Melbourne Democratic Club also offices, shops & residences, 401-403 Swanston Street, Melbourne
Butler, Graeme1985
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Title:
Melbourne Democratic Club also offices, shops & residences, 401-403 Swanston Street, Melbourne
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Date of work:
1985
Reference number:
BIF-CITY 109314
Level of description:
Item from Collection: Heritage Collection (HC)
Type of materials:
Graphic materialsTextual material
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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.
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RESEARCH ADDED BY GRAEME BUTLER 2023:__________________________________________________DATE: 1890;ASSOCIATIONS: Bowen, Mrs;DESIGNER: Watts, Thomas & Sons;BUILDER: Sanders, ThomasPeriod: VictorianSign: Collins Booksellers: Indian House Restaurant___________________________GRAEME BUTLER & ASSOCIATES 2011, CENTRAL CITY (HODDLE GRID) HERITAGE REVIEWStatement of SignificanceWhat is significant?Architects Thomas Watts & Sons designed this three-storey building consisting of hall, shop and dwellings in 1890, described then as five shops and the Democratic Club rooms; the rooms were entered from a hallway at the north end of the building.One of many such clubs formed across the nation, the Melbourne Democratic Club was formed in 1887 to provide a forum for various self education courses. The club was particularly active in the labour movement during the 1890s Depression when they acted as a vehicle for debates on how to fix the depressed Colonial economy. Indoor sport was another facet of the club's activities including national boxing championships. The aims of the club were stated in 1899 as: ` (a) club, which is conducted for the political benefit enjoyment and improvement of the working classes'. The club was criticised in `The Argus' for its loose morals and conduct in this period as well as being fined for supplying sly grog and appears to have departed to Exhibition Street premises by c1900. Nevertheless it was a popular forum for opinion and frequently attracted newspaper attention in the late Victorian-era.The architecture of this three storey brick and render building has been masked to an extent by the painting of the brick façade. However the cement mouldings and fenestration provide for an architecturally sophisticated Mannerist Italian Renaissance revival design with use of segmentally arched and gabled parapet pediments and acroteria on both street elevations. A parapet balustrade with unusual raised piers is set above the central Swanston Street façade pediment with other detailing including pairing of upper-level windows with attached Corinthian order pilasters, moulded architraves, deeply bracketed sills, and keystones; segmentally arched first level windows with architraves and keystones; bold vermiculated quoining at first level and smooth quoining at the second. The building makes a fine complement to the early Queen Anne revival style of the Oxford Hotel on the next corner north and is related to the inter-war classicism of Druids House adjoining.The ground level to Swanston Street has been replaced except for the panelled timber door and doorway to the former club but part of the Little Latrobe Street ground level survives.How is it significant?The Democratic Club building is significant historically and aesthetically to the Melbourne Capital City ZoneWhy is it significant?The Democratic Club building is significant historically being the result of an unusual commission by a private club, and intended as a vehicle for democratic activity and public education to be financed by commercial adjuncts to the building, such as the five shops. The Melbourne Democratic Club was a major venue for indoor sport, debate and public instruction of working people in Melbourne during the great Depression of the 1890s, playing a role in helping to chart recovery options for the Colony as well as promoting the cause and recreation of labourers. This was the only building erected for the club in Melbourne.Architecturally the club building is well preserved and sophisticated stylistically as part of the shift to the brick aesthetic of the Queen Anne style via, but in this case in a distinctive form of mannered Italian Renaissance revival architecture.__________________________________________GRAEME BUTLER 1985 MELBOURNE CENTRAL ACTIVITIES DISTRICT CONSERVATION STUDYBUILDING IDENTIFICATION FORM cites HBPC CBD Area Study (83), page 19: 401-405 built 1890, Thomas Watts design, shops and club, shopfronts altered - character lost (!!)_________________________________________City of Melbourne i-Heritage:Central Activities District Conservation Study - Graeme Butler, 1984 Building Identification Form (BIF): Notable features include elaborate/high standard design of cement rendered surfaces. Alterations / Recommendations: Canopy and shopfronts new (inappropriate - reinstate original design or sympathetic alternative), upper illuminated sign and services - side (inappropriate - remove or reinstate sympathetic alternative), bricks painted (inappropriate - remove by approved method)._________________________________________NLA collectionRules of the Melbourne Democratic Club : established 1887 : registered as a bona fide club, July, 1887Author Melbourne Democratic Club (Vic.)Edition Rev. [ed.]Melbourne : B.M. Lucas, 1898. 