Where Am I? No 12

[Flattybasher9]

My take on this comment "Why no sign of any human anywhere?" is, basically, a window open in every room upstairs, would suggest that these are bedrooms, being aired in the morning, with inhabitants in the dining room for breakfast.

Regards

Malky

[ScouseBoy]

     There is dog on the path .  And one of the enlargements I can see shadows of faces in the
Window of the tower.     

Right lets regroup on this one.

Tell me whether you agree or disagree with my thoughts.

Not a family home, suggesting convalescent home, nursing home, sanatorium, WW1 hospital etc.

The tower suggesting there is something worth looking at, sea view/harbour being the obvious thought.

Trees in the background. Appear to be leaning to the right suggesting the prevailing wind is coming from the left ie. south west.

The alternative to that is that it was blowing a gale when the photo was taken.

Pine trees, could be many coastal locations in England, Scotland or Wales.

The large amount of open windows in the photo again bringing me back to something like a sanatorium.

The green house/conservatory/orangery, they were built originally to house ornamental plants or tender fruit etc. does this suggest it was originally a family home that had been converted to something else? I don't know if the style of that could help with date. Or again was it built as some form of rehabilitation for the patients.

Lawn appears to be covered in daisies, so not close mown again suggesting some kind of institution etc.

Why no sign of any human anywhere? Odd.

[Little Nell]

I offer the following comments, having searched maps, Google Earth and some reports which mention Vron Yw/Fron Yw house.

Mr George Behrens and his family did live there. 

From this report:
http://www.cpat.org.uk/projects/longer/histland/clwyd/1048.htm  giving sources dated 1986.

Vron Yw is a large house, now a nursing home, rebuilt in 1906 but with building inscriptions of 1655 of an earlier house, approached by a long drive and set in parkland with mature oak, beech, chestnut and plane trees, with fenced land of parkland character below the house.

In 1914, Mr Behrens - along with many other local people - voiced his objections to the proposed building of the sanatorium.  There was concern that the patients would be free to wander the public footpaths, many of which crossed Mr Behrens' estate.

Mr Behrens was High Sheriff of Denbigh in 1917.  He died in 1931, still apparently owner of Vron Yw.

So what date is the mystery photo? 

There is no indication that the house of Vron Yw has undergone a further rebuild since 1906.  The reports say that the rebuilt house (dated 1906) is now used as a nursing home.  Most of us seem to think that the photo was taken later than 1906.  The nursing home closed only within the last five years.

Scouseboy - I'm really sorry, but I can't make these facts fit your hypothesis.

Nell

[Flattybasher9]

" And one of the enlargements I can see shadows of faces in the Window of the tower."

Regards

Malky

[ScouseBoy]

Thank you Nell, that is helpful


I know the people locally to gather further details from.  Leave it with me for a day or two please?

It is pity that my relative no longer lives at the nursing home, because there is an old map inside the house.

[janan]

" And one of the enlargements I can see shadows of faces in the Window of the tower."

Regards

Malky

That's where they put the difficult patients

More seriously I agree with jaywit's points.

The lean of the trees certainly suggests a strong prevailing wind from southwest if we are as we think on the south coast of England. The cowls on the chimneys, as I mentioned earlier, also suggest a windy location. The tree on left looks to be just coming in to leaf so only spring - not that that helps find it - although probably adds weight to the convalescent home or similar hypothesis due to all those windows being open in possibly cool weather. My thoughts on it being a much extended Victorian villa aren't terribly helpful either.

Sorry Scouse Boy I really can't see any likeness between it and the one picture I can find of Fron Yw - it really would have to be a total rebuild. 

[DavidG02]

  Most of us seem to think that the photo was taken later than 1906. 
Nell

I am even happy to suggest a date of 1930-1945 for the photo. I have no knowledge apart ( for me) the quality of the photo. ie pixellation etc

[jaywit]

The big problem is that there is nothing to help with dating it. I wonder if Caz can see any resemblance to the size paper etc. of anything we have found.

That might just help.

[janan]

The big problem is that there is nothing to help with dating it. I wonder if Caz can see any resemblance to the size paper etc. of anything we have found.

That might just help.

Yes it might.

There is also the bay window style - casement rather than sash, most likely 20's or 30's.

Actually the bays on the left hand building are very unusual in that there is no central mullion - seem to be known as French casements nowadays but can't find anything historical about them.