Collie, R & Co warehouse, 194-196 Little Lonsdale Street, Melbourne
Butler, Graeme1985
Archives
Total copies: 1
Title:
Collie, R & Co warehouse, 194-196 Little Lonsdale Street, Melbourne
Creator:
Date of work:
1985
Reference number:
BIF-CITY 106046
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:__________________________________________________DATE: 1903;ASSOCIATIONS: Collie, Robert & Company;DESIGNER: Pearson, R H;BUILDER: Henningsen, HPeriod: Edwardian.GRAEME BUTLER & ASSOCIATES 2011, CENTRAL CITY (HODDLE GRID) HERITAGE REVIEWStatement of SignificanceWhat is significant?Designed by RH Pearson, the workshop and warehouse at 194-196 Little Lonsdale Street, was constructed in 1903 by Hawthorn builder, H Henningsen, for the printers supply firm, R Collie & Co.. Robert Collie and Co, who also had a Sydney warehouse, remained in this location into the 1950s. The firm was a long-time member of the Victorian Master Printers and Allied Trades Association along with household names such as Sands and McDougall P/L McCarron, Bird & Co, Spicers and Lamson Paragon, and was a consistent government supplier of printing and bookbinding materials.This is a two storey tuck-pointed red brick factory-warehouse with rendered classical revival details combined in a free and non-academic fashion. Stylistically, this is referred to as Federation Free Classical: its proponents sought to combine a Classical sense of repose and harmony with a modern simplicity. The use of classical proportions without the full panoply of columns pilasters entablatures and pediments was seen as an advance from the Victorian-era. The building rises from a heavy red brick base containing basement windows, with rendered pilasters, stripped of their usual decorative detail, rise superposed through the full height of the building to a bold pedimented parapet. The pilasters and cornices at parapet and first floor levels divide the façade into a series of bays, each containing a large segmentally arched window with timber joinery. Original joinery appears to have survived throughout. The side and rear elevations are also well-preserved, the latter in a gabled parapeted form and the former, with unusual recessed windows, loading doors and a gantry. This loading bay was the scene of a fatal accident in 1914.The building is in excellent original condition, but has added unrelated services on the east wall to the lane.This warehouse is a contributory part of a highly significant group (194-200) of similar Edwardian-era 2 storey warehouses, terminated on the east by the John Knox church complex (1863-). Nearby Drewery Lane and similarly scaled buildings in Swanston Street provide period character to the area.How is it significant?The Robert Collie & Co warehouse is significant historically and aesthetically to the Melbourne Capital City Zone.Why is it significant?The Robert Collie & Co warehouse is of aesthetic significance as a good and well-preserved example of an Edwardian factory-warehouse with a stripped Edwardian-era classical revival style façade, distinctive within Melbourne's Capital City Zone. The building contributes to a highly significant warehouse streetscape believed to be among the most intact within the Capital City Zone, and is part of a valuable Victorian-era enclave including the adjoining Knox Church and Sunday school, and Evans' row houses in Swanston Street.Historically the building has a long association with a prominent firm within the local printers supply industry, Robert Collie & Company..BRYCE RAWORTH PTY LTD, 2002 REVIEW OF HERITAGE OVERLAY LISTINGS IN THE CBDHistory and Description194-196 Little Lonsdale Street, was constructed c.1904 [D1904] as a two storey factory in tuck-pointed red brick with rendered details. The designer and builder are not known.The first occupants of the new building were R Collie and Co, printing inkmanufacturers, who remained in this location for over a decade [D1904-14].It is an unusual architectural example in which simplified Classical details are combined in a free and non-academic fashion. Stylistically, the mode is occasionally referred to as Federation Free Classical, and its proponents sought to combine a Classical sense of