@haddow07, I would hazard a guess that it's a Hybrid Tea that's not been correctly pruned for years but I would have to check the date of introduction of HT's and that involves getting out of my chair! I've just sat down with a cuppa so I'll get back to you later if I may.
HT's are better pruned when dormant i.e. when all the leaves have dropped and it's winter time. Because winters seem to have got warmer and wetter (at least where we live) I tend to prune mine before Xmas or just after. Tell your friend not to be timid when pruning, the usual advice is to prune them down to the length of your secateurs or about a foot. I'm not sure I'd be so drastic with a very old bush but you could certainly take it down to 2ft or so. Finish off with a thick mulch of manure, keeping it well away from the base of the stems and then in the spring, rake the manure back, water the rose well and apply the recommended rate of a good rose fertiliser, then rake the manure back over.
It could well be an HT, or an old rose type such as a hybrid perpetual, a more modern shrub encouraged by the obelisk to grow up tall.. Based on one photo and no blooms, I think I could rule out floribunda and polyantha but thats about it! The 1900s is a big timescale, plus many pre-1900 rose classes were still planted throughout that period and still are today.
Do you know if it blooms only once or repeat flowers throughout the season? If it’s a once bloomer, some of those flower on older wood so prune it back now and you may not have any flowers next year. Repeaters you can prune back to desired height anytime from November to March. I tackle mine sometime around Jan/Feb..
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
Thanks @Nollie, I knew that you knew more than me and I'd hoped you would respond to the poster. I had forgotten about the once flowering and repeat flowering distinction when I posted - not thinking straight tonight, family health probs. Ought to have slept on it!
Quite possibly the old HT 'Crimson Glory'.. it appears to have flowered recently, some evidence of spent buds, and there is still a bloom opening, if my eyes don't deceive. It forms a very large shrub or climber..
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Hope this helps.
Do you know if it blooms only once or repeat flowers throughout the season? If it’s a once bloomer, some of those flower on older wood so prune it back now and you may not have any flowers next year. Repeaters you can prune back to desired height anytime from November to March. I tackle mine sometime around Jan/Feb..
It forms a very large shrub or climber..