11 & 12 Westbrook Villas

11 and 12 Westbrook Villas Two elegant examples of middle Victorian villas with unusual transverse brick construction (Flemish bonding) and an impressive flight of stone steps up to the front doors. Originally they had first floor cast iron balconies across both houses. No 11 has two special distinctions. Firstly it was built for William Hobson, S&D Railway's Head of Passenger Services who worked directly under George Stevenson. Secondly, William's son, Victor William Garribaldi Hobson, an artist, was acclaimed as a genius by his contemporaries. He won many distinctions and his work is represented in Manchester City Art Gallery, Bowes Museum and Darlington Art Centre. No 12 was designed, built and occupied by locally well known builders and architects Thomas Hodgson and his son William. In 1873 they built on an off-shoot which included an indoor WC and bath, surely very advanced for the times. William Hodgson designed Pease's Mill Chimney (listed but still subsequently destroyed !!),The theatre in Northgate, Westbrook buildings etc.