Records Office, also Health Department Building, 287-295 Queen Street, Melbourne
Butler, Graeme1985
Archives
Total copies: 1
Title:
Records Office, also Health Department Building, 287-295 Queen Street, Melbourne
Creator:
Date of work:
1985
Reference number:
BIF-CITY 108081
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:__________________________________________________Period: EdwardianDATE: 1902-1904;ASSOCIATIONS: Victorian Government;DESIGNER: Marsden, J H -PWD Chief Architect, SE Bindley, district architect;BUILDER: Dinsmore, Bartley.VICTORIA HERITAGE REGISTER H1528Statement of SignificanceWhat is significant?The former Records Office was built in 1900-1904 to the design of SE Bindley, District Architect of the Public Works Department. The contractor was Bartley Dinsmore. It was originally built to house official records including records of births, deaths and marriages, as well as legal records and wills. The building is in the Victorian Second Empire style, a style considered appropriate for a city striving for Parisian grandeur. The main building has a rusticated basement and first floor, a piano nobile with Corinthian columns and pilasters, and an attic storey hidden behind the balustraded parapet. The distinctive Mansard roof is capped with cast iron finials and elaborate zinc griffins. Typical of the style, the main facade has projecting centre and end bays. Internally the main staircase at the Queen Street entrance rises on granite columns through three floors and has marble balustrades to the first floor and cast iron balustrades to the piano nobile. The former Records Office is constructed of stuccoed brick and is joined to a single-storey strong room building at the rear by a courtyard. A caretaker's flat was built over the strong room building in 1938. Fireproof floor construction is used throughout the building, and iron roller shutters on the ground floor and in the strong room.How is it significant?The former Records Office is of architectural, historical and scientific (technical) significance to the State of Victoria.Why is it significant?The former Records Office is architecturally significant as the last grand statement in the Victorian Second Empire style of a city aspiring to the grandeur of European cities. The Records Office marks the end of the imposing classical style for public buildings in Melbourne and reflects an important development in the design philosophy of Public Works Department architects.The former Records Office is historically significant for demonstrating the importance of record-keeping in carrying out the functions of Government. Its location near the Titles Office and the law courts illustrates the early relationship between all these arms of Government. The responsibilities of the first Registrar-General of the Colony of Victoria included registering land grants and collecting statistics of births, deaths and marriages. From 1858 the position also became the Registrar of the Supreme Court responsible for the safekeeping of legal documents relating to land transactions and court records. The Records Office originally housed records relating to all these functions of Government.The former Records Office is scientifically (technically) significant for its use of fire precaution methods. The Traegerwellblech system of fireproof floor construction used throughout the building represents an advance in fireproof flooring techniques first tested in Melbourne in 1881. The system used deep corrugated iron designed to carry substantial loading and was curved into flat arches spanning between girders..GRAEME BUTLER 1985 MELBOURNE CENTRAL ACTIVITIES DISTRICT CONSERVATION STUDYBUILDING IDENTIFICATION FORM cites 81, page 16- Yuncken Freeman Architects P/L 1976.. Historic Buildings Preservation Council Melbourne CBD Study Area.Yuncken Freeman Architects P/L 1976.. Historic Buildings Preservation Council Melbourne CBD Study AreaDepartment of Health Building )287 - 295 Queen Street,1900Architect: Public Works DepartmentBuilder: B. DinsmoreRecords Office (Original)Health Department (Present)Two storey with attic and basement.rendered stone, blue stone ground treatment and stone bare, slate roof.intactNo particular historical importance, original condition and expressive treatment of French Renaissance style of building are predominant criteria.Registration strong recommended.VICTORIA HERITAGE REGISTER H1528FORMER RECORDS OFFICE - HistoryContextual History:The former Records Office and the Titles Office have always had a close association with each other and with the legal system. The Registrar-General of the Colony of Victoria was charged with the responsibility of registering land grants and collecting statistics of births, deaths and marriages. From 1858 the position also became the Registrar of