Digby Hotel later Family Hotel also Melbourne City Mission, Sister Grace's Home for Girls, 280-282 Exhibition Street, Melbourne
Butler, Graeme1985
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Total copies: 1
Title:
Digby Hotel later Family Hotel also Melbourne City Mission, Sister Grace's Home for Girls, 280-282 Exhibition Street, Melbourne
Creator:
Date of work:
1985
Reference number:
BIF-CITY 103618 5
Level of description:
Item from Collection: Heritage Collection (HC)
Type of materials:
Graphic materialsTextual material
Part of:
Series: Central City (BIF-CITY)
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UnrestrictedOpen access.
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UnrestrictedPlease contact City of Melbourne Libraries about obtaining permission to reproduce images.
General notes:
Period: Early VictorianConstruction date: 1853-.RESEARCH ADDED BY GRAEME BUTLER 2021:.GRAEME BUTLER 1985 MELBOURNE CENTRAL ACTIVITIES DISTRICT CONSERVATION STUDYBUILDING IDENTIFICATION FORM source 77.DARYL JACKSON EVAN WALKER ARCHITECTS PTY. LTD 1976 FOR HISTORIC BUILDINGS PRESERVATION COUNCIL; MELBOURNE: THE AREA BOUNDED BY VICTORIA, SPRING, LONSDALE AND SWANSTON STS (source 77): 102Date Built 1855 (or 1854)Intactness Facade largely intact, although window frames altered, portico added when converted to Post Office c. 1940. Interior has been extensively altered.Construction materialsThree storey building. Brick walls with stucco finish to facades. Timber floor and roof framing.Historical Basis None.Other ReferencesStreetscape No. 9RecommendationProperty owned by the Commonwealth of Australia and therefore not covered by the Historic Buildings Act the shell of the building should be included on the National Estate Register and the building further protected by planning controls.1 HistoricalIn 1854 the site was occupied by the `European Hotel' owned by Isaac Summers (1). In 1855 the rate book refers to the `Digby Hotel'. (2) James Cooper became owner in 1857 (3) and by 1858 the name had changed to `Cooper's Hotel' (·4); and later `Cooper ‘s Family Hotel’ (5). The building presently is used as a Post Office.2 Architectural2.1 The present building dates from 1855 or earlier (2). Certainly there was a hotel on the site before that time but no description is given. In 1855 it is described as "18 rooms and bar" (2) and in 1857 as "21 rooms, cellar and stable" (3). There is no significant change in the description from that time; it is unlikely that such a substantial building would be demolished and rebuilt to identical description. The timber windows were replaced by multipaned bronze frames and a cantilever verandah added when the building was converted to a post office, probably in the early 1940's.Footnotes(1) Sands and McDougal Directory, 1854.(2) M.C.C. Rate Book, Gipps Ward, 1855.(3) M.C.C. Rate Book, Gipps Ward, 1857.(4) M.C.C. Rate Book, Gipps Ward, 1858.(5) Mahlstedt 1910 map.DE GRUCHY & LEIGH, 1866. ISOMETRICAL PLAN OF MELBOURNE AND SUBURBS IN 1866Shown.LEWIS, M- AUSTRALIAN ARCHITECTURE INDEXRecords 75288 Byng, John Melbourne VIC Houses Jones & Allender - Collingwood 1853 07 9 1121 MCC registration no 1121 [Burchett Index]. Fee 4.0.0 house Stephen near cnr Stephen (Exhibition) & Little Lonsdale(84093 Byng, John - Victoria Hotel - Little Bourke Fitzroy VIC Houses Byng, John 1852 12 9 600).NEWSPAPERS (TROVE)1854 licensing - Isaac Wallace, Digby Hotel, Stephen-street. Granted1854https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/4806417Article citing the hotel at the Russell St corner in error `...A WARNING TO PUBLICANS -Sub Inspector Smith yesterday complained of Mr. Wallis, the landlord of the Digby Hotel, on the corner of Russell and Little Lonsdale streets, because he had his house open at half past one on Good Friday morning, and a number of prostitutes therein…'Dec 1854John Byng, late - Wallace, Digby Hotel, corner Stephen and Little Lonsdale streets. Granted.1855 licensing- `John Byng, Digby Hotel, Stephen-street. Cleanliness recommended'.The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954)Wednesday 13 June 1855 - Page 5https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/1548973121855 inquest`Sudden Death. —An inquest was held yesterday before the Acting City Coroner. Dr. Youl, at the Digby Hotel, Stephen street, on the body of William Clayton, carpenter, who was found dead in his bed at the house where he lodged in Stephen