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Exhibition Boot Company, 160-162 Bourke Street, Melbourne

Butler, Graeme1985

Scope and contents

This shoe retailing shop was created in the Edwardian-era for the well known Exhibition Boot Company, an old colonial boot manufacturer with many shops across Victoria. The shop was later occupied over a long period by successive generations of the Coon family also as a shoe shop. The designer, William Webb had a prolific career creating many houses in the northern suburbs during the Victorian and Edwardian-eras.

Record details

Title:

Exhibition Boot Company, 160-162 Bourke Street, Melbourne

Creator:

Butler, Graeme (Name details)

Date of work:

1985

Reference number:

BIF-CITY 101211

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:

Period: EdwardianSign: Coon's Stores.ASSOCIATED RESEARCH ADDED BY GRAEME BUTLER:.GRAEME BUTLER & ASSOCIATES 2011, CENTRAL CITY (HODDLE GRID) HERITAGE REVIEWStatement of SignificanceWhat is significant?This shoe retailing shop was created in the Edwardian-era for the well known Exhibition Boot Company, an old colonial boot manufacturer with many shops across Victoria. The shop was later occupied over a long period by successive generations of the Coon family also as a shoe shop. The designer, William Webb had a prolific career creating many houses in the northern suburbs during the Victorian and Edwardian-eras.The building has been enhanced since identified in 1984 by the restoration (creation) of the distinctive tiled tympanum. The facade has an early and significant metal-framed shopfront with tilled plinth, and English Queen Anne revival façade styling, with red brickwork and Arts & Crafts cement detailing featuring the broad arch across the shopfront. Pressed metal sheeting is evident in the shop entry and interior which has a coved roof lantern over the main shop area. The tympanum tiling depicts a broad rising sun with yellow rays and a tiled blue sky above, a motif used in the Arts & Crafts and the later Decorative Art movement (Art Deco). Bartizan elements flank the façade in shaped red brickwork while boldly modelled cement work adorns the upper-level. As with other shops from the Victorian and Edwardian-eras with well preserved shopfronts, this shop is now rare in the Capital City Zone.How is it significant?The Exhibition Boot Company is significant historically and aesthetically to the Melbourne Capital City ZoneWhy is it significant?The former Exhibition Boot Company is significant for its distinctive architectural detailing, particularly the façade tiling, and early shopfront form that is now rare in the Melbourne Capital City Zone context.Historically, the shop is also associated with a prominent boot company in Victorian and Edwardian-era Melbourne and served as a boot outlet for some 80 years..FURTHER REFERENCES.The James Flood - Harold Paynting Charity Trust, Melbourne. 1985.. Victoria Illustrated 1834-1984p171 1937 view by H. Paynting.CITY OF MELBOURNE BUILDING PERMIT APPLICATIONS1904, 9285.Mahlstedt fire insurance plan seriesMahlstedt 1910-1940s Plan 4: shown with lantern and showcase windows in shopfront as `Exhibition Boot Company '.National Trust of Australia (Vic),Central Activity District Heritage Shopfronts, CAD Shopfront Survey 2000: cites this shopfront: substantially intact As a one storey building, the architecture is effective and simply framed shopfront.Statement of Significance`Large, finely detailed Edwardian shopfront, integral and original with the building. Notable for the wide ingo,hexagonal tessellated tiling, original door, and very high highlight.'