Building A: decorative scheme in the hall

Preparation for decoration by the owners revealed the previous schemes of decoration.

The first scheme may have included a lighter green below the dado level, although removal of the secondary scheme - a buff colour (a staple of the 1930s, possibly suggesting the period in which the decor was updated) - was not possible, and therefore we were unable to determine whether there had been any form of dado rail

There appears to have been wall-mounted coat hooks (above), and a stair handrail (below). Note the dual colour scheme on the stairs (below)

Building A: parlour and hall - changes to house layout?

By looking at the cornice and doorframe (the architrave surrounds only the righthand side and top of the door), it appears that the hall of this property was a later addition, although was probably done quite soon after the construction of the house - it may even reflect rectification of a mistake made by the builder, or changes to the syle of house undertaken during construction. Beacuse...


...The cornice of the adjoining room is of the period. The unusual shape of the hallway: look at the door of the back room as it turns inwards at an angle:

And of the skirting at the outside corner of the room, and architraving around the arch, also give away this modification:

Floorboards also run through the hall and into the frontroom (parlour) - we would expect longitudinal boards or tiles in the hall (note also the floorboard stain in the parlour, and buff-coloured semi-grained stain of the hall):


It might be conjectured that this change perhaps indicates the desire to assert status by having a seperate parlour and hall, rather than entrance straight into this room, as commonly found within terraced houses in this area. However, it may as easily represent changes to layout by the builder during construction.

Building A: Scullery chimney - for 'copper' or a small range?

The house clearly had a chimney in the scullery - probably for a copper, or less likely, a small range :


The top of the chimney can be seen within the modern kitchen, although the chimney alcove has now been covered by modern units (top middle-right of picture):

Building A: Tile fileplace installed within late Victorian (c. 1900) House

This back room of the house is now a dining room, although would have in the past been used as a This room used as a 'kitchen' - note the tiled floor.

Damage sustained at some point. Original hearth removed. The fireplace may date to the 1930s, but might be as late as 1950s in date (sadly the tiled hearth is modern - this would have been tiled to match the fireplace: the extent of the earlier hearth can just about be seen) Instalation of this fireplace may have been after removal of a range, considering the aperture indicated by the infilled plaster surrounding this new addition, although there was possibly a range in what is now the kitchen (photos to follow). Alternatively, it's probable that a simple cast iron fireplace was here previously (although the fire insert is contemporaneous with the surround). Does this new fireplace represent an attempt at modernity, or a more practicle response to changing conditions?