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Built in 1886 of Yorkshire stone,
the houses on Elm Grove each had eight (8) chimneys, servicing 7 fireplaces and
one cooking range.
In our house, of the five bedrooms, four have fireplaces - the bedroom chimneys
are now closed off, although the original fireplaces are still there.
As was normal when building
coal-fired houses, the sash windows were constructed deliberately so that they
were not airtight - this was to allow sufficient replacement oxygen into the
rooms for the fires to burn whilst also supporting human life. That's why the
windows rattled, and why the houses were always draughty.
It's difficult to imagine how much dust would have been created with all eight
fires burning, and the necessary coal being transported around all four floors.
It must have been a nightmare trying to keep the place clean.
The original windows have recently been replaced with new double-glazed sash
windows - which don't rattle, and are completely draught proof.
Protocol being what it was in Victorian days, tradesmen were not encouraged to use the front door, it's use being for the benefit of the owners and their invited guests. To this end there is no letter box in our front door, and never has been.