Exford Hotel, 199-203 Russell Street, Melbourne
Graeme Butler and Associates01/07/1989
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Exford Hotel, 199-203 Russell Street, Melbourne
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Date of work:
01/07/1989
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BIF-CITY 108547
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Item from Collection: Heritage Collection (HC)
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Graphic materialsTextual material
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Series: Central City (BIF-CITY)
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RESEARCH ADDED BY GRAEME BUTLER 2022:__________________________________________________DATE: 1914;ASSOCIATIONS: Staughton, Simon;DESIGNER: Whitaker, R B;BUILDER: Tate & TownsendPeriod: Edwardian 1900-1915Architect: R. B. WhitakerNotable features: Interior fittings and finishes.GRAEME BUTLER 1985 MELBOURNE CENTRAL ACTIVITIES DISTRICT CONSERVATION STUDYStatement of SignificanceExford Hotel199-203 Russell StreetHistoryAnother Exford Hotel preceded this one from the 19th Century. It was three-storey, brick and part of its present site was taken up with a three-storey warehouse. Its first owner, A. J. Staughton, and before him, Simon Staughton, had owned hotels from much earlier (Williamstown). Some of his later reconstructions resembled this one, in their relatively conservative approach to architectural stylistic changes in the Edwardian period, possibly due to a common architect for each. This hotel and others, was designed by R. B. Whitaker. The builders were Tate & Townsend and their task was to `re-erect the Oxford Hotel.' Whitaker has also designed the Sir Robert Peel Hotel in North Melbourne, a similarly conservative brick corner hotel.The Staughton family had begun in the colony with Simon Staughton, who had arrived at Port Phillip in 1839 and taken up large pastoral leases (Brisbane Ranges, Exford) from 1842. By his death, in 1863, other leases at Mt. Cotterill, Pyke's Creek and Mooradooranook (among others) had been undertaken with partner, James Simpson. His sons (Staughton Brothers, Harry, Stephen and Samuel) continued with vast free holdings at Exford, Eynesbury, Brooklyn and Staughton Vale. Exford homestead was claimed by the family as the first two-storey house built outside of Melbourne. Samuel's son, Arthur, held a large property south of Terang and was the family nominee for the Exford's permit application. Of passing interest, is minor renovation work done there in 1956, to the design of architects A. & K. Henderson and Associates, a formerly large firm which had been carried on in a much reduced form by a member of the Staughton family.DescriptionA three-storied and parapeted brick hotel, which adopts the traditional splay-corner plan and a conservative classical exterior, divided horizontally by string mouldings and minor entablatures at each floor line. Otherwise, ornamentation is confined to the notable Arts and Crafts leaded window designs and internal Art Metal ceilings with, externally, a segment arch placed in the parapet on each frontage. The parapet arch is framed with piers which extend below the cornice line to a stylized corbel. These arches and their piers (plus the leaded casement windows) are the only distinctively Edwardian traits in an otherwise typical Victorian period exterior.Inside the ground floor held public and private bars, two parlors, spirit store and servery. Upstairs there were sitting rooms and many bedrooms, opening into the street frontages and a rear light court.External IntegrityBricks painted (part), illuminated roof sign added; otherwise high integrity, internally also.StreetscapeRelates to adjacent 19th and early 20th Century shop, residence and warehouse development.SignificanceArchitecturally it is distinguished by its high integrity, inside and out, and ornate leaded window designs. Historically, it is a late entry to a chain of hotels built for the Staughton family, which hitherto had made their fortune from grazing..GRAEME BUTLER 1989, LITTLE BOURKE STREET PRECINCT CONSERVATION STUDYStatement of SignificanceExford Hotel199·203 Russell StreetHistoryBuilt: 1913Another Exford Hotel preceded this one from the 19th century. It was three storey, brick and part of its present site was taken up with a three storey warehouse. Its first owner, A J Staughton and before him, Simon Staughton, had owned hotels from much earlier (Williamstown). Some of his later reconstructions resembled this one, in their relatively conservative approach to architectural stylistic changes in the Edwardian period, possibly due to a common architect for each. This hotel, and others, was designed by R B Whitaker. The builders were Tate & Townsend and their task was to "re-erect the Oxford Hotel". Whitaker has also designed the Sir Robert Peel Hotel in North Melbourne, a similarly conservative brick corner hotel. The Staughton family had begun in the colony with Simon