26 p. ; 12 cm.Subjects Melbourne Democratic Club (Vic.) - Constitution._________________________________________LEWIS, M- AUSTRALIAN ARCHITECTURE INDEX:T. Watts & SonsTenderers listed for five shops and Democratic Club in Swanston Street (Victoria). Australasian Builder and Contractor's News 5.7.1890 p 1177;record 71970 Watts, Thomas & Sons; Bowen, Mrs Melbourne VIC Shops Sanders, Thomas - 313 Canning St 1890 06 20 4504, MCC registration no 4504 [Burchett Index]. Fee 11.5.0building for shops and clubroom, Little Latrobe near cnr Little Latrobe & Swanston_________________________________________Mahlstedt Fire Insurance Plan Series:Mahlstedt c1910-1923 plan 13A: shows 3 levels, Melb. Democratic Club passage entry at north end, 2 shops in Swanston St (405) and three in Lt Latrobe Street, east of 12 with stair entry at west end._________________________________________NEWSPAPERS (TROVE)The `Queenslander', Brisbane, Saturday, 27 October, 1894: Alfred Jones address: June 1891 his address was at Democratic Club, Swanston-street, Melbourne`The Argus'(26 July 1888: re Collingwood Democratic Club, Wellington street, Collingwood)12 May 1892FITZGFRALD BROS CIRCUSCONTINUED SUCCESSTONIGHT. patronised by lady Hopetoun and Melbourne Elite..The Democratic Club…' (shooting and riding acts, Sarah Bernhardt's Ponies)18 June 1892U NIVERSITY EXTENSION LECTURES.The CommitteeOf theDEMOCRATIC CLUBHas decided on aCOURSE of LECTURESUnder the auspices of the University Extension Board.A meeting will be held at the club on Wednesday evening next, the attendance of the public, and their hearty cooperation, being invited.H. IBBOTSON, Secretary.27 April 1893`LABOUR DAY…MONSTER DEMONSTATIONSouth bank Yarra ..Under the auspices of the 'Knights of 'Labour'Trades hall Council, Single Tax League Melbourne Democratic Club and UnemployedWorkers AssociationPrevious meeting at Burke and Wills Statues 2 p m for stroll to Yarra Bank The Marseillaise and other selections by special brass band at 2 46 pm'Wednesday 7 June 1893Debate `Single tax'TAX unearned, Increment, rich city lands, untax industry, commerce, farm improvements-then wages will rise, depression vanish, retrenchment unnecessary Democratic Club, To night..'Wednesday 14 June 1893FLAT, Lonsdale street, near Russell street latelyoccupied by Democratic club ..Thursday 11 October 1894,At the Melbourne Democratic Club, Swanston-street, street, last night, Mr. David Gaunson lectured to a large audience on the subject, 'THE PROPER USE OF OUR STATE R'ILWAYS..'Saturday 14 July 1894In tracing the evolution of democratic institutions the lecturer also omitted to refer to a significant change which has recently come over the Melbourne Democratic Club, although in the light of current events at Chicago the new departure in Swanston street may well be noted. Facilities for studying the art of boxing as well as draughts and cut-throat euchre, have now been added to the list of attractions at this club, and the inaugural six round nine stone competition has proved a brilliant success. The tedious process of debate as a method of convincing a person who hold views different from ones own has long laboured under palpable disadvantages and the new principleintroduced by the Melbourne Democratic Club is sure to prove widely popular…' (boxing may solve debates)6 August 1894Herbert Ibbotson secretary of the Melbourne Democratic Club dies suddenly.18 Oct 1894NATIONAL GREATNESS. LECTURE BY PROFESSOR TUCKER.A large audience assembled at the Democratic Club, Swanston street, last night, to hear a lecture by Professor Tucker, of the Melbourne Uni'ersity, on 'National …13 Dec 1894An application for the cancellation of the license of the Democratic Club for premises in Swanston street was on the list of cases at the Metropolitan Licensing Court yesterday. The application had been set down by Mr. J. Connolly, licensing inspector for the district, on the ground that the club sold alcoholic liquor to persons who were not members of the club. Before the ease was called on, however, Mr. Wallace, of the firm of Gaunson and Walline, who appeared on behalf of the club, stated that they had been taken by surprise by the application, and had not had time to get their necessary witnesses11 June 1896A limited audience assembled yesterday evening at the Democratic Club to listen to Miss Spencers lecture on effective voting..Wednesday 17 March 1897` ATTEMPTED MURDER.A RESTAURANT PROPRIETOR ARRESTED... John Wilson, the proprietor of the Democratic Club Restaurant, Swanston-street, made a determined attempt to murder his wife, Catherine, this afternoon by shooting her witha revolver. The first bullet lodged in the left side of her neck She then rushed into the street*, and was followed by her husband, who fired two more shots, but without effect. He then returned to the restaurant, locked him self in his bedroom, and threatened to shoot anyone who interfered with him The police smashed the door in and arrested Wilson on a charge of wounding with intent to kill. The woman is in the Melbourne Hospital, -and the wound is regarded as a serious one.Later particulars show that the woman's real name was Spears. She bad been living with Wilson for about five years, and in February last left him and lived with another man. F or a few days she returned to Wilson, but owing .to her intemperate habits he ordered her out of the house. To-day she returned for her clothes, and being intoxicated she started a quarrel. The man secured-a revolver and fired two shots, both bullets taking effect. She then ma into the street and he fired two more shots. Wilson was quite sober. The woman is progressing satisfactorily.…'Wednesday 13 April 1898To LetEXTENSIVE PREMISES, at present occupied by Democratic Club corner of Swanston Street and Little Latrobe-Street. Yeo Crosthwaite, and Co , 98 Queen St_(advert continues over extensive period until club shifts to Exhibition Street)7 September 1899ALLEGED SLY GROG-SELLING.THE DEMOCRATIC Club PROCEEDED AGAINST...Monday 16 October 1899Rebuttal by secretary of accusations against club morals, states aims.Oct 1900Light-weight championship at club - most important Australian fight for some time…_________________________________________Martin Mulligan with Paul James, Chris Scanlon and Chris Ziguras, Creating ResilientCommunities:`Prevailing place storiesThe Swiss-Italian heritage for Daylesford and Hepburn Springs is real and was neglected for along time before Italian things became fashionable in Australia. The early Swiss-Italian migrantshad suffered discrimination in both Switzerland and Austria (where they were exiled for awhile) 21 and carried dreams of a more democratic society with them to the Victorian goldfields.They were attracted to the Hepburn Springs area by the mineral waters as much as the possibilityof finding gold and as well as creating Australia’s first macaroni factory they established aDemocratic Club to enact their dream..'
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| Type | Reference No. | Extent | Status/Desc |
|---|---|---|---|
| Original | 109314 | 1 JPEG : 757 KB ; A4 | Single Item (May not be issued, may not be reproduced) |