Miller's townhouse and surgery, later Portland House, 8 Collins Street, Melbourne
Butler, Graeme1985
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Total copies: 1
Title:
Miller's townhouse and surgery, later Portland House, 8 Collins Street, Melbourne
Creator:
Date of work:
1985
Reference number:
BIF-CITY 102172
Level of description:
Item from Collection: Heritage Collection (HC)
Type of materials:
Graphic materialsTextual material
Part of:
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.
General notes:
Period: Early VictorianConstruction date: 1873Architect: Lloyd Taylor.ASSOCIATED RESEARCH ADDED BY GRAEME BUTLER:.GRAEME BUTLER 1985 MELBOURNE CENTRAL ACTIVITIES DISTRICT CONSERVATION STUDYStatement of Significance.HistoryFormer colonial Minister for Trade and Customs (1858-9), Vice President of the Board of Land and Works (1866) and millionaire, Henry Miller, had commissioned this three-storey brick house from builder, J. Treeby, by January 1873. His son-in-law, the oculist, Dr. Aubrey Bowen, became the owner and first occupier of the house, operating midst others of his profession, from his home for near 20 years. Miller himself resided at Findon, Kew (now redeveloped). After a brief interlude as the Public Health Board's offices under secretary, John Colville, the house returned to private ownership before 1900 in the person of Henry Maudsley, a surgeon. Who's Who in Australia 1927-8 described Maudsley (then Colonel Sir Henry Maudsley as `...a leading physician of Melbourne.'What had elevated Maudsley to this status was World War One. He commanded the No. 1 Australian General Hospital at Heliopolist (1915) and was consulting physician to Major-General Howse's staff at the AIF headquarters; attracting CMG (1916), CBE (1919) and Knight Commander of St. Michael and St. George (1919) during service. He died in 1944, having retained his surgery at 8 Collins Street. The Maudsley name continued here under H.F. Maudsley in company with a number of other medical men, until the 1960s.DescriptionOf three storeys and stuccoed brick, 8 Collins Street shows its residential background by its set-back from the frontage. A richly ornamented facade in the Italian Renaissance manner is further distinguished by a Doric porch. Segment and flat-arched aedicules, aided by a deeply bracketted string mould, enrich the piano nobile and continue the three- dimensional expression of the porch. The attic storey is a traditionally more sober finish to the facade; the segment arch of the raised parapet entablature echoing those of the first level aedicules. The facade is remarkably rich for its date and scale.Statement of SignificanceAfter 68 - 70 Collins Street, the earliest of the few surviving Collins Street surgery-residences which established the concentration of medical men and facilities in the eastern city and immediately east of it. It was perhaps the only surviving, and probably the most architecturally pretentious house built for Henry 'Money' Miller and, for near 50 years, the address of one of Victoria's most distinguished war-time surgeons..VICTORIA HERITAGE REGISTER H0417What is significant?Portland House was erected in 1872 to the design of prominent architect Lloyd Tayler. It was built by Henry 'Money' Miller for his daughter, Jane and son-in-law Dr Aubrey Bowen, as a townhouse and surgery. It is a three storey brick and stucco structure with centrally located Doric style portico with engaged columns. The first storey is elaborately decorated with Classical elements including segmental pediment window hoods, fluted pilasters, Ionic capitals and a heavy cornice with bracketed modillions supported by volute brackets. The shopfronts incorporated into the ground floor are later additions.How is it significant?Portland House is of architectural and historical significance to the State of Victoria.Why is it significant?Portland House is architecturally significant as one of the few remaining mid Victorian townhouses in the central city area. It is an example of Classicism in a transitional style before the so-called boom period. It is a notable example of the domestic work of prominent and prolific Melbourne architect Lloyd Tayler.Portland House is historically significant for its close associations with the medical profession. It is associated with the occupancy of notable Melbourne physician Sir Henry Maudsley..GRAEME BUTLER 1985 MELBOURNE CENTRAL ACTIVITIES DISTRICT CONSERVATION STUDYBUILDING IDENTIFICATION FORM cites source 78, page 27; VI p130; CITY OF MELBOURNE BUILDING PERMIT APPLICATIONS 5219;.NATIONAL TRUST OF AUSTRALIA (VIC)Erected in 1872 and designed by Lloyd Taylor.Built by Henry 'Money' Miller for his daughter, Jane, and son-in-law Dr. Aubrey Bowen, as a townhouse and surgery. A three storey