Melbourne Stock Exchange, 88-92 Queen Street, 376-380 Collins Street, Melbourne
1985
Archives
Total copies: 1
Title:
Melbourne Stock Exchange, 88-92 Queen Street, 376-380 Collins Street, Melbourne
Date of work:
1985
Reference number:
BIF-CITY 102132 2
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 2024:__________________________________________________DATE: 1888-1891;ASSOCIATIONS: Stock Exchange of Melbourne Co Ltd;DESIGNER: Pitt, William;BUILDER: Leith, G B - FlemingtonStyle: Modern GothicPeriod: Late Victorian___________________________VICTORIA HERITAGE REGISTER H0034Statement of SignificanceLast Updated: 07/04/2021By: Jean Chen (ID 1328)What is significant?The ANZ Bank building at 376-392 Collins Street Melbourne, is anamalgamation of two buildings: the former ES&A 'Gothic' Bank, on thecorner site, and the former Melbourne Stock Exchange, fronting CollinsStreet. While both these designs are specifically Gothic in style, theirappearance is a demonstration of the two vastly contrasting Gothicrevival developments in Melbourne during the 1880s and 1890s. The GothicBank was the first building to be constructed and is an example of thefirst Gothic style. It was designed by William Wardell, to fairlydetailed specifications laid out by the General Manager, Sir GeorgeVerdon. The style is restrained externally, and internally graceful andornate. It is secular Gothic, although Wardell had previously made aname for himself through church architecture. Goss & Mason were thecontractors and Alexander Todd was appointed as Clerk of Works. Theworks began in 1883 and the building was opened in May 1887, a yearlate. The final cost was over £77,000, almost twice the budget. Theentire ground floor was established as the banking chamber, and thefirst and second floors as a residence for the General Manager. SirGeorge Verdon moved into the residence in 1888 and remained there untilhis retirement. In 1934 the Lyceum Club leased these rooms and used themuntil 1957.The former Stock Exchange was designed by the Melbourne architectWilliam Pitt and was constructed in 1887. The style has been labelledFree Gothic and is far less restrained than the earlier building. The facade is extremely ornate and each level has been designed differently.Pitt was one of the best known executors of this new Gothic style inMelbourne, who at the time received criticism from more conservativedesigners. The total cost of the building, including the land, was£254,000. Overall the land purchase and building construction were apoor investment and in 1921 the Stock Exchange, due to financialdifficulties, was forced to sell its property back to the ES&A Bankfor only £136,500. The main trading floor for the Stock Exchange was onthe ground level in a large vaulted chamber, known as the Cathedral Room. This room was designed with the reverence and grace of a church,an impression emphasised by the vaulted roof and the stained glasswindows. In 1923 the bank renovated the site to combine the twobuildings, thus enlarging the Banking Chamber, leasing the offices andrunning the Safe Deposit.How is it significant?The ANZ Bank at 376 - 392 Collins Street Melbourne is of architectural,historical and social significance to the State of Victoria.Why is it significant?The ANZ Bank is architecturally significant as the first ES&A Bankto be designed in the Gothic style that was to become a trademark forthe banking corporation. It is also significant for the scale and ornategrandeur of both the interior and exterior, resulting in it beingconsidered one of the finest buildings in Melbourne at the time of itsconstruction. The Gothic Bank and former Stock Exchange are ofarchitectural significance through their association with the prominentMelbourne architects William Wardell and William Pitt. The Verdonchambers within the Gothic Bank are architecturally significant fortheir extensive size and grandeur. The 1921 alterations to the bank aresignificant as they represent an interesting solution at the time ininner city expansion; that being renovation and interior redesign ratherthan rebuilding. The Cathedral Room within the Former Stock Exchange isarchitecturally significant as a largely original, and very ornate,example of a public business arena.The ANZ Bank is historically significant as the banking headquarters ofthe ES&A Bank, positioned on a corner site within the centre of thebanking precinct in Melbourne, which was the most important businesscentre at the time in Australia. This building is also significant forwhat it illustrates of the banking boom during the 1880s and thesubsequent depression of the 1890s. The former stock exchange was builtfar beyond its means and was never able to recoup the financial outlayof the enormously expensive building. The former residence of theGeneral Manager of the ES&A Bank, on the first and second floors ofthe Gothic Bank, is significant as the only intact example of an innercity banking residence from the 1880s in Melbourne.The Gothic bank is socially significant as the site of the Lyceum Clubrooms for 32 years.. The Lyceum Club was established in 1912 for women who had demonstrated their ability or commitment to the areas of philanthropy, arts, community service, education, medicine or science, writing or music.