the Supreme Court with the responsibility for the safekeeping of legal documents relating to land transactions and court records. The Titles Office, first known as the Registrar-General's Office, was constructed at 283 Queen Street in 1874-77, extended in 1884-85 and again in 1887-89. The Records Office was later to occupy the adjacent site.HISTORY OF PLACEThe former Records Office was built in 1900-1902 to the design of S E Bindley, District Architect of the Public Works Department. The contractor was Bartley Dinsmore. In 1903 plans for the building were amended to include spaces for a Police Court and a District Court, however it seems these changes never occurred.The first use of the building was to house the Government Statist and his staff on the ground floor, the Friendly Societies actuary on the ground floor, the Department of Public Health on the first floor, and the analytical laboratories of the Board of Public Health on the second. The basement was used by the Registrar of Land Tax and for the storage of original wills and records of births, deaths and marriages. The two strong rooms stored law records.The Traegerwellblech system of fireproof floor construction used throughout the building represents an advance in fireproof flooring techniques first tested in Melbourne in 1881. The system used deep corrugated iron designed to carry substantial loading and was curved into flat arches spanning between girders.The caretaker's residence was built over the strong room building in 1938..STATE LIBRARY OF VICTORIAShown as Titles Office in`Old & New Melbourne.' [picture]Date [ca. 1895-ca. 1915]Description postcard : printed, col. ; 8.8 x 13.8 cm. approx.Identifier(s) Accession no: H29753/31Lonsdale and Elizabeth Sts., Melbourne, Early Forties.--Law Courts, Lonsdale Street, Melbourne--Titles Office, Melbourne.NEWSPAPERS (TROVE)1900https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/9551246The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957)Thursday 9 August 1900 - Page 7THE NEW RECORD OFFICE.Mr Bromley MLA introduced a deputation from the Operative Masons Society to the Minister of Public Works easterly winds asked that the record office in Queen street should be built of Bairnsdale mm instead of brick and cement notwithstanding that the latter would cost about ₤25000 less than a stone structure It was pointed out that if stone were use in the construction all the money expended in the building would be spent in Victoria but if brick and cement were to be the materials then a portion of the money would go abroad as imported cement would have to be usedMoreover, it was unfair to regard all the ₤15,000 additional as being lost to the Government. Part of it would come back to the treasury in the shape of railway freight on the carriage of the stone from Bairnsdale to Melbourne. Furthermore, it was not right to debit the whole cost of opening up the quarry and the laying down of the tramway from it to the Gippsland railway to this one work as the quarry and tramway could be utilised in getting stone for other public buildings, such as the Flinders street railway station. …The Minister replied that the departmental officers were satisfied with the durability of the stone and also with its colour. He would stay his hand regarding the acceptance of the tender for the building for a few days so that the representations of the deputation could be placed before the Cabinet.1902The foundation stone of the new Records Office, which is to be built in Queen-street, alongside the Titles Office, was laid yesterday in a quiet and unostentatious manner by the Minister of Public Works. The new building is being erected in consequence of complaints as to the unsuitability of the old Records Office' accommodation, and the liability to have the whole of the records which are stored there destroyed by fire.The ceremony of laying the foundation stone was performed by. Mr. M'Culloch, in the presence of Mr. Martin, secretary of the department; Mr. W. Davidson, Inspector- General of Public Works; the architect, Mr. Bindley; and the contractor, Mr.. B. Dinsmore, .who presented the Minister with a hansomee silver trowel. '1904 JanThe Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954)Monday 25 January 1904 - Page 4https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/197232179The biggest building operation undertaken in Melbourne since the erection of the Equitable offices has been proceeding for the last three years in a quiet portion of the city, absolutely unnoticed. This is the new State Records Office, standing alongside the Income Tax Office at the corner of Little Lonsdale and Queen streets. It covers a block of land 150 x 159 feet, is two stories high, and is made of stone.