Page 40 - KBHA Bulletin 10

37

reasonable. They accepted this extra with a Variation Order on 30 May 1944. They were
also issued with a further Variation Order for the demolition of the remaining cottages on

site. This they did as the contract progressed. The problem now of finding alternative
accommodation was much reduced as the handover of the first 4 flats of Contract Two

commenced on 2 November 1944, and continued steadily until completion on 22 June

1945. (Fig. 1.17). The maintenance-free period of 6 months was applied to the various
handover dates. Another Variation Order was for 460 foot of rough stone walling between

the blocks of flats.

The subcontractors on the Miller Brothers contract included well known names at that time
in the building industry, two of whom are still in business to this day – Robertson and

Walton plumbers and Scheltema & Co. roofers. The extras to this contract were quite

considerable and totalled nearly £4,000 which included enlarging 23 kitchens, adding a
caretaker’s store and office, demolition of old cottages, erecting twenty-seven additional

stores for gear in the basement of the flats once levels had been taken, adding further

retaining walls as well as dividing walls between flats. The final account, drawn up by
quantity surveyors Gurney and Hustwick, took over two years to complete as it was further

complicated, not only by the extras, but also by the untimely death of the Clerk-of-Works,
Mr. Archer, who passed away before completion of the contract.

Other costs were also incurred over a gradual period from the completion of Contract Two

until 1949. These included the priority of building a children’s playground, especially as

letters had been written to Council warning them that they might be held responsible for
any motor accident that occurred as the children’s only playground was in the streets, and

the corner between Harris Road and Harbour Road was particularly dangerous. The
Housing Committee were duly instructed to clear an area of burrweed (a stinging type of

nettle) and finance was voted for the creation of a playground.