Rocke Tompsitt & Co. warehouse, 292-298 Flinders Street, Melbourne
Butler, Graeme1985
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Total copies: 1
Title:
Rocke Tompsitt & Co. warehouse, 292-298 Flinders Street, Melbourne
Creator:
Date of work:
1985
Reference number:
BIF-CITY 104008
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 2021:Period: EdwardianDATE: 1908-9;ASSOCIATIONS: Rocke Tompsitt & Co.;DESIGNER: F. M. White and Son;BUILDER: James Baxter.GRAEME BUTLER 1985 MELBOURNE CENTRAL ACTIVITIES DISTRICT CONSERVATION STUDYStatement of SignificanceHistorySince the 1870s this site had been occupied by a three - storey warehouse, first Harker's Bonded Store, then Fanning Nankivell & Co. and by the mid - 1880s Rocke Tompsitt & Co., wholesale druggists and manufacturing chemists. By 1907 Rocke Tompsitt were owner - occupiers of the building and, in 1909, they had rebuilt their old premises, adding three floors to its capacity. The firm remained there at least until the 1940s, by which time they had established laboratories in Ferrars Street, South Melbourne. More recently, the Bloom family held tenure (Target Investments Pty Ltd), followed by the Kirsh family in the 1970s. Rocke Tompsitt no longer exist in Victoria.DescriptionA five - storey ornate cemented facade, deriving its ornament from high Renaissance and Baroque sources. Each string mound dividing the stories is boldly dentilated and forms a secondary cornice for the pilastraded storey elevation beneath. Alternating bays have gabled or segment - arched pediments with deeply carved anthemion motifs within the tympanums, alternating with a shield motif. The pilasters are paired at the sides and engaged in their main body of the facade and are of a stylised Ionic order. The crowning parapet is similarly composed, with segment - arched pediments on raised entablatures with the central square pediment over a shell motif and the date, which says 1908 A. D. Although openings have been altered at ground level, the granite clad pilasters appear to have survived with perhaps elements of top light joinery. The overall effect of the facade is that of the Baroque with the pedimenta providing a dynamic characteristic to the layers of details, despite the heavy ruling off of each level.External Integri tyGenerally original and ground level openings survive with new aluminium shopfronts and entrance suites installed, also a roller shutter door. A cantilevered canopy has been added, along with numerous illuminated signs at the ground level. The upper level elevation is a sympathetic wall colour, the joinery not, and the side exposed where the side wall brick work has been painted, in part, and has intrusive signs upon it.StreetscapeNow isolated, the nearest related buildings being the C. T.A. Building and Commerce House.SignificanceHighly ornamented and near complete, the building is nevertheless, late in style. It and the site have been long associated with one relatively large manufacturing firm which has since disappeared..GRAEME BUTLER 1985 MELBOURNE CENTRAL ACTIVITIES DISTRICT CONSERVATION STUDYBUILDING IDENTIFICATION FORM cites 80,p209;Victoria Illustrated: 142.VICTORIAN HERITAGE INVENTORY H7822-1885First land sale 1837, Block 4, Allotment 8, Alexander Thompson. Subdivisions, lanes by 1840.1877 - 3 storey building, Fanning, Nan Kivell & Co.1888 - 3 storey building, Rocke, Tompsitt & Co., Wholesale Druggists.1905 - same..NATIONAL TRUST OF AUSTRALIA (VIC)A five-storey rendered brick warehouse, built in 1908 as premises for Rocke, Tompsitt & Co, wholesale druggists. It is one of a number of substantial turn-of-the-century commercial buildings erected in Flinders Street and is distinctive for its Renaissance detailing.Classified: 06/06/1994.HERITAGE BRANCH, MINISTRY FOR PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT 1987 CITY OF MELBOURNE CENTRAL CITY NOTABLE BUILDINGS CITATIONSA five-storey rendered brick warehouse, built in 1908 as premises for Rocke, Tompsitt & Co, wholesale druggists. It is one of a number of substantial turn-of-the-century commercial buildings erected in Flinders Street and is distinctive for its Renaissance detailing..NEWSPAPERS (TROVE)See 1883https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/8540960The Herald (Melbourne, Vic. : 1861 - 1954)Tuesday 12 January 1909 - Page 6https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/242918105 illustWAREHOUSE CONSTRUCTION.…The solid old bluestone building which formerly occupied the site of Messrs Rocke, Tompsitt and Co.'s new premises passed, into the possession of the firm in 1831, when, on the division of the Harker Estate, they purchased the property, of which they had been occupants for about a year, for for ₤18,250. In the place of the old blue- stone building a new brick, stone, and cement warehouse has been erected at a cost of ₤20.000, including fittings.Standing on an area of 60ft. x 100ft., with six storeys including a basement, this building represents a model of natural lighting and floor economy. The basement rises six feet above the street level, and an Interesting feature of the foundations Is that the ground below the floor is seamed with agricultural drains like a bowling green, and coated with concrete, whilst the walls onto the street level are encased in asphalt, the whole structure thus being nested in a damp-proof case.The warehouse was carried out to plans by Messrs F. M. White and Son, architects, -Mr James Baxter being the contractor.See also https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/10699300.DIRECTORIES OF VICTORIA, MELBOURNE-SANDS AND KENNY, SANDS & MCDOUGALL1930ROCKE, TOMPSITT & CO292 to 298 Pty Ltd. Wholesale druggists & manufacturing to chemists; laboratories, 171-183 Ferrars-st, South Melbourne.
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Research and reports
Record number:
1209844
| Type | Reference No. | Extent | Status/Desc |
|---|---|---|---|
| Original | 104008 | 1 PDF : 890 KB ; A4 | Group of Items (May not be issued, may not be reproduced) |