Posted by Jock on March 11, 2006 at 12:51:29 from 84.68.239.14 user Jock.
In Reply to: Re: Beckfoot posted by Laurence Monkhouse on March 11, 2006 at 08:45:42:
A big house with well-off owners would have had modern plumbing by the 1920s,
Yes, but at some point (BB's death?) the owners of Beckfoot seem to have become less well off. There is less reliance on servants. The GA has the Amazons mowing the lawn. The drop in disposable income is reflected in a change in social relationships and behaviour. The A's are on familiar terms with the Cook. The maid feels that's it's safe to dance a jig to celebrate the GA's departure. There are neglected croquet lawns and tennis courts... only the GA with her visiting cards continues the earlier life style and maintains a mysterious control over Beckfoot's residents. So the development of the Beckfoot plumbing could have become 'frozen' at the point at which the cashflow became reduced.
There wouldn't have been a bathroom without a proper water system and a properly plumbed in bath.
Are you absolutely sure? It was this that I was trying to research by looking for 'Victorian plumbling' on th WWW.
(self-certified, grade 1 post)