Hotham State School SS1402, later North Melbourne Primary School, also Errol Street Primary School, and shelter shed, 210-214 Errol Street, North Melbourne
Butler, Graeme15/01/1985
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Title:
Hotham State School SS1402, later North Melbourne Primary School, also Errol Street Primary School, and shelter shed, 210-214 Errol Street, North Melbourne
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Date of work:
15/01/1985
Reference number:
BIF-NORTH 103480
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Item from Collection: Heritage Collection (HC)
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Graphic materialsTextual material
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UnrestrictedOpen access.
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UnrestrictedPlease contact City of Melbourne Libraries about obtaining permission to reproduce images.
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CREATION DATES: 1874; 1908; 1915 (major); 1926 shelter shed;ASSOCIATIONS: Victorian Government, Albert Mattingley;DESIGNERS: Wharton & Vickers; Public Works Department;BUILDER: Overend and RobbGrading as at 1985 (A-E): CPeriod : Early Victorian 1873-1874Grantee/Reserve : State School Reserve 1873___________________________GRAEME BUTLER 1983, CONSERVATION STUDY FOR THE CITY OF MELBOURNE OF NORTH AND WEST MELBOURNEHistory- On land originally put aside as public open space with a creek running through its centre, architects Wharton and Vickers, designed this school for the 1873 open competition held by the new Education Ministry; being one of its prize winners. [L Burchell "Victorian Schools" 1980 p 95] [Parish plans 1858] This school was opened in May 1874 [Vision and Realisation vol 3 p 64] and Albert Mattingley transferred there from his National School which was situated near the corner of Queensberry and Errol Streets. [Mattingley "The Early history of North Melbourne" Victorian Historical Journal February 1917 p 92] Mattingley, who was the North Melbourne resident historian, lived in the area and was head teacher of the school for thirty-six years. On his retirement, he had reached No. 1 on the Triennial Roll, a high mark of distinction within the department (Refer 6 Alfred Street, North Melbourne). The population of the school grew rapidly over this period, allowing Mattingley to received promotion without transfer, [Vision and Realisation loc cit] until at one time it was the largest in Victoria. [Mattingley loc cit] After his retirement his two successors as head teacher, Peter Drummond (1894) and D'arcy Lear (1911) also became successively No. 1 on the roll. These early head masters made great contributions to the school including the development of the grounds in 1916, when the school was remodelled. It is likely that the present archetypal Pepper Trees date from this time. Early in the century a rural school was established in the grounds, training many Victorian primary teachers for country work. [Vision and Realisation loc cit]Description- A fragmented, generally E-shape plan, one-storey, face red brick school with cream brick 'vouissoirs' and 'quoins' at openings. Each bay of the E is gabled: the outer bays in three directions and the central bay in one. The main axis roof is hipped. All roofs are clad with Marseilles pattern tiles, whilst the 1916 pavilions symmetrically attached to the two outer bays have segment-arched parapets, between corner piers. Fenestration varies from the central entrance bay with its asymmetrical placement of the formerly Gothic-arched window, to that of the doorway with its quatrefoil-pierced tympanum, to that of the added, flat-arched 1916 windows in the outer wings. Most windows possess brick, segment-arched heads in contrast to the horizontal concrete lintels of the 1916 additions. Quatrefoil roof vents are set under hood moulds at each gable apex. In the grounds, an unusual and impressive Oriental styled shelter has been added, presumably in 1916.Integrity- - The bell tower over the entrance has been removed thus destroying the intended 'asymmetrical balance' of the design (see intact and later use of same device at SS 1566, Gravel Hill); the two-light Gothic-arched main windows have been replaced, as have the windows of the two outer wings; the slate roof and vents have been removed; the galleries, formerly linking outerwings to the main wing, have been replaced by the parapeted rooms; and the scalloped profile arrow-head picket fence has been removed.Streetscape - A major site in a residential precinct which contributes by its open treed space more so than its buildings.Significance- Architecturally, although one of its designs which determined the pattern of school design henceforth until the 1920s, this example is so altered, albeit convincingly, as to represent only a general building type, appearing more aligned with early this century: of high local importance. Historically, the first State School built in the area; one of the 13 premiated designs for new school architecture; for a time the largest school in the State, determining that its head masters, including the locally prominent, Mattingley, should receive successive distinctions and, of the allotments originally set out around the old creek as public open space, in 1858, this remains the only area still in public ownership and relatively clear of buildings: of State-wide interest and high local importance..Recommendations - Consider restoration of the entrance tower;repaint trim in original or typical colours;investigate landscape restoration and picket fencing the grounds;perpetuate and enhance mature perimeter planting.