Our Improved Dwelling and Lodging House, later Gordon House, 24-28 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne
Butler, Graeme1985
Archives
Total copies: 1
Title:
Our Improved Dwelling and Lodging House, later Gordon House, 24-28 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne
Creator:
Date of work:
1985
Reference number:
BIF-CITY 105901
Level of description:
Item from Collection: Heritage Collection (HC)
Type of materials:
Graphic materialsTextual material
Part of:
Series: Central City (BIF-CITY)
Access restrictions:
UnrestrictedOpen access.
Use restrictions:
UnrestrictedPlease contact City of Melbourne Libraries about obtaining permission to reproduce images.
General notes:
RESEARCH ADDED BY GRAEME BUTLER 2022:__________________________________________________Period: VictorianDATE: 1884;ASSOCIATIONS: Our Improved Dwelling & Lodging Company;DESIGNER: Pitt, William;BUILDER: Linacre, J W.GRAEME BUTLER 1989, LITTLE BOURKE STREET PRECINCT CONSERVATION STUDYStatement of Significance.Extra placesOur Lodgings24-38 Little Bourke StreetInspired by the Chealsea Model family lodging house, George Coppin, grandson of a clergyman, son of a strolling player, himself a comic actor, an entrepreneur, politician and a philanthropist, conceived this massive architectural pile in 1884, aided by the considerable architectural skill of the experienced theatre designer, William Pitt. Despite Coppin's past term in parliament, his initiation of the equally philanthropic Old Colonists Association (1869) and his devout pursuit of welfare for the poor (such as the Victorian Humane Society, free medical dispensaries), his motifs in placing this model Our Lodging House in the depths of Melbourne's back slums was publicly questioned, particularly as it was financed by what was judged as a speculative private company. Nevertheless this was the period and Little Bourke Street was the place, where more and more private charitable institutions were formed each with a particular disadvantaged group in mind. In the same year Coppin himself complained of the low life which frequented Little and Greater Bourke, outside his own theatre... respectable families attending the theatre had to put up with being jostled by `improper characters' and the coarse language of street walkers and their pimps. San Francisco, `...a fast a city as any in the world...' was quiet compared with Melbourne< `The outcasts of Melbourne’ p51f. >.Following Pitt's predilection for revival of Medieval architecture, the brick and cement elevation extends either side of a massive gabled entrance porch which is itself centred on Harwood Place and draws emphasis from two flanking window bays. A smaller but similar porch at either end completes the symmetry while overhead, the deep brick corbel-table and bold cement cornice provide unaccustomed modelling to what might normally be a relatively two-dimensional facade which hugged the pavement line. By 1900 its address was twofold, `28 Gordon Chambers' and `34 Our Lodgings' suggesting the logic of the multiple entrances.Inside, the lodging rooms and suites were arranged about a three-storey open courtyard `pleasantly green with plants and shrubs'. The early provision of family suites soon fell away, leaving the lodgings as men-only after reputedly bad experience with quarrelsome women. Four shillings and six pence a week bought favoured lodgers accommodation in the better rooms around 1900.Coppin died in 1906 acquiring in time the reputation as the father of Australian theatre and its consolidation with the erection of substantial performing venues. His lesser but notable achievements included the success of the `Real Property Act’ of 1862 which gave us the R R Torrens system of recording land transactions, the formation in 1871 of the Dramatic and Musical Society and the promotion of both the Richmond Cremorne Gardens and his summer holiday place, Sorrento, as desirable watering places. Gordon House Ltd. was the style of Our Lodgings after his death, remaining open for homeless men until 1975.SignificanceGordon House is significant architecturally as a bold materialization of a rare use-type, given its private and secular funding, for its association with Coppin and his philanthropic ways but also for the real role it and other charitable venues played among the underprivileged classes who congregated in this part of the city, particularly in the late 19th century..VICTORIA HERITAGE REGISTER H0443https://vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/places/778Statement of SignificanceWhat is it significant?Gordon House was built in 1883 for George Coppin, theatrical entrepreneur, politician and philanthropist George Selth Coppin. Coppin was one of the fathers of Australian theatre. The building was conceived as subsidised accommodation for actors and was modelled on the Chelsea Model Lodging House in London. The courtyards were supposed to allow for maximisation of natural light and air. Renowned Melbourne architect William Pitt designed Gordon House as a three storey brick building with basement and internal courtyards. The symmetrical facade is eclectically derived from Gothic, Romanesque and Renaissance sources. Gordon House remained a lodging house until 1976.How is it significant?Gordon House is of architectural and historical significance to the State of Victoria.Why is it significant?Gordon House is architecturally significant as Victoria's only