The coat at Miller's Court window

[Michael W Richards]

Point 1: I would suggest that the store was a later adaptation, made once the street had descended somewhat in the social context. Further, I would hazard that the original door was where the shed was later put.

Point 2: So where was the kitchen, in your reconstruction?

Phil

Hi Phil,

I can pretty much assure you that the door facing Dorset Street was the only front facing door since the house was constructed, and it always accessed the shed. I believe you are assuming that 26 Dorset Street was built to be a lodging house or a private residence, based on the 2 points above, and I dont believe that was the case. Not all the houses on Dorset were built as Lodging Houses, in which you would expect to find a communal kitchen for the tenants. Many private homes were converted for usage by multiple tenants illegally and this was the cause of some serious overcrowding in the East End at that time. In a private home of course there would be a kitchen.

In this case I believe we have what amounts to a short term lease building where the tenants would be charged by the week, not the day, ...and the fact that McCarthy ran a tuck shop accessed inside the archway, at #27, might be an indicator of that sort of dwelling. People unable to cook in their room......(Marys fireplace is likely unique in that building), would need some foods that required no cooking as snacks for their room. Cookies. Muffins. Pies. That sort of thing.

Think of it as a no frills Motel. They would have been originally designed to provide shelter, a shower and a bed, and very little else. Many Restaurants and snack bars attached to Motels today are owned and operated by parties unaffiliated with the building ownership. Being a landlord was a full time business, Im sure McCarthy didnt spend all his time catering to tenants. In fact we know that McCarthy becomes somewhat of a slum landlord eventually, buying quite a few buildings in the East End over the coming years.

Its probably the reason he allows Marys arrears...he doesnt have the time to go chasing down overdue rents.

Best regards

[Phil H]

Michael - my assumption has consistently been that 26 Dorset St was built as a private house and was subsequently adapted to other uses. I see no logical reason to assume otherwise.

Where do you get your ideas from?

I advise you to check out some of the earlier threads where this has all been gone into thoroughly.

Phil