QUERN ANNE'S MANSIONS, ST. JAMES'S PARK, LONDON.

Inangahua Times, Volume V, Issue 43, 14 June 1878, Page 2

QUERN ANNE'S MANSIONS, ST. JAMES'S PARK, LONDON.

('From a London Correspondent of' the Argus.) Ono of tbo novel foaturos of lifo in London is thosohorao that is boing cars riodby Mr llonry Allers Ilankoy. in tho Queen Anno Mansions, overlooking S'» Jamoß«is Park. Mr Ilankoy is a man of energy nnd shrowdnoss, who has soon that, with all our nnyanood civilisation, thoro are many things in our social systemopon to improvement which would tend to make lifoploosantor, and froo us from some of fhoso cares ond anxiotieo which prevail in somo household's. Having seen something of tho world ns a traveller, it struck him- that notwithstanding the- ox elusivoncss with wliich our countrymen guard their domostio honrtb,. and view with disapproval hotel life for families, some system might be devised whioh would oombino tbo many nnd varied advantages of residenoo in fiirst -class hotels or of belonging to a club, with all tho social ploasuros of tho family circle. At first sight it might wcom di Hi cult to aota*

bine nil thoso in ono nbode, without the apparently different systems clashing ono with the other, but ho hrn suoceoded in overcoming tho difficulties, and tbo 1 result is Hint tho Queen Anne's mansions are proving n great success. So far thoy havo for inmates only thoso moving in 1 good society,* and who nro possessed of somo moans, but there is no reason why a somewhat similar system should not bo adopted hy pooplo in a lower position in : lifo, nnd in much poorer circunistnncos. Mr Hankoy's schemo may bo briefly stated to bo as follows ?— To provido in a largo mansion or block of mansions con* nected ono with tho other accommodation for n number of families or single residents of either sex, who would hnvo thoir own suites of apartments, consisting of sitting-rooms, bedrooms, bnthrooms.&c , but who could havo tho advautago of living to a certain extent in community if thoy ploasod. Each suito is nbsolutoly privato, ond shut off from tho rost of tho building, but all tho appurtenances of ft first-class mansion aro at tlw command of tho inmates. With privney they may hoyo advantages possessed only by vory largo establishments, (i-rst-olnss dining and billiard rooms, nnd in foot ovorytbing conducive to comfort and luxury. Persons who wish to livo in a fashionnblo quarter of London, to bo in tho centro of goioty and close to tho parks, have to pay an enormous rental for n soitabh) residence, and largo staffs of servants to bo kopt up, entailing prodorkionato expense. I fad Mr Hankey reported to tho ordinary praoiico of building houses throe, four or fivo storios high, tho area of ground that would have to bo covered in ordor to carry out his project would havo required a fortuno of no ordinnrv magnitude to purchaso it: To nehiovo success amongst tlw class ho sought lo intorost, it was obsolutoly necessary thatho should obtain - tho bost possible site, and ho succooded, but the aren requisite wns lessened by building an odilieo of 13 storios, includ* ing tho baseraont instead of ono of four or livo, thereby increasing threefold tho amount of accommodation ho conld givo and not add ono penny to tho oxpensoof the land. Tho finished wins has 33 suites of a part ments, varying from n sitting-room, bed and buth room,, forming the bachelors* tenement, to 10 rooms for a family, that boing tho largest siae of one suito. Tho wing npprcaching completion has 48: suites, and the soveral others- that nre plannud will oontain about ft similar number. The wholo block will havo from 250 10300 suites, nnd thus accommodate that number of families, or at any mto distinot establishments. Some of the rooms in overy suite face tha park, ond , have the look-out which has boon dos- , eribod, exto»dii>g from the upper stories, on a clear day, for a considerable distance over North London and westward, whilst in thoso apartments containing tO rooms, fivo have that aspect the others over* looking the pleasure-grounds belonging to tho mansions. Tho wholo of the buildings into of strictly fireproof construction, and tho twelve stories ahove the basement, into served by hydraulic lifts, and have a vonmrute stuireitso common to evory suite in ono wing.. Euch suito is distinot from another, nnd of conrso oil the rooms in It aro one floor several communicating one with- nnotlver by folding doors, which latter work or* tho latest and most improved noisolcs roHors. One drawback, often mot with in> continental suites is avoided, evory room| having a separato ogress on to tho private corridor. A lottor box is fi-xod in Iho* front door'' of overy suito> and for tlio covenienoo of inmates, in these days of correspondence thero is (iixod in the inner wall another letter-box communiooting with the basement, in i which lottors-lor despatch may bodroppod and these nro at onco clearod for the noxt post.. A further convenience is afforded by a , waste-box-' similarly fixed in tho wall on openinglwhich tho housemaid oan deposit her handful of dustor Huff w htch nt onoo- falls to tho lower rogions, and is immediately consumed in ono of iho furnaocs. In oach wing aro threo lilts, ono for rosidonts nnd visitors, another for servants, and a third for the supply of msals <&o. Evory room- in the building has communication with a central offroo downstnirs,whenoo nil' orders are givon out by means, of pneumatic bolls |ihd spooking tubes, of whioh thoro aro between 15 nnd 16 milos in tho building. Tho staff of sorvants, wli^'oro of n supcior class, aro under tho coro of on experienced managor and' housokoopor, ond a proportionate ahnro of tho cxpenso of mantaining thorn is dofrayod by each tenant, who is thusrohovod of many household cares* Ono quarterly paymont, indopond'ont of ront and ttxes, oovors not only tho oost of tho entiro staff but also tho wator and publio gas sorvioes, tho oloaning tbo windows nnd chimnies, nnd oven tho insuring tho furniture nnd wind* ing tbo clocks. Ench suito is provided with a gas motor, so inside his own i cattlo' tbo tenant pays only for what bo consumes* AN the inmates oan follow their own- pfcnsuro as to having thoir meals in the- general dining-room or in their own apartments, They cnn ordor what thoy pleiwe,. tho samo as if they woro in an ordinary honso, nnd all purchases — whioh are- mado by tbe staff— aro charged at primo cost, perhaps less than would hnvo to bo paid under ordinary circumstances. If tho rosideuis are sociably inclined they cnn mix in tho general rooms, or they can keep strictly

