Larder, 5 feet by 4 feet 6 inches. Coal cellar, watercloset, tool shed and small paved yard. Verandah in front.
First floor:
Bedroom No. 1, 17 feet by 13 feet 6 inches.
Bedroom No. 2, 13 feet by 8 feet.
Attic Bedroom, 10 feet by 8 feet 7 inches.
Linen cupboard.
The total cost, including fencing, laying out garden, etc., was £280. The house, it will be seen, has no "parlour," but one large living room measuring 17 feet by 16 feet without the ingle-nook and large square bay window. It is an exceedingly attractive and comfortable room, and the sensible idea is appreciated by many of the tenants. The tastes of others are met by the ordinary arrangement of a separate kitchen and parlour.
The picturesque and comfortable houses have a charming setting. They are set back from the road and grouped in such manner as to give each house the best use of the sun—an important matter often neglected in the planning of even expensive houses, and absolutely ignored by the speculative builder. It follows that there are no monotonous roads in Bournville; natural grouping arises from attention to aspect. Each cottage has one-eighth to one tenth of an acre of garden. The gardens are laid out when the houses are built, so that the tenant has not to begin by breaking up uncultivated land. Lines of fruit trees are planted, and these, besides yielding a good supply of fruit, form a pleasant screen between the gardens. As a rule, the tenants take a keen interest in their gardens, and cultivate them with great success. In addition to the cottage gardens there are about 100 allotments, which are eagerly sought after by the inhabitants of the neighbouring manufacturing villages. There are two gardening classes for young men. Two professional gardeners with a staff are in charge of the gardening department, and are always ready to give whatever information and advice may be required, but each tenant is responsible for the cultivation of his own garden. It is a notable fact that the gardens are found to yield, on the average, 1s. 11d. each per week. Gardening is lovingly fostered by the Village Council already referred to. The members of this Council, whose services are rendered voluntarily, are elected by ballot, and the annual elections and by-elections evoke considerable interest. Through this body arrangements are made for the co-operative purchase of plants, shrubs, and bulbs in great numbers; gardening tools such as mowers, rollers or shears, bought for the purpose, are let on hire; a loan library of gardening books has been formed; also a gardening association with periodical inspections of gardens; while lectures are arranged for the winter, and excursions for the summer. Further, the Council has established and managed with conspicuous success flower shows and an annual fête for the children. The bath-house and children's playground are also under its control.
The roads are 42 feet wide, and are all planted with trees. Out of the 100 acres laid out for building 14 acres have been reserved as open spaces, including parks, green, and children's playgrounds. It is part of the plan that in no part of the little community should children be far removed from a proper playground.
I have already referred to the rate of infantile mortality in Bournville. It may be added that the death-rate for 1904, as certified by the local Medical Officer of Health, was 6.9 per 1,000. The rate for Birmingham for the same year was 19.3. In his report for 1900 the Medical Officer of Health referred to Bournville as follows:—"I have in my previous reports made mention of the model buildings on the estate which has been laid out by Mr George Cadbury. I cannot refrain from again mentioning how much I admire the system he has adopted. The object of the dwellings has been to give plenty of light and air with a good deal of air space to each house with sufficient land adjoining, and so insure a 'breathing lung' for the inhabitants of these houses. The houses are moreover built on modern principles, and no pains have been spared to make them as dry and free from insanitary conditions as possible. In addition, open spaces have been laid out so that at all times there can never be any danger of increasing the density of the population over the area on which the buildings have been erected. I cannot speak too highly of these dwellings, and I can only hope that we may be able to keep all dwellings as far as possible up to this standard."