Willis & Co building, later Law Institute House, 382 Little Collins Street, Melbourne
Butler, Graeme1985
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Title:
Willis & Co building, later Law Institute House, 382 Little Collins Street, Melbourne
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Date of work:
1985
Reference number:
BIF-CITY 105957
Level of description:
Item from Collection: Heritage Collection (HC)
Type of materials:
Graphic materialsTextual material
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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.
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RESEARCH ADDED BY GRAEME BUTLER 2022:__________________________________________________Period: EdwardianDATE: 1905, 1924;ASSOCIATIONS: Hull, Mrs George; William Willis & Co;DESIGNER: Peck & Kemter 1924;BUILDER: Sturrock, Alex 1905.CONTEXT (WITH GJM HERITAGE) 2020, HODDLE GRID HERITAGE REVIEWStatement of Significance__________________________________________________What is significant?The former Law Institute House at 382 Little Collins Street, Melbourne, a three-storey shop built in 1905 and refurbished in 1924 for the Law Institute of Victoria.Elements that contribute to the significance of the place include (but are not limited to):• The original building form and scale;• The original face brick principle façade to Little Collins and western side elevation to McKillop Streets, including original (1905) and early (1924) fenestration pattern of semi-circular and flat arched window openings in two upper levels; and• The expressed lettering on the pediment ‘Law Institute House’.Later alterations made to the street level façades are not significant.How it is significant?The former Law Institute House at 382 Little Collins Street, Melbourne, is of local historic and representative significance to the City of Melbourne.Why it is significant?The former Law Institute House at 382 Little Collins Street, Melbourne is historically significant for its demonstration of a key phase in Melbourne's retail and manufacturing development during the first decades of the twentieth century, recovering from the economic depression of the 1890s. The three-storey brick building was originally built in 1905 to house the retail business of established hardware manufacturer W Willis & Co on the ground floor, with other manufacturers on the levels above. The business operated in Melbourne from the 1860s, and from the Little Collins and McKillop streets corner site for over 50 years since the late 1860s. (Criterion A)The former Law Institute House at 382 Little Collins Street is also historically significant for its long association with the Law Institute of Victoria, pivotal legal society in Victoria established in Melbourne in 1859. The institute purchased 382 Little Collins Street in 1922, modifying the building in 1924 to a design by architects Peck & Kemter. The institute occupied the building for the next 37 years until 1961. Since its establishment, the Law Institute of Victoria played a core regulatory role in Victoria’s legal practice until 1996, when The Legal Practice Act 1996 was introduced. The former Law Institute House was its third premises and the first building owned and named by the institute following its statutory recognition in 1917. With its retention of expressed lettering on the pediment, the building survives as a physical evidence that demonstrates an important phase of the institute’s history throughout the interwar and postwar period, a time when the organisation’s roles and importance in legal practice in Victoria continued to expand. (Criterion A)The former Law Institute House at 382 Little Collins Street is significant as a largely intact example of an early twentieth century three-storey, narrow-fronted brick building constructed in 1905 as a component of the industrial expansion in central Melbourne during this period. It retains key characteristics of its type as a low-rise utilitarian building constructed in central Melbourne in the early twentieth century. While quite utilitarian, the façade features elements of both the Victorian period Free Classical style (cornices, arched parapet and pediment) and the Federation period styling (semi-circular arched openings), which was typical of this transitional period. (Criterion D)Primary sourceHoddle Grid Heritage Review (Context & GJM Heritage, 2020).GRAEME BUTLER 1985 MELBOURNE CENTRAL ACTIVITIES DISTRICT CONSERVATION STUDYBUILDING IDENTIFICATION FORM__________________________________________________City of Melbourne online maps 2016A three storey brick building. Built for the locksmiths and