Windows 1890s semi in Goulburn

Hello

I bought an 1890s semidetached in Goulburn and have just started renovating it. It's fundamentally very sound and is surprisingly original, and dirty. It was originally a very modest house so there are no ornate ceiling roses or cornices to worry about. Our plan is to renovate the old part of the house very sympathetically to enhance the period features, but install modern kitchen and bathroom in a new extension out the back, budget permitting.

I'm currently working on the windows, they are original timber sash, but they are confusing me because they are quite different from the double-hungs I have in my 1920s ppor.

There does not seem to be any kind of sash cord or spring that counterbalances the sashes to make lifting them easier, and it looks as though there never was anything fitted: there is no cord pulley recessed into the sides. The house was modest so originally fitting a bottom-of-the-range window to save money is a possibility. In fact I think there are single-hung windows (as opposed to double-hung) where the top sash is fixed and does not normally move. They are held up with solid timber pieces with little hinges on them (now painted over) that allow the sash to be lowered a couple of inches.

Any information on these windows would be appreciated.

We've already had a couple of surprises with the place, mostly good. We opened the bricked-up fireplaces to discover that one still has the original 1890s cast iron fire box thingy. Will need some cleaning but could come up very nice. The hole in the floor under a wardrobe was not a nice surprise, but I needed to cut an access hole to get under the house anyway and it would have been there. The damp in the wall turns out to be from the gutter down pipe leaking, plus an adjacent water tank overflowing onto the same wall. Fix the gutter and the wall will dry out nicely.

If anybody knows of other forums that deal with Victorian-era restorations, please let me know.

Thanks.
 
All well and good, but what are you going to do with the sheep? :D

I'll ask a heritage architect I know about the windows.
 
Ok some photos. Two different rooms but the windows are identical. Note that there is no slot for a sash cord. Note also that the top sash is held up by a timber piece with hinge that allows it to be opened up.

Some web research has located some discussions about houses in Vermont USA from about the same period that also have no means of suspending the sash. Apparently, the windows were held open with pieces of timber that had notches cut into them. It is suggested to retro-fit spring balances by routing out the sides of the sashes.
 

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While I'm posting photos: a before and after of the fireplace with the original great.
 

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I had seen windows like that previously but couldn't find anything on them with a quick google. You might try Artarmon Joinery or Fedwood or the Coop bookshop/archi centre for books
 
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