Improvements in the Planning and Arrangement of Dwellings of the Cottage Class.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Mar., 1893-Accepted, 22nd Apr., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Planning and Arrangement of Dwellings of
the Cottage Class.
I, HENRY BERNEY, A.R.I.B.A., of 90 George Street, Croydon, Surrey,
Architect, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement :-
Existing dwellings of the cottage class built with lights at front and back only,
have certain defects in their plans or arrangements which I define as follows:
1. At the entrance a narrow passage, too narrow for two persons to pass, and dark
owing to its length.
2. The living room at the back, lighted by a small window cramped up into one
corner, owing to there being a scullery in a back addition to the cottage, and it is
in this room that the family as a rule live mostly.
3. Under the staircase there is generally provided the one cupboard, which has to
do duty for coals, store and larder. This cupboard is without ventilation to it and
is very frequently in direct communication with the living room.
4. The staircase ascends either between the back and front rooms or else as a
continuation of the narrow front passage referred to above. In either case more
dark and narrow passages are the result, especially in the former and more
frequently adopted plan, and in very many instances one of the usual three bedrooms
becomes a passage room.
In order to obviate these defects and drawbacks I have devised an improved plan
consisting of a novel, economical and convenient arrangement of parts, wherein I
provide an improved position for the scullery being placed between the two living
rooms, which obviates the beforementioned defects (referred to in clause 2) also in
addition I give a coal cellar, a separate store, a ventilated larder, a bathroom (if
required) and at least three, if not four separate bedrooms, all reached directly
from the staircase landing.
The accompanying sheet of illustrations, shews a plan of a dwelling of the cottage
class, with the improved arrangements of rooms &c., in which
Fig. 1, is a ground floor plan,
Fig. 2, plan of first floor, and
Fig. 3, plan of attic floor.
The plans will be sufficiently understood without any reference to letters or
figures.
The plan as shewn, is drawn for a plot having a frontage of 16' 6", but the hall,
scullery &c., and the rooms &c., over are so arranged that the scheme is perfectly
applicable to smaller or larger frontages. For very small frontages the w.c. and
larder would be placed lengthways with the length of the ground. The arrange-
ment is in accordance with the London Building Act, and any local requirements
such as, special heights in room &c., can be obtained and complied with by a slight
adjustment of the staircase, and if necessary by the sinking of the scullery a step.
The aforementioned improvements I have devised in order to obtain the
following advantages; viz. :-
1. A good entrance hall.
2. A separate store.
3. A living room with a very large window.
4. A larder in an outer lobby, and with a separate window.
F TL
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page_text: 7. A bathroom, if required. (If the bathroom be dispensed with an extra width
can be given to the scullery and rooms over, by a re-arrangement of the stairs, and
if necessary, by entering the front bedroom over a porch which addition would be
inexpensive, and at the same time an attraction to the house.)
8. Three bedrooms all reached from the landing.
9. When desired, a fourth bedroom, without in any way increasing the cubic
contents of the cottage.
10. Two excellent lumber compartments in the attic.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
:-
The improvements in the construction of dwellings of the cottage class consisting
of a novel, economical and convenient arrangement of parts as described, set forth
and fully illustrated in the drawings annexed.
Dated this Third day of March 1802
REGINALD W. BARKER,
Applicant's Agent.