Miller's Court Demolition Photo

[Mark Hodgson]

Also, bare in mind the main floor joists run the same way as the apex of the house. These two houses in Dorset St. have a roof apex running east-west, therefore the main floor joists will likely also run east-west. And as was normal practice any staircase will descend down to the lower floor between the joists, not perpendicular to the joists.
These details can affect the floor plan, but as these houses were used for rental income, it is very likely many walls were wooden partition, only the central wall will have been stone as a load bearing wall.

Hmm. This diagram of a mansard roof has the joists running perpendicular to the apex of the roof. I'd also read that the joists rest on the two strongest walls, in the case of number 26, the front and back walls. The joists need to rest on the strongest walls in the structure. The side walls are thinner, "party" walls. Thinner, because they are partly strengthened by the shared walls of neighbouring properties.

I'd followed the long examination of the Eliza Roberts' testimony and its clues to the layout of the first floor. And also seen that RobertH was modelling it all. But because I was, and am again, attempting to model the house myself, I didn't want to be influenced by Richard's decisions and decided to figure out the same mysteries from an independent perspective.

[Wickerman]

There are some interesting details available concerning No.26, upstairs, given in the testimony of the murder of Elizabeth Roberts, Nov. 1898.
I think it was the Old Bailey records.

[Wickerman]

I meant to add, some years back on Howards Forum some of us along with Richardh, debated a good deal about the internal layout of No.26, he has also produced a rotating 3D model of the structure.

[Wickerman]

When we look close at the design of the two houses (26 + 27) it looks to me like the windows in 27 are a mirror image of their locations in 26. This was not unusual, I lived in an old stone terrace house where they were built in opposing pairs. Therefore, if we see four chimney pots in a group, two likely belong to one house, and two belong to the other house. The houses are in mirror image floor plan.
Also, bare in mind the main floor joists run the same way as the apex of the house. These two houses in Dorset St. have a roof apex running east-west, therefore the main floor joists will likely also run east-west. And as was normal practice any staircase will descend down to the lower floor between the joists, not perpendicular to the joists.
These details can affect the floor plan, but as these houses were used for rental income, it is very likely many walls were wooden partition, only the central wall will have been stone as a load bearing wall.

[Mark Hodgson]

I'm mainly interested in how the rooms were laid out inside the tenement rooms of Miller's Court and the two main houses.

With regards to 13 Miller's Court, and the room above, being an extension to the three storey house of number 26, note that the same extension was apparently made to both numbers 26 and 27 Dorset Street - indicating the work was done when both houses had the same owner? I'd guess the extensions were both built soon after the main house was built. The chimney stacks for them on both sides (with two pots on top), were neatly built into the properties' dividing walls - it was all a neat and expensive job.

The extension of what we think of as McCarthy's house, number 27, later had its extension cut in half when flats 1 to 6 were built for the first phase of Miller's Court. To fit in flats 1 to 6, and room for the three toilets (by the back wall), meant cutting the two-storey extension back, leaving two awkwardly small rooms at the back of the main house of number 27.

I'd also guess that the small mystery window in the photo was then used as access to the loft space over the room over Mary's room.

Also, the main house at number 26 has a chimney stack of six pots. Presumably for two fireplaces per floor for the first three storeys? Assuming this, the two "flats" in the attic space would therefore be without heat of their own.

[Mark Hodgson]

That’s the highest resolution I’ve seen of the demolition photo. Do you know which archive holds the original photo?

[ATTACH=JSON]n712296[/ATTACH]
demolition photo

[Leanne]

SORRY

I was gonna post a comment but I've changed my mind. I'm too tired
BYE

[Leanne]

it wasn't. She unambiguously said that she lived at the front of the house, above the front room which doubled as mccarthy's shed. Her room's being directly above kelly is a long-standing urban myth.

[ATTACH=JSON]n712296[/ATTACH]
demolition photo

[Sam Flynn]

I always believed Prater's room was directly above that of Kelly’s

It wasn't. She unambiguously said that she lived at the front of the house, above the front room which doubled as McCarthy's shed. Her room's being directly above Kelly is a long-standing urban myth.

[harry]

I always believed Prater's room was directly above that of Kelly.In the photos it seems set back quite a way.

[Leanne]

WHAT DID DORSET? STREET LOOK LIKE IN 1961?:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sh02pH_HOsw&t=38s

[Sam Flynn]

THE DEATH OF MARY KELLY EXPLAINED:
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q...5&&FORM=VRDGAR

A lively presentation, but not entirely accurate (e.g. two breasts on the bedside table... and another in the fire!). Not that it matters for the topic of this specific thread.

[Christian]

Very interesting thread my sort of subject-I have a ripperologist magazine from late 1990s dedicated to all things millers court I’ll dig it out sure things relevant be in the said issue!!
Ill be back cw

[Leanne]

THE DEATH OF MARY KELLY EXPLAINED:

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Ripper+Victim+Mary+Kelly&&view=detail&mid=27F4C151249FF91D16C527F4C151249FF91D16C5&&FORM=VRDGAR

[DJA]

More accurately,the right hand window panes.
Just depends on the Sun's angle and the the way the picture is developed.