Improvements in the Construction of Dwellings for the Poor.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Apr., 1889
Complete Specification Left. 8th Jan.. 1890-Accepted, 15th Mar., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Dwellings for the Poor.
I EDWARD ELLIS ALLEN of 3 Cremorne Road Chelsea in the County of Middlesox
Civil Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
In the
My improvements consist in the construction of special dwellings for the poor
erected upon floating pontoons or fixed platforms placed at convenient spots at the
sides of rivers in populous districts in which dock labourers timber porters watermen
and others are employed. The great cost of ordinary buildings and building sites and
the restrictions imposed by the Building and Local Acts against all structures except
of brick stone or concrete result according to the evidence of the late Lord Shaftsbury
Lord Salisbury and Lord Lymington in the average rent of single rooms being now
from three to six shillings a week thus leading to excessive crowding. My invention
consists in the construction of cheaper dwellings which may be made fire proof of
sheets of flat or corrugated galvanized iron concrete slabs or large roofing slates
securely fixed in timber or iron frames forming sections which are bolted or screwed
together these being lined with wood which may also be made fireproof by several
well known preparations. Such buildings although prohibited by the Metropolitan
Building Act except under special conditions of large surrounding spaces may be
erected outside the metropolitan area not only with perfect safety. but be rendered
as warm dry and comfortable as brick buildings. The floating structures are composed
of plate iron and angle iron frames in the usual way of pontoons and may either constitute
the platform upon which the buildings are erected or form the lower story of the same
like ships cabins in which case they would be floored and lined as the rooms above.
Arrangements may be made for the complete sanitation of such buildings and they
may be supplied with water and lighted and warmed by gas or otherwise.
upper part of the buildings rooms may be provided as lavitories baths and wash-houses
reading and work rooms and on the ground floor level stores may be established for
the use of the residents. The roofs are made flat by preference of concrete to serve
as drying grounds or for exercise of children being properly protected by high
railings. A bridge or gangway where possible would connect the pontoons
to the shore. By arrangements such as those above described I erect sets
of dwellings occupying some 250 feet in length and 30 ft. wide or in some casos
forming double rows of dwellings with roadway in the centre at such cost as shall
admit after payment of 5% on the outlay, single rooms being let at. about
one shilling a week and thus bring them within the means of the classes above named
whose average earnings are stated to be from 9/- to 10/- a week only.. I propose to
call the dwellings made according to my invention "River Dwellings and distinguish
them by the names of the districts where they may be placed as Rotherhithe Lime-
house or Poplar River Dwellings. The pontoons would as a rulo be guided by
dolphins but in some cases these would be made double so as to withstand lateral
pressure from the wind acting on a large surface, and the guides so arranged that
both dolphins at each end would bear all equal share of the work and the buildings
kept erect by guides being arranged if necessary at the level of every floor. To
prevent any injurious action by the wind on large surfaces the floors are strengthened
by means of iron stays thus forming in effect a series of horizontal framed girders.
The rooms in each dwelling are arranged on either side of a common staircase and
small open galleries or platforms are formed on each floor roofed over into which
closets may open on one side and a small wash house or scullery and larder on the
other as well as coal-stores..
Dated this Bighth don of Amil 1000

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Dwellings for the Poor.
1 EDWARD ELLIS ALLEN of 3 Cremorne Road Chelsea in the County of Middlesex
Civil Engineer 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:-
My Improvements consist in the construction of special dwellings for the poor
erected upon floating pontoons or fixed platforms placed at convenient spots at the
sides of rivers in populous districts in which dock labourers timber porters watermen
and others are employed. The great cost of ordinary buildings and building sites
and the restrictions imposed by the Building and Local Acts against all structures
except brick stone or concrete results according to the evidence of the late Lord
Shaftsbury Lord Salisbury Lord Lymington and others in the average rent for single
rooms being now from three to six shillings a week thus leading to excessive
crowding. My invention consists in the construction of cheaper dwellings which
may be made of sheets of flat or corrugated galvanized iron concrete slabs or
large roofing slates or of weather boarding in timber or iron frames forming sections
which are securely fixed together and lined with wood which may be rendered
fireproof by several well known preparations. Such buildings although prohibited
hy the Metropolitan Building Act except under special conditions may be erected
outside the Metropolitan area not only with perfect safety but be rendered as warm
dry and comfortable as brick buildings. The floating pontoons are composed of plate
iron and angle iron frames in the usual way and may either constitute the platform
upon which the buildings are erected or form the lower story of the same like ships
cabins in which case they would be floored and lined as the rooms above. Arrange-
ments may be made for the complete sanitation of such buildings and they may be
supplied with water and lighted and warmed by gas or otherwise. In the upper part
of some of the buildings may be provided lavitories baths and washhouses reading and
work rooms and on the ground floor stores may be established for the use of the
residents as well as accommodation for barrows and other things. The roofs are by
preference made flat and of concrete so as to serve for drying grounds or for the use
of children being properly protected by high railings. A bridge or gangway where
possible would connect the pontoons with the shore. By arrangements such as these I
erect sets of dwellings occupying some 250 feet in length and 30 feet in width or in
some cases forming double rows of dwellings with roadway in the centre at such cost as
shall admit after payment of 5% on the outlay single rooms being let at rents of from
one to two shillings a week and thus bring them within the means of the classes above
named whose average earnings are stated to be from ten to fifteen shillings a week
only. I propose to call the dwellings made according to my invention "River
Dwellings and designate them by the names of the districts where they may be
placed as Rotherhithe Limehouse or Poplar River Dwellings. The pontoons would as
a rule be guided by dolphins but in some cases these might be made double so as to
withstand lateral pressure from the wind acting on a large surface and the guides so
arranged that both dolphins at each end would bear an equal share of the work and
the buildings kept erect by guides fixed at the levels of one or more floors. Where
necessary the structures may be strengthened laterally by cross stays at the floor levels.
The rooms in each dwelling are arranged on either side of a common staircase and
small open galeries are formed on each floor roofed over closets and dust shoots being
arranged to open on landings and small sculleries with coal stores and larders from the
rooms on each side.
"
When the dwellings are erected upon fixed stages or platforms the said stages would
be raised three or four feet above the highest tides but when on floating pontoons these
would rise and fall with the tide.
In order that my Invention may be fully understood I will now proceed to describe
the same with reference to the accompanying drawings.

page_text: Fig. 1 shows an elevation of nine dwellings such as those described. Fig. 2 a plan
and Fig. 3 a cross section there being in this case a floor below the roadway but as
before explained all the floors may be either upon or above the said roadway which is
shewn at A the rooms are arranged on each side of the central landings B C shews a
shoot from each landing for dust and D a closet also upon each landing E is an open
yard or balcony but roofed over and F a small scullery at one end of which is
fitted a safe or pantry and a coal store G and H. The roofs are flat as shewn, at I
surrounded by high railings. The end dwellings are shewn with an additional
story and the central one with two additional stories but these need not be added as
any of the upper rooms can be used as reading or work rooms or for baths and wash
houses. One or more rooms on the same level as the roadway may be utilized for
barrows or other matters such room or rooms being conveniently opposite the gangways
shewn at J.
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 construction of a series of dwellings for the poor on floating or fixed platforms
substantially as described.