EotD game at WMMS

[Thunderchicken]

Hi Richard,

Oodles of apologies for not replying sooner. Between them, the chaps have graciously answered for me.

Luckily for your dilema there is absolutely no rhyme and reason with Victorian housing until effective building regulations and public health Acts kicked in during the late ninteenth century. I've got access to thousands of pics of housing through my uni and believe me there is no standard design, just a generic theory. As Svennn said the lower the stock of housing the more basic the structure, especially when you get to slums where you could have a couple of hundred people sharing a handful of communal privies (therefore no need for outhouses). Anyway, the outhouses would be the scullery/kitchen and then toilet/privy/ash pit.

I should have included this question in the last one but forgot.  Why is there no chimney on the scullery?  Are those pipes going up from the scullery roof actually vents;  I originally thought they were drain pipes coming down from the roof.  Any insight on this would be greatly appreciated.  Thank you.  Richard

Which building are you looking at matey? 

[War In 15MM]

Thunderchicken, thanks so much for taking the time to get back on this.  I had a feeling that there probably wasn't a consistency in design, but I wasn't sure how much inconsistency there was.  Let me say that having your builds to serve as both an inspiration and a guide is wonderful.  It has made my project far easier and without a doubt far better than it would otherwise have been.  The second question you asked about was in reference to the scullery and that was clarified for me pretty well.  Once again, thanks so much for posting your wonderful creations.  I always keep my eyes open for them.  Simply wonderful stuff!  Richard

[Thunderchicken]

No worries matey and thanks for the compliment. More coming so watch this space 

if you need any help feel free to ask. 

[kidterminal]

Great I can't wait. Did you use any model railroad plastic kits in the making of this?

[War In 15MM]

Thunderchicken, I know that you are currently in a shop-building phase (and by the way, it looks great), but as stealing ideas from things you have made has become one of my best ideas, let me ask if you have given any consideration to the building of an opium den, and if so, what would it look like from the outside?  I've heard and read about opium dens for years and have this mental picture of some back-alley location (which may or may not be the case), but beyond that I have know vision of what such a structure would look like from the outside.  Have you any plans for one in your Victorian London?  If I'm being too pushy here, I apologize, but just thought it was worth asking.  Thanks.  Richard

[Thunderchicken]

To be honest I havent given an opium den a thought, although I am working on plans for 221b Baker Street and a brothel   Not next door to each other though...................  then again  .

I went to some cracking lectures on Victorian crime while at uni and the general consensus is that there is little evidence of opium dens on a large scale in Victorian London. Their perceived prevalence is down to fictional writers such as Conan Doyle and Dickens who included them in their novels for dramatical effect. Saying that, there is no doubt they existed but they would have been few and far between and probably located around London's Docklands, Limehouse etc. From what I've read they probably would have been a few small rooms accessed by stairs and/or a warren of passageways opening out onto the street via a simple door. Naturally they would have been wretched places in dangerous locations.

All a bit boring if you ask me and as we wargamers like to escape from reality there's no reason why you cant have a decent sized opium den in your game and why not I say!  I reckon the best sources for inspiration would be the film From Hell with Johnny Depp or some of the ITV adaptations of Sherlock Holmes with Jeremy Brett; I think there are opium dens in The Man with the Twisted Lip and The Sign of Four but I'd be happy to be corrected. If you can wait I can check tomorrow for you when I have time.

    

[uti long smile]

Missed this, but it's beautiful. Love the gasworks.

[War In 15MM]

Thunderchicken,  you are right.  Last night I checked my Holmes/Brett DVDs and there is an opium den at the opening of The Man with the Twisted Lip.  It is a shadowy place and the view in the DVD offers more feeling than substance but it is a beginning.  Thanks you.  Richard