Floors were generally constructed of brick laid directly on the ground and the walls had no damp-proof courses. Cast iron fireplaces, consisting of a coal-fired open grate with a boiler box on one side and an oven on the other, were the sole means of heating and cooking. Disposal of household rubbish and night soil consisted of dumping into the Humber at any convenient tide.
Buildings usually featured brick floors laid directly on the ground, without any moisture barriers. The primary method of heating and cooking was through cast iron fireplaces, which consisted of an open coal-burning grate with a boiler box and oven. Household waste and sewage were disposed of by dumping into the Humber at high tide.