street, on Sunday morning. He had been in the habit of drinking to excess, and although he felt unwell on Saturday, no medical attendant was summoned to visit him. A friend went with him to the Hospital where some medicine was procured, which he took. He expired about ten o'clock on Sunday morning. It did not appear that any one was present at the time. From the evidence of Dr. Maund, who made a post mortem examination of the body, the immediate cause of death was inflammation of the lungs, and the jury returned a verdict to that effect.1856 robbery nearbyhttps://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/71355621880Weekly Times (Melbourne, Vic. : 1869 - 1954)Saturday 8 May 1880 - Page 21https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/221759712Burglary. — John Williams, John Malcolm, and Thomas Fenton were charged with breaking into Cooper's Family Hotel, at the corner of Little Lonsdale and Stephen streets, on the morning of the 7th ult., and stealing there from a quantity of cigars - and some money. They were also charged with stealing a purse, containing £3 16s., and some clothes, the property of Samuel Price, a lodger in the same hotel, on the night in question. Francis Bennett, the prosecutor, deposed that he missed-a quantity of cigars from his hotel on the morning of the 7th ult., but he was unable to swear to the identify of the articles produced. Samuel Price stated that - he was a lodger in the house, and retired to bed at 12 o'clock on the night referred to. He lost the run of his coat and trousers in the morning and also missed his purse, containing ... silver. He could swear to the purse as being his property, but he was not positive that the clothes the prisoner Fenton had on, when arrested, were his property …— Williams, Malcolm, and Fenton — charged with breaking into Coopers Family Hotel, were found guilty, and the two former were Sentenced to two years hard labour each, and the latter, against whom there were two previous convictions, was sentenced to six years'. …1906https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/10009806THE TRUSTEES, EXECUTORS, AND AGENCY COY. LTD., in the Estates of the LateE G. FITZGIBBON, Esq., C.M.G., And Mrs. SARAH M. I. FITZGIBBON- auction of many city property lots with Cooper's1912 Burglaryhttps://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/149239459Mr. Alfred Dyce Murphy, a squatter of Clendon-road, Toorak. was entered by a thief, who succeeded in getting away with a cash-box containing £400 worth of jewellery.1913The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957)Thursday 23 January 1913 - Page 10license cancelledhttps://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/10761757Application was made by Mr. M. C. Larkin (Reynolds and Larkin) for the cancellation of the lease of the Cooper's Family Hotel, corner of exhibition and Little Lonsdale streets, ninth was closed on December 31 last. Mr. Fielding (Rigby and Fielding), for the owner, did not object to the application, but contended that the board should attach a condition that the rent for January should be paid. The board, after argument, held that the conditions of the section had been complied with, and it had no jurisdiction to attach such a condition. The application was accordingly granted.1932https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/203794459Melbourne City Mission... monthly meeting of the Ladies Advisory Board of the Melbourne City Mission meet1944The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957)Wednesday 10 May 1944 - Page 8https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/11815207WORK OF MELBOURNE CITY MISSION Since the City Mission Hostel for girls was reopened two years ago it has averaged in residence from week to week about 15 girls, many of whom have come from the police courts after their first offence. The girls who work during the day are provided with a comfortable home, where they can enjoy con- genial home life and are taught domestic work and crafts. They are also given religious instruction and guidance. The annual drawing room meeting was held yesterday at headquarters, 280 Exhibition st, when Mrs Edward Campbell, Lady Mayoress, presided
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| Type | Reference No. | Extent | Status/Desc |
|---|---|---|---|
| Original | 103618 5 | 1 PDF : 1,295 KB ; A4 | Group of Items (May not be issued, may not be reproduced) |