HOT PROPERTY

Wednesday 18 April 2012

This restored five-bedroomed property comes with its share of history as standard – plus having a famous former resident.

Custom byline text:

When the local historical society wanted to put a plaque outside Jacqueline Geddes's home, she said no. Granted, the house is the first home of former prime minister Gordon Brown – but it didn't seem right just yet. The property – in Dumbreck on Glasgow's south side – is a former Church of Scotland manse and, as Brown's father was the local minister, the family lived there until Brown was three.

The Victorian property had only one other owner before Jacqueline and her family took ownership two and a half years ago. At the time, says Geddes, the house had been "untouched for about 30 years". With a 27-month-old daughter and an eight-week-old baby, Jacqueline set about renovating the property while on maternity leave – and the entire project, which she single-handedly project managed while her husband was busy working and sitting professional exams, was completed within six months. "It was a tough time," recalls Jacqueline, but the upside was that changes were to her "own taste and free will". "I renovated our old house so I knew what we were in for," she says. The couple had lived around the corner in a semi-detached, and had already admired this handsome property. "I like the fact it was a renovation project, which meant we could put our own stamp on it. And when you're buying an old house, you've got a duty of responsibility. After all, it will be standing long after we're gone." As such, the work was extensive and meticulous. "We basically carried out a full-scale renovation, trying to put the property back into its original state," says Jacqueline. Aluminium windows gave way to traditional wooden sash-and-case replacements, and Jacqueline scoured salvage yards for just the right fireplaces for the living and dining rooms – one fireplace was found outside in the property's old bomb shelter – and the front door was sourced from a salvage yard in Leeds. "I phoned pretty much every salvage yard in the country to find it," she remembers. Other work included replacing all the radiators; lifting all the carpets, sanding the floorboards and replacing broken ones; and paring down the number of bathrooms. The bathroom floor on the half-landing was fitted with beautiful 100-year-old reclaimed Rhodesian teak, sourced from Manchester. As for the interior decor, it's suitably traditional, simple and classy. "I tend to go for a style sympathetic to the age of the property," Jacqueline says, meaning classic period interiors and antique furniture. "And all the wall colours are Farrow & Ball." The shades are beautifully set off by intricate original cornicing in nearly every room. The master bedroom in particular – with its sizeable windows that flood the room with light – features an especially stellar example. But the kitchen is one of Jacqueline's favourite rooms. "I love it," she says. "I coveted an AGA for 10 years and I finally got it. The room has a warm, home-of-the-house feeling about it." The family also spends a lot of time in the kids' playroom. And Jacqueline loves the roll-top bath in the half-landing bathroom – perfect for relaxing after a long day. The garden was spruced up and a kids' play area put in. That, combined with the grand room sizes, the family-friendly location (the house is within spitting distance of Bellahouston Park) and the room for growth, makes the Geddes's property a dream family home. As such, Jacqueline is "devastated" to be leaving the house – "you buy the dream and expectation of what it was going to be in the future," she states – but career commitments are taking the family elsewhere. No doubt their next home will be another project and, in the future, Gordon Brown's former home will make a new family very happy. What: A fully restored detached five-bedroomed Victorian villa. Where: Melfort Avenue, Dumbreck in Glasgow. Price: Offers over £649,999. Contact: Slater, Hogg and Howison on 0141 292 6277.

Commenting & Moderation

We moderate all comments on HeraldScotland on either a pre-moderated or post-moderated basis. If you're a relatively new user then your comments will be reviewed before publication and if we know you well then your comments will be subject to moderation only if other users or the moderators believe you've broken the rules, which are available here.

Moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours. Please be patient if your posts are not approved instantly.

HOT PROPERTY

Commenting & Moderation

MOST READ

SPONSORED LINKS

MOST COMMENTED