Charles Brooking

 

Major rescue at Maple Street,

London W1

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: Did you rescue any architectural items in Maple Street, London W1?

Charles Brooking: Yes, in 1985 I rescued architectural items from three houses in Maple Street, which is opposite the General Post Office (GPO) Tower, built in 1777 and recovered a fantastic wrought iron fan light, front door and additional elements within the houses.

Rescue defined

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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: Just describe the wrought iron fan light?

Charles Brooking :

Fanlights Defined :

Fanlights are Blacksmith made with about four panes of glass radiating in a fan like pattern with scrolling signs.

Surveyor: What makes fanlights so special?

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Charles Brooking: Well it is they are very rare survival really. I mean it is also rare for one to actually come out. The houses in Maple Street had quite a few examples of fan lights and back in the mid 1980s I heard about the buildings being demolished through English Heritage and found one of the earliest Cast Iron Frame Pulleys, I have ever found there.

Surveyor: Please explain what a frame pulley is?

Charles Brooking:

Frame Pulleys Defined

Frame pulleys are a cast iron case containing the pulley which of course the sash cord runs over the window and just with a simple pin running through the centre of the wheel. Whereas an axle pulley has its own bearings itself and runs on the case, this one actually runs on a spindle which runs through the case. It's known as a frame pulley and is very small from the first floor windows which were I suppose about six foot high, no more than that, seven foot high.

charles-brooking22

Surveyor: This was near the Post Office did you say?

Charles Brooking : Yes, nearly opposite the Post Office Tower.

Surveyor: So that's central London ?

Charles Brooking : Yes, in W1.

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

Listed buildings and Character properties

Buying Grade II Listed properties

Structural surveys

Georgian Buildings and property problems

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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