Re: Re: ‘Dutch Billys’

@Devin wrote:

If there was a twin Billy “tradition”, that is

That’s a relief that some kind of photographic record exists of 20 & 21 Thomas Street, good to know too that all is well in the Flat Parapet Society!

Here are some recent photographs of no. 25 James’s Street which is lovingly cared for by it’s owners and which gives us a glimpse of how these modest houses appeared in their day.

no. 25 (on the right) and no. 26 James’s Street . . . . and the staircase in no. 25 with it’s original early 18th century panelling.

more details of the panelling in the hall and stairs area.

A view from last year of the rear of no. 25 showing the large return and the twin roofs and gables to the rear, and a view inside one of the two attic spaces showing how many of the roof timbers have been renewed over the years, but also showing that the overall structure is absolutely authentic. This roof structure includes a beam running front to back under the valley gutter which is bedded into the brick arch of the central window to front and rear. Unfortunately the fact that the upper 1/3 of the front facade was completely rebuilt about fifty years ago robs us of the opportunity to investigate the brickwork at the front for indications of earlier gabled profiles, but the roof configuration itself tells us what we need to know.