___________________________GRAEME BUTLER 1985 MELBOURNE CENTRAL ACTIVITIES DISTRICT CONSERVATION STUDYBUILDING IDENTIFICATION FORM cites 80;CITY OF MELBOURNE BUILDING PERMIT APPLICATIONS 3496___________________________LEWIS, M- AUSTRALIAN ARCHITECTURE INDEX74625 Pitt, William; Stock Exchange of Melbourne Co Ltd Melbourne VIC Buildings Leith, G B - Flemington 1888 06 18 3496-MCC registration no 3496 [Burchett Index]. Fee 11.5.0buildings including basements;33224 Pitt, William; VIC Office Buildings 1891 12 19 - Photograph of his design for the Stock Exchange in a supplement on "Some Melbourne buildings completed during the year".Building Engineering and Mining Journal 19.12.189133267 Pitt, William; VIC Office Buildings 1891 12 1933275 Pitt, Willliam; VIC Office Buildings 1891 12 1933223 Pitt, William; VIC Office Buildings 1891 8 1 - Design of new Melbourne Stock Exchange frontage to Collins St. and extend from rear at right angles into Queen Street. Illus. Perspective, Interior view. Illustrated Australian News 1.8.1891 pp 9-10;33221 Pitt, William; VIC Office Buildings 1892 7 -The Stock Exchange of Melbourne Fittings for Kitchen Bldr: ? & Bryant Jul. 1892 1 Sheet WD OFF.9 Jul.1892 Melbourne University Architectural Collection, SLV___________________________HERITAGE BRANCH, MINISTRY FOR PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT 1987 CITY OF MELBOURNE CENTRAL CITY NOTABLE BUILDINGS CITATIONSFORMER MELBOURNE SAFE DEPOSIT BUILDING88-92 QUEEN STREETSTATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCEThis building was constructed in 1890 for the safe keeping of valuables and securities for the Stock Exchange around the corner in Collins street. It was designed by William Pitt and is a significant example ofhis gothic revival commercial style for office bUildings during the Boom period. The bUilding has important historical associations With thespeCUlative crash of the 1890's._________________________________________NATIONAL TRUST OF AUSTRALIA (VIC)Group with 376 - 390 Collins & 90 Queen Streets.Office building of 1891 by William Pitt with three bay portico and five floors above it all with arched and colonnaded openings in elaborately carved sandstone with decorative detail and heraldic beasts and other carvings in Gothic Revival style. Internally the original Vestibule at the rear with granite columns and vaulted ceiling is included, as well as the Wardell banking chamber.Classified: 02/12/1974___________________________NEWSPAPERS (TROVE):1888https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/196001001MELBOURNE STOCK EXCHANGE.The inaugural meeting of the shareholders in the Melbourne Stock Exchange Agency and Banking Corporation was held yesterday, at the Athenaeum Hall. Mr. T. Keiller, chairman of the provisional board, presided. There was a largo attendance of shareholders. The secretary reported on behalf of the board that the company had been inaugurated with a success which was in every respect perfect and complete. The merits of the undertaking had been recognised by tho applications for the 60,000 shares offered having amounted to 1,300,000. The allotment had been carefully considered, and tho applications regarded as most conducive to the interests of the company had been entertained, with the result that 2100 names had been enrolled on the proprietary list. Ono hundred and twenty-four new members had been elected to tho Exchange, making a total of 250. The success of the institution as far had been unprecedented. Tho election of directors was then taken. Tho candidates nominated were Messrs. H. Burrowes, J. F. Levien, T. Bent, E. L. Zox, Wm. Wilson, W. H. Wiscbcr, J. W. Shevill, T. Moore and J. H. Graves, from whom five directors are required. ….https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/6104145NEW STOCK EXCHANGE. ,The first prize for the competition In connection with the Melbourne Stock Exchange has been awarded to Mr. William Pitt, architect, mid to prevent delay the directors of the company have «Hen him instructions to commence the working, drawings at once, so that they may call for tenders in April next, The estimated cost of the building is £40,000 .The edifice will he built with stone facades to Collins and Queen streets…etc.Mr Pitt contemplates that I2 months will be occupied in the erection of the building….https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/191201725The estimated cost of the building, which will have stone facades to Collins and Queen streets, is £40,000. The style of architecture chosen by Mr. Pitt is the modern Gothic, and