Lissenden Gardens: service balconies

Image: © Natasha Ceridwen de Chroustchoff Taken: 21 Dec 2007

The mansion blocks, built in 1906, incorporated many radical new features. 'Drawing heavily on the superior workmanship promoted by the William Morris school of arts and crafts, it boasted red brick with hand carved designs above windows, stained glass and hand-made tiles in the stairwells, decorative wrought iron railings and a clever design where sky lights brought in fresh air to counter smells from down pipes. A hand-pulled lift attached to a balcony by the scullery saved the need to trudge up and down with buckets of coal and a tube that residents on the upper floors could use to attract passing tradesmen by blowing through it with a whistle. A communal rubbish chute also saved labour while a caretaker was given responsibility for scrubbing stairs and doorsteps.' (Information from Camden New Journal http://www.thecnj.com/review/021507/feature021507_01.htm )

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