*o themselves iv their own suites, tho 'samo as if they woro in a detached houseAn account of tho Qnoon Anne's man* sions would bo inrompleto without somo particulars as to tho ooit of living. Mr Hnnkoy's prosont scheme, ns wo havo said, is for tho benofit of tho upper classes —of thoso who re glad to bo relioved of many household cares— who are not poor, but who nro glad to obtain hy the means of community and union, speoial advantages at a moio modorato cost than they would be nbto to procure if each tenant had a sopnrato establishment and rosidonoo* So many hnvo been tho application* of would-bo tenants that thero has been some difficulty in deciding who should bo admitted. Needless to say, with such an ctnbarms etc richest**, that tho inmates nro soloot, mouibcrs of tbo aristocracy, or of tho upper middlo classes, moving in * good society/ boing the only ones to soouro a footing. Amongst thoso who aro '. domieilod in tho mansions nro Sir Dighton Probyn, comptroller to tho Prince of Wales, and others of similar social standing, Suites aro lefc on a threo yoars' tenancy, not loss j the tenants hnvo thoir rooms papered and fitted according to their own fancy, and furnish thorn os thoy please, at their own cost. Tho ront ond rates amount on nn avorogo to about £/3<> por annum per room, whiob may appear n t consider iblo sum, but it must bo romem- , bored '.hot tho premises occupy tho best position in London, nud a suito of oight or ten rooms, comprising only reception, and bedrooms, with no accommodation required for servants or kitchons, etc., costing £100 or £500 a year, would be occupied by n family that would hnvo to pny ot least two or throo times that amount for a suitablo mansion, with all tho requisite surroundings, but affording thorn no moro individual accommodation in tho most fashionable quarter of B'olgravia or in Park Lane. In tho samo way thoproportionate cost of servants, etc.. is farloss than would have to bo paid by a. , . family of position iv thoir own house. In conclusion it may bo said that by o> judicious combination of hotel, club, ami domostio lifo, Mr ITnnkoy has managedto soouro for those who bavo takon up thoir abodo- in. Quoon Anno's mansions,, comploto domesticity, coupled with all tho advantages of the most luxurious mansions, of somi-publio places of entertainment, attho most modorato cost, It only devolves, upon othors, who appreciate- his objeot : aud sco it* success, to ndopt tho samo prinoiplo for kindred undertakings. Up. to the present Mr IBankoy has carried outr tl,.' projyct himself, but in order lo com*. pi to tlio extensions, ho intends forming a. limited oompnny.