The arrangement of the Masonic rooms, now almost necessary in all buildings of this type, is noticeable, each of the two principal rooms being capable of being utilised for suppers, banquets, or balls, as need may arise, as well as for purely Masonic purposes, and all
being readily served from the kitchen lifts.
The top floor contains the kitchen and several bed- rooms, the kitchen accommodation being ample even for large banquets in the rooms below. The back of the site, as will be seen from the ground-floor plan, is given up to large public stables consisting of one loose box and seven stalls and a coach-house and harness- room, with a large yard in front of them ; while
provision is made for additions in the future should the need arise as it probably would do before long for a motor garage. Stables will be dealt with in greater detail in a later part of the volume, and therefore there is no necessity at this moment to say more about them.
Still greater departures from the country inn, out of which they are developments, are the great London combined drinking saloons and places of refreshment, such as the Angel at Islington, also designed by Messrs. Eedle & Meyers, of which four plans are given this the various bars and the service portion, as seen on the ground plan, are arranged centrally in much the same way as at Dulwich, though the site is more restricted and greater use is made of lifts ; while two staircases are shown, one for public use in a broad entrance, and the other entirely for service. The whole of the back of the site is occupied by a large buffet and saloon bar, to be utilised to a
great extent for the service of luncheons, and top lighted, out of which a staircase drops to the billiard- room in the basement, which is only lighted artificially. At the back of the serving bars are stands for bottles, with a small office behind them, while underneath is a beer cellar and heating apparatus, there being even a sub-basement for further cellars.
Friday, February 1, 2008
THE quiet little country inn, which is unfortunately
THE quiet little country inn, which is unfortunately passing away in favour of the more vulgar public house and pretentious gin palace, is essentially a cottage, some rooms of which are devoted to public use, while in many of the best of them a few bedrooms are reserved for casual travellers. An illustration of one, the Bull Ring Inn at North Shields (see Fig. 9), designed by Mr. F. R. N. Haswell, F.R.I. B.A., and planned in accordance with the old traditions, is, how- ever, given. The whole of the front is devoted to a large open bar having window seats with tables arranged in front of them, and a fireplace at each end of the room, forming a kind of club, such as is essential in village life, at which the men can meet and chat of an evening while enjoying their smoke and a modest glass of beer.
This, it will be noticed, is something quite different from a mere drinking saloon. The customers do not come in, drink, and go out again, but sit in the bar, perhaps for hours, using it as a meeting-place for discussion and general sociability. There is the bar counter, certainly,
at which casual callers can be served, and a certain concession to modern requirements is made by screen- ing off a small portion for jug and bottle trade, this being served from an entrance lobby or passage and not from the front door. The cellar flaps in the pavement in front and also in the floor behind the bar counter will be noticed, leading down in a primitive manner, the
one by slides and the other by a step-ladder, to the cellar below. There is a block at the foot of the slides to receive the barrels as they are let down by ropes, and gantries or stands for the barrels are provided round the bar cellar. This being a small inn, the sale
would be almost entirely of beer in some counties and cider in others, and scarcely at all of spirits or wines.
At the back of the bar on the ground floor two sitting- rooms will be noticed, one of them being what is often called a bar parlour with seats round the walls, and standing tables where refreshments can be served, and the other, or best sitting-room, being also intended for guests. Both of them can be served from the space behind the bar counter, but the latter only has direct
service from the kitchen upstairs, so that it alone could be used for meals. As a general rule the kitchens are found on the same floor, but with limited space it has been necessary in this case to place them on another level.
This, it will be noticed, is something quite different from a mere drinking saloon. The customers do not come in, drink, and go out again, but sit in the bar, perhaps for hours, using it as a meeting-place for discussion and general sociability. There is the bar counter, certainly,
at which casual callers can be served, and a certain concession to modern requirements is made by screen- ing off a small portion for jug and bottle trade, this being served from an entrance lobby or passage and not from the front door. The cellar flaps in the pavement in front and also in the floor behind the bar counter will be noticed, leading down in a primitive manner, the
one by slides and the other by a step-ladder, to the cellar below. There is a block at the foot of the slides to receive the barrels as they are let down by ropes, and gantries or stands for the barrels are provided round the bar cellar. This being a small inn, the sale
would be almost entirely of beer in some counties and cider in others, and scarcely at all of spirits or wines.
