Du Cane Court | Balham | Art Deco
Du Cane Court, Balham High Road, London, SW17
Original apartment rental prices at Du Cane Court
Rental prices in Du Cane Court
To see the room types check out the floor plans here
They may seem cheap but remember in 1937 that £60 per annum rental for a tiny studio apartment would be around £3,363.37 in todays money. Oh wait yeah okay that’s very cheap for an apartment in London and no way could you rent for £280 a month maybe a week you will find something.
PLANS OF FLATS AND MAISONETTES AT DU CANE COURT
PLAN OF ONE-ROOMED FLAT TYPE “A”
PLAN OF ONE-ROOMED SHARED BATHROOM FLAT.
In all Flats, cupboard accommodation is excellent. In those bedrooms with two cupboards, one cupboard is fitted with shelves and one with one shelf and chromium plated rod under.
Page 8 depicts the Dust Chutes and reads as follows;
DUST CHUTES
No. 1. Illustration shows Hop- per closed and in position by sink.
No. 2. Illustration shows garbage being deposited into Hopper.
No. 3. Illustration shows con- tainer in basement being removed for disposal of contents.
A special feature of every flat and maisonette in the first section of Du Cane Court is the method employed for the immediate dis- posal of dust and garbage. Close to the sink a Hopper has been installed, into which dust and garbage is deposited. The refuse is thus conveyed to a container in the basement. These contain- ers are daily emptied, and the contents disposed of by incinera- tion. See illustrations.
These individual dust chutes are only available in the first section.
The text on page 7 follows on from Page 6 and reads;
illustration portrays a kitchenette of the type provided in all the large flats.
Note.-In the Second Section of Du Cane Court gas is not available. Kitchenettes, etc., are all electric.
BATHROOMS.
A pedestal hand-basin is provided, with running hot and cold water, and the enclosed panelled bath is fitted with a mixing valve to the hot and cold taps. This ensures a steady flow of water at a constant temperature, as required. The walls round the bath are tiled, and a low-down lavatory cistern and a white enamelled medicine cabinet have been installed. The chromium plated heated towel airer which has been provided will be found both convenient and efficient.
All Bathrooms have jointless flooring and a coved skirting.
TENANTS at Du Cane Court are drawn from all parts of London and from the four corners of the world. We have extremely interesting people in residence who have come from India, Canada, China, South Africa, etc., but the majority of our tenants are those occupying posts in and around the City, Whitehall and Victoria. In addition, the convenience and lux- ury-and our moderate rentals- have attracted many former dwellers from Knightsbridge, Kensington, Bayswater, etc.
It also has illustrations of the Kitchenette and Bathroom
KITCHENETTE
BATHROOM
The original sales brochure text reads as follows;
(and carries on from page 5)
and arrange for any extra services they may require. Informa- tion can be obtained as to the moderate charges at which all extra services are provided, on request. There is, for instance, a window cleaning service and arrangements have been made for the easy collection and delivery of laundry.
FLAT SERVICE.
A full service is provided if required, and comprises the vacuum cleaning of all carpets, dusting of flats, cleaning of kitchen and bathroom, making beds and cleaning shoes. The charge made is according to individual requirements. Maids available for any period from 1 hour, provided reasonable notice is given to the management.
KITCHENETTES.
The kitchenettes are as complete and labour-saving as modern equipment can make them. They are fitted with a kitchen cabinet, a white glazed porcelain sink complete with teak draining board, white glazed tiles round sink, and chromium easy clean” fittings. Gas and electricity is available and power points are provided for cooker, refrigerator and iron. The
GARAGE ACCOMMODATION. There is ample garage accommodation close at hand, but provision will be made, if found necessary, for private garages for tenants’ use at the rear of site.
STORAGE SPACE.
There are ample storage facilities in the basement for luggage boxes etc., in the shape of special lock-up cubicles, for which a small monthly, quarterly or annual charge will be made.
It also includes an illustration of the bedroom entitled;
BEDROOM
The text from the original sales brochure of Du Cane Court:
ELECTRICITY.
Electricity is provided for lighting, heating and cooking at the low rate of d. per unit, subject to a small quarterly fixed charge according to the size of the flat.
GAS.
Gas is laid on in the First Section and is charged for at the rate of 8 d. per therm plus a meter rent of sd. per month.
POSTAL FACILITIES.
A letter chute is provided in a convenient position on every floor, and connects with a postal box in the central entrance hall, which postal box is cleared at all usual collecting times, by arrangement with the Postmaster-General.