brick and stucco structure with centrally located entrance porch.One of the few remaining mid-Victorian town-houses in the Central Business District. A typical example of the transition style of classicism before the boom period and a notable domestic example of the work of Lloyd Taylor. The handsome Doric porch and surviving classical mouldings on the facade entrance, the precinct at the top of Collins Street and the scale of the building makes it an essential part of the low streetscape leading to the Treasury.New shopfronts have been incorporated into the ground floor.Adapted from AHC CitationClassified: 08/07/1976...LEWIS, M- AUSTRALIAN ARCHITECTURE INDEXJames GALL, tenders wanted - building 3 3-storey 16 room brick dwelling houses in Collins St East for Dr Robert Martin of Heidelberg Argus 2.7.1872 p 3Lloyd Tayler Tenders wanted - erection of dwelling houses in Collins Street East for the Hon Henry Miller MLC. (This is the present no. 8 - M.B.L. 1983.) Argus 13.12.1872 p 3, record 26493.NEWSPAPERS (TROVE)The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957) Wed 22 Aug 1894 Page 6MR. AUBREY BOWEN'S WILL. THE BEQUEST OF £20,000 FOR LOCAL CHARITIES. ITS VALIDITY QUESTIONED.Some important questions of construction arising out of the will of the late Thomas Aubrey Bowen, of Collins-street, Melbourne, surgeon, who died in Loudon on July 27, 1893, were submitted to Mr. Justice A'Beckett in the Supreme Court yesterday in an action in which F. A. Moule, the executor, who obtained probate, was plaintiff, and the defendants were the Attorney General of Victoria and the Royal Medical Benevolent College, England. By his will, which was executed on March 28, 1892, the testator left, inter alia, £50 per annum to Dr. Barnado's Homes, London ; £100 to the " Melbourne Ladies' Benevolent Asylum ;" and £600 per annum to the Mason Science College, Birmingham, England, for the foundation of scholarships ; and he directed the entire income of the residual to be paid to the Royal Medical Benevolent College, England, for the benefit of the widows and orphans of medical men. By a codicil executed in May, 1893, he bequeathed to his wife, Jane Bowen, the sum of £20,000, "to be divided amongst .... the charitable and benevolent institutions or organisations of a similar character in Victoria as she may in her uncontrolled discretion think proper." After the payment of debts and expenses, the net value of the estate was found to be about, £57,000, of which about £10,000 was cash in the bank. Doubts had been raised as to whether the gift of £20,000 to the testator's wife for "charitable or benevolent, institutions," &c, was a valid charitable gilt, inasmuch as it might be argued that it covered objects which were not charitable in the legal sense of the word, in which case the gift would be void for uncertainty. The executor asked for a declaration, on this point, and also as to whether the three institutions in England to which legacies were left were charitable institutions to which such gifts in perpetuity could legally be made, and s to what conditions should be fulfilled by them before they were entitled to receive the in- come, and as to whether he might pay the £100 bequeathed to the " Melbourne Ladies' Benevolent Asylum" to the Melbourne Ladies' Benevolent Society, for which it was evidently intended. Mr. Higgins and Mr. Pigott, instructed by Messrs. Curwen and Walker, appeared for the executor ; Mr. Moule, instructed by Messrs. Moule and Seddon, for Mrs. Bowen, in support of the will ; Mr. Topp, instructed by Messrs. Attenborough, Nunn, and Smith, for the Royal Medical Benevolent Asylum, the residuary legatees, to oppose the gift to local charities ; and Mr. Neighbour, in- structed by the Crown Solicitor, for the Attorney-General, to support the gift to charities.Mr. Justice A'BECKETT indicated an opinion that the English institutions were entitled to receive their bequests, and that the legacy of £100 might be paid to the Melbourne Ladies' Benevolent Society. The question as to the gift to local charitable or benevolent institutions, &c., raised a much more difficult point, as to which there were conflicting decisions. He reserved his decision on the case generally.The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954) Thu 6 Jan 1876 Page 3MEDICAL SOCIETY OF VICTORIAThe annual meeting of the above society was held at the rooms, in Coffin-kilt re et, last evening; the president, Dr. Aubrey Bowen, in the chair.
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Research and reports
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1197754
| Type | Reference No. | Extent | Status/Desc |
|---|---|---|---|
| Original | 102172 | 1 PDF : 1,770 KB ; A4 | Group of Items (May not be issued, may not be reproduced) |