Lampy, Britain\u2019s oldest surviving garden gnome, was insured for \xa31 million on 28th November, 1997.\nImported from Germany, his human dad was Sir Charles Isham, an eccentric aristocrat who adorned his rockery in Northampton with a selection of gnomes, the rest of whom were later destroyed by his daughters.\nIn this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly trace how gnomes have experienced moments of fashion and disdain throughout their history; explain how World War II disrupted the British gnome industry; and consider how the phenomenon of "gnoming"\u2014photographing gnomes at various landmarks - hit its peak (literally) in the 1970s\u2026\xa0\nFurther Reading:\n\u2022 \u2018Gnome expense spared\u2019 (BBC News, 1997): http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/36143.stm\n\u2022 \u2018The home in 50 objects from around the world #36: the Lamport Gnome\u2019 (Financial Times, 2022): https://www.ft.com/content/7ba9f444-72fd-44bd-ad91-877775e8b4c2\n\u2022 \u2018UK: DEVON: WOMAN WHO COLLECTS GARDEN GNOMES\u2019 (AP, 2015): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MolgvutenJM\nWe'll be back on Monday - unless you join \U0001f334CLUB RETROSPECTORS\U0001f334, where we give you ad-free listening AND a full-length Sunday episode every week!\nPlus, weekly bonus content, unlock over 70 bonus bits, and support our independent podcast.\nJoin now via Apple Podcasts or Patreon. Thanks!\nThe Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.\nTheme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Ollie Peart.\nCopyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2023.\n Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.\nLearn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices