Victorian house in London for rent or to letVictorian cottage in West LondonLong term or short term rental - - - available June - September 2006Attractive, charming 2-bedroom terraced turn-of-the-century house with garden in (West) London, England |
Terraced houses on this street were built by the nearby breweries for their workers and families after the huge church St Paul's (1906) was finished, around 1908. That's is probably why residents are not allowed to brew their own beer still! The interiors and exteriors all looked the same back then, with coal sheds and outhouses in the back, and a tin bucket on the wall for Friday afternoon baths.
This particular house was let by the company that owned all these houses to a man named Jack who owned and rented out several other properties nearby. Jack worked at the quality butchers Richardsons on Northfields Avenue his entire life, until his wife became so ill that he had to look after her. It is not certain whether he left or died in 1990. He lived into his nineties.
The company sold the house to a lady by the name of Elizabeth Jane Lippitt Yuill. According to neighbours, she had quit her job as a secretary to become a gourmet chef. She and her boyfriend spent five years renovating the house, adding the Victorian paneling on the downstairs walls which became a characteristic feature of this house. After adding a bathroom upstairs, the relationship between her and her boyfriend deteriorated --- possibly from spending too much time changing the house.
The next owners were a newly married English-Italian couple. They fitted a new kitchen, renovated the garden, and laid the antique mahogany parquet floor. After their daughter was born, they decided to move to Milan.
In May 1998, the next and present owner, having just returned from Rome, visited this property for the first time. It was the 12th property she saw that day, and the last one in the fifth month of her search to find a home suitable for herself and her grand piano. At the end of July, she moved in --- with her grand piano and a month later, her ginger kitten who was born around the time that she discovered this house. She hired tradesmen to repaint the house, remove the gas meter and cabinet beneath the stairs, replace the sash windows with modern double-glazed windows, fit eight large mirrors to the walls, improve the garden, convert the loft, and add roof windows to the kitchen and loft. Her ginger tomcat became the undisputed king of the neighbourhood shortly for 3.5 years, shortly before he was given to a loving couple in Hanwell.
The Residents Association of Ridley Avenue (RARA) was founded in 2002 initially as a neighbourhood watch. At regular meetings, members hear about latest crime statistics and prevention measures. At such meetings, they can also voice their concerns or complaints such as parking, noisy neighbours, etc. Everyone living on Ridley Avenue can be a member. Home insurance is generally lowered for members of neighbourhood watch.
Ridley Avenue is in the catchment area of the sought-after Fielding Primary School. The house falls under Ealing Council Tax Band E. Single inhabitants get 25% discount. Exemptions for full-time students and other categories.
