What were houses like in Victorian London?
The houses were cheap, most had between two and four rooms – one or two rooms downstairs, and one or two rooms upstairs, but Victorian families were big with perhaps four or five children. There was no water, and no toilet. A whole street (sometimes more) would have to share a couple of toilets and a pump.
Why were rooms so small in Victorian houses?
Children and servants were relegated to separate spaces in the house than the adults, but there was a segregation of space even among the adults in the home by gender. Rooms were designed and understood to limit contact between men and women and to preserve power relations between them.
What did a Victorian house look like inside?
Wealthy Victorians decorated their homes in the latest styles. There would be heavy curtains, flowery wallpaper, carpets and rugs, ornaments, well made furniture, paintings and plants. The rooms were heated by open coal fires and lighting was provided by candles and oil or gas lamps.
When were Victorian houses built in London?
Seemingly obviously, Victorian houses were built between 1837 and 1901, when Queen Victoria was on the throne. However some people, including the Victorian Society itself, take ‘Victorian Architecture’ to encompass Edwardian as well, which takes this time period up to 1910.
What did poor Victorian houses look like?
A poor Victorian family would have lived in a very small house with only a couple of rooms on each floor. The very poorest families had to make do with even less – some houses were home to two, three or even four families. The houses would share toilets and water, which they could get from a pump or a well.
What is the difference between Victorian and Edwardian houses?
So, unlike the smaller, darker Victorian homes, Edwardian houses were more squat, wider and roomy, with bigger hallways and more windows. It’s common for an Edwardian property to have a front garden and be set back from the pavement, as there was an ever-increasing desire for privacy at that time.
What is the difference between a Victorian and an Edwardian house?
How do I know if my house is Edwardian?
An Edwardian property is often characterised by:
- Georgian revival architecture.
- Mock-Tudor cladding.
- Six over two panel sash windows.
- Larger glass panes.
- Large proportions.
- Simple designs influenced by the Arts and Crafts movement.
- Timber framed porches.