Syd's house for sale

Written by Matt

Saturday, 02 September 2006

Following on from our story of August 24th, concerning the sale of items from the estate of Syd Barrett, including signed artwork never seen before, his home was put on the market this weekend by Cheffins, the auctioneers. The property particulars include an unexpected addition - a section written by Rosemary Breen (nee Barrett, Roger's sister) about her brother and his life, with a focus on the house. The property is up for sale with a guide price of £300,000. It is a three bedroomed house in a good area of Cambridge, a nice garden, and should sell quickly based on similar properties in the area. In the personal notes, Rosemary notes that their mother, Winifred Barrett, moved into the house in August 1974, and that Syd joined her there in 1981, where he stayed until his sad passing in July. When he arrived there in 1981, he "settled into the smaller back bedroom. After a while it was clear that Roger needed more space and my mother came to stay with us, initially on a temporary basis that ultimately became permanent." She continues that he "loved the peace and quiet of St Margarets Square, hearing the children in the road playing and enjoying cycling to the local shops. He put his stamp on the house with frequent redecoration, building his own furniture, changing doors etc. In the front room he did his drawing and painting and wrote at length about art history. In the back room he relaxed and enjoyed listening to jazz. Upstairs he slept in all the bedrooms deciding which one as the mood took him. He had plans to use the loft as an art studio but never quite got round to it. The only intrusion to his peace being the occasional visits from fans. He could never understand why strangers wanted his time as the reason for his fame was always a mystery to him. His neighbours were very protective regarding his fan base and would sometimes deny all knowledge of him or even say he lived in the next road." Viewing of the property is by prior appointment with Cheffins.

Last Updated ( Thursday, 09 November 2006 )