___________________________RESEARCH ADDED BY GRAEME BUTLER 2024:__________________________________________________Historic Buildings Council assessmentNorth Melbourne Primary School No. 1402FILE NO: 603565(Taken off the Victorian Heritage Register, 20 May 1998, G 274).HISTORY OF PLACEThe North Melbourne Primary School began as the Errol Street Common School No.206 conducted by Mrs. E Mattingley and her son, Albert. This was taken over in 1873by the Education Department. Because the Common School building was veryovercrowded and the number of children between six and fifteen in Hotham was fivetimes the number taught by the Mattingleys, the need for a larger building wasrecognised. The Education Department chose a new site for the school in July 1873and the new building was ready by April 1874.The school was affected by the government cost-cutting measures of 1892. As publicservants, the salaries of the teachers were reduced, scholarships were also reduced andpayments discontinued for singing, drawing and gymnastics. A number of assistantteachers were replaced with pupil-teachers. The Queensberry Street school wasamalgamated with Errol Street and the headmaster of Queensberry Street wasretrenched. From 1894 to 1907 , the infant grades were located at Queensberry Streetand the older children went to Errol Street or King Street. All the pupil-teachers fromQueensberry Street were retained but the assistant teachers were retrenched.Queensberry Street re-opened in June 1907, by which time the economy hadimproved.The 1874 building did not provide the lighting and ventilation required for schoolingin the early twentieth century. The building was remodelled in 1908 when somegalleries were removed, but a major remodelling was not carried out until 1915 whenthe large rooms were subdivided, air vents were installed, chimneys modernised andlarge windows replaced the original Gothic ones.A Rural School was established at North Melbourne in 1914 as part of the Victorianteacher training programme. A pavilion classroom was erected in the grounds underthe auspices of the Teachers College. The pavilion was described as follows:Three of the walls in each building are boarded to the height of three feet andabove that height, right to the roofline are fitted with stout navy canvas blinds, which are adjustable, and can be opened to any height in bays, The backwall is boarded from floor to ceiling. The rooms are built on sleeper platesand can, therefore, be easily removed without being dismantled.The Rural School was a prototype of the numerous rural schools in the remote regionsof the State. It contained 16 dual desks of varying heights to accommodate thechildren of each grade. This gave teacher training students an opportunity to see arural school in action. Other Rural Schools were at Queensberry Street, NorthMelbourne, Princes Hill, East Kew and the Model School in the grounds of the Teachers College'. The pavilion classroom was damaged by fire in 1980, and has been removed or demolishedA shelter shed costing £355 was constructed in 1926. The design was based on theplan of the Kew shelter shed intended as a model for all shelter sheds'..Cites:1 Elaine Warne. Errol Street: The First Hundred Years, 1857-1957. Melbourne, Errol StreetCentenary Committee, 1975. P. 472 Information from Heather McKay, Local History Librarian, North Melbourne Library:Albert Mattingley. 'The Early History of North Melbourne'. Victorian Historical Magazine" vol. 5 no. 2, 1915, pp. 80-100.3 Wood engraving by Samuel Calvert in Picture Collection, State Library of Victoria4 Bibliography File, State Library of Victoria.5 L. Burchell. Victorian Schools. Carlton. Vic., Melbourne University Press, 1978P. 1626 Burchell.. P. 162; Bibliography File, State Library of Victoria___________________________LEWIS, M- AUSTRALIAN ARCHITECTURE INDEXHotham School.Cost. £10,005.Erected between 1872 and 1875.(Built in 1874 to the design of Wharton & Vickers - Burchell, Victorian Schools, p 96).Argus 15.9.1875, p 5
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| Type | Reference No. | Extent | Status/Desc |
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| Original | 103480 | 1 PDF : 3686 KB ; A4 | Single Item (May not be issued, may not be reproduced) |