.NEWSPAPERS (TROVE)`The Argus':Thursday 15 February 1923MISSING BOOTS.PURCHASE BY TRAVELLER.Salesman Sent to Gaol.Joseph A. Hayes, commercial traveller, was charged in the City Court yesterday with having on February 10 had in his possession three and a half pairs of boots and one pair of shoes, valued at £3/167, the property of Alfred Coon. Hayes, who denied the charge, was represented by Mr.. Shelton. The case was heard before Mr. R. Knight, P.M., and Messrs. T. O'Callaghan, P. Cohen, W. Brookes, C R .Smithwick, W. H. McNaughton, H. J. Carter, and. K.J. Power, .J .Ps…Alfred Coon, proprietor of Coon's boot shop, Bourke street, identified the boots and shoes produced as his property, The articles had not been bought at his shop.'Wednesday 22 April 1925CITY SHOP BROKEN INTO.BOOTS WORTH £100 STOLEN.Thieves Show Discrimination.Boots and shoes valued at about £100 were stolen on Monday night from the shop of Mr Alfred Coon, of 160 Bourkestreet The thieves took only the most valuable class of stock…`The Argus'Monday 9 June 1902Tenders by John Cameron, architect, for factory in Westgarth St for Exhibition Boot Company. (To be their head office)Thursday 23 August 1906`PROTECTIONISTS' CAMPAIGN BOOT TRADE…' notes 17 shops run by the company were supplied with cured skins from its Northcote factory for all types of boots.. Protectionists wished to preserve local jobs under threat from imports.Saturday 3 April 1909:Order from your nearest of the 19 Branches of the EXHIBITION BOOT CO PTY LTD -EXHIBITION BOOT CO PTY LTD Head Office-WESTGARTH ST NORTHCOTE.Melbourne-160-162 Bourke-street CitySuburbs-Collingwood, Prahran, Clifton Hill, Kew, FootscrayCountry - Ballarat Bendigo Maryborough, Daylesford, Warracknabeal Terang … Dandenong..'.Lewis, M. Australian Architecture Index (AAI):Webb, William H: (selection)G. W. H. Webb, Errol Street, North Melbourne proposed for membership to the Vic. Arch. & Eng. Assoc.Australasian Builder and Contractor's News 10.5.1890 p 1028W. H. WebbPaper read before the Arch. & Eng. Assoc. of Vic. on "Health Provisions for Residences" printed.Australasian Builder and Contractor's News 23.9.1893 p 145-6W. B. Webb Presidential address before the Arch. & Eng. Association of Victoria.Building Engineering and Mining Journal 22.5.1897 p 137W. H. Webb, President A. & E. Association. Paper read on "Healthy homes and how to secure them….."Building Engineering and Mining Journal 25.9.1897 p 303W. H. Webb, M.A.E.A., architect and sworn valuator, 14 and 15 Premier Buildings, 229 Collins Street, Melbourne. 1906 DirectoryWm. H. Webb, architect, 248 Abbotsford Street, North Melbourne. 1906 DirectoryW. H. Webb of Melbourne signs petition re Canberra in Building 12.7.1913. Building 12.7.1913W H Webb, North Melbourne.Tenderers listed for erection of 2 storey additions, Fitzgerald Street, South Yarra (Victoria). Australasian Builder and Contractor's News 7.6.1890, p 1097W.H. Webb 229 Collins St.Tenders accepted for erection of factory on cnr. of Westgarth & Ross Sts., Northcote. Building Engineering and Mining Journal 28.6.1902 supplement 5W. H. Webb. Coach factory, Carlton. J.C. Morrison, Carlton. Building 12.12.1911,p 90Tender accepted for erection of brick laundry in Barwise Street, North Melbourne for F. Kroutruber Esq.Building Engineering and Mining Journal 17.5.1890 supplement 5W.H. Webb, 229 Collins Street.Tenders accepted for erection of residence, H. Fry. Building Engineering and Mining Journal 20.6,1905 supplement 2Contract let in 1908 for erection of brick residence, Brunswick. T. Stabb, £552.Building 15.12.1908, p 87Contract let in 1908 for erection of brick villa, East Brunswick. J. Clements, £639.Building 15.12.1908, p 87Tender let during 1908 to G. Igram and Son for £1,650 for the erection of 2 residences at Caulfield.Building 15.12.1908, p 86Tenders wanted for erection of wooden cottage in Rose Street; Essendon for Mr