At the back of the bar on the ground floor two sitting- rooms will be noticed, one of them being what is often called a bar parlour with seats round the walls, and standing tables where refreshments can be served, and the other, or best sitting-room, being also intended for guests. Both of them can be served from the space behind the bar counter, but the latter only has direct
service from the kitchen upstairs, so that it alone could be used for meals. As a general rule the kitchens are found on the same floor, but with limited space it has been necessary in this case to place them on another level.
Entertainments given in private houses
Entertainments given in private houses, which are
quite inadequate to accommodate the number of people
they are called upon to hold, are another source of
danger. On such occasions houses are not infrequently
filled to such an extent that to move from one room to
another is almost an impossibility, while the staircase
is totally inadequate to allow the people to escape in
case of fire. The remedy for this lies to some small
degree in the hands of the designer, for he can provide
ample door openings and staircase accommodation, but
the safety of the guests must chiefly depend upon the
discretion of the host, who should proportion his
entertainments with regard to the accommodation of
his house ; while, on the other hand, by placing furniture
across doorways in passages, he may do much to
render useless the provisions made by the architect.
Entertainments in private houses or in other places
are often rendered particularly dangerous by the very
general practice of decorating with flimsy hangings and
many small lights. Such hangings on catching fire
will fall against other inflammable material, and the
spread of fire will be rapid, while a large quantity of
smoke will be produced by its combustion.
SITE OF THEATRE. Inorderto realise the latter requirement
SITE OF THEATRE. Inorderto realise the latterrequirement it is necessary that both sides of the theatre as well as the front shall abut on streets or other thorough- fares, while in order to provide against the external fire risk the fourth side also may well be bounded by
a street. A site such as is thus called for will seldom be procurable, and the condition must be attained by giving up part of the building site for the reformation of these thoroughfares. Very few theatres in London realise these conditions, although some of the provincial
towns are leading the way in this direction.
It is further of importance that theatres shall not be set down among buildings of the warehouse class, or any buildings having extremely inflammable contents.
STAIRCASES. Those parts of the house that are on a level with the ground may have exits leading at once into the street, but others must make use of staircases.
It is important that no part of the house shall be at any great height above the pavement Probably the best arrangement will be obtained if the lowest parts of the
house are at least as far below street level as the top tier is above it. To go upstairs to the streets is con- siderably more desirable, in case of panic, than to descend. The press of people in descending a staircase is very liable to cause someone to stumble, and the
consequent crushing will ensue.
In order to avoid the danger just mentioned, exit stairs must be as easy in the going as possible, with risers not more than 6 inches high ; while winding steps must not be allowed. The stairs should be enclosed with walls, and should in no case be of open construction ; they should have hand-rails on either side, while if they are 6 feet or more in width they should be divided in two by a central hand-rail. These hand-rails are of great assistance in preventing persons
from stumbling. All unexpected steps are strictly to be avoided, while, on passing through a door, a landing should be met before the staircase begins. There should be no doors leading into the stairs other than that from the auditorium at the top or bottom, and that into the open air at street level. The stairs should be of solid description, and at least sufficiently fire resist-
ing to remain unaffected until every one can be got out of the building. The width of a staircase must naturally be governed by the number of people it has to serve. The London County Council's regulations lay down that, to accommodate not more than 300 people, staircases shall be at least 4 feet wide, while if more than 300 people are to use the staircase it must be 5 feet wide.
a street. A site such as is thus called for will seldom be procurable, and the condition must be attained by giving up part of the building site for the reformation of these thoroughfares. Very few theatres in London realise these conditions, although some of the provincial
towns are leading the way in this direction.
It is further of importance that theatres shall not be set down among buildings of the warehouse class, or any buildings having extremely inflammable contents.
