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Brick and Terracotta
Designs
Many
buildings in Leicester are decorated with brick, terracotta, or stone
designs. At their simplest these just state the name of the building
or terrace (1), or the year of construction (2). Sometimes the name
or date is embellished, often with flowers (and often with sunflowers
(7 & 8), a favourite motif of the Queen Anne school of design).
Other designs may include faces (3) (6), or pots or urns (5).
Although
many designs are in red brick or terracotta, some are painted white
(1 & 4), while the brownish colour of photo (2) is a bit of an exception.
The more intricate designs are mainly, although not exclusively, associated
with the larger houses of Victorian Leicester and I have found few from
before 1860, the majority being from 1860 - 1910.
Occasionally, a design
which was intended to be on view to the public has been hidden by the
subsequent erection of a neighbouring building, as in (9) which, hidden
by a modern office block, is on the side of Tintern House, Regent Rd.
Photo
10 shows a plaque made to commemorate the 1897 Diamond Jubilee of Queen
Victoria. Made by Stanley Brothers of Nuneaton, this example is on Francis
St and there are others at St Saviours Rd and Spa Place.
Photos
11 & 12 show two brick designs which are on the front of what used
to be a lodging house on Britannia St. The designs show stereotypes
of a Welshman and an Englishman (11), and a Scotsman and an Irishman
(12). More information about the building can be found in the book 'Wharf
St Revisited' by Cynthia Brown.
Smaller
examples from terraced houses can be seen here.
This website is part of the East Midlands Oral History Archive and has been compiled by Colin Hyde. Any comments can be sent to him via the 'Contact us' button at the bottom of the page. Last updated 22/02/2010.
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