Both Mrs Clemons and her husband were keen collectors of antique furniture, particularly early English oak furniture, and it was with this style that it was decided to furnish the rooms in the restored house. Each piece was carefully chosen for its quality and to show the traditional features of various designs. They were sourced from local auctions, antique shops, mainly in Melbourne and as a result of trips to England where Dr and Mrs Clemons found many pieces, particularly in the Cotswold area.
The dresser (18th cent.) in the dining room is typical of those found in a sizeable farm house and used to display plates, dishes and platters. The collection displayed here is of pewter plates, spoons, a coffee pot, an interesting pair of time keepers and a large venison dish. The latter is hollow and when filled with boiling water very effectively maintains the heat of the meat. This dish has been used by the Clemons family for many years to keep the traditional Christmas turkey warm.
A favourite piece of furniture in the 17th and 18th centuries was the gate leg table, so called because the supporting legs for the top swing in and out like a gate. This style of table is very versatile as the sides can be folded down so that it can be placed against the wall and take up less space. The gate leg table (c.1720) in the dining room is oval shaped and is relatively large. Another gate leg table (c.1665), smaller and square in shape, displayed in the large sitting room (formerly the shop) is of particular interest as the top is yew wood, the legs and under carriage walnut. Relatively little furniture is made from Yew wood for the simple reason that yew trees have only a small trunk – the tree from which the wood for this table came must have been exceptionally large.
The development of one style of furniture can be traced by studying the various chests on display. In the back hall is an early oak chest. It is very simply made with a lid hinged at the rear. In the dining room is a hanging press cupboard (c.1780), the lower portion of which is a chest but a large hanging space has been added above. Instead of a lid, access to both the chest and the hanging cupboard is by means of two doors. The next stage in the development is the mule chest (18th century), an example of which is also seen in the dining room. This is a typical chest with a lid but the lower portion has been fitted with two small drawers. The final stage in the development was the chest of drawers which did away with the chest area and was completely made up of varying numbers of drawers. There are a number of chests of drawers in different rooms and the hallway, each with their own individual features. One variation is the chest of drawers in the back hall which has an unusual small central cupboard.
A variety of chairs are placed throughout the house. Of particular interest in the large sitting room are the hooded box chair (18th century) and the oak grandfather wing chair (c.1640) which has a rope seat under the cushion. While they look uncomfortable to sit in they are, in fact, remarkably comfortable, giving good support. In the bedroom are an unusual elm prayer chair and an elm rocking chair (c.1750), also known as a lambing chair, which has a small drawer under the seat.
In contrast to the oak furniture are a number of pieces in a completely different style. The court cupboard in the display room is covered in bold carving with fanciful figures and designs. This piece was especially made for David Syme, proprietor of the Melbourne “Age” newspaper, for his home, Blythswood. Two examples of intricate marquetry work are the Dutch China Cabinet (c.1800) and the Dutch Tall Boy(late 18th century), both located in the large sitting room.
Throughout the house are examples of Staffordshire pottery in the form of portrait figures, cottages and animals. Many of them are of historical figures and represent real events such as the joined figures of Queen Victoria, Emperor Napoleon and the Sultan of Turkey symbolizing the Treaty between England, France and Turkey during the Crimean War. Others are taken from literature – Eva and Uncle Tom from “Uncle Tom's Cabin” by Beecher Stowe. More practical items such as spill vases and jugs can be seen in the kitchen.
The kitchen, with its restored colonial oven, contains copper pots, pans and kettles and jelly moulds as well as part of a dinner service made of Ironstone China decorated in pseudo-Chinese designs. On the pine topped kitchen table are a variety of objects, including a rare smoothing iron made of glass and a well engineered, hand operated toffee making machine.
To complement the furniture there is an extensive collection of paintings and prints. Those in the dining room have a religious theme, while maritime paintings and prints abound in the hall and large sitting room. Of particular interest are paintings by Captain Haughton Forrest. He has a strong connection to Tasmania, having emigrated from England with his family in 1876. He had already established a reputation for his paintings of seascapes and shipwrecks, and he continued his painting career in Tasmania. Many of his paintings can be found in the galleries, museums and homes around the state. Haughton Forrest died in Tasmania on the 20th January, 1925, at the age of 99.
Hanging on the walls in the downstairs bedroom are a number of early samplers made by children as young as eight years old. Also in this room is a geometric patterned quilt, hand stitched by Mrs Clemons. Further examples of her needlework can be seen in the attic bedroom where there is a quilt and matching curtains.
ABC TV production Collectors has featured the White House English country furniture collection in Episode 5 - Roving Eye - English country furniture - first screened 10 March 2006.