STAIRCASES. Those parts of the house that are on a level with the ground may have exits leading at once into the street, but others must make use of staircases.
It is important that no part of the house shall be at any great height above the pavement Probably the best arrangement will be obtained if the lowest parts of the
house are at least as far below street level as the top tier is above it. To go upstairs to the streets is con- siderably more desirable, in case of panic, than to descend. The press of people in descending a staircase is very liable to cause someone to stumble, and the
consequent crushing will ensue.
In order to avoid the danger just mentioned, exit stairs must be as easy in the going as possible, with risers not more than 6 inches high ; while winding steps must not be allowed. The stairs should be enclosed with walls, and should in no case be of open construction ; they should have hand-rails on either side, while if they are 6 feet or more in width they should be divided in two by a central hand-rail. These hand-rails are of great assistance in preventing persons
from stumbling. All unexpected steps are strictly to be avoided, while, on passing through a door, a landing should be met before the staircase begins. There should be no doors leading into the stairs other than that from the auditorium at the top or bottom, and that into the open air at street level. The stairs should be of solid description, and at least sufficiently fire resist-
ing to remain unaffected until every one can be got out of the building. The width of a staircase must naturally be governed by the number of people it has to serve. The London County Council's regulations lay down that, to accommodate not more than 300 people, staircases shall be at least 4 feet wide, while if more than 300 people are to use the staircase it must be 5 feet wide.
Protection against Fire in Places of Entertainment
THE risk of fire in a theatre is the risk to the lives often of many hundreds of people. The materials used upon the stage, the flimsy hangings and decorations, unless special means be taken to prevent it, may be readily set alight, while the large open area of the theatre is particularly conducive to a fierce fire. To indicate the great risk of fire in such places it may be mentioned that Mr. E. O. Sachs, in his work on Modern Opera Houses and Theatres, enumerates eleven hundred cases of fire in theatres, music halls, etc., while the awful danger of life attendant upon such outbreaks is common knowledge.
EXITS. The lives of so many being at stake, it is obviously the first duty of all responsible to provide and maintain ample and suitable exits for the immediate escape of the people. These exits should, in fact, be sufficient to allow the whole audience, no matter of what size, to leave the theatre in two minutes ; for the spread of fire and smoke to all parts of the theatre
may be almost instantaneous. But it is not only in the event of fire that ample and easy exits are necessary, for they will be almost equally important in the event of an alarm of fire. A most trivial occurrence will often cause a panic resulting in many deaths ; in fact, the majority of fatalities in theatre fires may be attributed to panic. A rush will be made for the exit,
some one will stumble over an unseen step, others will fall over the first, and the stream of panic-stricken people will attempt to climb over those fallen, in their mad efforts to reach safety. The consequence of such an occurrence will be that few will reach the outer air before they are overcome by the poisonous fumes of combustion, while if the alarm has been
false many will have been crushed to death in the rush and jamb.
It is, then, not only necessary to provide ample exits, but these exits must be as direct and as easy as possible. Careful planning will not only allow the house to be emptied rapidly, but the sense of security thus obtained will go far to prevent panic.
Every division of the house, stalls, pit, dress circle, etc., not omitting orchestra and stage, must each have at least two exits, one of which may also be an entrance.
These exits in each part of the house should be as far away from the stage as possible, for it is on the stage that a theatre fire will nearly always originate, and the natural impulse of the people will be to flee in a direction away from the fire. The exits should also he one on either side of the house for each part, and should communicate immediately with the street.
EXITS. The lives of so many being at stake, it is obviously the first duty of all responsible to provide and maintain ample and suitable exits for the immediate escape of the people. These exits should, in fact, be sufficient to allow the whole audience, no matter of what size, to leave the theatre in two minutes ; for the spread of fire and smoke to all parts of the theatre
may be almost instantaneous. But it is not only in the event of fire that ample and easy exits are necessary, for they will be almost equally important in the event of an alarm of fire. A most trivial occurrence will often cause a panic resulting in many deaths ; in fact, the majority of fatalities in theatre fires may be attributed to panic. A rush will be made for the exit,
some one will stumble over an unseen step, others will fall over the first, and the stream of panic-stricken people will attempt to climb over those fallen, in their mad efforts to reach safety. The consequence of such an occurrence will be that few will reach the outer air before they are overcome by the poisonous fumes of combustion, while if the alarm has been
false many will have been crushed to death in the rush and jamb.
