Dr Zena Kamesh poses outside the childhood home of Ronnie Barker, where she currently lives
The childhood home of the much-loved late comedian Ronnie Barker could be home to one lucky comedy fan as it’s being put on the market next week.
The terraced house on Church Cowley Road in Oxford, where the Porridge and Two Ronnies star lived from 1935 to 1949 goes up for sale for £350,000 next week.
The national treasure who died in 2005 aged 76 also had the prestigious honour of having a plaque unveiled by the Blue Plaque Society in 2012.
Current owner Dr Zena Hamash, 39, said she had no idea of its history when she bought the house in 2002.
‘It said Leonard Barker, his father, on the deeds so really there was no reason to know anything about it.
‘We were blissfully unaware of the history at the time, just that it was a lovely 1930s house and, as luck would have it, as an archaeologist I’m keen on preserving original features so I made sure they were looked after.
Ronnie Corbett and Ronnie Barker performing the famous newsreader sketch in The Two Ronnies
The terraced house on in Oxford where the national treasure lived between 1935 to 1949
The master bedroom. The historic home has recently been renovated
‘It must have been nearly 10 years later when a woman from Oxfordshire Blue Plaque Society knocked on my door and asked whether I’d mind them putting up a plaque for Ronnie Barker.’
Usually the board has a rule that a plaque should not be erected until 25 years after the death of a renowned citizen but they made an exception for Ronnie.
When the plaque was unveiled in September 2012, seven years after he died, the then Lord Mayor of Oxford, Alan Armitage, said ‘Ronnie Barker lived in our lives. He was a product of Oxford.’
Barker died in 2005 aged 76 after suffering a long history of heart trouble
The plaque is not the only homage to the four time Bafta TV award winner in Oxford. George Street pub The Four Candles takes it’s name from the sketch written by Ronnie Barker for the television show The Two Ronnies, in which he starred alongside Ronnie Corbett- it was formerly the High School for Boys, which Ronnie attended.
Dr Hamash, an archaeology lecturer at Royal Holloway University, said ‘I get people stopping to take photographs and get comments from people delivering things. It’s really nice that it’s to someone who people know and love.
The family bathroom
The living room
In 2013, Hugh Dennis filmed some scenes for a documentary about Barker for the BBC series My Hero.
‘The BBC approached me about a series they were making where comedians talked about their comedy heroes.
‘Dennis picked Ronnie Barker and so they came to do a little bit of filming in the house and I met him, which was really nice.’
Dr Hamash said she would be sad to leave the house but that it was time to move on.
‘It’s time for someone else to enjoy the house and its history now’, she explained.
Family: Ronnie, here in 1979 with his wife Joy and children. From left, Larry, Adam and Charlotte
The spacious residence has a garage with an attractive south facing garden
The house, which has been recently decorated, also has an interesting air raid shelter where the Barkers used to spend many nights in response to howling air-raid sirens during WWII.
The property has been recently decorated and comprises of an entrance porch, hall, sitting room, dining room, kitchen, shower room, conservatory, 3 first floor bedrooms, family bathroom and useful loft space.
Barker died after a long history of heart trouble leaving his wife Joy and three children, actress Charlotte Barker, Adam Barker and Larry Barker.