George Swanson's shop and residence row, part, 215 Swanston Street, Melbourne
Butler, Graeme1985
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Total copies: 1
Title:
George Swanson's shop and residence row, part, 215 Swanston Street, Melbourne
Creator:
Date of work:
1985
Reference number:
BIF-CITY 109287
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 2023:__________________________________________________DATE: 1860;ASSOCIATIONS: George Swanson;DESIGNER: Unknown;BUILDER: Mitchell, DavidPeriod: Early Victorian/ VictorianSign 1985: Batman Records_________________________________CONTEXT (WITH GJM HERITAGE) 2020, HODDLE GRID HERITAGE REVIEW.STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCEWHAT IS SIGNIFICANT215-217 Swanston Street, a two-storey shop and residence from 1856 is significant.HOW IT IS SIGNIFICANT215-217 Swanston Street is of local representative and aesthetic significance. It has rarity value and potential research value as an archaeological site.WHY IT IS SIGNIFICANT215-217 Swanston Street is a rare example of a pre-1860s shop/residence in the central city. Several other examples exist (all with individual HOs) at 74 Collins Street, 330 King Street and 261 William Street, and several warehouses are also representative of this period. Once part of a terrace row of four identical terrace buildings but now the sole survivor since the demolition of 211-213 and 223-225 Swanston Street. With a construction date of 1856 it is a rare early building to survive within the Hoddle Grid study area. (Criterion B)The site is part of the archaeological resources of the central city and has research value as an inventoried site. These sites have the potential to retain relics and archaeological deposits. It is also assumed that such deposits have the potential to yield knowledge not from other sources which may contribute meaningfully to our understanding of settlement in Melbourne. (Criterion C)215-217 Swanston Street demonstrates a common use and building typology where retail premises in the nineteenth century and the early twentieth century generally included upper-level accommodation for families involved in the business. Multi-storey shop and dwelling type buildings housing ground level shop with rooms above were constructed across the retail strips of the City of Melbourne and three or more storied commercial and retail buildings began to proliferate between Bourke and Lonsdale streets from the late 1880s. (Criterion D)215-217 Swanston Street is aesthetically significant for its two-storey form and scale, and upper levelfaçade featuring a rendered exterior, parapet, overhanging cornice and a pair of windows withclassically derived corbels, window mouldings (aedicules) and moulded pilasters in stucco. It isaesthetically significant for its contribution to the Swanston Street North Precinct. (Criterion E).GRAEME BUTLER 1985 MELBOURNE CENTRAL ACTIVITIES DISTRICT CONSERVATION STUDYBUILDING IDENTIFICATION FORM_______________________________________Lewis, M. Australian Architecture Index:record 77657 Swanston, George Melbourne VIC Houses; Shops Mitchell, David - Melbourne 1860 02 11 91MCC registration no 91 [Burchett Index]. Fee 8.0.0 four shops & dwellingsOther Swanston entries:77550 Swanston, George Melbourne VIC Houses; alterations Holme, Henry 1851 03 27 21277667 Swanston, George Melbourne VIC Shops; alterations Kilgour, Alexander - Hotham 1864 10 11 492_______________________________________Lewis, Nigel 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 Council.source 76, Page 9, 53PROPRIETOR: George SwanstonFIRST OCCUPIER/USE: William Davis and CoRate Books (Gipps ward?)1855 James Holland Stone house, 4 rooms & shop ₤1501856 Brick house, Double shop and 2 rooms W Davies & Co (to 1859) ₤1201870 133 Jacob Gerson Brick shop. 4 rooms. 20 x 66 ₤170_____215-217 SWANSTON STREETM22 L45This building appears to have been constructed in 1856 when the occupants were W. Davis and Co. The owner of the site from 1859 to at least 1889 was George Swanston and he possibly owned the building in 1856. It appears to have been part of a row of shops - this can be seen by the cut-off pilaster on the south of the building. The shop is very simple in design with a plain entablature supported by panelled pilasters. The window architraves are also restrained.RECOMMENDATION:This building is not of sufficient historical or architectural significance to warrant recommendation for addition to the Historic Buildings Register.'_______________________________________BIBB's Map, Roll Plan 14 c1856shown as timber adjoining Exchange Hotel_______________________________________VICTORIAN HERITAGE INVENTORY H7822-1488Extant building (shop) built 1856, occupants W Davis & Co. Owner 1859-1889 George Swanston. 