Lucas shops and workshops, 189-191 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne
Butler, Graeme1985
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Total copies: 1
Title:
Lucas shops and workshops, 189-191 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne
Creator:
Date of work:
1985
Reference number:
BIF-CITY 105685 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 2022:__________________________________________________Period: VictorianDATE: 1887;ASSOCIATIONS: William J. Lucas;DESIGNER: De Garis & Sons;BUILDER: Thomas E. Dakin.GRAEME BUTLER 1985 MELBOURNE CENTRAL ACTIVITIES DISTRICT CONSERVATION STUDYStatement of SignificanceShops & Workshops189-191 Lonsdale StreetHistoryWilliam J. Lucas, a land agent of Swanston Street, commissioned architects, De Garis & Sons, to design, and Thomas E. Dakin (78 Lonsdale Street), to build `...3 storey buildings for shops and work rooms...' A permit to build was requested in January 1887. Early tenants were the Melbourne Democratic Club (Robert Grant, secretary), Foster & Holten (tea merchants), Stanger & Wishart (tailors), Stanley & Quittenton (sawmakers, repairs), and Hugh Jacobsen (a tweed hat maker)By the late 1890s, G. T. Dietrich (surgical instrument makers) injected a medical character to the tenant list, made more apparent when the Melbourne Dental Hospital was there in the period c1899-1907. The Jewish Lyric Club of 1913 had evolved from the Jewish Harmony Club of c1910 and the Brilliant Sign Company of Australia added colour to the directory.By World War Two, the Jewish Clubs had turned Greek (Acropolis Club), while Edward Sage's 1910 refreshment rooms was now the Clontarf Cafe. There was also a gym in the building in 1940 and M. Chris ran a (Grecian ?) grocery.De Garis & Son(s) city commissions in the 1880s consisted mainly of row houses, villas and some city stores. Description A three-storey brick and cemented, High Renaissance revival parapeted facade composed in three bays, the central and dominant one rising through the parapet to support an ornate semi-circular raised entablature and the date plaque `1887'. The flanking balustrade is in the guilloche pattern and, below the cornice, there is a key-pattern frieze to the main entablature. Gabled and segment-arched pediments adorn aedicule windows in the central bay while upper window pairs have flat, bracketed pediments and the lower windows are treated as Venetian pairs, complete with oculus. What may have been a central entrance to the ground level still has a bracketed gabled pediment. The facade is typically framed with pilasters.External IntegrityGround level rebuilt, bricks painted, possible removal of verandah and substitution of a canopy, and signs applied to upper levels.StreetscapeContributes to a commercial 19th century streetscape.SignificanceArchitecturally a sophisticated and highly mannered assembly of classical elements which could be associated with its estate agent first owner by its boom-period stylistic vigour. Since construction it has housed a series of clubs (presumably in rooms originally created for the Democratic Club), each perhaps reflecting the changing residential occupation and ethnic concentrations of the area. The Dental Hospital's brief occupation also lends the building transitory public building status..GRAEME BUTLER 1985 MELBOURNE CENTRAL ACTIVITIES DISTRICT CONSERVATION STUDYBUILDING IDENTIFICATION FORM cites Parapet date;.LEWIS, M- AUSTRALIAN ARCHITECTURE INDEX:Record 76328 De Garis & Sons; Lucas, W J Melbourne VIC Shops; Warehouses Dakin, Thomas E - 78 Lonsdale St 1887 01 10 2590, MCC registration no 2590 [Burchett Index]. Fee 5.12.0three-storey building for shops & workrooms.City of Melbourne online maps3 storey cement rendered brick building with mezzanine. Designed by De Garis & Sons in the High Renaissance Revival style and built by Thomas E. Dakin in 1887.see 1989 Chinatown images.VICTORIAN HERITAGE INVENTORY H7822-13261866 - building on site. 1880 - single storey building. 1887 - 3 storey buildings, shops and work rooms constructed for owner, W J Lucas. Numerous occupancies by other clubs, including Democratic Club in C.19th; Jewish Lyric Club 1913; Acropolis Club, pre WWII. Other commercial uses tailors, sawmakers, surgical instrument makers. Brief period of public building status as Melbourne Dental Hospital, c.1899-1907. VICTORIAN TITLES OFFICE Vol. 6602 Folio 286 - Folio 287
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Research and reports
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1249975
| Type | Reference No. | Extent | Status/Desc |
|---|---|---|---|
| Original | 105685 1 | 1 PDF : 643 KB ; A4 | Group of Items (May not be issued, may not be reproduced) |