Hobson's row houses, 96-98 Collins Street, Melbourne
Butler, Graeme1985
Archives
Total copies: 1
Title:
Hobson's row houses, 96-98 Collins Street, Melbourne
Creator:
Date of work:
1985
Reference number:
BIF-CITY 102157
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:
Period: Early VictorianConstruction date: 1879Notable features: 1. Aedicules 2. Remnant of doctor/medical occupation of Collins Street East.ASSOCIATED RESEARCH ADDED BY GRAEME BUTLER:.GRAEME BUTLER 1985 MELBOURNE CENTRAL ACTIVITIES DISTRICT CONSERVATION STUDYStatement of SignificanceHistoryMrs. Charles Hobson commissioned builder, James Greenlaw, to erect `two three-storey houses,' commencing construction early in 1879. Described as ten rooms in the 1880s, it became 14 (and stables) in the 1890s, maintaining its tenants over a long period. Dr. Jacob Eccles (96) resided there for over 30 years and Paul W. Farmer for a longer period (98).In the tradition of Collins Street East, Dr. Edmund Charles Hobson's widow, Margaret, had erected speculative premises to house the street's medical men. The Hobson's children included John, Amy, Edward and Charles Jnr. who settled at Kilmore.Margaret died aged 84, in 1894, leaving the property to trustees, until G.E. Hobson took over in c1910. Her husband before her was native born (Parramatta) and had resided in South Yarra, prior to his unexpected death in 1848, when his `fellow-citizens' erected a memorial to him at the old Melbourne Cemetery.Long term resident of 98 Collins Street was Pharmacist, Paul Farmer (M.B. Ch.B.) who was also native born (Maryborough) and claimed to be largely self-taught up until entering the Melbourne University for first pharmacy, then a medical course. He lectured privately and at the Melbourne Pharmacy College and served as the anaesthetist at the major Melbourne hospitals. He won prizes and a gold medal from the Australasia Pharmacy Society.Little is known of the Eccles family, except the apparent lineage of doctors and scientists which probably connects with Jacob Eccles of 96 Collins Street (viz. Sir John Eccles).Typically, shopfronts were inserted during the 1920s, to accommodate costumiers, but the medical establishment stayed on upstairs.DescriptionThree-storey stuccoed brick parapeted pair, designed after the Italian Renaissance palazzo manner. First levelwindows are pedimented, the ground level originally arcaded (?) and the parapet balustraded, with typical cornice and string mould dividing off the storeys.External IntegrityParapet has gone (?), shops added at ground level and bricks painted.SignificanceNear complete (renovation under way) successful design in a classical revival idiom which became synonymous with 19th Century Collins Street East and associated with prominent members of the medical profession, to whom a large part of this part of Collins Street belonged..GRAEME BUTLER 1985 MELBOURNE CENTRAL ACTIVITIES DISTRICT CONSERVATION STUDYBUILDING IDENTIFICATION FORM cites MURPHY ARCHITECTS, JOHN AND PHYLLIS 1976. HISTORIC BUILDINGS STUDY OF PART OF THE C.B.D. MELBOURNE : { AREA 1} WITH MURPHY, JOCK, FOR HISTORIC BUILDINGS PRESERVATION COUNCIL,p2 item 7.32 -1879LEWIS, M- AUSTRALIAN ARCHITECTURE INDEXRecord 74531 Hobson, Mrs Charles Melbourne VIC Houses Greenlaw, James 1879 01 10 7875, MCC registration no 7875 [Burchett Index]. Fee 7.0.0two 5 (3?)-storey houses- Burchett indexNational Trust of Australia (Vic)A pair of three-storey houses built in 1879 with simple neo-classic detail with arched ent rances. On first floor pilasters and balustraded parapet. Shop fronts much altered. Classified: 15/07/1976- HERMES 64650NEWSPAPERS (TROVE)The Sunbury News (Vic. : 1900 - 1927) Sat 5 Aug 1905 Page 2 HUNTING.https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/70071522Mr. Charles Hobson, deputy-master of the Oaklands Hounds.….see also Obit, image https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/4358412The Australasian (Melbourne, Vic. : 1864 - 1946)Saturday 22 February 1936 - Page 4https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/141769673PASTORAL PIONEERS By R.V.B. and A.S.K.EDMOND HOBSON No. 114GRAND, great grand, and great-great grand children of Dr. Edmond Charles Hobson were present at a meeting of the Field Naturalists' Club three years ago to hear Dr. Hobson's nature notes of 1839 read. Dr. Hobson's sojourn in Port Phillip was brief. He arrived as a member of Lady Franklin's entourage In 1839. He accompanied Lady Franklin on her over- land journey from Melbourne to Sydney-the first made by a woman. Hobson died at South Yarra on June 4, 1848, aged only 33 yean. He was held In such high public esteem that Melbourne's first monument was erected to his memory. Leaving Lady Franklin and other members of the party to attend festivities before setting out on the overland journey, Hobson rode down to Tootgarook, his brother Edward's station, near Dromana. On the way there and back be made many interesting nature notes, and he made many more on the subsequent over land journey. He was the first to give accurate particulars of the birth of the platypus.FIRST TRACK INTO GIPPSLANDHobson returned to Van Diemen's Land with Lady Franklin, and he came back to Port Phillip with his father in 1840. With Albert Brodribb and William Bennett, he made a dray track through to Traralgon, which was the first direct line of communication into Gippsland. The Traralgon run was taken up by Hobson, and was so named by him. Brodribb took up Hazelwood along with Bennett. Hobson also held Currencurrenalk, the Carrum swamp, and he intended to extend his grazing activities to other runs, but ill health and an untimely death intervened. Hobson was one of the Australian-born run-holders of early Port Phillip. He was born at Parramatta in 1814. He was taken to Van Diemen's Land in 1816. He was one of the 12 original pupils at the King's Grammar School when it was opened at Hobart in 1829. He qualified as a doctor of medicine in London. Hobson was the founder of the Tasmanian Society for the Advancement of Natural Science. He was appointed a member of the Medical Board of Port Phillip in 1844, and was an assiduous advocate of the founding of a hospital for Melbourne, though at the laying of the foundation-stone in 1846-the town's greatest public function to that time he was unable to attend because of illness.Hobson's son John was drowned in the Yarra in 1870. Another son, Edward, died when a youth. A daughter, Amy, died aged 21 years. A son, Charles, took up land beyond Kilmore. His daughter Margaret died as the result of a riding accident, and a son, Charles, died from war injuries. A granddaughter of the pioneer, Mrs. Kingsley, resides in England. An- other, Mrs. Tom Sharp, is at Ascotvale; and it was she with her daughter and granddaughter, who were at the reading in 1932 of Dr. Hobson's nature notes made nearly 100 years ago.[This series of articles was begun in "The Argus" on August 14, 1934, and was transferred to "The Australasian" on October f, 1934.]
Names:
Topics:
Places:
Form/Genre:
Record types:
Research and reports
Record number:
1197613
| Type | Reference No. | Extent | Status/Desc |
|---|---|---|---|
| Original | 102157 | 1 PDF : 845 KB ; A4 | Group of Items (May not be issued, may not be reproduced) |