Victoria Crescent, 442-446 Victoria Street, North Melbourne
Butler, Graeme21 Jan 1985
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Total copies: 1
Title:
Victoria Crescent, 442-446 Victoria Street, North Melbourne
Creator:
Date of work:
21 Jan 1985
Reference number:
BIF-NORTH 109804 109805
Level of description:
Item from Collection: Heritage Collection (HC)
Type of materials:
Graphic materialsTextual material
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Access restrictions:
UnrestrictedOpen access.
Use restrictions:
UnrestrictedPlease contact City of Melbourne Libraries about obtaining permission to reproduce images.
General notes:
Grading as at 1985 : APeriod : Early Victorian/Mid Victorian (1873/1890)Grantee : Allison and Knight 1852The first house to be built on this allotment (442) was constructed for James Louden of Manningham Street, North Melbourne sic. (Parkville) in 1873. Architect, William J. Ellis called tenders for a two storey house in Victoria Street during 1872 and this may have been his design. Never living there himself, Louden rented it to various professional gentlemen such as Robert Rede, a master mariner, and John Grace, a surgeon. So beginning the long association of the medical profession with the building. By 1890 Knox Peacock, another surgeon, and the tenant since 1885, had purchased this house, living there until his death in 1899 [Obituary "The Australian Medical Gazette" 21 August 1899, p 361]About 1890 the building was added to significantly, causing a more than doubling of the nett rateable value, presumably coinciding with the construction of number 445. However, it appears that it was not occupied until c1896 when a Mr Davies took it. Both 442 and 446 were shown on the MMBW plan of 1896.The Trestrail family next occupied 446 and owned both houses after Peacock's death. Other long occupiers included Collins Street surgeon W A Dott (c1912-1965) and Dr J A Troup (c1920-1940)A richly decorated, two-storey stuccoed brick and parapetted duplex with a two-storey, bayed cast-iron verandah and central arched and scalloped entablature bearing the name "Victoria Crescent" and the date, 1873. Ornament in the form of scrolls, brackets and compound mouldings, adorns the return parapet whilst shaped architraves surround the openings; the doors being six-panel and the fanlights spoked. The verandah returns with the side walls and parapet, to terminate on attached Corinthian order columns. The richness of the decoration and the Jacobean patterns in the cast-iron balustrade indicate that the house was extended to the west and refaced c1890: whether to the design of Ellis, is unknown. Notable features include the fence; verandah decoration; verandah roof and structure.Architecturally, a rare and original row house and verandah form, with richly and successfully applied decoration, which contributes to a streetscape: of State-wide importance. Historically, associated with a variety of men and occupations with the medical predominance of the latter years; and part of a residential enclave in this commercial area: of local importance.
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Images, maps and artefacts
Record number:
1618771
| Type | Reference No. | Extent | Status/Desc |
|---|---|---|---|
| Original | 109804 109805 | 1 PDF : 1.09 MB ; A4 | Group of Items (May not be issued, may not be reproduced) |