Watson Estate's shops and residences, 232-238 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne
Graeme Butler and Associates01/07/1989
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Title:
Watson Estate's shops and residences, 232-238 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne
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Date of work:
01/07/1989
Reference number:
BIF-CITY 105879
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 2022:__________________________________________________Period: Late VictorianDATE: 1895 (parapet);ASSOCIATIONS: J B Watson's trustees;DESIGNER: Elsden, William?;BUILDER: Langford, Clement - 275 Bridge Rd Richmond?.GRAEME BUTLER 1989, LITTLE BOURKE STREET PRECINCT CONSERVATION STUDYStatement of SignificanceShops and Residences232-238 Little Bourke StreetHistoryShown in the late 1880s as (among other uses) the two storey (showroom?) front of Ack Goon & Co. Cabinetmaking Works in Tattersall's Lane, it was shown again c1906, divided into four shops and residences, backing on to the same cabinetmaking workshop. 1 This row is evidently a renovation of three brick shops (each with four rooms), owned until c1894 by William Peacock. Mrs. Watson's trustees (widow of J. B. Watson ?) acquired the property and apparently gave it a new facade in 1895. Three shops were turned into four, each with a Chinese tenant and each selling 'fancy goods'. 2 Early shopkeepers were Sue Loon (232), Yut Cheong (234), Kwong Wah (236) and Fook Hie (238). By 1920 Kong On & Co. (228-30), Pak Kee (banana merchant, 232-4) and Kwong Hoong Wah (banana stores, 236-8) provided a slight shift in produce emphasis which was typical of Chinatown as a whole. A motor garage then adjoined the row on the east, representing the site of today's Golden Square Car Park (q.v.). Before that, it was Garton's Horse Bazaar -illustrating the continuity of use on city commercial sites and, in this area, the change from horse transport, via motor cabs into the motor service industry.The 1960s provided further diversity of shop content and the Chinese majority was broken. F. H. & F. J. Hale, musical instrument repairs, M. Cantor's Jewish bookshop, E. J. Virgona's hairdressing business and a rubber stamp maker outnumbered Dragon-seed importers, in 234. Today, these shops are seen as the west border of Chinatown.DescriptionA two-storey, wide undivided upper two-colour brick facade, with central gabled pediments and main cornice, but divided at ground-level by simple brick pilasters framing four openings. String moulds are used to divide the ground level with the face brick upper level and the pedimented entablature bearing the date 1895. Shopfronts formerly retained elements of c1915-25 era joinery, with subsill, amber glazed tiles, toplight glazing and timber joinery generally. 3 This has since been replaced with a neutral timber-framed shopfront based on the previous one, rather than the original, and possessing a rendered plinth.External IntegrityShow-windows replaced with a neutral timber-framed shopfront based on the previous one, rather than the original, and possessing a rendered plinth. The upper level cement is painted sympathetically and the lane frontage brickwork is- now a brick colour. Service lines have been added to the lane wall.StreetscapePotentially related to the Renaissance revival two-storey elements of the corner of Swanston Street and further to j the east in Little Bourke Street.SignificanceAn architecturally undistinguished, partly altered shop row which, nevertheless, has housed Chinese throughout the main Chinese occupation period in the city and remains substantially occupied by Chinese.Contributes to precinct.NOTES1. Mahlstedt & Gee, Standard Plans... (1.1888), Mahlstedt