To gather my thoughts and reasoning of why I believe the sickroom was #13-#14, I will write in point form to clarify and hope for discussion of others ideas:
• In photographs c1917 of #13 Alexei’s Bedroom has the same curtains that are in the sickroom c1913
• The chairs in Alexei’s bedroom correspond in style to the chairs in the sickroom
• In the 1913 photos of the sickroom, the length of the room is narrow. It has the double door that is the same that leads to the playroom, Tatiana’s bed and a chair then meets corner of the long wall with door and stove. It configures exactly to the #13-14 in the Yakovlev plan with the outer corridor to the right wing.
• #13 and #14 were renovated c1915-16 as Alexei’s suite
• As the war had been going on for 2 years and Alexandra was known to care about expenditures, she would have been in agreement to utilize whatever they could, the curtain material, chairs, etc
• Prior to 1915, we do not know the use of these rooms, only conjecture
• Yakovlev’s books relate to the appearance/plan c1920s. He rarely gives historical data of a room prior to what he sees
• In 1895-96 the second floor became the nursery. It was not until 1903 when the Concert Hall was destroyed and the Maple Room incorporated. The second floor at that time then had extra rooms added as the Concert Hall had until then extended the full two floor height.
• By 1903 there were four young girls all under 8, the son had not yet been born. With the extension over the maple room, bedrooms were added allowing separate rooms for the girls. The playroom was in use.
• In c1904-5 there is a photograph of the playroom with the girls sitting in front of the Christmas tree. You can see the chintz sofa platform that was later transferred to #7 Girl’s Reception Room.
• Was the night nursery up to 1910 or so, #7 with the #6 Dining Room included. After the girls reached teens and Alexei required a suite of his own as Tsarevich after tens years or so, was there a switch of rooms – Alexei moved over to next to the playroom, etc and then by 1915, decisions were instituted to expand from #13 to #19. Up to that time, Gilliard was not living in the palace and would have had a suite in the Lyceum or Catherine Palace as Gibbes, Benckendorf, etc. Alexei immediate carers would have been his nurse Tegelev while still young with Derevenko as his sailor protector. By the time he passed 10 years, he would have progressed beyond nurse etc and it makes sense that Gilliard would be in the immediate area of his rooms.
• We have the floor plans/descriptions c1917 and yet we have little clue to the use of the rooms through the years. Could Orbelani’s room have been #17 until the changes required for Alexei’s suite and she then moved to the right wing. Where was Orchie’s room? Most likely #23 or so near to Orbelani and the girls.
• The nursery (possibly #6&7) for at least 15 years would have had to be close to Alexandra which is the stairs in #5 and the lift in the corridor.
• There are tantalizing clues in the diaries – Nicholas states the sickroom is next to the playroom and Tatiana the same. We need to visualize how the rooms were allocated prior to the renovations of 1915.
Joanna
