38 Sunnyside St., Belfast

38 Sunnyside Street is a two-storey red-brick terrace house built in 1904, located on Sunnyside Street approximately 3 kilometres south of Belfast city centre. The street connects the Ormeau Road with Annadale Embankment and was established as a thoroughfare following the opening of King's Bridge in 1912.

The house is constructed of smooth red clay brick laid in English Garden Wall bond and forms part of a larger terrace of twenty-one virtually identical dwellings on the south side of the street. Although built over several years (numbers 14-24 appearing on the 1903 Ordnance Survey map, numbers 26-42 recorded in the 1904 valuation book, and numbers 44-52 first noted in 1910), the terrace was developed by Hugh Scott, who acted as lessor for properties 14-42 from 1906. The architect remains unknown.

The main house is rectangular on plan with a large single-storey rectangular return featuring a mono-pitched roof. The front elevation faces north and displays a painted timber four-panel door with overlight and semi-circular head with moulded architrave to the left, and a painted timber 2/2 sliding-sash single-glazed window with segmental head and moulded architrave to the right. A smaller similar window is positioned centrally on the first floor. The brickwork includes clay ventilation bricks at each level, with a blue-brick course and projecting moulded brick course at eaves level supporting cast metal ogee guttering. A painted cement render plinth approximately eight brick-courses deep runs along the base of the front elevation. The natural slate roof features a red-brick chimney stack on the right with projecting brick course and clay pots.

The rear elevation faces south with the main house ground level displaying painted smooth render and a 2/2 painted timber sliding-sash window to the left. The first floor is red-brick with a painted timber 2/2 sliding-sash single-glazed window to the left and a smaller staircase window to the right, with a clay ventilation brick at first floor level. A single-storey mono-pitched extension has been added to the right at ground level, constructed with concrete tile roof covering, painted timber top-hung windows, and uPVC rainwater goods. The rear yard is enclosed by a red-brick wall with concrete coping and a square-headed doorway with painted timber boarded door. The side elevations abut adjoining properties (number 36 to the east and number 40 to the west).

A small front garden finished in concrete block paviors is set behind a replacement red-brick boundary wall, gateway with painted metal railings, and small painted metal arched gate. This boundary treatment, along with new front doors and windows, was installed circa 1988 as part of an improvement scheme for the entire terrace. A single-storey mono-pitched extension with cement tile roof was added to the rear circa 1994-95.

Despite these alterations, the building retains significant external character through its panelled timber front door, sliding-sash windows, and stucco surrounds. The property possesses considerable group value within the context of the larger terrace and represents a good example of modest Edwardian urban terraced housing built during Belfast's rapid southward expansion along major thoroughfares including the Ormeau, Lisburn, and Malone Roads.

Historical records indicate the first recorded occupant was W.J. Duncan, a shirt cutter, followed circa 1909-10 by Daniel Torrens, a tailor, whose family remained in residence until approximately 1953. The 1911 census records the building as a second-class dwelling containing five rooms. Subsequent occupants included Martin Andrew and Alexander McCartney (the latter resident from circa 1965), James Magee, a florist (1970), and Mary Magee (1980 and still resident in 1995). The property was listed in 1986.