HER grandmother's silk skirt and a silver baby's rattle, family bibles, a Britannia disc music box owned by her husband's great-grandfather, great-uncle Jack's gaiters, and treasured artwork which belonged to her great-great-grandmother Moss, are just a few of Judy Totman's favourite things.

She began collecting Victoriana in her twenties after both her grandmothers died. So dogged was her acquisition of all things Victorian, that when she wasn't scouring antique shops and car boot sales, she was encouraging her parents, uncles, aunts and cousins, to pass on family memorabilia.

Today Judy, who lives in Medstead, has hundreds of items ranging from a widow's weeds and a magic lantern with slides to beautifully embroidered purses, her great-grandfather Albert's watch and stockings exhibited at the 1851 Great Exhibition by her mother's family, the Frys, who ran a shop in Godalming high street.

Now including mementoes from her later Edwardian descendants, the artefacts are far from being museum pieces. Regularly taken out to venues around Alton, Judy passionately believes her objects should be held, played with and examined.

A visit to Bentworth Primary School was an eye-opener for pupils who dressed up in period costume for a Victorian Day.

For full story, see this week's Alton Herald.