Staughton, who had arrived at Port Phillip in 1839 and taken up large pastoral leases (Brisbane Ranges, Exford) from 1842. By his death, in 1863, other leases at Mt Cotterill, Pykes Creek and Mooradooranook (among others) had been undertaken with partner, James Simpson. His sons (Staughton Brothers, Harry, Stephen and Samuel) continued with vast free holdings at Exford, Eynesbury, Brooklyn and Staughton Vale. Exford homestead was claimed by the family as the first two storey house built outside of Melbourne. Samuel's son, Arthur, held a large property south of Terang and was the family nominee for the Exford's building permit application. Of passing interest, is minor renovation work done there in 1956, to the design of architects A & K Henderson and Associates, a formerly large firm which had been carried on in a much reduced form by a member of the Staughton family.DescriptionA three storeyed and parapeted brick hotel, which adopts the traditional splay-corner plan and a conservative classical exterior, divided horizontally by string mouldings and minor entablatures at each floor line. Otherwise, ornamentation is confined to the notable Arts and Crafts leaded window designs and internal Art Metal ceilings with, external, a segment arch placed in the parapet on each frontage. The parapet arch is framed with piers which extend below the cornice line to a stylised corbel. These arches and their piers (plus the leaded casement windows) are the only distinctively Edwardian traits in an otherwise typical Victorian period exterior. Inside the ground floor held public and private bars, two parlours, spirit store and servery. Upstairs there were sitting rooms and many bedrooms, opening into the street frontages and a rear light court.External integrityBricks painted (part), illuminated roof sign added; otherwise high integrity, internally also.StreetscapeRelates to adjacent 19th and early 20th Century shop, residence and warehouse development and provides, with 185·197 Russell Street, a visual 'gateway' to Chinatown.SignificanceThe Exford Hotel was built in 1914 to replace an earlier hotel first known as the Sportsman's Arms and built in 1856. It is a rare intact example of an Edwardian hotel in the city and creates an impressive gateway to the "Chinatown" precinct of Little Bourke Street.Historically it is a late entry to a chain of hotels built for the Staughton family, which hitherto had made their fortune from grazing..GRAEME BUTLER 1985 MELBOURNE CENTRAL ACTIVITIES DISTRICT CONSERVATION STUDYBUILDING IDENTIFICATION FORM cites source 76, 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 COUNCIL Pages 3, 14, 36_________________________________________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 COUNCIL Pages 3, 14, 36EXFORD HOTEL M23 L69199-203 Russell StreetThe original hotel on this site was the Sportsman's Arms in 1856 run by Henry Eastwood. In 1858 it took the name of Exford Hotel) The building has been owned by the Staughton family since 1856.In 1914 the hotel was rebuilt 2 and during demolition the former building was found to have had bamboo window frames. 3 The present building is in near original condition internally and externally. Interior restorations amount only to some repartitioning and the main external change is the painting, in November 1976, of the plaster work in dark brown.The Exford is a plain example of late red brick and plaster construction. The main decorative features are the ornate Art Nouveau leadlight windows and the brown glazed tile panels below them. The ground floor walls between windows are designed as piers with representative plaster ionic capitals.The interior of the Exford is notable for being substantially as built with ornate pressed metal ceilings, again Art Nouveau in design. The wood panelling, bar counters, lights and fittings are still intact.RECOMMENDATION:This building is recommended for addition to the Historic Buildings Register. It is externally intact (although the recent painting of the plaster work dark brown has removed the contrast provided by the original cream colour) and internally intact. The survival of the interior is due to the efforts of the licensee and the National Trust of Victoria, who fought a Liquor and Control Commission directive to alter the ceiling and other fittings.I. Sands and McDougall Directories2. Rate books3. From current licensee per Mr. M. Mackinnon (C.U.B.)