Shops with Flats above, 1-4, Balgores Square, Gidea Park, Romford

The Bank premises, on the left of the drawing, are intended to be faced with hand-made Wrotham brindled stocks, with pilasters, cornices and general stonework in Portland, the roofs covered with variegated hand-made tiles.  The corner block is finished with rough cast, having slightly trowelled surface, the chimneys and exposed brickwork in Sussex brindled wood burnt stocks, and the roofs covered with stained hand-made tiles. The tile hung portion to be slightly toned tiles, and the timber framing to be in oak with waney edges. Generally the buildings are designed so that each block is complete in its own particular style of architecture, care being taken that no materials or style of later date is introduced than that upon which the design is based, so that when complete it requires but a few years to give it the appearance of a typical market place. [“The Hundred Best Houses – the book of the House and Cottage Exhibition 1911” published for the Exhibition Committee, 1911]

“The Hundred Best Houses – the book of the House and Cottage Exhibition 1911” includes an architect’s impression of a proposed shopping centre in Squirrels Heath Avenue. Though not built in its entirety it was partly built as 1-4 Balgores Square. There is no evidence that the corner shop (No 1) ever became the bank imagined in the text.