the internal work throughout will be of the same nature. The basement, which is entered from Collins-street, provides for a luncheon hall capable of accommodating 250 persons at a time. In connection with this are the necessary lavatories, kitchen, serving room, larder, pantries, &c.Directly behind these are the engines for lifts and electric light. The ground floor is subdivided into numerous well lit and well ventilated offices in front, with a fine corridor 10 feet wide leading right through tho main Exchange hall, and on the left to a lift and staircase. The Exchange hall is 65 feet long by the width of the building with a ceiling 32 feet high, all beautifully groined and highly embellished, and tho walls nicely broken with enriched arches. This hall will be built entirely of stone, and will have few equals in the world. The lighting is principally from a glass penthouse of figured glass in the centre of the ceiling, and is so constructed that it will act as a ventilator, to be used at convenience. The floor is paved with tessellated and prismatic tiles, A private lift for conveying members only to the call room is provided for in the Exchange hall, together with post office, telephone and telegraph office. From the main entrances in Collins and Queen streets are provided tho public staircases and lifts, also receiving windows for telegrams, &c., for the use of occupants of the Exchange besides brokers. The first floor is subdivided into 21 offices, thoroughly well lighted and ventilated, and provided with gas stoves, strong rooms, &c. A club and reading room iB provided on this floor for members of the Exchange, Tho second floor provides tho members' call room, 50 feet x 40 feet. The room will be finished in keeping with tho general design of the building, and will provide for 120 members, each with a separate, seat and desk. The other space on this floor is subdivided into offices. The third, fourth, fifth and sixth floors are all similar in construction, divided into offices well ventilated and lighted, and all provided with gas stoves and safes built in the walls. Tho seventh floor or attic plan provides tor lavatories, &e., for the habitué of the Exchange and. tho tenants of offices with lifts and stairs to same. The keeper’s quarters are also provided for on this floor. _ It is expected that the erection of the building will occupy 12 months..1889https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/6242664STOCK EXCHANGE OF MELBOURNEThe third half-yearly) meeting of the Stock Exchange of Melbourne Company was held at the exchange, Collins street, on Monday evening, Mr. B J. Fink one of the directors, presiding. The report which was presented read as followsThe contractor (or the busiest portion of the first building, Mr G B Leith, has completed his contract to the satisfaction of your directors Much little) has taken place in entering into a contract for the erection of the superstructure All the tenders received In the long distances were excessive, and tour directors accordingly resolved on making ten considerable modifications In the architects original plans, such as substituting brick in place of stone in the Queen street trout, and unsparingly cutting down the costly character of the internal fittings throughout the whole building There reductions brought the cost of the building within reasonable limits, and your directors have finally accepted the tender of Mr G B. Leith at the price of £92,642, the contract to be completed in August, 1890. The accommodation provided for the Stock Exchange remains the same In fact particular in originally designed by Mr. Pitt Your directors have pleasure in stating that the committee of the stock exchange, recognising the large amount and costly character of the accommodation leased to them, have met your directors in a very fair spirit in respect of paying a fair increased rent therefore. A change has been made in the stone to be used for the Collins street front, your directors, after much deliberation having decided to employ the Pyrmont (Sydney) freestone .The Chairman, in moving the adoption of the report, said that the directors hoped not merely to have the building complete by the time stated, but to be in actual occupation of it. He was satisfied that the building would, when completed, be second to none in the southern hemisphere, and that it would stand in future generations as a monument of their enterprise, 'The financial position of the company with a good one, and though they might possibly have to call up some additional capital, the calls would, he trusted, be as reasonable as possible. They would start with a rental of ₤3300 per annum from one firm alone.In reply to questions, the Chairman further stated that the cost of the land to the company was £121,299, the contract for the basement was £11754 and the building would cost £92642, which included also the constructed of lifts. They had decided also upon the construction of a deposit safe-, which was to be erected by the Messrs Milner, the great safe manufacturers, and would cost £11,000 they were assured by the Messrs Milner that it would be the finest in the world. In round figures, their expenditure would be about a quarter of a million. ….1891https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/60444299/5974950THE NEW MELBOURNE STOCK ' EXCHANGE. 