1880 - two-storey building. 1888 - two-storey building._______________________________________National Estate Register Place ID: 4889The pair of Terrace houses at 163-165 Victoria Parade was erected in 1868-9 for George Swanston. They originally served as residences but are now used as offices and consulting rooms. The two storey rendered brick structures have two storey cast Iron verandahs, and a simple cornice and parapet decorated with urns._______________________________________CONTEXT (WITH GJM HERITAGE) 2020, HODDLE GRID HERITAGE REVIEW`SITE HISTORYSwanston Street was named after Captain Charles Swanston, founder of Tasmania’s Derwent Bank and leader of the Port Phillip Association (RHSV). Swanston purchased land in Swanston Street in the first Melbourne land sale of 1837. The subject place is located on Crown Allotments 9, Section 21, City of Melbourne. In 1866, allotment 9 was owned by Charles Driver (Plan of Melbourne 1866). Victorian era (1840-1900) buildings exist at 215-217, 239-241 and 243-249 Swanston Street. The two and three-storey brick buildings reflect the common practice of the era whereby commercial premises were constructed to house retail outlets at ground level with residences and workspaces for the business-owners provided on floors above.The two-storey building at 215-217 Swanston Street is an early Victorian building constructed in 1856, likely as part of a row of four shop and dwellings (Figure 485). It was occupied by W Davis and Co, coopers, in that year (Fels, Lavelle and Mider 1993, Inventory no 488). Figure 485. A group of two-storey brick shops and residences in Swanston Street, c1860. 215-217 Swanston Street is likely the third building from the left. (Source: Melbourne Heritage Action 2015)The building continued to be occupied by merchants throughout the nineteenth century. In 1867, C Dyer, boot and shoe maker, was the tenant (S&Mc). In 1870, J F Mullarky advertised that he had 'enlarged and fitted up' premises at 133 (today's 215-217) Swanston Street. Called 'Commercial House' by Mullarky, he used the building to house his millinery, drapery and outfitting business (Advocate 24 December 1870:2). George Swanston was the owner of the building until 1889 (Fels, Lavelle and Mider 1993, Inventory no 488). In 1888, the building accommodated M J Scully's bootery and hosiery business (Mahlstedt Map section 1, no 21, 1888). From the early 1910s up until 1927, 215-217 Swanston Street was occupied by New South Wales Monte Piete Co, loan and deposit company (S&Mc 1912-27). Around the same time of the Monte Piete’s departure, adjoining shops to the north (217-221 and 223-225 Swanston Street) were demolished to make way for a new building for the English, Scottish & Australian Bank; and by the 1930s, the remaining shops at 211-213 Swanston Street had been demolished and replaced with a two-storey reinforced concrete building for PH McElroy, electricians and radio dealers. Consequently, the subject shops at 215-217 Swanston Street remained the only surviving building in the row of four shop and dwellings (Figure 486). During the postwar years, the premises had been extended to the western allotment boundary (Figure 487)..Figure 486. The 1925 Mahlstedt fire survey plan (amended in a later date), showing the shops at 215-217 Swanston Street retaining its original building footprints. (Source: Mahlstedt Map section1, no 10, 1925)Figure 487. The 1948 Mahlstedt fire survey plan (amended in a later date), showing the shops at 215-217 Swanston Street extended to the western allotment boundary (Source: Mahlstedt Map section 1, no 10, 1948).SITE DESCRIPTION215 -217 Swanston Street is a rendered masonry building located between an interwar bank and a and a building of similar scale but later construction. It retains its small two storey scale,commensurate with its early date of construction, and is recognisable from the c1860 photograph (Figure 485). The simple façade with a plain parapet, overhanging cornice and the pair of windows with classically derived mouldings predates the more elaborate Italianate detail of later buildings. The upper floor is relatively unchanged with its pair of windows with aedicules and corbelled brackets flanked by a pair of stuccoed pilasters in simple classical style. The rear of the building abuts Louden Place and is one of several adjacent buildings of small footprint in the Swanston Street South Precinct enlarged to the rear boundary. The ground floor has large glazed shopfront windows.INTEGRITY215-217 Swanston Street is quite legible as an early building of the 