Fire Insurance Plans.. (c1906)2 RB1895,369-72;RB1894,366-83 Blake, 127.GRAEME BUTLER 1985 MELBOURNE CENTRAL ACTIVITIES DISTRICT CONSERVATION STUDYBUILDING IDENTIFICATION FORM cites source 76, Page 12.GRAEME BUTLER 1989, LITTLE BOURKE STREET PRECINCT CONSERVATION STUDYGraeme Butler 2021: No indication from aerial view that this is a new facade on old shops, as stated.VICTORIAN HERITAGE INVENTORY H7822-1323https://vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/places/9238Building on site1866. Late 1880s 2 storey showroom, Ack Goon & Co., cabinet-making works in Tattersall's lane. c. 1895 row of three brick shops built. Chinese tenants included: fancy goods, followed by banana merchants/stores. 1888 - 2 small 2 storey buildings. 1905 - 2 large 2 storey buildings..LEWIS, M- AUSTRALIAN ARCHITECTURE INDEX73223 Watts & Son; Watson, J B - Executors Melbourne VIC Hotels; Shops Butler, C - Parkville 1890 06 25 4511 Little Bourke near cnr Little Bourke & Elizabeth73254 Watson, J B Melbourne VIC Warehouses Freeman, G W T - Richmond Terrace - Richmond 1874 10 9 6094 Little Bourke east MCC registration no 6094 [Burchett Index]. Fee 7.10.0 three stores73287 Elsden, W; Watson, late J B - Trustees Melbourne VIC Warehouses Langford, Clement - 275 Bridge Rd Richmond 1900 01 15 7779 MCC registration no 7779 [Burchett Index]. Fee 6.0.0 store, In Owner name slot the late is underlined. (L.S.) Little Bourke73322 Watts, Thomas & Sons; Watson, J B Melbourne VIC Warehouses Nation, Gamlin & Nation - 107 Flinders St 1884 09 23 1106 Little Bourke near off Little Bourke - Caledonian Lane, MCC registration no 1106 [Burchett Index]. Fee 6.6.0 two warehouses.MAHLSTEDT FIRE INSURANCE PLAN SERIESSeries 1, map 71888 51-55 Little Bourke St East, north side- 2 storey masonry, different plan to 1910, large timber cabinet making works at rear occupied by Chinese.1910 232-238 4 two-storey masonry shops set out as paired plan configuration with rear yards, Tattersalls lane to west side;.NEWSPAPERS (TROVE)The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957) Mon 11 May 1891 Page 2 Advertisinghttps://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/8651075Sale ESTATE of the late JOHN BOYD WATSON etcThe Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954)Friday 7 August 1891 - Page 1TENDERS ...Invited for the ERECTION of FIVE SHOPS and DWELLINGS,In Bourke street east, the Trustees of the Late J. B. Watson. .EDWARD GEO. KILBURN, Architect.The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954) Sat 18 Nov 1899Page 15 Advertisinghttps://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/188668632T WATTS and S0N Architects, M.R.V.I.A., 77 Swanston-street, Melbourne,Will receive TENDERS until 30tlh November for SANITARY WORKS.For the Trustees of the late J. B. Watson… 3 buildingsBendigo Advertiser (Vic. : 1855 - 1918) Tue 25 Nov 1913 Page 3 SUPPRESSING GAMBLING.CLUB RAIDED.SEVERAL ARRESTS EFFECTED Melbourne, 24th November …281 Collins-streetWilliam Elsden, 48, architect and surveyor.DIRECTORIES OF VICTORIA, MELBOURNE-SANDS AND KENNY, SANDS & MCDOUGALL1893232 Wor Lee Ah Ling, merchant Ack Goon & Co, furniture manufacturers238 Pang KeeTattersalls la1895232 Wor Lee Ah Ling, merchant234 Dack Guen & Hon Kee, cabinetmakers238 Pang KeeTattersalls la1900232 Suey Loon, fancy goods merchant234 Koon Hie236 Kwong Wah, Chinese store238 Fook Hie, storeTattersalls la1915(228-230 Quong Mee Loong, stoteroom)232-234 Pack Kee, banana merchant236-238 Quong bong Wab, banana storeTattersall's la
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| Type | Reference No. | Extent | Status/Desc |
|---|---|---|---|
| Original | 105879 | 1 PDF : 1,011 KB ; A4 | Group of Items (May not be issued, may not be reproduced) |