nineteenth century philanthropic model lodging house complex. It is one of the more austere and unusual works of the architect William Pitt, designed using an eclectic mixture of Gothic, Romanesque and Renaissance styles.Gordon House is historically significant for its association with the philanthropy of the leading actor and theatrical entrepreneur, George Selth Coppin. Coppin was one of the leading entrepreneurs of Australian theatre before the arrival of JC Williamson.,GRAEME BUTLER 1985 MELBOURNE CENTRAL ACTIVITIES DISTRICT CONSERVATION STUDYBUILDING IDENTIFICATION FORM cites source 76, Page 20__________________________________________________.NIGEL LEWIS DECEMBER 1976, HISTORIC AND ARCHITECTURAL SURVEY OF THE CENTRAL CITY OF MELBOURNE BOURKE STREET, EAST AREA 8 OF THE SURVEY COMMISSIONED BY THE HISTORIC BUILDINGS PRESERVATION COUNCILGORDON HOUSEM25 L1724-38 Little Bourke Street George Coppin, the theatrical entrepreneur, actor, politician and philanthropist, was, among his multitude of interests, a founder of the Old Colonists' Association and Gordon House. He had known poverty as a child and was a great believer in compulsory savings schemes, insurance and housing for the poor. Coppin and a syndicate bought an acre of land running from Great Lonsdale Street to Little Bourke Street for £800 in May 1884. The place was known as 'Our Lodgings', 175 Little Bourke Street. The syndicate issued 3200 shares at £10 each. The building was erected not without controversy. Coppin was accused of deliberately siting the lodgings in the midst of brothels for his own gain. For 6d. a night, lodgers had the benefit of well-ventilated dormitories, clean beds, plentiful supply of soap and water for washing, shower and plunge baths. Books, chess and drafts were provided as well as a religious service on Sundays and there was, Coppin claimed, no gambling, no drinking and no bad language. Singleton regretted that what started out as a public fund should have been taken over by 'speculators' but he did allow that the place served its purpose and could house 400 nightly . The building took the name Gordon House because that part of Little Bourke Street was known as Gordon Place. Gordon House is described in the following extract from a newspaper article, when it had been in operation for 20 years: "The paper interviewed the manager who gave a brief history of Gordon House. It was built in 1884 and it was Coppin's original idea to copy the big Chelsea Model Lodging house which accommodated families. It was a three storey building with a basement, designed around a courtyard "pleasantly green with plants and shrubs". In part of the original building one floor was given over to suites for families, made up of a large room in front, three smaller rooms behind. This early arrangement did not last long. The management found that the women quarrelled and made the rule of accepting men only. In 1906 the best lodgers were allowed rooms in the original part for 4/6 a week. 2. The building continued to be run along these lines until 1975 when it closed down. Little had changed except for general lack of maintenance and the fact that the rear dormitory block was no longer in use. The building itself, especially the front section, is remarkably intact. Apart from the painted front facade there is little variation in appearance from the original drawings by William Pitt. 3 The major changes are the central entrance, which is not shown on the drawings, (it appears to have been decided upon during construction as the foundation stone is located adjacent to it,) the bays over the side entrances were not built and the removal of most of the balconettes. The building was designed to be viewed frontally from a distance and is a powerful composition due to its massing, the heavy parapet and the· brutal triangular arches. The palatial scale and powerful design are accentuated by its site in a narrow street. The parapet, which is a massive one fifth to one fourth of the facade height, includes one cornice with another above, these are broken and rearranged over the pavilions. The parapet decoration also includes Norman dentils and drop panels. The power of the composition is denied by the slender columns flanking the entrances. The symmetry of the fenestration, the pavilions and to some extent the parapet establish an overall classical building form. The detailing is more elusive but includes Norman, Romanesque and very early Gothic references. The heavy parapet, the deep set windows the crenellated bays establish a fortress-like character. The painting of the facade obscures the full potential of the brick and render detailing. The missing cast iron balconettes would balance the parapet and relieve the heaviness. Both would improve the horizontal balance of the facade. The internal arrangement of the building around a RECOMMENDATION: We recommend that the Little Bourke Street tenement section surrounding the courtyard be placed on the Historic Buildings Register. The building represents the result of an intense campaign to provide cheap, solid, clean and well-ventilated housing in the central city area. It is interesting in that it was financially self-supporting but based on benevolent ideals. The building has been an important social institution in Melbourne for many years. The outstanding combination of building form, detailing and planning together with its social aspirations make Gordon House unique. It