Given Flitcroft House has had so many facelifts and alterations over the decades, the approach to further alteration cannot be eat, sleep, repeat. Note the removal of pillars on the 4th floor, but the plinths remain as a remnant, as well as elongation of window apertures. Roof and eaves alterations to waterproofing, the removal of balconies, square stone columns to circular and of course, painting.

Our initial surveys have been quite light as more intrusive works are planned for early 2025. One of the team’s objectives, is to help return the building to its former honest brick frontage. Therefore, removal of the paint is naturally up for technical discussion in relation to the available and appropriate methods, which one would think par for the course, not quite. If the buildings original intent was to be painted, why build in brick, surely render affords the ease of adding colour and more forgiving bricklaying? It was uncommon for buildings of this era to be painted immediately. Typically, this was done later in efforts to extend life. Painting can upheave a façade, hiding bumps and bruises accrued over time. This is relatively low-cost refurbishment that is not new and not rare.

Here’s the Client and I playing ‘try to remove as little paint as possible to guess the original sign before the other’ – it was a draw. We didn’t do this solely to reveal a historic sign; although nice. We wanted to get samples for lab testing for lead content, informing the method of paint removal later.

What was stirring was the number of paint layers. I counted anywhere from 5 to 7. Let’s say 7, this means the building averages a repaint every 19.4 years. But this is incorrect because we know in 1905 the building was unpainted. So, then we could say average repaint every 17 years, still unlikely given the photos above, why paint a building of this age, rebrand? maybe. My best guess was that the first coat was applied post 1945, suggesting a repaint every c.10-11 years, more reasonable. And, frustratingly I’m still likely incorrect. The lab sample came back showing less than 0.01% lead. Lead-based paint stopped being used in the UK in the late 1970’s and was later banned in early 90s. What’s more impressive is a building of this age not to have lead-based paint on its exterior (excluding painted signs), quite rare… Or someone simply changed their mind in quick succession.

Another interest is seeing two eras adjoining. Note the regular dimensioned London Yellows next to the gauged brick with 3mm pointing and 10mm pointing respectfully. Brick tax ended in 1850 but there was stock in circulation thereafter. The lower London Yellow in this image was likely an extremity of the batch in the kiln whilst firing, the melted perpend the telltale sign. If you gently tapped this brick, it would sound different to its partner above. This is where we get the term “clinker,” the word comes from the Middle Dutch word “klinken”, which means “to ring, resound”. What was more noteworthy were the brush strokes in the paint, this isn’t so obvious but was an indicator that these bricks were either glazed or low-resolution faience, if they were rough, we wouldn’t read the brush strokes so easily. This clue helps determine the appropriate paint removal and restoration.

Here’s Flitcroft Street now:

Here’s Flitcroft Street in 1994, and that’s about as close as Fortis will be getting to Oasis. What throws the two images as straight forward comparison is the repositioning of the iron signage (We wrote previously about not being fussed about signage, this one proved more useful than usual), as you’ll note the 1994 image is located a bay back, and the steps edited.

Lastly, this is the Phoenix Theatre next to Flitcroft Street

And this is the entrance to Flitcroft Street, which is more of an alley. Batman fans, if London ever had a comparison to Gotham this has to be a front runner. You can’t help but draw the parallels with the mortal exit scene for Thomas and Martha Wayne from the Monarch theatre into Park Row (later Crime Alley). For those that enjoy forcing coincidences, there’s a Monarch Theatre in Phoenix, AZ.