Remove from your active Pick list Save for later

Richard Dawson's workshops, 113-117 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne

Graeme Butler and Associates01/07/1989

Record details

Title:

Creator:

Graeme Butler and Associates

Date of work:

01/07/1989

Reference number:

BIF-CITY 105835 105836

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 2022:__________________________________________________Period: Mid-VictorianDATE: 1882;ASSOCIATIONS: Richard Dawson;DESIGNER: Ernest Barker;BUILDER: Robert Ekins.GRAEME BUTLER 1989, LITTLE BOURKE STREET PRECINCT CONSERVATION STUDYStatement of SignificanceShops and Residences,113·1 J7 Little Bourke StreetHistoryBuilt: 1882Among the many properties Richard Dawson owned in the Little Bourke Street area during the 19th. Century this site held a brick shed and yard before be redeveloped in 1882, building three brick 'work shops' with six rooms attached. His architect was Ernest Barker (see 105 Little Bourke Street) and builder, Robert Ekins. 8 His first tenant was Ye Quing who held all three buildings but by the late 1890s, Ly Shing had 113-115 and Twong Sin On, 117. Workshops became shops by 1898 with each occupied separately by 1905 ie. Suey Sing Wah (113-115) and Yung Chung (117). More recently major renovations were carried out in 1962, 1978 and 1986.1Dawson appears to have lived in Canning Street, North Carlton. The plumber David Dawson (Lonsdale Street) also owned property in the area.DescriptionA two-storey red brick and parapeted former workshop trio, now considerably altered (113 is closest to the original description).The side elevation of 117 fronts Croft's Alley where loading doors have been generally bricked in but the patina of the original wall brickwork remains untouched there in contrast to the painted bricks facing Little Bourke Street and Market Lane.As workshops it is likely that the ground floor was similar to 11-13 Heffernan Lane with a central door flanked by windows. This contrasts with the present retail frontage.However enough remains of 113 Little Bourke Street's upper facade to restore the trio.External IntegrityUpper level windows (115-117) altered and replaced with steel frames, ground level totally removed and replaced and set back (115) bricks painted, air units added.StreetscapeLocated next to the Anglican Mission Church and the former Gospel Hall at 116-11.8 Little Bourke Street. it relates visually and culturally to its setting.Vaguely related to the red brick two and three-storey characteristics of the street.SignificanceOccupied near continuously by Chinese since its erection although the building's altered state severely limits its ability to express this occupancy: contributory in part to the Little Bourke Street Chinese quarter.Contributes to precinct.NOTESCity of Melbourne Building Permit Applications 9144; (115) 1962. (115-117) 1978. (117) 1986. 1972.GRAEME BUTLER 1985 MELBOURNE CENTRAL ACTIVITIES DISTRICT CONSERVATION STUDYBUILDING IDENTIFICATION FORM.GRAEME BUTLER 1989, LITTLE BOURKE STREET PRECINCT CONSERVATION STUDY.CONTEXT (WITH GJM HERITAGE) 2020, HODDLE GRID HERITAGE REVIEWVOLUME 2A: BUILT & URBAN HERITAGE – PRECINCTS, PRE-1945 PLACES, REVISIONS TO EXISTING INDIVIDUAL HERITAGE OVERLAY113-117 Little Bourke Street, 1882 (HO690 113-125 Little Bourke Street, Significant in HO507 Little Bourke Street Precinct)A two-storey brick shop and residence built in 1882.Figure 7. 113-117 Little Bourke Street, constructed 1882. (Source: Google Maps).The subject building compares favourably to the examples above. It has a similarly early build date (1867–1872) to all the examples except 113-117 Little Bourke Street, which was built in 1882. It is one of an increasingly rare group of small mid-Victorian shop buildings remaining in the city, and, as a single shop, rarer than examples of pairs or rows of small shops.Like all the examples listed above, the subject site retains a simple classical styling at the upper level, with an altered shop front at ground level. 171 Bourke Street is unusual in retaining some part of a decorative early shopfront..NEWSPAPERS (TROVE)1883https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/11839042An application was made by Mr. Godfrey to Mr. Justice Higinbotham, in chambers, yesterday, for a mandamus directing the licensing magistrates, Melbourne, to hear an application by one John Gunn for the renewal of a publican's licence for a hotel in Little Bourke-street, formerly known as the Horse and Jockey, but which it was proposed to call the Rockhampton. Affidavits were filed to the effect that the hotel was purchased in 1880 by Mr. Richard Dawson, the then tenant being one A. M'Cutcheon.….

Names:

City of Melbourne

Topics:

Little Bourke Historic Precinct StudyConservation studiesMid-late Victorian period (1875-1900)Brick1880-1889Notable Building Citations (Melbourne Planning Scheme)

Places:

Melbourne (Vic.)

Form/Genre:

Building Identification Forms (BIFs)

Record types:

Research and reports

Record number:

1252113