agricultural brand manufacturers William Willis & Co as a showroom and offices in 1905. For some years after 1916 the upper floor was utilised by the Wayfarers Club who held fortnightly meetings there. This organisation was established to provide a place of interaction for working girls and women living away from home. The membership fee was sixpence. Refurbished in 1924 after being purchased by the Law Institute of Victoria with the creation of three shops on the ground and new offices on the upper floors. The building works cost 3,000 pounds plus 750 pounds for the new shop and upper floor windows. It became known as Law Institute House. In 1966 it was refurbished again combining two shops into an office fronting Little Collins Street. In 1990 this was converted back to a shop.__________________________________________________CONTEXT (WITH GJM HERITAGE) 2020, HODDLE GRID HERITAGE REVIEWFormer Law Institute of Victoria, 382 Little Collins Street, 1905 & altered 1924 (Recommended as significant in the Hoddle Grid Heritage Review)Located at the corner of Little Collins and McKillop streets, the former Law Institute of Victoria building at 382 Little Collins Street was originally built built in 1905-06 to house the retail business of established hardware manufacturer, W Willis & Co. In c1924, the Law Institute of Victoria engaged architects Peck & Kemter to modify the building to suit their usage of the building’s upper storeys, remodelling the western elevation fronting McKillop Street to enlarge openings on the upper levels and to create additional retail spaces fronting McKillop Street..SummaryHO1352Former Law Institute House 382 Little Collins Street (1905, 1924)Architect: Peck & Kemter (1924)· Historically significant for its occupation by the Law Institute of Victoria throughout the interwar and postwar period, and retail and manufacturing recovery from the 1890s economic depression.· Significant as representative of an early 20th century, narrowfronted brick building, constructed as a component of the industrial expansion during this period..SITE HISTORYThe land at 382 Little Collins Street was part of the first land sale in 1837. Forming part of Crown Allotment 16, Block 13, it was purchased by James Smith. The first documented occupation was in 1839, though no buildings existed on the site at this time.The three-storey building at 382 Little Collins Street was built for William Willis, whitesmith (a metalworker who does finishing work on iron and steel) and locksmith, who operated his business in Melbourne from the 1860s (Hamilton Spectator 19 September 1905:2). W Willis had established his business in the former building on the subject site by the late 1860s (S&Mc 1867, 1868 & 1870). In 1877, Willis occupied a two-storey building and a single-storey workshop on the site (Fels, Lavelle & Mider 1993, Inventory no 600). In the 1880s, W Willis & Co services specialised in lock smithing; various steel and brass repairing and adjusting; and manufacturing of small-scale tinware for farming and grazing, including sheep and cattle ear markers (see Figure 1) (Jewish Herald Friday 25 March 1881:3; Leader 20 October 1888:4).Figure 1. Newspaper advertisement for W Willis & Co’s personalised ear markers and labels. (Source: Leader 20 October 1888:4).In 1888, Willis sold the business to George Edward Hull, who carried on the business under the same name of W Willis & Co (Age 20 October 1888:20). From the 1890s, the business expanded their hardware production to include the manufacture of fireproof safes, weighing machines and security doors, items that became the mainstays of the firm’s sales. By the turn of the century, the firm was supplying the Commonwealth government, banks and other major merchants in Melbourne with security doors (Hamilton Spectator 19 September 1905:2).When Hull died in 1898, the property was devolved to his widow, Isabella Hull (Argus 25 May 1898:1). Isabella commissioned builder Alex Sturrock to construct a new three-storey building to replace the original shop and workshop and accommodate the expanding business (see Figure 2) (RB 1906-8; MCC registration no 9718, AAI record no 76917). In the new building W Willis & Co had its showroom on the ground floor shop, with most manufacturing of the company’s goods occurring in their factory in West Melbourne (Hamilton Spectator 19 September 1905:2).The upper storeys of the subject building were accessed through doors in McKillop Street. In 1910, the first floor was leased to Gill & Hambly, printers and stationers, and J L Newbigin & Co, electrical contractors. From 1913 until 1923, the first and second floors were used