The Blue Cottage
On Bridge Road in Richmond, this colonial cottage stands out for two reasons:
(1) The blue and red colour scheme, and
(2) That window on the right of the front door.
Given its Georgian architectural heritage that large window originally would have matched the one on the left to keep the symmetry. Obviously it's a later addition, perhaps to let more light into a living room.
I had a question the other day about whether the roofing iron was original in these houses. My initial thought was that these cottage roofs must originally have been clad in wooden shingles. Perhaps that was so, but in fact the date for the invention of corrugated roofing iron actually fits these Georgian cottages. In 1829, Henry Palmer of London invented "putting flat sheets of wrought iron through rollers created a corrugated effect that strengthened and stiffened them. They were quick to install on a basic wooden frame while remaining lightweight, strong and weatherproof, especially if painted."
www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/blueprintforliving/icon-of...
So it's quite possible this is an original roof, or at least it soon replaced the worn out wooden shingles.
The Blue Cottage
On Bridge Road in Richmond, this colonial cottage stands out for two reasons:
(1) The blue and red colour scheme, and
(2) That window on the right of the front door.
Given its Georgian architectural heritage that large window originally would have matched the one on the left to keep the symmetry. Obviously it's a later addition, perhaps to let more light into a living room.
I had a question the other day about whether the roofing iron was original in these houses. My initial thought was that these cottage roofs must originally have been clad in wooden shingles. Perhaps that was so, but in fact the date for the invention of corrugated roofing iron actually fits these Georgian cottages. In 1829, Henry Palmer of London invented "putting flat sheets of wrought iron through rollers created a corrugated effect that strengthened and stiffened them. They were quick to install on a basic wooden frame while remaining lightweight, strong and weatherproof, especially if painted."
www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/blueprintforliving/icon-of...
So it's quite possible this is an original roof, or at least it soon replaced the worn out wooden shingles.