Charmion, when we took out tour of Calthorpe's House several years ago we were told that young Mrs Calthorpe went to Sydney to shop for house furnishings because Canberra, being in its infancy in 1927, had no grand stores. She went to Beard Watson's, a store with a reputation for quality, and bought everything needed there in one fell swoop.

I've never been to Engand but it has quite an English cottage feel to it, judging by pictures I've seen of English cottages.

Maggie, that tour sounds very interesting!