Abstract
This chapter examines how John Harris became a country house snooper at the age of fifteen. It mentions his uncle Sid and his professional interest in antiques and the buildings that contained them. The chapter then follows how uncle and nephew descended on the stately homes. Soon, young Harris caught the bug and was going solo, hitch-hiking and youth-hostelling around England, intent on trespass. The chapter recounts the surreal visions of decay that Harris came upon. On his way to becoming a respected architectural historian, the chapter explores how he cultivated the acquaintance of wealthy antique dealers, interior decorators, and other arty types. It stresses how he developed aristocratic sympathies in this company, lamenting the demise of noble dynasties — which never seems to have bothered him when he was poking around uninvited among their possessions. The chapter reviews how Harris fancied himself ill-used during his snooping years, complaining of the ‘paltry’ dole money he drew each week.
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