remains nearly intact. The building should be stripped of the present paintwork to regain its original architectural expression. Suitable repainting may be an acceptable alternative. The cast iron balconettes should be replaced to match those existing. Re-use of the building may require some internal alterations.1. Alec Bogot: Coppin the Great, pp.329- 30, and Singleton: A Narrative of Incidents in the Life of a Physician, p.271.2. Australasian, 2nd June 1906, p.12973. Drawings held at the Latrobe Library__________________________________________________VICTORIAN HERITAGE INVENTORY H7822-14021888 & 1905 maps show four-storey complex, Gordon Chambers. Current building three-storeys (brick) with basement constructed as lodging house for destitute actors by theatrical entrepreneur George Coppin in 1884. Initially provided family accommodation in tenements, later provided shelter for homeless and itinerant men (could house 400 people nightly). Converted into serviced apartments, 1983.__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Heritage Inventory Significance:REGISTER OF THE NATIONAL ESTATE - CITATION:'GORDON HOUSE', NAMED AFTER GORDON PLACE IN LITTLE BOURKE STREET LOCALITY, WAS ERECTED IN 1884 BY GEORGE COPPIN, THEATRICAL ENTREPRENEUR, POLITICIAN AND PHILANTHROPIST, AS ACCOMMODATION FOR THE POOR. THE CONCEPT WAS MODELLED ON THE CHELSEA MODEL LODGING HOUSE IN LONDON AND WILLIAM PITT, ARCHITECT DESIGNED 'GORDON HOUSE' AS A THREE STOREY BRICK BUILDING WITH BASEMENT AND INTERNAL COURTYARDS. THE FACADE IS ECLECTICALLY DERIVED FROM GOTHIC, ROMANESQUE AND CLASSICAL SOURCES. 'GORDON HOUSE' HAS BEEN AN IMPORTANT SOCIAL INSTITUTION FOR OVER 90 YEARS AND THE BUILDING REPRESENTS THE BENEVOLENT IDEALS, HOWEVER MISCARRIED, OF GEORGE COPPIN, THE ALTRUISTIC PHILANTHROPIST. THE BUILDING COMPLEX IS SPECIFICALLY PLANNED TO PROVIDE PROPER ACCOMMODATION FOR FAMILIES AND IS IN A STYLE CHARACTERISTIC OF CELEBRATED AND PROLIFIC GOTHIC REVIVAL ARCHITECT WILLIAM PITT. THE FACADE IS AN UNUSUAL COMBINATION OF CONFLICTING MOTIFS DERIVED FROM VARIOUS SOURCES ANDCOMBINED IN A CLEVER ECLECTIC COMPOSITION OF BRICK AND CEMENT RENDER EXECUTION. 'GORDON HOUSE' HAS BEEN ADAPTED TO COMMERCIAL PREMISES, WITH INDIVIDUAL SHOPS LOCATED WITHIN THE ORIGINAL PLAN LAYOUT. THE ESSENTIAL ARCHITECTURAL CONCEPT AND FINISHES ARE PRESERVED INTACT. THE FACADE HAS BEEN SANDBLASTED. OF STATE SIGNIFICANCE.__________________________________________________LEWIS, M- AUSTRALIAN ARCHITECTURE INDEX:Records73291 Pitt, W; Coppin, George Melbourne VIC Hostels Linacre, John W - Drummond St 1883 10 15 536 MCC registration no 536 [Burchett Index]. Fee 3.10.0lodging house Little Bourke73290 Pitt,-; Coppin, George Melbourne VIC Office Buildings Linacre, Jas W - Drummond St Carlton 1884 04 23 835 MCC registration no 835 [Burchett Index]. Fee 1.15.0boardroom - and portion of front of tenements, Little Bourke - Workman's Tenements73292 Pitt, William; Coppin, George Melbourne VIC Houses Linacre, John W - Drummond St Carlton 1884 05 21 889 MCC registration no 889 [Burchett Index]. Fee 68.5.039 tenements__________________________________________________TRETHOWAN ARCHITECTURE, 2015. BOURKE HILL PRECINCT HERITAGE REVIEWVHR H0443.Heritage Inventory H7822-1402.National Trust B4301.RNE 5300.HISTORYGordon House was constructed in 1883 for George Coppin, theatrical entrepreneur and philanthropist. It wasconceived as a lodging house, originally intended to house theatre actors. The building was used as a lodginghouse for homeless men until 1976. It was designed William Pitt, and represents one of the most austere andunusual works by Pitt.FEATURESThree storey building, with an eclectic architectural style that combines Gothic, Romanesque and Renaissancefeatures. Attractive frontage and silhouette, of high architectural interest.THEMES3.1 From town to City.3.2 Expressing an architectural style.8.2 Housing the population.11.3 Caring for the sick.ANALYSISThe cultural heritage significance of the building is recognized and recorded. The building is architecturallyrenowned and is linked William Pitt and George Coppin. The building contributes to the character of Little BourkeStreet with the increase in social awareness and clean up of the back slums area. The streetscape grading reflectsthe modern infill that has eroded the original context of Little Bourke Street. It should be noted that there are anumber of mapping anomalies with this site. The VHR boundary is limited to the front portion of the building only,and this boundary is matched by the Individual Heritage Overlay. However, the precinct boundary extends to therear of the site. Further to this, the side elevation of the building fronting Little Bourke Place is not adequatelyprotected. The precinct boundary should extend to the other side of Little Bourke Place, in line with the rear ofthe building. This will ensure Gordon House and the character of Little Bourke Place are adequately protected.RECOMMENDATIONSExtend precinct boundary to include Little Bourke Place to the opposite side and in line with the rear of thebuilding.Building should be considered for its own Heritage Overlay as individually significant.
Related material link:
Topics:
Places:
Form/Genre:
Record types:
Research and reports
Record number:
1253751
| Type | Reference No. | Extent | Status/Desc |
|---|---|---|---|
| Original | 105901 | 1 PDF : 1,186 KB ; A4 | Group of Items (May not be issued, may not be reproduced) |