Ben Samson is a 35-year-old man who has always been interested in the past, especially the 1940s and Victorian periods. From a young age, he loved music, cars, and fashion from earlier decades. As he grew older, this passion became stronger, and he decided to recreate the lifestyle of the 1940s in his own home.
His house is filled with restored Victorian furniture and traditional objects, including a fully working range from the 1890s. He uses it daily, especially in winter, even though it requires hard work and constant cleaning. Ben works as cabin crew, which gives him a modern and fast-paced professional life. However, when he returns home, he enjoys “going back in time” and escaping modern society.
Although he accepts some modern conveniences like a fridge, he avoids appliances such as microwaves and dishwashers. His lifestyle is so unusual that he and his partner live in separate houses. Ben also takes pride in his courtyard garden and his old mangle, which has lasted for over a century.
He believes that modern technology has made people more isolated. Social media may create virtual friendships, but it has reduced real social interaction. By living in the past, Ben hopes to preserve traditional values and old-world charm in a rapidly changing world.
Vocabulary:
• recreate (verb): to make something again in the same way, here referring to rebuilding a past lifestyle
• fascinated (adj): extremely interested in something for a long time
• retreat (verb): to withdraw from modern life and relax in his period house
• hand-me-down (noun): old furniture or objects passed from others
• concession (noun): something accepted as a compromise with modern life
• compatible (adj): able to live well with someone because of similar habits or values
• courtyard (noun): an open space surrounded by walls or buildings
• mangle (noun): an old machine used to press clothes after washing
• isolated (adj): separated from others socially or emotionally
• preserve (verb): to protect something so it continues to exist
Source: BBC