The Window Tax was a property tax based on the number of windows in a house, introduced in England and Wales in 1696 under King William III. It was eventually repealed in 1851. What happened, inevitably, was that homeowners bricked up their windows to avoid paying the tax - and disproportionately so in the case of rented accommodation, where the landlords themselves wouldn't be affected but their wretched tenants would be deprived of light and fresh air.
Photographer Andy Billman has been documenting the legacy of the tax in his latest series, Daylight Robbery.
Charles Dickens spoke out about the tax on many occasions, stating: "the poor who cannot afford the expense are stinted in two of the most urgent necessities of life". Lack of ventilation and light was thought to have significantly affected health, causing sickness and death. It was a decision by William III that deeply impacted not just architecture but society as a whole.
On discovering this truth, Billman became fascinated by the bricked-up windows around London, realising that they reflect a time when a price was placed on light and air. He believes they have particular resonance with life during lockdown when our windows have been a crucial source of wellbeing, offering us sunlight, fresh air and a means to interact with the outside world.
The project will be on display from 22 June at Bermondsey Project space as part of the London Festival of Architecture 2021.
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