We are in Whalley Range on one of those bright sunny days in early December which seem just perfect to capture something of the splendour of the houses.
Like Andy Robertson who took the pictures I have rather taken them for granted, more so as many went through that unhappy time of being converted into multi occupancy by landlords who were more interested in cramming people in than preserving fine examples of late Victorian homes.
I remember visiting one large house with perhaps fifteen rooms all of which had become bedsits with only the bathroom and hall left as communal areas.
The hall was dark drab and smelling of damp and had an air of neglect which came from the pile of letters and bills for long gone tenants long with adverts for fast food and taxi firms
Nor had the bathroom fared any better.
Its row of marble sinks were cracked and stained, the once impressive wall mirror about to fall from the wall and above all the place was bone cold.
All of which seemed a planet away from when they were built to accommodate the growing prosperous middling people who worked in the city and wanted somewhere pleasant to live with a hint of suburban elegance.
And the area west and south of Alexander Park offered just that.
So in time I think I will go looking for some of the people who lived in these leafy streets in the April of 1911.
People like the Casartelli sisters at the Roost, Mrs Mary Thompson of Elmswood and Mr Charles Henry Stoott [stockbroker] at Norwood all of whom lived on Mayfield Road, and then I shall spread out to include their neighbours who listed their occupations as “journalist” “inspecting engineer” “manufacturer” and “baker.”
And with a bit of luck along the way uncover some stories of the families and individuals who a century and bit ago called these houses home.
Pictures; of Mayfield Road, Whalley Range 2014, from the collection of Andy Robertson
I remember visiting one large house with perhaps fifteen rooms all of which had become bedsits with only the bathroom and hall left as communal areas.
The hall was dark drab and smelling of damp and had an air of neglect which came from the pile of letters and bills for long gone tenants long with adverts for fast food and taxi firms
Its row of marble sinks were cracked and stained, the once impressive wall mirror about to fall from the wall and above all the place was bone cold.
All of which seemed a planet away from when they were built to accommodate the growing prosperous middling people who worked in the city and wanted somewhere pleasant to live with a hint of suburban elegance.
And the area west and south of Alexander Park offered just that.
And with a bit of luck along the way uncover some stories of the families and individuals who a century and bit ago called these houses home.
Pictures; of Mayfield Road, Whalley Range 2014, from the collection of Andy Robertson
No comments:
Post a Comment