Prof. Stokes' "Flat"

[Philippe Cordier]

A while ago there was a discussion -- I think I started it -- about Professor Timothy Eliot Stokes' living quarters.

I was trying to figure out if Stokes lived in an apartment and I think my conclusion was that he did; others disagreed, believing it to be a house.

In one of yesterday's episodes, in talking about her father's death, Carolyn referred to Professor Stokes' "flat."

Julia Hoffman also used the same designation in a recent opening voice over.

Just thought I'd mention it.

Also, it's odd that they would use a British term, isn't it?  Or do they call apartments "flats" in New England?

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Also, it's odd that they would use a British term, isn't it?  Or do they call apartments "flats" in New England?

Not in any parts of NE that I'm aware of - and I've lived here for more than 40 years...

[Philippe Cordier]

Not in any parts of NE that I'm aware of - and I've lived here for more than 40 years...

 

I've always liked the term "flat," though.  I think I was introduced to it when reading one of my favorite children's novels, "The Hundred and One Dalmations" by Dodie Smith.

[Luciaphile]

Well, no idea about the New England terms for apartments. Here in Buffalo, we have "uppers" and "lowers" and when they're used in context of real estate, they have nothing to do with drugs

I was one of the people who thought Stokes had a house, but I've come around to your way of thinking.

BTW, Dodie Smith--have you read I Capture the Castle yet? Great book and they're making it into a movie

[sheenasma]

I live in what is technically a flat....one of those turn of the century "three flatters", but everyone says apartment....and I am in Maine.

[Carol]

The term "flat" that I am familiar with is: a two story house for two separate families. Each family lives in a "flat".  It consists of one main front entrance that leads to a foyer with a door to lower flat and stairs to upper flat.  Each flat usually consists of a living room, dining room, kitchen w/pantry and either 2 or 3 small bedrooms,  and a bathroom. Rear foyer is smaller with exit door from first floor and stairs from second floor that exit onto a back porch. The attic and cellar could be shared.  These houses sometimes came with a small backyard and detached 2 car garage.
   This is the type of house that I grew up and lived in for 25 years in upstate NY.
 

[Philippe Cordier]

Looks like my previous reply crossed path's with Carol's most interesting explanation.  At first I was going to say, "That's a duplex!" ... but upon reading further, I'd have to say "Hmmmm!"  I'm not familiar with the type of house you describe.

If that's what Stokes has, whom do you suppose is the other occupant???

[Raineypark]

My father often referred to one particular residence of his childhood in Queens, NY as "The Flats".  It was a multi-storied building with what's usually referred to as "railroad" flats: full-floor apartments, in which each room opened on to the next, from the front to the back of the building, with no hallways.  This was the early 1900's.

Today, those railroad flats have probably been turned into 'lofts' and sold for a half-a-million a piece. 

As for why they used the term 'flat' on DS.....it was the late 60's/early 70's.  Flying to London cost less than driving to Florida.  Lots and lots of New Yorkers went over and came back with British clothes, hair styles, expressions and accents.   

[Cassandra]

They use to use the term "Flat" years ago and it was used alot when the immigrants first arrived over in this country.   I remember reading up on my Father's side of the family history when his parents first arrived over here from Italy.  In one of the paragraph's it read "they had found rooms and were living in a "cold water Flat.,"  which meant an apartment with only cold water available and no hot water as of yet.

They used this term alot to describe the living conditions of the early immigrants in the early 1900's arriving in New York.


Cassandra

[Ben]

Also, it's odd that they would use a British term, isn't it?  Or do they call apartments "flats" in New England?

Not in any parts of NE that I'm aware of - and I've lived here for more than 40 years...

Are you sure you haven't been living a sheltered life out there, MB? 

I guess I didn't realize that the term is so regional.  Here in Chicago, older, smaller apartment buildings are referred to as "two-flats," "three-flats," etc.   Each flat would occupy the entire floor of the building.

But it was a nice, subtle touch for the writers to use an English reference to describe the living quarters of the erudite Professor Stokes.  I mean, would any of us be comfortable hearing Julia or Barnabas say, "I'm heading over to Prof. Stokes' pad ..."?

Ben

[Carol]

Looks like my previous reply crossed path's with Carol's most interesting explanation.  At first I was going to say, "That's a duplex!" ... but upon reading further, I'd have to say "Hmmmm!"  I'm not familiar with the type of house you describe.

A duplex is a side-by-side two family house but in this case it is one flat on top of another.  My parents & aunt/uncle bought the house in the 40's(it had been built in the late 1890's or early 1900's, I'm not sure which). My parents lived downstairs while my aunt/uncle lived upstairs. All the rooms flowed into one another except the bedrooms. One bedroom was off the dining room while two were off the kitchen.  I did find a real estate website showing these types of house so will find it again and post it here.

[Carol]

Here's the website that I found that shows what two family homes are:

www.gaetanorealty.com/two-fam.html

Each family has a "flat".

[Mysterious Benefactor]

I think the Professor's flat is something that today would be called a condo.

And read what else Gothic had to say in the newly created topic I Capture the Castle & other assorted stories on the Calendar Events / Announcements '03 board.

[jennifer]

i'm with MB!i also have lived in NE all my life and we call them
apartments or duplexs(side by side) by as Steve
pointed out lately they been named condos which
i feel is just to up the price! in Prime Suspect they
call flats something else but it escapes me now!

jennifer
do believe Eliot lived in apartment

[Blue_Whale_Barfly]

Another New Englander here.   Never called flats just apartments, duplexes, condos and dumps.