Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure 70
Ashlared gauged work
of delightfully textured
rubbers laid, with
'struck and ruled joints,
at Hampton Court
Palace, Surrey, 1690.
primarily with Flemish bond could lead to the façade brickwork separating
from the backing brickwork, which was obviously of concern.
Pratt's solution was twofold. Increase the size of a brick for use as a rubber
over the standard gauge to facilitate rubbing, cutting, and thin jointing in order
to maintain coursing with the standard walling set in nominal sized mortar beds.
Also, to ensure the linear 'collar-joint' between the two skins of façade and back-
ing brickwork was made solid either as work progressed or by grouting to make
up for the lack of full or through headers.
Dr. Robert Hooke
Dr. Robert Hooke, English chemist and physicist, was also a respected architect
and friend of Sir Christopher Wren. He designed and supervised the building of
a number of London's new churches, putting him in contact with many of the
leading craftsmen as his diary of 1672-80 records. He certainly met and consulted
with Edward Helder, master bricklayer, at the very time he built the fine mas-
terpiece of gauged brickwork for his own house in Enfield (1675) (see Fig. 74;
this now stands in the Victoria and Albert Museum) (Figs 71 and 72).
Hooke's diary entry for Thursday 23rd September 1675 records, '…viewed
Helder's building' (Robinson and Adams, 1968, 182). The entry for Monday
27th September 1675 appears to confirm that he again visited Helder's own
house during its construction:
…View at Helders, Dougate…Discoursed with Rider, Gumbledon, Gooday,
Tooley, Scarborough, Helder.
