Thursday 25 April 2013

Victoria

A to Z Challenge – travels round Leicester with my camera No 22.




The Victoria Model Lodging House in Britannia Street (just off the Belgrave Road) is in a sorry state now but it once represented the height of comfort to the men who sought shelter there; ‘…hawkers and drovers, and the shuffling of the heavy-shod navvies’.

It was designed by Thomas Hind in 1887. Hind was a Liberal Councillor and an active member of the Leicester Co-operative Society. At that time most lodging houses were old, overcrowded and insanitary, unlike the purpose-built Victoria. Rules were strict: alcohol was banned, there was no smoking upstairs and woman weren’t allowed, but there were ‘brick-lined lavatories and laundries’ and cooking facilities were provided. A bed for the night cost from 4d to 8d.



The relief panels in brick show characters from each of the four British nationalities.

There was Scotsman, an Irishman…



…a Welshman and an Englishman.

3 comments:

  1. Fascinating! I must look at buildings in Norwich with a keener eye. Thanks, Sally!
    Jemima at Jemima's blog

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  2. I was at college in Norwich many years ago. I have memories of a beautiful city.

    Thanks for your comment.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Stereotypes are nothing new it seems, given the images chosen to represent the four nations.
    Ann (WritePhoto)

    ReplyDelete