for the manufacturing and sales of jewellery by jewellers including Webster & Cohen, William R Addison, Webster & Taunt, and J W Werster & Son (S&Mc 1910-1923).Figure 2. Showing the subject building occupied by W Willis & Co, c1910. (Source: PickFR 2019)In 1922, 382 Little Collins Street was sold to the Law Institute of Victoria and W Willis & Co moved to 120A Queen Street c1923, ending its association with the subject land for over 50 years since the late 1860s (Hamilton Spectator 19 September 1905:2; S&Mc 1923-25; Argus 19 January 1924:5).In 1924, architects Peck & Kemter invited tenders for alterations to the premises at 382 Little Collins Street for the Law Institute of Victoria (Argus 19 January 1924:5). The total cost for the alteration was £13,000, raised by a loan and debentures to members (Peacock 2009:25).The Law Institute of Victoria occupied the building from 1924 until 1961. 382 Little Collins Street was the institute’s third home, following the former Temple Court (demolished in the 1920s) between Collins and Little Collins streets (from 1959 to 1883) and the Supreme Court in William Street (from 1883 to c1923). In March 1859 a group of 26 Melbourne solicitors founded the Law Institute of Victoria. The institute started to play a significant role in the late 1880s, commenting on proposed legislation and, through its complaints committee, referring cases of 'misconduct' to the Supreme Court. In 1905, Flos Greig became the first woman to be admitted to practice as a solicitor in Victoria, and shortly after, was the first female member of the institute. In 1917 the institute finally obtained statutory recognition and it quickly became the pre-eminent voice of the 'lower branch' of the profession (solicitors) in Victoria.According to the 1924 building plans, the alterations involved: creation of office rooms on upper levels; in-fill of rear and McKillop Street windows; new stair cases for the access to the upper levels; new openings to the western elevation on the first and second floor level, some of which mimicked the original semi-circular arched windows while others were rectangular; replacement of all window frames; and re-modelling of the whole ground floor. At the ground level, three new lettable retail.spaces were created. Two smaller shops were accessed from McKillop Street, while a new corner entrance was created for the larger shop fronting Little Collins Street as seen in Figure 3 (MBAI 5935 & 6152; PROV VPRS11200/P1 unit 670).Figure 3. Drawing by Peck & Kemter in 1924, showing the proposed changes to the McKillop Street elevations. The coloured sections indicate the proposed changes to this elevation included new windows to the upper-level and all new ground-level façade. (Source: PROV VPRS11200/P1 unit 670)The building became known as Law Institute House, with the name ‘Law Institute of Victoria’ expressed on the pediment (see Figure 4 and Figure 5). The organisation’s roles and importance in legal practice in Victoria continued to grow during its time at the Law Institute House. A few years after the move, in 1927, the first issue of Law Institute Journal was published. In 1931, Legal Women’s Association was established, and the Association’s annual and monthly meetings were held in the Law Institute House. In 1933, the institute became a constituent member of the newly formed Law Council of Australia. The Legal Profession Practice Act 1946 entrenched the institute's position as the representative of the solicitor profession by tying membership of the institute to the issue of practising certificates; by 1948, almost all solicitors in Victoria had become members of the institute (Peacock 2009:18-37; McQueen 2008). During this time, upper storey offices were utilised for meetings and gatherings associated with the institute. Some of the regular events hosted in the premises included the University of Melbourne’s Annual Convocation and the Annual General Meeting of the Law Institute of Victoria (Age 25 November 1941:4; Argus 28 February 1934:15; Argus 25 February 1929:1).The Law Institute of Victoria occupied part of the upper levels of the subject building from 1924, sharing the building with a number of tenants. In 1925, the ground floor shop facing Little Collins Street was vacant, but soon became tenanted by Renovations Dry Cleaners, which remained through to the 1940s. Between 1927 and 1942, H Jennings, tobacconist and hairdresser; Leona Tearooms; J H S Campbell, solicitor; and F T Warry, sign writer operated their businesses from the same building (S&Mc 1927-1942).Throughout the wartime and postwar period, despite the increasing need for more