1 The 'new Melbourne Stook Exchange is now open to the public. The premises have a noble frontage to Collins street, and extend from the rear at right angles into Queen-street, where there is also an ornate facade. Both internally and externally the place has boon built on such an artistic and convenient plan that it is well worthy of description. It was intended when tho order was given for tho building that no consideration of expense should be allowed to stand in the way of it being made an ideal Exchange, be it need not be regarded as wonderful that tho contract was let at the enormous sum of £100,000. The contractor is Mr.G.Leith. The new Exchange-is entered through a high Gothic doorway, opening on to a corridor 12 foot wide', -which extends a distance of about 40 feet back into the public hall. There is no similar apartment to, this: in Melbourne. Its dimensions are something like 45 feet by 60, whilst the ceiling is also very lofty.. But the area is not the distinctive feature. : What there is especially to admire about it is. the distinctive architecture. In' harmony, with the outside portion of: the premises, every thing is carried out in the decorative Gothic style. , The walls are constructed in solid stone, colored white and .ornamented with a beautiful dado of red, black and grey. French marble arranged in layers of color, as though: the design had been painted, only looking, of course, far more handsome. The floor is covered with encaustic tiles, worked in a mosaic design and down the centre are two rows of tall grey granite polished pillars, each 2 feet 6 inches in diameter. These were obtained from the quarries at Harcourt.Owing to the: position of the Exchange, walled in between a number of contiguous premises, there is only room for one large window. This is a high; Gothic casement, -filled with all appropriate stained glass design, costing over £250. The upper portion represents -two diggers washing gold at a creek. From tho top of the granite pillars four arches spring up to the roof, which is elaborately groined. To relieve the otherwise blank appearance of the unplastered walls, blind, windows with Gothic tracery have been inserted. Tho greater part of the light available for the hall is obtained from a largo skylight in the roof backed by powerful reflectors. Off the hall several offices are built, including a telegraph and post office. The wood work of „ the door and window frames is all of mahogany, and wherever space affords the opportunity some elegant, carved tracery, is inserted. . There are two double lifts off the corridor communicating with the upper stories. The corridor itself is finished in white cement, and is elaborately ornamented. Lavatories, &a, are provided at the north-west corner of the premises, equally accessible from the Queen-Street part of the Exchange as from tho other portion. Prismatic glass is let into the floor of the hall to transmit the light into the basement suite of apartments. These consist of a largo lounge and bar under the rooms . immediately facing Collins-street, and a finely designed dining room under the hall itself. . The latter is set off by a double row- of thick grey granite pillars corresponding to those above. -Light is -furnished through the transparency already described and from a side window. There is a room on the western side for the convenience of servitors, and also a lift to be used in conveying food from the kitchen, which is built on the top of the Exchange. Immediately above the entrance there is a spacious suite of offices, and over the corridor in the centre of the building is the club room. This is not a large apartment, but it will be very luxurious; On the south side it is illuminated with a plain set of lancet windows looking on to a well shaft, and on the north a dim ray of light will find its way into the room through a couple of rich wheel shaped stained glass windows looking' on to the public. hall. The ' club ' room boasts of 'a handsome carved wood mantelpiece, finished off with encaustic tiles. Above -the 'club room is .the private assembly hall of the members of the Exchange. This may be reached by a lift from the hall or by the stairs, at option. The members' hall is floored like an amphitheatre, having graduated levels of surface, so that when assembled together the members may sit one row above the other and all be in a good position to see the chairman. The latter functionary is accommodated on a high oaken