1850s at the upper floor. The windows to the ground floor have been changed, the verandah (Figure 485) has been removed and a modern canvas awning added.RECOMMENDATIONSRecommended for inclusion in the Schedule to the Heritage Overlay of the Melbourne Planning Scheme as an individually significant place.Recommendations for the Schedule to the Heritage Overlay (Clause 43.01) in the Melbourne Planning Scheme:_______________________________________NEWSPAPERS (TROVE)1860BIRTHS.On the 29th inst., at 6 Royal Terrace, Mrs. George Swanston, of a son. Still born..1893Table Talk (Melbourne, Vic. : 1885 - 1939)Friday 28 July 1893 - Page 13https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/145711319Wills and Bequests.GEORGE Swanson, of Victoria Parade, Fitzroy, gentleman, by his will dated March 16, 1893, and presented for probate by Messrs. J. M. Smith, Emmerton and Johnson, of Melbourne, solicitors, appointed Peter Martin, of Drummond - street, Carlton, gentleman, his son Charles Henry Swanson, of Hotham-street, East Melbourne, gentleman, and Harry Emmerton, of Domain-road, South Yarra, solicitor, executors. He bequeathed to his daughter Isabella Harriet Yates, all his household furniture and effects, jewellery and wearing apparel ; to his nephew James Thomas Martin, his land in the parish of Brassie, New South Wales (812 acres 3 roods), with stock and chattels thereon, subject to payment within two years of testator's death of the difference between £1829 3s. 9d. (the purchase money for the land) and the net total cost to testator of an incidental to the purchase, farming and management of the land and of the stock and chattels thereon after deducting all moneys received by him. During the life time of his son Magnus Swanson, he bequeathed two-thirds of the income of his property known as "Comely Bank Farm," Templestowe, and his property at junction of Nicholson and Palmer streets, Fitzroy, to his trustees with the direction that they are to apply the whole or such part as they think fit towards the maintenance and benefit of his said son, and subject to same he bequeathed said properties to his grand- children (issue of his said son) equally, the income of share of each granddaughter to be paid to her during her life and after her death her share to go to her children, sons at 21 and daughters at that age or marriage, equally. He bequeathed to Elizabeth, widow of his late son James (so long as she shall continue his widow) his cottage and land in Sherwood - street, Richmond, and subject thereto he bequeathed said property, his property adjoining same, and in Moorhouse-street, Richmond, with four cottages thereon, to Maud Evelyn Swanson, daughter of his said son James, at 21. He bequeathed his shop (numbers 219 and 221) in Swanston-street, Melbourne, to Florence May Swanson, another daughter of his said son James, at 21, and to his trustees his property (numbers 223 and 225) Swanston-street, upon trust to pay £80 per annum to Marina Sarah, widow of his son, Peter Alexander (so long as she remains his widow) and subject thereto he bequeathed the income of said property to Marina Isabel Mary, daughter of his last-mentioned son, and after her death the said property to go to her children, sons at 21 and daughters at that ago or marriage, equally; to his son, Charles Henry Swan- son, his shop (numbers 203 and 205) absolutely, and the income of his shop (numbers 207 and 209), and after his death the last-mentioned property to go to his children, equally, sons at 21 and daughters at that age or marriage, provided that should his said son leave a widow, she shall receive, during her widowhood, an annuity of £70 out of the income of the last-mentioned property; to his daughter, Isabella Harriet Yates, his shop (numbers 211 and 213) Swanston-street, upon the same trusts as the proceeding bequest, and also to his said daughter, absolutely, his shop (numbers 215 and 217) Swanston-street, and dwelling house (numbers 163 and 165) Victoria Parade, Fitzroy. The residue of his estate he bequeathed, one-fifth each to his sons, Magnus and Charles Henry, and his daughter, Isabella Harriet Yates ; one-fifth to his grand- daughters, Maud Evelyn and Florence May Swan- son, equally, and one-fifth to his granddaughter, Marina Isabel Mary Swanson ; the shares of minors to go to them at 22 or marriage. Testator died May 3, 1893, and the estate is sworn at £37,500 real and £7000 personal; total, £44,500.
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1264237
| Type | Reference No. | Extent | Status/Desc |
|---|---|---|---|
| Original | 109287 | 1 JPEG : 624 KB ; A4 | Single Item (May not be issued, may not be reproduced) |