Odd wooden patch in brickwork under plaster?

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I removed the plaster from a wall in my Victorian flat, and found this odd wooden patch. It looks like a brick has been removed, and another brick partially cut down in size.

Anyone know what this might have been? Why hide a wooden patch behind plaster? Why not just put a brick in the space?

Is the 1st floor of what was an Edinburgh Victorian townhouse, but is now two flats - a ground floor flat and a double upper (my flat). This wall is on the 1st floor wall adjoining the neighbouring property. I think it a double skinned brick wall with cavity. There is no fireplace anywhere near this wall. The conversion was done in 1946.

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Thanks
Ian

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Could be for absolutely anything -- an opening, a fixing point, etc. but I'd say certainly nothing to worry about as the bricks and mortar look sound.

It looks like it's had or still has fixings in it. In the days before we squirted tubes of adhesives everywhere, wooden plugs and inserts were put into walls to act as an anchor or fixing point for something attached to the wall. All of my skirting boards are nailed into cut timber which is wedged into the gap between bricks.
 
Yes, there were quite a few custom carved plugs jammed into the joints. Most of the mortar is ok, but there are some gaps (with a bit of a breeze coming in). I plan to repoint all the gaps with lime mortar. I may also replace that wooden patch with a new brick whilst I'm at it. Will be interesting to see whats actually behind the wood.
 
Keep us posted! Good idea using lime.

I have made the deliberate effort to leave mini time capsules and messages during our house works. I removed a light switch for a light in the bedroom once and in the backboard void left a photograph and a note about the current times as what me and partner were doing. Then just sealed it up and plastered/painted over. Left notes and photos in the coving and under the hearth too.
 
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Keep us posted! Good idea using lime.

I have made the deliberate effort to leave mini time capsules and messages during our house works. I removed a light switch for a light in the bedroom once and in the backboard void left a photograph and a note about the current times as what me and partner were doing. Then just sealed it up and plastered/painted over. Left notes and photos in the coving and under the hearth too.
Can't remember where I saw it but some guy had just put up a new deck in the garden and placed a fake skeleton under there for someone to find later and posted a picture of a long term practical joke!:p:p
 
Can't remember where I saw it but some guy had just put up a new deck in the garden and placed a fake skeleton under there for someone to find later and posted a picture of a long term practical joke!:p:p

I am putting decking up later in the year!

@iwilson16 - have you spoken to any of the neighbours? I still think this was just a general fixing point for something in the past, but it could have been something more local to that particular development when built or during subsequent developments.
 
I posted on local Nextdoor forum. No-one knows what it is, but a neighbour very quickly asked if it was the wall adjoining his property! (it wasnt). :)

I'll see if I can pick up one of the cheapish Aldi inspection cameras at the weekend and have a look.

But another thing I was wondering about .... notice how there is a header row of bricks every 6 courses? However the non-header rows definitely have a gap behind them - The draught coming through where there are gaps in the mortar is very noticible. How might these walls be constructed? Its probably 1900-1910 era row of 3 storey Edinburgh townhouses. All the walls seem to be brick, with an outer layer or facing of sandstone. The chimneys all go up the walls in between the properties.
 
sack of sovereigns behind it.

I have also found timber between the bricks on removing plaster, but this has been where a lintel or joist has been built into the wall from the other side, so you see the end grain. When replastering you can nail plasterboard to the timber, to reduce cracking.

I wonder if there might have been a flue or airbrick that has been filled in.

Small wallsafes are made to be built in, but they are usually sized to fit the gap from removing one or more bricks, with an allowance for mortar. They sometimes have fishtails to go into the mortar joints at the sides.
 
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