-With its lofty, ornamental roof and heavy Grecian pillars over the doorway, it quite towers over its neighbour. Indeed, the contrast between, the two buildings could not be more marked, for while the old one is regular, plain and black with age the new erection has all the improvements of modern architecture.When completed it will be one of the handsomest buildings in the city. The final stage of plastering has now been reached, and Mr. Bartley Dinsmore, the contractor, states that if no more alterations are made in the working plans he should be finished in two months. At present he has over 30 hands engaged.One of the many interesting features worth noticing is -the huge strongroom. This stands quite apart -from the main building, and is divided into two compartments each about 60 x 40 feet. The windows are fitted with iron sliding shutters, while the big doors of the same metal are particularly heavy. In these rooms the State deeds and other Governmental documents will be kept.1904The Australasian (Melbourne, Vic. : 1864 - 1946)Saturday 18 June 1904 - Page 25https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/139114635A CONTRACTOR'S SUICIDE.It was discovered on Thursday evening that a startling suicide had taken place-probably the previous evening-in the new Record offices, in Queen-street, which are in process of completion. Mr. Bartley Dinsmore, of the Esplanade, St. Kilda, the con tractor for the new buildings, was found lying dead in his office, and evidently he had shot himself in the head with a revolver. On Wednesday evening he did not go home, and on Thursday evening it was notified that his office could not be opened. The door was forced, and the body of Mr. Dinsmore was found-lying on its back on the floor. A revolver containing one exploded and one unexploded cartridge was in the light hand, and under the right ear was a bullet wound. The body was .removed by Detective Bear and Constable M'Kay to the Morgue, where an inquest will be held.On a sheet of paper in the office was a letter addressed to Mr S. E. Bindley, of Oakleigh, the Government architect, in which Mr. Dinsmore said that he had determined to commit suicide. Another letter, addressed to Mrs. Dinsmore., was found in the room.see also The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957) Fri 17 Jun 1904 Page 6https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/10324966Mr. Dinsmore was close on 50 years of age, and leaves a family. Some years ago he was in the Government employ, and was an inspector of works under Major Watson. Subsequently he had charge of several important works in connection with the sewerage of Melbourne and later he began business as a contractor. The contract just completed was made about two years ago, and it was the biggest which Mr Dinsmore had undertaken. The contract price was £30,000Of late Mr. Dinsmore had been strange in his manner-so strange as to cause uneasiness to his wife and his friends.see https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/241941423 for cement façade versus stone.The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957)Thursday 13 October 1904 - Page 4https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/10345065The Board of Public Health after a long time spent in rooms in the Railway Offices Spencer street has at last taken port. ion of its quarters in the new Record offices Queen street The first board meeting was held yesterday Members unacquainted with the new building wandered aimlessly from floor to floor in search of the board room but all were well pleased when they discovered it and found it a comfortable room well lighted and well ventilatedOne great advantage about the new room is that the voice of the chairman will no longer he drowned by the rush and rumble of passing trains as was the case in the back room at Spencer street The new building is handsomely appointed trousers out-the element, of granite and marble in the architectural adornments being very effective.DIRECTORIES OF VICTORIA, MELBOURNE-SANDS & MCDOUGALL1904No 2951910283 Registrar-General's Office & Office of Titles-Byrne, Thos., Registrar-General…...Little Lonsdale at295 Record Offices-Basement-Government Statist (births, deaths, and marriages branch)-Fenton, J. J., assistantGovernment StatistGround floor-Land Tax Office-Webb. Thos. P., registrarOffice of Government StatistLaughton, A. M., Government StatistFirst floor.-Public Health Department-Ham, Dr Burnett, chairman; Colville, J. W.,Second floorFederal Analyst-Wilkinson, W. P.Friendly SocietiesOsburne, R. A.. caretakerLatrobe at
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Research and reports
Record number:
1261340
| Type | Reference No. | Extent | Status/Desc |
|---|---|---|---|
| Original | 108081 | 1 PDF : 1,997 KB ; A4 | Group of Items (May not be issued, may not be reproduced) |