Thorneholme Road, The Croft

House. 1890 with alterations c1905. Designed by George T Brown. For Joseph L Thompson. Interiors refitted by William J Neatby. Red brick and tile-hung, with plain tile roofs. 2 brick stacks. 2 storey. South front has central doorway with glazed door and wooden hood. Single light plain sashes and a dormer window. Canted bay windows with cross-casements. Interior - largely date to Neatby's refitting c1905. Very original Art Nouveau style fittings. Staircase hall is panelled with open well stair, panelled ceilings and fitted cupboards with stained glass. Most rooms retain similar features. Fine group of tiled fireplaces with wooden surrounds and tile fronts, most with beaten brass hoods and fittings. Many rooms have fitted cupboards and doors with stained glass and brass furniture. Some of the windows have stained glass. Listed for the extremely rare and unusual Art Nouveau decoration and fittings {1}. Substantial suburban villa similar to others in Ashbrooke, designed by local architect George T Brown for Joseph Thompson, shipbuilder, and chairman of Robert Thompson's and Sons of Southwick Yard and Bridge Dockyard. In the 1891 census return, the address of The Croft is 15 Thornhill Terrace. In 1933 following the death of Thompson's son Errol, the house was bought and opened as a school, later known as Tonstall School and currently subsumed within Sunderland High School. The house became a residential cantre for people with learning difficulties in 1993, until being bought for conversion to residential in 2002. William James Neatby (1860-1910) is well known for decorative tile work and terracotta scultpure for Doultons. His most notable works include Harrods' Meat Hall, Knightsbridge 1903, Fox and Anchor Public House, Farringdon, London; Orchard House, Great Smith Street, London; Royal Arcade in Norwich 1899, the Emporium in Northampton, Café Turkey in Leicester, Everard's Printing Works in Bristol and the New Palace Theatre in Lynmouth. His work was influenced by John Keats' poems.