repose and harmony with a modern simplicity through the use of classical proportions without the full panoply of columns pilasters entablatures and pediments.The building rises from a heavy red brick base containing windows to the basement. Rendered pilasters, stripped of their usual decorative detail, rise through the full height of the building to an bold pedimented parapet. The pilasters and cornices at parapet and first floor levels divide the facade into a series of bays, each containing a large arcuated window. Original joinery appears to have survived throughout. The building is in excellent original condition.Statement of Significance194-196 Little Lonsdale Street is of aesthetic significance at a local level as a good example of an Edwardian factory with an unusual stripped Classical facade within Melbourne's CBD. It contributes to a significant streetscape believed to be among the most intact examples of an early warehouse district within Melbourne's CBD.Footnotes:Sands and MacDougall, Directory of Victoria (D), 1904.Sands and MacDougall, Directory of Victoria, 1904-1914..GRAEME BUTLER 1985 MELBOURNE CENTRAL ACTIVITIES DISTRICT CONSERVATION STUDYBUILDING IDENTIFICATION FORM__________________________________________________City of Melbourne i-Heritage:Central Activities District Conservation Study - Graeme Butler, 1984 Building Identification Form (BIF): : Notable features include unpainted cement render and unpainted decorative brickwork. Alterations / Recommendations: New sign (sympathetic), part bricks painted (inappropriate - remove by approved method)__________________________________________________Winston Burchett Index:City of Melbourne Building Permit Application (BPA) 1903, 8939: Feb 25see also LEWIS, M- AUSTRALIAN ARCHITECTURE INDEX__________________________________________________VGG: 13/7/1920, 18/7/1924, 7/7/1925 supply lists__________________________________________________NEWSPAPERS (TROVE)`The Argus':Thursday 16 February 1905, Saturday 17 February 1906 submissions to Tariff Royal Commission:TARIFF COMMISSION. THE FIRST MEETING. SUMMARY OF COMPLAINTS.`The Federal Royal commission appointed to ¡inquire into the effects of the tariff held its first meeting in the Senate club-room yesterday afternoon. The chairman (Sir John Quick, M.H.R.) presided, and all the other members..' Collie complaint-Lampblack only raw material admitted free….`Unless the duty on resin oils for use in the manufacture of printing inks be struck out we cannot continue the manufacture of cheap black news ink …'Wednesday 7 October 1914James Cook, man crushed to death by machinery delivered from Geelong at Collie's - loading from van in Knox Place -hit by swinging load from gantry.Saturday 20 November 1915 W Collie of R Collie report to Parliament.`GOVERNMENT PRINTINGOFFICE.VALUATION OF THE PLANT.'REPORT BY MR. W. COLLIE.A report, giving details of the valuation made by Mr W. Collie (Messrs R. Collie and Co . Melbourne) of.the printing plant at the Government Printing Office, Hobart, was tabled in the House of Assembly on Wednesday. The report, which is dated 11th October, 1914, states.the tho total value of the plant was estimated at ₤8,826 0s 3d , but that this does not include the photo gallery, telephone system or stock, and continues as follows …'Tuesday 27 August 1940`The Sydney Morning Herald' (NSW : 1842-1954) Tuesday 24 June 1919 : fire at Sydney premises.__________________________________________________LEWIS, M- AUSTRALIAN ARCHITECTURE INDEX:No entry for R Pearson.DIRECTORIES OF VICTORIA, MELBOURNE-SANDS AND KENNY, SANDS & MCDOUGALL_________________________________________________1950 194-200 Collie, R & Co P/L printers furnishers1944-5, D1939, D1935, D1930, D1920 194-196 Collie, R & Co P/L printers furnishers1915 194-196 Collie, R & Co printers outfitters1910, 1905 194-196 Collie, R & Co printing ink manuf, printers furnishers1900 194 John Smith/ 196 Mrs Morgan
Related material link:
Names:
Topics:
Places:
Form/Genre:
Record types:
Research and reports
Record number:
1258110
| Type | Reference No. | Extent | Status/Desc |
|---|---|---|---|
| Original | 106046 | 1 JPEG : 494 KB ; A4 | Single Item (May not be issued, may not be reproduced) |