._________________________________________HERITAGE BRANCH, MINISTRY FOR PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT 1987 CITY OF MELBOURNE CENTRAL CITY NOTABLE BUILDINGS CITATIONSSTATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCEThe Exford Hotel was built in 1914 to replace a earlier hotelfirst known as the Sportsman's Arms and built in 1856. It isa rare intact example of an Edwardian hotel in the city andcreates an impressive gateway to the "Chinatown" precinct ofLittle Bourke Street._________________________________________LEWIS, M- AUSTRALIAN ARCHITECTURE INDEX:Record 73126 Whitaker, R; Staughton, A J Melbourne VIC Hotels Tate & Townsend - 145 Richardson St Albert Park 1913 04 3 3971-MCC registration no 3971 [Burchett Index]. Fee 6.0.0re-erect Gosford Hotel, Russell near cnr Russell & Little Bourke_________________________________________VICTORIAN HERITAGE INVENTORYOriginal hotel on this site, Sportsman's Arms, run by Henry Eastwood. Name changed to Exford Hotel from 1858. Property owned by Staughton Family from 1856.1880, 1888 & 1905 - 3 storey building. In 1914 old hotel demolished & rebuilt.see https://vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/places/9252_________________________________________NEWSPAPERS (TROVE)1913https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/241840997RAID ON HOTEL, -d .Rebuilding operations are in progress at tho Exford Hotel, at the corner- of Little Bourke and Russell streets. - :it was discovered to-day that since Saturday night a large quantity of, champagne, whisky, cigars, and cigarettes had been stolen.1913 mayhttps://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/241843928 illustWhelan demolishing old Exford Hotel.`ELIZABETH-STREET IMPROVEMENT.The Illustration shows the last stage in the demolition of the Duke of Rothsay Hotel, in Elizabeth Street, to make room for Craig, Williamson's extension. The difficulty in demolishing buildings is to provide supporters for tho workers. Climbing irons, ropes and other appliances are available, but an a. rule the men prefer to mount the buildings untrammelled. Mr James Whelan, who has largo experience as a building wrecker, has put in some quick work on this Job, the whole building being razed in n few days. A special staff of skilled men is engaged, and they have reduced their work to a system, experience having shown them how to handle roof and walls and to expeditiously get rid of the debris. Some hundreds of old city buildings have been demolished in the past few years. The difficult feature of this demolition was tho razing of three chimneys which extended fifty feet above the old hotel, to clear the adjoining roof of Craig Williamson's warehouse. Two steeplejacks, J. Thorn and J. Quinn, had to climb the chimneys without scaffold and cut away the brickwork while standing on a space 13 inches square. Mr Whelan has also been engaged lately on razing two shops in Swanston Street, and the Exford Hotel in Little Bourke Street. '1914https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/190678997THE LABOR MOVEMENT.SPEECHES BY FEDERAL MINISTERS.PREFERENCE TO UNIONISTS.A break in the deliberations of the annual State Conference of the United Laborers' Union, now being held in Melbourne, was made when the customary dinner, given by the president (Mr. T. V.Mottram), was held at the Exford Hotel, Russell-street.…..https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/10798586MELBOURNE TRADES.The meeting of the delegates to the Melbourne Trades Association was held yesterday, in the committee- room of the Exford Hotel, Russell street, the president (Mr. Gilchrist) Presiding. The Secretary (Mr. Elliott) Stated that arrangements and been completed with the management of a Melbourne theatre to hold a "picture week" next month to raise funds. Arrangements had also been made to play the final game prior to a League football match.…..1925https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/155663853The Exford Hotel.An application was made to the court for a transfer of the licence of the Exford Hotel, corner of Bourke and Russell streets, from Mrs. Franccs O'Kane lo Frederick Tucker, as nominee of the Exford Hotel Pty. Ltd. Mr. Gorman appeared for the applicant.The Chairman asked whether the company had had any experience in the conduct of hotels. Mr. Gorman said the Exford Hotel had been the subject of somewhat protracted legal proceedings, which had been settled only a few days previously. The conduct of the hotel had not been good in the past. Its history was unfortunate. Mr. M'Kie, in conjunction with another person, had purchased the lease of the hotel, and then he sold it to a man named Love, who engaged Mrs. O'Kane to run it at a salary of ₤10 a week, plus a percentage of the profits. Later Love's interests were transferred to Mr. Marsh, a city manufacturer. The Licensing Act, lie must confess, had been contravened but Marsh was helpless in the matter. Mrs. O Kane had defied them all, and had conducted the hotel in a very bad manner.Mr. Lock read the police report, which stated that when Mrs. O'Kane was licensee the hotel was frequented by undesirable people. Mr. Gorman said Marsh was told the speculation was an easy way of making money. The application was adjourned for a week.See also https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/2155030_________________________________________
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| Type | Reference No. | Extent | Status/Desc |
|---|---|---|---|
| Original | 108547 | 1 PDF : 1,126 KB ; A4 | Group of Items (May not be issued, may not be reproduced) |