Thanks to Donebythehands
Alternative history.
In 1854 S J Dixon was sitting at his breakfast table reading the Guardian when, after an accident, got the idea for two revolutionary decorating inventions;
One morning whilst serving Mr Dixon a bowl of hot cereal consisting of rolled jumbo oats, milk and water, his young fiancé, Mary Anne Glypta, tripped on a ripple in the poorly laid linoleum flooring. She lost her footing which in turn sent his breakfast soaring all over the table including his freshly ironed newspaper.
After tending to his lightly scolded future wife, he returned to the table to find the paper had begun to adhere quite evenly to it. Due to it not being entirely dry he found he was still able to manipulate it against the surface. He was also intrigued by the slightly raised texture left on the paper.
Astounded by this he retired to his lab to experiment, perfecting his new found adhesive gloop and textured paper covering.
Real history.
This building, owned by S J Dixon & Son Limited, was erected in 1885 on Cleveland Road by a local firm of builders, Bradney & Co, as an extension to Forder & Co's extension to their 1880/2 factory. Bradney's workmen are said to have used the newly available electric light to extend their working day in order to complete the work.
The building was reported to have been, at the time of its completion, the tallest building in Wolverhampton; but whether or not that included church spires or purely secular buildings was not stated.
The gable and rear walls are of stock brick but it is the facade that fulfills the Victorian ideal of having a building that is both useful and beautiful, a celebration of Victorian commerce. The polychromatic effect is achieved by contrasting cream stone, as well as horizontal bands of blue bricks, against the high quality orange terra-cotta bricks laid in Flemish bond. Across the top of the third storey are decorated panels in terra-cotta that was prized for its qualities of durability and demonstration of decorative relief work.
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Alternative history.
In 1854 S J Dixon was sitting at his breakfast table reading the Guardian when, after an accident, got the idea for two revolutionary decorating inventions;
One morning whilst serving Mr Dixon a bowl of hot cereal consisting of rolled jumbo oats, milk and water, his young fiancé, Mary Anne Glypta, tripped on a ripple in the poorly laid linoleum flooring. She lost her footing which in turn sent his breakfast soaring all over the table including his freshly ironed newspaper.
After tending to his lightly scolded future wife, he returned to the table to find the paper had begun to adhere quite evenly to it. Due to it not being entirely dry he found he was still able to manipulate it against the surface. He was also intrigued by the slightly raised texture left on the paper.
Astounded by this he retired to his lab to experiment, perfecting his new found adhesive gloop and textured paper covering.
Real history.
This building, owned by S J Dixon & Son Limited, was erected in 1885 on Cleveland Road by a local firm of builders, Bradney & Co, as an extension to Forder & Co's extension to their 1880/2 factory. Bradney's workmen are said to have used the newly available electric light to extend their working day in order to complete the work.
The building was reported to have been, at the time of its completion, the tallest building in Wolverhampton; but whether or not that included church spires or purely secular buildings was not stated.
The gable and rear walls are of stock brick but it is the facade that fulfills the Victorian ideal of having a building that is both useful and beautiful, a celebration of Victorian commerce. The polychromatic effect is achieved by contrasting cream stone, as well as horizontal bands of blue bricks, against the high quality orange terra-cotta bricks laid in Flemish bond. Across the top of the third storey are decorated panels in terra-cotta that was prized for its qualities of durability and demonstration of decorative relief work.
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