It is, then, not only necessary to provide ample exits, but these exits must be as direct and as easy as possible. Careful planning will not only allow the house to be emptied rapidly, but the sense of security thus obtained will go far to prevent panic.
Every division of the house, stalls, pit, dress circle, etc., not omitting orchestra and stage, must each have at least two exits, one of which may also be an entrance.
These exits in each part of the house should be as far away from the stage as possible, for it is on the stage that a theatre fire will nearly always originate, and the natural impulse of the people will be to flee in a direction away from the fire. The exits should also he one on either side of the house for each part, and should communicate immediately with the street.
The entrances to the pit and gallery are both obtained in a back lane
The entrances to the pit and gallery are both obtained in a back lane, a very excellent arrangement, as all " lining-up " in advance of the opening of the theatre doors occurs in a long lane or passage-way which is private to the theatre, and so causes no obstruction to the general traffic along the street. The doors are not side by side, and so separate queues can be formed to each. The stairs to the pit lead downwards and wind considerably, but like all others they are in straight flights of not less than three nor more than thirteen steps, in accordance with the London regulations. An emergency exit from the pit is brought up to the front close to the entrance to the box office. The gallery entrance in the back lane is up stairs which wind
above those going down to the pit, and it is of some interest to trace them along the various plans, showing how eventually they reach the back of the gallery almost in the centre at the very top of the house, while an emergency exit is contrived at the stage end of the auditorium near the front, by stairs which pass down above the royal private room. The auditorium is seated on a slightly rising floor at the pit level, with straight rows of seats, but on all the other levels the seats are arranged in horseshoe form, with private boxes on the straight portions of the horse-
shoe which are nearest the stage. The seating thus permits everybody to see and hear, and a glance at the section will show how the various tiers rise at different angles in order that this may be accomplished, the object being to give everyone a sight of the front of the stage as well as of the back, and if possible of the whole of it from side to side. At the pit level the whole
is one open space, with the exception of a saloon or bar contrived under the main entrance, and of the necessary retiring-rooms. On the other floors the auditorium proper is cut off from the stairs and other adjuncts by means of a segmental wall parallel to the last row of seats on the horseshoe, and separated from it by a passage-way. At the boxes level the space behind this
wall is given up to cloak-rooms and the grand vestibule, out of which there rises a staircase leading to a large room, known as the "grand saloon," which occurs at the upper boxes level, forming a handsome apartment in which suppers can be given if necessary. At that level also there is a small bar to serve the upper boxes, while an almost similar arrangement occurs at the
gallery level.
Of course, there is a great deal of steel work in the construction, as all the upper tiers of seats are carried on girders and columns.
above those going down to the pit, and it is of some interest to trace them along the various plans, showing how eventually they reach the back of the gallery almost in the centre at the very top of the house, while an emergency exit is contrived at the stage end of the auditorium near the front, by stairs which pass down above the royal private room. The auditorium is seated on a slightly rising floor at the pit level, with straight rows of seats, but on all the other levels the seats are arranged in horseshoe form, with private boxes on the straight portions of the horse-
shoe which are nearest the stage. The seating thus permits everybody to see and hear, and a glance at the section will show how the various tiers rise at different angles in order that this may be accomplished, the object being to give everyone a sight of the front of the stage as well as of the back, and if possible of the whole of it from side to side. At the pit level the whole
is one open space, with the exception of a saloon or bar contrived under the main entrance, and of the necessary retiring-rooms. On the other floors the auditorium proper is cut off from the stairs and other adjuncts by means of a segmental wall parallel to the last row of seats on the horseshoe, and separated from it by a passage-way. At the boxes level the space behind this
wall is given up to cloak-rooms and the grand vestibule, out of which there rises a staircase leading to a large room, known as the "grand saloon," which occurs at the upper boxes level, forming a handsome apartment in which suppers can be given if necessary. At that level also there is a small bar to serve the upper boxes, while an almost similar arrangement occurs at the
gallery level.
