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Ballarat Star Hotel, 226-268 Swanston Street & 243-257 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne

Graeme Butler and Associates01/07/1989
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Title:
Ballarat Star Hotel, 226-268 Swanston Street & 243-257 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne
Creator:
Graeme Butler and Associates
Date of work:
01/07/1989
Reference number:
BIF-CITY 109398
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 2023:__________________________________________________DATE: 1887;ASSOCIATIONS: Fink, Benjamin J.;DESIGNER: Twentyman & Askew;BUILDER: Machin, ThomasLate Victorian Period: 1876-1899Construction date: 1888________________________________GRAEME BUTLER 1989, LITTLE BOURKE STREET PRECINCT CONSERVATION STUDYWhat is significant?Architects Twentyman & Askew, and builder Thomas Machin, were commissioned by land speculator B J Fink to 'pull down and rebuild' the Ballarat Star Hotel, early 1887. By the 1889 rate book, H J Condell is listed as the owner of a 31 room brick hotel, occupied by Frederick Foxall. Licensees after Foxall included C Dickinson (1916), C Hasforth (1917), J E Page (1921(, J Allen (1922), J Sampson (1923) and A Odgers (1976). Condell, later Condell's executors and later still, the Condell Trust, continued as owners of the building. Its first owner, Benjamin Fink went on to better things, accumulating 1,500,000 pounds in debts by the time of the bank moratorium of 1893. He repaid, but only a miniscule 1/2d in the pound, by means of the infamous 'secret composition' of the colony's major creditors. Fink's own private bank, the Joint Stock Bank of Ballarat (1880 - ) and his resuscitated gold mine, the Duke, near Maryborough (his Parliamentary constituency), indicated his continued interest in the Ballarat-Geelong-Maryborough area, an association developed during his brief part in his uncle's small Geelong business.Similar in appearance to Twentyman & Askew's Stalbridge Chambers, Little Collins Street, it illustrates their penchant for boldly expressed Renaissance revival cement facades, making this firm perhaps the most exuberant classicists in Melbourne's boom era. Deep cornice, string and sill mouldings rule off the storeys without reticence, separating the carefully graduated window openings in their progression from the ornate pedimented lights, at the first level, to small segment-arched attic lights at the top.How is it significant?Why is it significant?An architecturally vigorous upper elevation, which expresses the speculative fervour of its construction period and its first owner and arch speculator, B J Fink. Also part of a Classical revival commercial streetscape and, because of its current tall thin elevation to Swanston Street, has been recognised as a physical gatepost to Chinatown.Recommended Alterations Colours, upper level (sympathetic - reinstate original design), new canopy and ground level, new reflective glazing, new upper air units (all inappropriate - reinstate original design or sympathetic alternative)._______________________________GRAEME BUTLER 1985 MELBOURNE CENTRAL ACTIVITIES DISTRICT CONSERVATION STUDYBUILDING IDENTIFICATION FORM cites 76, Page 14;PA2819;___________________________LEWIS, M- AUSTRALIAN ARCHITECTURE INDEX: RecordThomas Taylor, 18 Collins, Street East.Tenders wanted - additions to the Star Hotel, Swanston Street.Argus 24.1.1859 p 7___________________________Victorian Heritage InventoryH7822-1510Star Inn on this site from 1855. Small eight-roomed hotel (shown 1855 map). Replaced by the Ballarat Star Hotel, constructed in 1888. 1888 and 1905 maps - three-storeys.___________________________NATIONAL TRUST OF AUSTRALIA (VIC)The present building constructed in 1888 to the design of Twentyman and Askew Architects replaced a small hotel which had occupied the site since 1855.The building is very narrow for its height and is of restrained plaster decoration for its date of construction. It forms an important "gateway" effect to Little Bourke Street with Latham House on the opposite corner.Classified: 06/06/1994___________________________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 (Source 76)NAME: Ballarat Star HotelADDRESS: 226 -228 Swanston StreetCONSTRUCTION DATE: 1888ARCHITECTS: Twentyman and AskewBUILDER: Thomas Machin - bricklayerPROPRIETOR: HJ. CondellFIRST OCCUPIER/USE: HotelPREDOMINANT O/USE: HotelCURRENT O/USE: Armith House - shops and officesMAIN CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS:BrickINTACTNESS/CONDITION: Ground, altered; Intrusion of Chinese gateway...RECOMMENDATIONS: This building is notrecommended for addition to the HistoricBuildings RegisterHISTORICAL IMPORTANCE: Star Inn on sitefrom 1855._________________________NEWSPAPERS:1895https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/222651728/23422567Weekly Times (Melbourne, Vic. : 1869 - 1954) Sat 9 Nov 1895Page 6 SOME SWANSTON STREET BUSINESSES. (illust)A young man in an old hotel. That is Mr F. W. Foxhall, of the Ballarat Star Hotel. Not that the building it self is an old one. Not by any means. It is a modern brick structure, with considerable pretensions to architectural recommendations, and the interior arrangements are very convenient. The house has many recommendations and, for the man with sporting proclivities or a taste of the theatre it is especially attractive. Here he will meet some of the best men of the drama and the most knowing of the turf..1904https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/189422094IMPUDENT WATCH SNATCHING….1911https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/11611673COMEDIAN CUTS HIS THROAT.DEATH OF TED KALMAN.COMEDIAN CUTS HIS THROAT. DEATH OF TED KALMAN.When the card bearing the name of Ted Kalman, the popular comedian was displayed on the program of the Open house at the matinee on Saturday, nobody knew that he was lying on the bed in his room on the upper floor of the Ballarat Star Hotel, Swanston Street, where he lodgedThe card was withdrawn, and another performer appeared in his place. Inquiries made as to the reason for his absence revealed that he had cut his throat with a razor. His real name was Edwin Symons. On Saturday week he came from Sydney to fulfil his engagement it the Opera house. While in Sydney he had burst a varicose vein in his neck, and on his arrival in Melbourne his friends perceived that he was ill and worried. At the end of last week he complained of lack of appetite and sleeplessness. At about midday on Saturday Mr F. Foxall, the licensee of the Ballarat Star Hotel, was informed that Kalman had not been down to breakfast. He went to Kalman's room and found the comedian sitting on the bed, and looking depressed. In reply to a question, he said that he was not quite well, but that there was nothing serious the matter. He added that he did not think he would go to the Opera house for the matinee. That was the last time he was seen alive. …
Related material link:
226-228 Swanston Street, Melbourne (Butler14547\\)
Names:
City of Melbourne
Topics:
Little Bourke Historic Precinct StudyConservation studiesHotelsMid-late Victorian period (1875-1900)1880-1889
Places:
Melbourne (Vic.)
Form/Genre:
Building Identification Forms (BIFs)
Record types:
Research and reports
Record number:
1264599
Bookmark link:
https://librarysearch.melbourne.vic.gov.au/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/OPAC/ARCENQ?SETLVL=&RNI=1264599
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