Left: English Aesthetic interior of the 1880’s – complete with Japanese-inspired black lacquered ‘bamboo’ furniture and Chinese blue and white china. The division of the wall with a wallpaper wainscoting was typical of the period.
Right: An interior of 1898 in Fulham, London. (From “19th Century Decor” by Charlotte Gere p290) The black chair behind the table is a version of William Morris’ “Sussex” chair which had its origins in a vernacular chair found in the local countryside. Richly coloured portieres hang in the doorways of both rooms –very decorative but also useful for keeping in heat and blocking out drafts. 

Political forces were also at work changing accepted architectural styles for institutional buildings. The British Education Act of 1874 took away the stranglehold that church schools had on education, and opened up universal education to all.

That significant political change called for a new architectural style.  Gothic – long associated with churches – was no longer appropriate for schools. Queen Anne – a style not associated with any religion – was the preferred choice for schools now managed by the newly-established School Boards. Red-brick schools with white sash windows symbolically rose above crowded terrace house neighbourhoods in London and other cities, as beacons of universal education.

That political influence for schools continued in Canada through the late 1800’s and into the twentieth century. Queen Anne was the preferred style for new school buildings in many cities, as red-brick landmark buildings were constructed for the newly-established Board system of education in North America.

South Park School, Victoria, B.C. 1894. A Queen Anne building in red brick with small paned white sash windows, a finial, roof cresting and a gothic screen in the gable. .

Queen Anne in North America

When the Queen Anne style flew across the Atlantic, it was embraced by stylish enthusiasts in both Canada and the United States. The style gave rise to a different sort of dwelling than those seen in England, but Queen Anne homes are now instantly recognizable as being the epitome of “Victorian” architecture.

The Queen Anne style shone brightest in single family homes. There, the true individuality of the style was given free reign, both inside and out. Exuberant exteriors used every available architectural device to make a statement of richness, asymmetry and design. An undecorated surface was apparently frowned on by the architects of the day.

Typical features of Queen Anne included towers or semi-towers, and extensive and elaborate woodwork – often using typical motifs such as fan shapes or ‘sunbursts’ – resulting in richly decorated surfaces, using shingles, siding, turned work and more.

Two views of a Queen Anne house in Eureka, California, with exuberant woodwork, and a non-original colour scheme. Many more colours would have been used on the house when it was constructed. The tower, elaborate woodwork and fancy-cut shingles used for wall covering are easily recognized Queen Anne design elements. Note the fan-shaped woodwork in the window bracket to the left of the porch.