rostrum at the southern .and lower end of the room. ; This is a most handsome piece of furniture, beautifully carved. Each member will sit in something like state in a carved oak chair, having in front of him a substantial secretaire in the same wood. Each of those properties represents something like £12 in value, and the room is to contain 150 of them. Architecturally, there is nothing remarkable about the members' hall, but it is elaborately finished en suite with the other apartments on the promises devoted to Exchange work. The rooms on the same floor as the members' hall and in the three stories above it are plainly fitted up for offices, excepting the kitchen buildings in the attics. As compensation for the Immense, expense incurred in putting up the premises, the rents of these are to be made proportionately high. Throughout tho Exchange is furnished with the same disregard of cost as is displayed in its construction. The facade of the premises merits special notice. It is built of yellow freestone, similar to that used in the English and Scottish Bank, on a basement of bluestone. The stone in the building alone cost not less than £15,000. ThThe opening of the new Stock Exchange of Melbourne was celebrated on 26th June by a dinner given in the main hall of the building, at. which about 250 gentlemen attended. The gathering was well arranged and most success fully carried out. ;___________________________FACEBOOKhttps://www.facebook.com/rohan.storey/posts/10159801389545844Rohan Storey is at ANZ Centre - 388 Collins St.- see imagest2Spaud1so htnSsomrersd · Melbourne ·Repost this day 2019: Fantastic photo recently emerged of what we now call the #CathedralRoom at the #GothicBank in #CollinsStreet, taken by Charles Bristow Walker c1897 at the @nationallibraryaus. Shows that the #floortiling done in the 1991-3 restoration by @lovellchen was not even close and how the original skylight (down a 6 storey lightwell) which was the only natural lighting, was very bright - or it might be a long exposure. Designed by #WilliamPitt as part of the very extravagant #MelbourneStockExchange, completed in 1891, as a kind of meeting vestibule/ reading room, where members could take guests. The glass floor illuminated the basement dining room (!). In the 1920s it was fitted with counters when the bank next door took it over. It’s all made of carved #OamaruLimestone, still creamy in colour. No wonder the Stock Exchange company eventually had to sell. Also this time in 2018 extensive changes to the ground levels of mostly 1990s areas of the Bank/StockExchange/ANZ tower, including turning this room into a cafe with a door, where there was one in the 20s, restored to without in the 1990s- it got a permit from #heritagevictoria in the end, and I think they’re building it now ? Redesign is by @kerstin_thompson_architects - not the cafe fit out though.2022https://www.facebook.com/groups/319035951895089Melbourne Safe Deposit Building,90 Queen Street.By Susan PateIn the late-1880s, the Melbourne Stock Exchange Company bought an L-shaped parcel of land with frontages to both Queen and Collins Streets. On the corner between the two sat the English, Scottish and Australian (ESA) Chartered [today, the ANZ] Bank. The Stock Exchange Company began building and, in May 1890, the Melbourne Safe Deposit Building was opened. Thirteen months later, its sister-building - the Melbourne Stock Exchange - commenced trading on Collins Street.The Melbourne Safe Deposit Building reflected a growing international trend whereby financial institutions provided commercial and private clients with a safe and secure location to store valuables. The building was deemed fireproof - an attractive feature in a city where blazes routinely destroyed businesses and homes - and a range of structural elements made it a veritable fortress. Concrete foundations laid on a footing of bedrock formed the building’s impenetrable base while wrought iron plates lined the roof. Internally, three-foot thick walls composed of brick and cement provided additional security. A massive strong room occupied the lower level of the building and housed within it was a 200 ton safe containing 3000 safety deposit boxes and shelving for larger items. The safety boxes were available to hire for an annual fee of 2-6 guineas.The Melbourne Safe Deposit Building was designed by architect W. Pitt and built by G. B. Leith in the Venetian Gothic style. It’s ornate red brick and cement facade was originally symmetrical however, in late 1922, the Stock Exchange announced extensions to the building. These were likely completed by the ES&A Bank after its purchase of the building in 1923.
Topics:
Places:
Form/Genre:
Record types:
Research and reports
Record number:
1267656
| Type | Reference No. | Extent | Status/Desc |
|---|---|---|---|
| Original | 102132 2 | 1 PDF : 1,264 KB ; A4 | Group of Items (May not be issued, may not be reproduced) |