Denyer's Building, 264-266 Swanston Street, Melbourne
Butler, Graeme1985
Archives
Total copies: 1
Title:
Denyer's Building, 264-266 Swanston Street, Melbourne
Creator:
Date of work:
1985
Reference number:
BIF-CITY 109390 1
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 2024:__________________________________________________DATE: 1914;ASSOCIATIONS: Denyers P/L;DESIGNER: Tompkins, H W & F B;BUILDER: Cockram, TPeriod: EdwardianMaterials: Reinforced concreteSigns 1985: Lock's House of Sony, Shaft Sinema, WestpacBillboard: Coca Cola___________________________GRAEME BUTLER 1989, LITTLE BOURKE STREET PRECINCT CONSERVATION STUDYStatement of Significance.Denyer's Building264-266 Swanston StreetHistoryBuilt: 1914Thomas Cockram (builder) applied to build a concrete warehouse in April 1914, for the Denyer Brothers. Their architects were H. W. & F. B. Tompkins and the reinforced concrete designers and subcontractors were the Reinforced Concrete Construction Company (Monash as engineer?).1 Denyer's made veterinary and surgical instruments, artificial limbs and trusses. They imported antiseptic dressings and general hospital supplies. Not far from their earlier premises at the Swanston/Lonsdale Streets corner, this site like the other, was conveniently placed near to the Melbourne Hospital and close to their competition.Their business had started with Robert W. Denyer, once from Bendigo, but attracted to an accounting and bookkeeping position in Melbourne during 1888. Meanwhile, his brother Waiter had worked for a lengthy period with Illingworth, a Lonsdale Street surgical instrument maker, and the two brothers formed their own business in 1889.They established country agencies and a Sydney branch. With Robert Denyer gaining a further foothold from agencies acquired on his overseas tour in 1887 (London and America), which included Lister's antiseptic dressings, the E. C. Penfield Company (Pennsylvania), celluloid and hard rubber trusses, and Marks of Broadway's line of artificial limbs, patent rubber feet and hands. Denyer's have only recently moved on to Moorabbin.DescriptionFive storeys and built from rendered reinforced concrete the elevat.io? presents some of the Edwardian Baroque characteristics of other contemporary Tompkins buildings, particularly the Melbourne Steamship Company. King Street, and to a lesser extent the Centreway Arcade and C.T.A. Building, Flinders Street, all built 1913. Based on a classical revival, all of the facades show the French Beaux Arts influence in the variation of detail treatment from this relatively austere design (adorned with victory laurel wreaths) to the bold Baroque elements seen in the other examples.Unpainted cement and some original colours are distinctive aspects of the building.External IntegrityGenerally original except for alterations to shopfront and addition of intrusive signs.StreetscapeRelates closely to Curtin House in finish, scale and style.SignificanceA modest but complete design in the Beaux Arts cum Edwardian Baroque manner which has been long associated with the State's best known local surgical suppliers and a complementary and contemporary element, in its associated use to the nearby Melbourne Hospital and other medical suppliers who had clustered around the hospital since the late 1840s.Contributes to precinct.NOTES1 BA 4834. 9/4/142 Smith. Encyclopedia of Victoria. Vol.23 SN 4131 (RGO)4 Mahlstedt & Gee. Standard Plans. (1.1888)S Mahlstedt Fire Insurance Plans (c1906)6 D1900___________________________GRAEME BUTLER 1985 MELBOURNE CENTRAL ACTIVITIES DISTRICT CONSERVATION STUDYBUILDING IDENTIFICATION FORM cites 76, Page 34;___________________________NIGEL LEWIS DECEMBER 1976, HISTORIC AND ARCHITECTURAL SURVEY OF THE CENTRAL CITY OF MELBOURNE BOURKE STREET, EAST AREA 8 OF THE SURVEY COMMISSIONED BY THE HISTORIC BUILDINGS PRESERVATION COUNCILThomas Cockram & Sons, builderRECOMMENDATIONS: Not recommended for addition to the Historic Buildings Register.DENYERS M23 L4264—266 Swanston StreetThis building was erected by Cockram and Sons for Denyers Pty. Ltd. in 1914 to the design of H. W. and F. B. Tompkins.1 The sub-contractor for the reinforced concrete was the 2 Reinforced Concrete Company. This building is in direct contrast to the contemporary Portmans (Francis and Co., ref. M22 L50). The design of the facade is more in keeping with the development of such buildings as Curtin House, Deva House, Nicholas House and London Stores of the 1920's although it is of smaller scale, narrow and elongated. The ornaments between windows and in the frieze are funereal — the austere design of plain pilasters, frieze and cornice over a first floor forming a visual base do seem in keeping with a medical supply house of this nature.RECOMMENDATION : The building is unusual in forms and design at this period, however it is not felt to be worthy of addition to the Historic Buildings Register.1. Shaw, Mary Turner: Builders of Melbourne, p. 48. 2. Melbourne University Archives: Rein- forced Concrete Company — Monier Collection.___________________________MELBOURNE UNIVERSITY ARCHIVESimage: Construction of Denyer's Building, Swanston St., MelbourneCreator unknownSubjectsT. Cockram, Builder; Denyer's Building; Reinforced Concrete & Monier Pipe Construction Co. LtdSummaryThe Denyer's Building was located at 264 - 266 Swanston St. Melbourne, designed by architect H. W. & F. B. Tompkins, and built by T. Cockram in 1914. The photograph shows the façade from Swanston Street and work underway on the fourth floor. Historical Note: John Monash ran a successful engineering business from 1894 to 1914, while pursuing a parallel career in the Citizen Military Forces. Initially in partnership with J.T.N. Anderson until 1904, the Reinforced Concrete and Monier Pipe Construction Co. Ltd was founded by Monash in Melbourne in 1905 and pioneered reinforced concrete construction in Victoria. The company produced many buildings, bridges, water-tanks and silos using this type of construction in Victoria and South Australia.Bookmarkhttp://trove.nla.gov.au/work/12398552___________________________Victorian Heritage Inventory H7822-13531866 - building on site. 1888 & 1905 - 1 storey building
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1272359
| Type | Reference No. | Extent | Status/Desc |
|---|---|---|---|
| Original | 109390 1 | 1 PDF : 1,124 KB ; A4 | Single Item (May not be issued, may not be reproduced) |