TELEPHONES.
Telephone call boxes for the convenience of tenants are installed in the central entrance hall, and at the end of each wing on the ground floor. A conduit is laid throughout the building for the ready wiring of private telephone connections to any flat should tenants desire individual connection to the Post Office Exchange.
JAPANESE GARDENS.
The gardens have been laid out by the famous Japanese landscape art- ist, Seyemon Kusumoto. Roof gard- ens are provided at the end of the east and west wings. The centre wing also provides a roof garden directly connecting with the restaurant, where, in warm weather, meals may be enjoyed in the open air.
GENERAL MANAGEMENT.
A resident manager resides on the premises and is available at all reasonable times to attend to tenants
Also show an illustration of a dining room at Du Cane Court
This text was automatically generated from the image and may contain minor errors.
Original text from the Du Cane Court Sales Brochure:
The text continues from the previous page 3.
having been tested for their qualities in respect of the saving of labour in housework. The kitchenettes and bathrooms are equipped with hygienic finish “easyclean” fittings, and sanitary arrangements are in accordance with the best modern standards. Pelmet boards and runners to the windows are supplied and fixed gratis, to all flats. All electric fittings (ceil- ing pendants excepted) are complete, and include skirting points, switches, and electric fires. Tenants provide own ceiling pendant fittings from the wires, which are left bare.
PRIVATE BALCONIES.
An attractive open-air space is available to many of the flats by the provision of private balconies which overlook the gardens but cannot be overlooked themselves.
RADIO. Every flat is provided with a com- bined electric clock and radio. The radio has volume control and selec- tor switches, and is atmospheric free. There will always be a choice of two programmes available.
ENTRANCE-HALL RECEPTION-LOUNGE.
The central entrance hall at Du Cane Court is of ample dimensions, and has been adequately furnished for use as a reception lounge for Tenants’ visitors.
RESTAURANT AND CLUB.
On the 7th floor is a large and well-appointed restaurant, for the use of tenant-members of Du Cane Court Club. The Club is licensed, and during permitted hours, wines, spirits, etc., can be obtained. A snack lounge bar is also provided, for the serving of light meals. Membership subscription to Du Cane Court Club is only 5/- per annum.
RESTAURANT
Text reads:
EVERY CONSIDERATION has been given to the planning of Du Cane Court in order to ensure that all flats have the utmost light and air. Every room, including kitchens and bathrooms, have windows opening directly to light and air.
The first section of the building is erected in the form of the letter E and is set well back from the High Road. Tenants of the front flats are immune from the discomfort of the dust
and noise inevitable to a main thoroughfare, whilst tenants of the east and west wings will enjoy similar comfort, as these wings are set well back from the boundaries of the site.
The second section, now under construction, immediately joins the first and is of similar construction except that the inside of the wings open up two delightfully airy flower garden courts. The conveniences are in every way the same.
The building is fire resisting throughout. The maisonettes on the ground and first floors are approached by terraces around the centre gardens. The central entrance to the flats above is approached by in-and-out drives for cars, with separate paths for pedestrians. By this means the utmost privacy possible is obtained for tenants of maisonettes, and it permits the tenants of flats above to drive or walk to the central main entrance.
The flats at the end of each wing, facing Balham High Road, have separate entrance halls and lifts independent of the main central entrance hall.
Internally, every detail, such as window fittings, door handles, finger plates, floor and wall finishes, have received very careful thought, and have only been approved after
ENTRANCE HALL
The flats in Du Cane Court were rented individually over the years after its initial construction in 1935. In order to facilitate the initial rental of these apartments though Central London Property Trust Ltd created a rental brochure. The brochure shows the flat layouts with floor plans, emphasised the easy living with services and the quick and cheap transport into central London. Original rentals ranged from £60 per annum to £200 per annum.
Click an image to read more about each page and see a larger picture.
As can be seen in the image below CENTRAL LONDON PROPERTY TRUST, really sold the convenience of Du Cane Court. DU CANE COURT is a magnificent and up-to-date building providing distinctive living accommodation varying from the comfortable single-roomed flat to the none-the-less cosy six-roomed flat or maisonette, complete with every modern convenience, at most economical rentals. It is situated in Balham, S.W.17, and is within one minute of the Southern Railway and Tube Stations, and only nine minutes from Victoria, and has five delightful green commons all within easy reach.
The restaurant was sadly destroyed in 1945 and all the space for the restaurant and club has been converted into living accomodations.
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