Residential laneway behind High Street, Kew
The Age (Melbourne, Vic.: 1854- )1934
Archives
Total copies: 1
"WHERE IS KEW’S CIVIC PRIDE?"
“The spectacle here presented is not reproduced from a slum area, as readers might suppose to be the case, but is actually a photograph of the rear portion of the shops in the main thoroughfare of a highly respectable suburb. This unsightly collection of back-yard shanties and antiquated living quarters forms the rear of the shops on the south side of High-street, Kew. The Kew council has declared the places to be unfit for human habitation. Notice has been served on the tenants to vacate the premises, and the owners have been directed to bring the buildings into conformity with the requirements of the Health Act. But judging from the above illustration, the council should have gone further and taken action in the direction of having such unsightly and unhealthy structures totally demolished. More unwholesome surroundings would be hard to find in the metropolis, and the fact that they form part of the city’s main business centre is a blot on the city of Kew.” - The Age
“The spectacle here presented is not reproduced from a slum area, as readers might suppose to be the case, but is actually a photograph of the rear portion of the shops in the main thoroughfare of a highly respectable suburb. This unsightly collection of back-yard shanties and antiquated living quarters forms the rear of the shops on the south side of High-street, Kew. The Kew council has declared the places to be unfit for human habitation. Notice has been served on the tenants to vacate the premises, and the owners have been directed to bring the buildings into conformity with the requirements of the Health Act. But judging from the above illustration, the council should have gone further and taken action in the direction of having such unsightly and unhealthy structures totally demolished. More unwholesome surroundings would be hard to find in the metropolis, and the fact that they form part of the city’s main business centre is a blot on the city of Kew.” - The Age
Title:
Residential laneway behind High Street, Kew
Collector:
Date of work:
1934
Reference number:
MCK085
Level of description:
Item from Collection: Heritage Collection (HC)
Type of materials:
Graphic materials
Part of:
Sub-sub-collection: McKenzie Collection of glass plate negatives (SC_MCKENZIE)
Access restrictions:
UnrestrictedOpen access
Use restrictions:
Refer to individual item records for Use Restrictions.Please contact City of Melbourne Libraries about obtaining permission to reproduce images. High resolution files may be available on request. Users must acknowledge City of Melbourne Libraries when reproducing images.
General notes:
Photographer notations on slide: "B20"Published: The Age 5 April 1934, page 11.Published title: WHERE IS KEW’S CIVIC PRIDE?Published caption: “The spectacle here presented is not reproduced from a slum area, as readers might suppose to be the case, but is actually a photograph of the rear portion of the shops in the main thoroughfare of a highly respectable suburb. This unsightly collection of back-yard shanties and antiquated living quarters forms the rear of the shops on the south side of High-street, Kew. The Kew council has declared the places to be unfit for human habitation. Notice has been served on the tenants to vacate the premises, and the owners have been directed to bring the buildings into conformity with the requirements of the Health Act. But judging from the above illustration, the council should have gone further and taken action in the direction of having such unsightly and unhealthy structures totally demolished. More unwholesome surroundings would be hard to find in the metropolis, and the fact that they form part of the city’s main business centre is a blot on the city of Kew.”Trove article identifier: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/203826101.Description:The backs of two storey shops made of brick with weather board and corrugated iron fences and sheds built on - probably outside toilets, wood sheds and storage. Clothes hanging on a line, stink pipes, junk pile, shrubs..Research by project volunteer, Fiona Collyer:Kew Junction, often referred to as Five Ways, consisted of five major roads (High, Princess and Denmark Streets, High Street South and Studley Park Road) and two tram lines. (Princess and Denmark Streets were named in recognition of the marriage of Prince Edward and Princess Alexandra of Denmark in 1863). There was discussion for many years within Kew City Council about widening the intersection to eliminate the bottleneck, however the councillors felt that the expense of acquiring properties for demolition would be too costly for the ratepayers. The council’s application to the government for a grant from the Unemployment Relief Fund was rejected..In February 1934, Kew City Councillor Frank White declared at a council meeting that there was no greater eyesore in Melbourne than the south side of High Street, owing to the delay in years which had occurred through consideration of proposals for widening the street. Its present dilapidated condition reminded him of an abandoned mining town..In 1934, Kew City Council sent notices to quit within 14 days to the traders of the shops on the southern side of High Street from Cotham Road to Denmark Street on the grounds of being declared unfit for human habitation by the medical officer Dr. Derham. This affected twenty businesses including the Commercial Bank of Australia Ltd. The landlords were given three months to make the buildings habitable or demolish them, under penalty of fines. The shops were demolished and the council negotiated with the landlords to purchase the land on High Street to the depths of 15 feet (4.5 metres) over a frontage of 245 feet (74.6 metres). The landlords set the new buildings back from the previous street alignment and the council then widened the intersection...References:WHERE IS KEW'S CIVIC PRIDE? (1934, April 5). The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954), p. 11. Retrieved March 18, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article203826101HIGH STREET WIDENING (1934, February 28). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), p. 8. Retrieved March 18, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article11743500IN THE SUBURBS HIGH STREET, KEW (1933, October 26). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), p. 5. Retrieved March 27, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article11705225
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Form/Genre:
Record types:
Images, maps and artefacts
Record number:
1534347
| Type | Reference No. | Extent | Status/Desc |
|---|---|---|---|
| Copy | MCK085.jpg | 1 JPG | Single Item (May not be issued, may not be reproduced) |