space, the Law Institute of Victoria was required to keep the tenants under wartime landlord and tenant laws. Even when the institute gained possession of the second floor in 1955, there was not enough space for efficient operation of the institute.In October 1960, the Law Institute of Victoria advertised the building at 382 Little Collins Street for sale. According to the auction notice, it contained three shops on the ground floor, and ‘high-class’ offices above (Age 3 October 1960:2). In 1961 the Law Institute of Victoria relocated to premises at 465 Little Bourke Street (Peacock 2009:18-37).Figure 4. Illustration of 382 Little Collins Street, by 1924 known as ‘Law Institute House’. (Source: Law Institute Journal 1927 vol.1:2) Figure 5. The building still carried the name in the 1970s after the Law Institute had left the building. (Peacock 2009:25)Following the sale in 1961 tenders were invited to apply tiles to the shop front at 382 Little Collins Street (Age 28 April 1961:18). Alterations to the shopfronts were carried out in 1966, and again in 1970 (MBAI). In 1966, two ground floor shops in the subject building were combined into an office facing Little Collins Street. During the 1970s, the office was occupied by the World Permanent Building Society (Figure 6). In 1990, this was converted back to a shop (CoMMaps). The current ground-level elevations have since been altered with modern glazed shopfronts, retaining one of the arched shopfronts to McKillop Street.In 2018, the building at 382 Little Collins Street contained two businesses and a shop (CoMMaps).Figure 6. A newspaper advertisement for the World Permanent Building Society. The rendering shows the ground-floor shopfronts altered in c1966-1970. (Source: Age 17 April 1973:5)Peck & Kemter, architectsPeck & Kemter formed as a partnership between Solon Alonzo Peck (1870-1930) and George Alfred Kemter (1887-1971), becoming known as Peck & Kemter by 1920. As Peck & Kemter, they collaborated with Walter Burley Griffin and Marion Mahony Griffin on the Capitol Theatre building, Melbourne (1920-24) (Paterson 2012). In the same decade they undertook modifications to 382 Little Collins Street, Peck & Kemter carried out renovations to the Brunswick Baths (1928) and designed the Bankers & Traders Insurance building, Collins Street, Melbourne (1928); the Sheep Pavilion, Melbourne Showgrounds (c1928); the Aeolian Building, Swanston Street, Melbourne (c1928); and The Strand, Elizabeth Street, Melbourne (1929) (Paterson 2012)..REFERENCESAge, as cited.Argus, as cited.Australian Architectural Index (AAI), as cited. Copyright Miles Lewis.City of Melbourne Interactive Maps (CoMMaps) 2019, http://maps.melbourne.vic.gov.au/, accessed 13 March 2019.City of Melbourne Municipal Rate Books (RB), as cited.Context Pty Ltd 2012, Thematic History: A History of the City of Melbourne’s Urban Environment, prepared for the City of Melbourne.Dingle, Tony 2008, ‘Manufacturing’, eMelbourne, School of Historical and Philosophical Studies, University of Melbourne, http://www.emelbourne.net.au, accessed 13 April 2018.Hamilton Spectator, as cited.Jewish Herald, as cited.Leader, as cited.McQueen, Rob 2008, ‘Law Institute of Victoria’, eMelbourne, School of Historical and Philosophical Studies, University of Melbourne, http://www.emelbourne.net.au, accessed 13 April 2018.Marsden, Susan 2000, Urban Heritage: the rise and postwar development of Australia’s capital city centres, Australian Council of National Trusts and Australian Heritage Commission, Canberra.Peacock, Susan 2009, ‘LIV Celebrating 150 Years’, Law Institute Journal, March 2009, pp 18-37.PickFR 2019, ‘Rare c1910 advertising postcard W Willis & Co 382 Little Collins St Melbourne’, https://picclick.fr, accessed 13 March 2019.Sands & McDougall, Melbourne and Suburban Directories (S&Mc), as cited.Truth, as cited.Tsutsumi, Jun and O’Connor, Kevin 2006, ‘Time series analysis of the skyline and employment changes in the CBD of Melbourne’, Applied GIS Vol 2 No 2:8.1–8.12. DOI:10.2104/ag060008.Young, John and Spearritt, Peter 2008, ‘Retailing’, eMelbourne, School of Historical & Philosophical Studies, The University of Melbourne, http://www.emelbourne.net.au/biogs/EM01241b.htm, accessed 13 March 2018.__________________________________________________CITY OF MELBOURNE BUILDING PERMIT APPLICATIONS1924 Jan 5935 ₤3000 Alterations to offices and shops…April 6152 ₤750 Erection of shopfront
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1254514
| Type | Reference No. | Extent | Status/Desc |
|---|---|---|---|
| Original | 105957 | 1 JPEG : 372 KB ; A4 | Single Item (May not be issued, may not be reproduced) |