I think I mentioned that I would let you know about the new layout at Delamere House as described throughout book eight, Holywell Street. Well, here are my notes and some borrowed images. I’m not sure how you imagine each room, but I know I have a picture of each one in my head as I wrote, and they don’t really look anything like these images, but they were the closest I could come. Delamere House is a mirror image of Clearwater House which is attached to it on the east side. They stand on their own plot of land (roughly where the Household Cavalry Barracks and stables are now situated), in an imaginary street called Buck’s Avenue, and are Georgian in aspect.
April 1893
Ground floor.
Central front door into hall, single stairs opposite becoming double at the turn.
Clients wait in the hall, which now has more comfortable chairs.
Immediately right from the front door, the drawing room is now an office for Baxter and Charlie, and through it, is Jack’s office, though he prefers to work in the main office with them and uses his sparsely furnished office for private talks.
Left from the front door, the dining room is now the sitting room/drawing room and has the billiards table in it at the far end.
At the stairs, turn right and towards the back of the house, the cloakroom is on the left under the stairs, and the library is on the right, with double doors leading into the large, long room.
This is now the research department, with all the books, some of the newspaper archives, the files and the partners’ desk now occupied by Will and Ned.
On the other side of the stairs, at the back of the house is the boardroom, which they use as an incident room when necessary, or for larger meetings, or to spread out plans and maps.
Off this is the old servery.
There are servants’ stairs at the end of the house and the baize door beside the staircase.
First Floor
To the left front, above the new sitting room, is Ned’s room and his sitting room is being used as the evening room mainly for the boys.
To the right front, above the new office and study is Jimmy’s suite – like the rest it’s a large bedroom, sitting room, dressing room and bathroom, though these days, Jimmy is hardly there. (We think he has taken rooms at the Inns of Court or nearby, and when he is not studying there, he’s off to Cornwall to spend time with Tom, because they are still together after five years and many trials.)
To the back, left, is Jack’s room which connects to Will’s via the dressing room and bathroom.
To the back, right, is the ‘spare’ suite which now houses the archive, because Charlie has decided to share the coach house with Baxter.
Second Floor
Under the eaves, front from left to right are two bedrooms and one bathroom, then the connecting door, then another two rooms (that was the butler’s suite) and a bathroom.
The same happens at the back, though there, one of the bathrooms is now Ned’s darkroom, and the other also houses some of the old archive. The other upstairs rooms are used for storage.
Simeon and Ronny may get to use one of the left-side suites one day.
Servants’ stairs at either end of the house lead down to the basement.
Basement
The back door is at the left end of the property, nearer the gates and opposite the stables.
Max has his suite of rooms at the front with a bathroom, sitting room, bedroom and a door into his pantry/office, which also houses the plate safe.
The right-hand front basement area is for Mrs Sparks, though she has no plate safe, but an extra room which the boys are using as a bedroom.
At the back, though, the scullery, kitchen and stores are at the left end of the house, the servant’s hall (now the dining room) is in the centre, and there are more rooms for stores or bedrooms at the right-hand end, back.
There are plenty of cupboards in the basement, and a door leads down to the cellar.
The Yard
The stables with three horses are opposite the backdoor across the yard. There are three stalls, a tack room, a tiny office with a desk, and a storeroom.
The coach house is above, with the stairs up (enclosed) at the right-hand end of the building.
Beside this and back towards the rear wall is the machine room with the two boilers, and other equipment, stores, etc.
This yard takes up half the length of Delamere House and is separated from the garden by a wall. A gardener keeps the garden.
The Coach House
Entering the upstairs apartment from the stairs, you’re faced with a corridor. First, on the right is the kitchen, while the sitting room is on the left.
Next to the sitting room, front, is Baxter’s bedroom. The spare room (now Charlie’s) is at the back overlooking the park. Both are a decent size. The bathroom is in the middle/back between Charlie’s room and the kitchen. There is also an attic space, which isn’t much used.