G. Sinclair.Building Engineering and Mining Journal 7.3.1899 supplement 4Residence, at Prince's Hill.W. Hannah, £1,135. Building 12.12.1911, p 107Tenders wanted for erection of brick villa residence, North Melbourne.Building Engineering and Mining Journal 26.4.1892 supplement 3Tenders wanted for erection of 5 roomed brick cottage for A. Travis Esq., North Melbourne.Building Engineering and Mining Journal 12.3.1898 supplement 5Contract let in 1908 for erection of brick residence, North Melbourne. W.H. Webb. Rose Bros., Middle Park, £1,148. Building 15.12.1908, p 87Tender accepted for portion of work for 10 houses and shops in Abbotsford Street, North Melbourne (Victoria). Australasian Builder and Contractor's News 20.6.1891 p 481Tenders wanted for erection of large villa residence, Canning Street, North Melbourne.Building Engineering and Mining Journal 24.10.1891 supplement 3Tenders wanted for erection of 2 storey brick residence in Capel Street, North Melbourne.Building Engineering and Mining Journal 19.10.1895 supplement 2Tenders accepted for erection of brick villa for DC Stewart Esq.at Flemington. Building Engineering and Mining Journal 29.10.1898 spTenderers listed for erection of wooden cottage in Collett Street, Kensington (VIC).Australasian Builder and Contractor's News 14.6.1890 p 1117.Victorian Heritage InventoryLocation: 160-162 BOURKE STREET MELBOURNE, Melbourne CityHeritage Inventory (HI) Number: H7822-1517Heritage Inventory Description`Extant building originally designed as a church(?). Ornate pressed metal ceiling & stained glass skylights.1888 & 1905 - 2 storey building. '.Journal and Proceedings of the Royal Victorian Institute of Architects (R.V.I.A.) (Melbourne, monthly):Sep/Oct 1938: shows this building in part `Sample../ Alfred…' signs at arch and spandrel, shopfront as is;.ACU Catholic University web site: History of the Melbourne Campus:`At the heart of the Fitzroy neighbourhood stands historic Central Hall, previously known as Cathedral Hall, which has stood at 20 Brunswick Street, near the Victoria Parade corner, since 1904. Connected to the hall is the old Exhibition Boot Factory which, having provided the hall with a foyer, cloakroom, ticket office and club rooms, has been recently restored and renovated.Connected to the hall is the old Exhibition Boot Factory which, having provided the hall with a foyer, cloakroom, ticket office and club rooms, has been recently restored and renovated.Built in 1873, the Boot Factory turned out footwear for the Exhibition Boot Company for nearly 30 years before it was bought by the then Archbishop of Melbourne, Dr Thomas Joseph Carr in 1902.Archbishop Carr set about refurbishing the Boot Factory to provide the Catholic community with its own class, club and meeting rooms. The facility was opened in 1903 when Archbishop Carr also bought two adjacent properties and it is here where Central Hall was built and opened in 1904, followed by a supper room, opened in 1908.'.DIRECTORIES OF VICTORIA, MELBOURNE-SANDS AND KENNY, SANDS & MCDOUGALL(D1900 160-162 Enes, Adolph H watchmaker, jeweller)D1905 Exhibition Boot Company Stephens, W B mngrD1910 Exhibition Boot Company - P/L Buchanan, D mngrD1915 160-164 Federal Boot Co Ransom, Ernest prop.D1920-24 ANA Boot Co. A Coon proprietorD1935 Coon, A & Son boot shopD1939 Coon, R & A P/L shoes retailD1950 Coon, Alfred & Sons P/L shoes retailD1955 Coon, Alfred & Sons P/L shoes retailD1974 Coon, Alfred & Sons P/L shoes retail

Names:

City of MelbourneWebb, William H

Topics:

Central Activities District Conservation Study 1985Conservation studiesFederation/Edwardian styleRetail trade

Places:

Melbourne (Vic.)

Form/Genre:

Building Identification Forms (BIFs)

Record types:

Research and reports

Record number:

1190467