste for spine-chilling reports of murder – rather as someone nowadays might have a secret fondness for true crime books.
Like Mr Willoughby, Mrs Baxter is senior enough to enjoy a few good solid pieces of furniture in her room, and has added some personal touches of her own, such as the colourful firescreen or dummy board, with its vibrant flashes of yellow sunflowers.
Album of Broadsides
Scrapbook full of broadsides recounting Victorian murders and ill deeds, reproduced by Ken Blythe
Dressing Table
A solid, simple dressing table by Headley Holgate, who signed as IMPI (2022.097)
Dressing Table Mirror with Drawer
A simple but elegant dressing table mirror with drawer by an unknown artisan (2022.052)
Sunflower Dummy Board or Firescreen
A shaped dummy board or fire screen painted with sunflowers by Karen Steely (2021.060)
Victorian Theatre Posters
Some genuine Victorian posters and some pastiches in this bundle of theatrical exuberance by Little Things
Quartermaine Hall 