Of course, there is a great deal of steel work in the construction, as all the upper tiers of seats are carried on girders and columns.
The principal floor is that at the boxes level
The principal floor is that at the boxes level, the plan being followed, which is now very common, of sinking the pit, the stage, and its cellar in a huge excavation below the ground, it having been found that by this means exit is rendered more rapid, while the introduction of scenery from without is made easy, and in case of panic or fire access can readily be obtained to all the parts. It will be noticed, on reference to the plan, that the theatre is arranged longitudinally along a straight frontage to Charing Cross Road, from which there are several entrances.
The main entrance serves through the grand vestibule to the stalls by means of staircases which pass down- wards, and to the boxes at the level of the back row ; while, although there is a separate door for the upper boxes, the staircase leading to them also communicates with the main entrance, so that the same box office serves for the boxes and stalls. The stairs require a
good deal of careful investigation, as they are planned so as to overlie one another, this being a common feature in theatre work ; for it is essential that each part of the house may be reached independently, and shall have exits quite separate from one another, and from all else, leading to two different streets or sides of the building at least. Thus the boxes are reached, as
has just been said, through the main entrance and the grand vestibule, but they have an emergency exit on the same level to the back lane. The stalls have two stairways down to them from the vestibule, and as this is large there is no necessity for giving a further
emergency exit, though it could be obtained by climbing over the barrier between the stalls and the pit, shown on the plan at pit level. The upper boxes are reached from the main entrance, up quite a short flight of stairs which passes up beneath the lavatory shown on the front of the plan at the upper boxes level, while an emergency exit is found at the back beside the bar, for
which, like the other stairs, a single straight flight suffices. There is an entrance for royalty, marked with a crown, in the middle of the principal frontage, yet set back so as to secure a certain amount of privacy. A private room is reached through a porch, whence the
private boxes can be reached at the boxes level by passing down a few stairs ; for it may be noticed that when we speak of the boxes level we do not necessarily mean a horizontal plane, as the seats on each of the "levels" are necessarily arranged in tiers, so that the persons seated in the back rows may see over the heads of those in front. In case of emergency royalty can
escape through their private room or else by any of the other means of escape from the boxes.
The main entrance serves through the grand vestibule to the stalls by means of staircases which pass down- wards, and to the boxes at the level of the back row ; while, although there is a separate door for the upper boxes, the staircase leading to them also communicates with the main entrance, so that the same box office serves for the boxes and stalls. The stairs require a
good deal of careful investigation, as they are planned so as to overlie one another, this being a common feature in theatre work ; for it is essential that each part of the house may be reached independently, and shall have exits quite separate from one another, and from all else, leading to two different streets or sides of the building at least. Thus the boxes are reached, as
has just been said, through the main entrance and the grand vestibule, but they have an emergency exit on the same level to the back lane. The stalls have two stairways down to them from the vestibule, and as this is large there is no necessity for giving a further
emergency exit, though it could be obtained by climbing over the barrier between the stalls and the pit, shown on the plan at pit level. The upper boxes are reached from the main entrance, up quite a short flight of stairs which passes up beneath the lavatory shown on the front of the plan at the upper boxes level, while an emergency exit is found at the back beside the bar, for
which, like the other stairs, a single straight flight suffices. There is an entrance for royalty, marked with a crown, in the middle of the principal frontage, yet set back so as to secure a certain amount of privacy. A private room is reached through a porch, whence the
private boxes can be reached at the boxes level by passing down a few stairs ; for it may be noticed that when we speak of the boxes level we do not necessarily mean a horizontal plane, as the seats on each of the "levels" are necessarily arranged in tiers, so that the persons seated in the back rows may see over the heads of those in front. In case of emergency royalty can
escape through their private room or else by any of the other means of escape from the boxes.
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