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Way & Co factory, later Auto-Trade Action, 186-190 A'Beckett Street, Melbourne

Butler, Graeme01/01/1985

Record details

Title:

Creator:

Butler, Graeme (Name details)

Date of work:

01/01/1985

Reference number:

BIF-CITY 100162

Level of description:

Item from Collection: Heritage Collection (HC)

Type of materials:

Graphic materials

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:

ASSOCIATED RESEARCH ADDED BY GRAEME BUTLER 2020s:___________________________Way & Co factory, 186-190 A'Beckett Street MelbourneSee also 211-213 Franklin StreetDATE: 1939;ASSOCIATIONS: A. G. Way & Co.;DESIGNER: Alder & Lacey;___________________________.RBA Architects, 2013, City North Heritage Review:HistoryDuring the late 1850s, allotment 13, Section 40B, with a frontage to the north side of A'Beckettt Street, was sold to I. Lundles .48 By 1864, although there was some development in the vicinity, none had occurred on the subject site. 49 By 1895, three attached brick cottages had been constructed at nos. 186, 188 and 190, with front verandahs and closets to the rear yards. An extant right of way lane had been created on the west side of no. 190 by this stage, which partly extended behind the three houses.50In 1931, 1935 and again in 1938, the cottages were put up for auction as 'An excellent site for Warehouse or Factory purposes with natural lighting facilities on three sides .51 The property was withdrawn from sale after the 1935 auction as a satisfactory bid had not been made.52 However, the property must have been sold c.1938 and the cottages demolished, as in 1939 an application was made to the city council for the erection of a factory on the site.53 The existing three storey brick building was designed by architects Alder & Lacey from Collins Street, Melbourne and constructed for A. G. Way & Co. at a cost of £6000.54 A. G. Way. & Co. had previously (in 1923) commissioned the building immediately to the north with an address of 215 Franklin Street. The company specialised in dairy utensils including milk and cream cans, 55 and their operations encompassed a wide range of metalworking activities including sheet metal, soldering, welding (oxy, arc and spot), tinning, and galvanising.56The architects Alder & Lacey specialised in Moderne style factory buildings.57 They designed the nearby T A T Electric Co. at 225 Franklin Street in 1936. They are also known to have designed other factories in the City of Melbourne during the 1930s such as one in Swanston Street (1933) and another in Little Bourke Street (1938).58Auto Traders Wholesalers were operating from the site during the early 1960s and at this time the right of way adjoining the site, which had become a dog-leg shaped lane between A'Beckett and Franklin Streets, was named Electric Place.59 The site is now occupied by Latrobe University..References cited:48 Township Plan, Parish of Melbourne at Melbourne North M314(10).49 Henry Cox, 'Victoria-Australia, Port Phillip. Hobson Bay and River Yarra leading to Melbourne', 1864 [State Library of Victoria]50 MMBW Plan 1024 (1895)51 The Argus, 1 July 1931, p2; 15 June 1935, p2; and 30 April 1938, p252 The Argus, 27 June 1935, p453 Building Application Index, VPRS 11,202, Application no 20,140, 9 February 1939.54 Building Application no 20,140: VPRS 11,200/P4/Unit 36255 The Argus, 17 September 1936, p18 and The Argus, 21 September 1950, p4356 The Argus, 20 December 1948, p3457 Citation for factory (Gordon Brothers Refrigeration) at 9-27 Michael Street, Brunswick (Victorian Heritage Database)58 Miles Lewis, Australian Architectural Index, record nos 772, 12,913 and 13,082.59 Mahlstedt Fire Insurance Plan, map 11A (1962 series, section 2 north)

Names:

City of Melbourne

Topics:

Central Activities District Conservation Study 1985Conservation studiesFederation/Edwardian styleBrickCommercial establishments

Places:

Melbourne (Vic.)

Form/Genre:

Building Identification Forms (BIFs)

Record types:

Research and reports

Record number:

1179263