Charles Brooking
Locks
Charles Brooking is a fascinating and knowledgeable collector of architectural detail, The Brooking Collection of Architectural Detail, and as Surveyors we find his lifelong quest to collect British building details unique, informative and valuable and a collection that must be kept intact for years to come. If you need help and advice with regard to building surveys, structural surveys, structural reports, engineers reports, specific defects report, dilapidations or any other property matters please free phone 0800 298 5424.
The following is one of a series of interviews with Charles Brooking, Historic and Listed Buildings Detail Expert, The Brooking Collection of Architectural Detail and a Surveyor where we have recorded his comments and various aspects that have affected windows and doors and other collectibles. The interviews outline how his collection started and built over the years and gives an insight into the amazing architectural features housed in his fine collection.
Surveyor: Please explain about the sort of locks you have collected over the years?
Charles Brooking: Well, I have a large collection of locks which include items such as a very interesting draw back lock from a basement door, which was typical of the late Georgian period and not slid back and was operated by a key externally with no knob; the door would have been to the servant's accommodation.
Surveyor: What material were these made out of?
Charles Brooking: This was made out of iron, sheet iron, riveted together with a brass keyhole escutcheon mounted on a brass knob. It was originally quite something and is quite rare to survive. There are several in the London Squares, I've seen several in Bedford Square from the 1770's and also in Fitzroy Square I recently, I saw a very large one.
Surveyor: What sort of size?
Charles Brooking: I suppose about, some as much as a foot by seven inches, perhaps a bit less, with a knob that slides back with a latch, but on a spring, which was either held back if you wanted to keep the door with the latch on, but then you operated from a key externally into a main entry. I don't think there was, there wasn't a door knob on the outside, it was just operated by a key, but inside you had this sliding door knob.
I also rescued early 1790's mortice locks and a keyhole escutcheon, which was original, which was quite interesting and many from the1830's.
Rescue defined
Charles Brooking defines a rescue as saving a window or door or staircase that would be doomed.
Charles Brooking was a pioneer in the rescue of architectural detailing as many years ago it was very much considered a strange and an unusual past time to want to rescue old parts of buildings with everything new and shiny being so important.
Surveyor: Explain a bit more about the keyhole escutcheon?
Charles Brooking: Well, they are the little brass covers, normally the shape of a keyhole, which actually form a cover, privacy cover, over the keyhole and you get some which are merely brass surrounding the keyhole escutcheon plate, or ones with a swinging cover.
If you found this article on The Brooking Collection of Architectural Detail interesting you may also be interested in the following articles on our website:
Houndsditch, moving a window is easier said that done!
The Woking rescues and The Brooking Collection
Settlement, Subsidence and Heave
Structural Reports
Specific Defects Reports
References:
TheBrookingCollection.com
DartfordArchive.org.uk
IHBC.org.uk
ProjectBook.co.uk
Independent Surveyors
If you truly do want an independent expert opinion from a surveyor with regard to building surveys, structural surveys, structural reports, engineers reports, specific defects report, dilapidations or any other property matters please contact 0800 298 5424 for a surveyor to give you a call back.
Commercial Property Surveyors
If you have a commercial property, be it leasehold or freehold, then you may wish to look at our Dilapidations Website at www.DilapsHelp.com and for Disputes go to our Disputes Help site www.DisputesHelp.com.
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