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Dreman Building, 96-98 Flinders Street, Melbourne

Butler, Graeme1985

Record details

Title:

Creator:

Butler, Graeme (Name details)

Date of work:

1985

Reference number:

BIF-CITY 104028

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:DATE: 1915;ASSOCIATIONS: Gaulois Tyre Company; Williams The ShoemanIMAGE: https://flic.kr/p/EoS9Sz.CONTEXT (WITH GJM HERITAGE) 2020, HODDLE GRID HERITAGE REVIEWWhat is significant?The Dreman Building at 96-98 Flinders St, built in 1915.Elements that contribute to the significance of the place include (but are not limited to):• The building’s original external form, materials and detailing;• The building’s original façade detailing including engaged pilasters, simple capitals, parapet with pediment and scroll details, major cornice with brackets and name plate with ‘Dreman Building’ inscribed;• Original pattern and size of fenestrations; and• Remnant stone wall at western end of ground level.Later alterations including those made to the street level façade are not significant.How it is significant?The Dreman Building is of local historic, representative and associative significance to the City of Melbourne.Why it is significant?The Dreman Building, built in 1915 at 96-98 Flinders Street is historically significant for its occupation by the French Gaulois Tyre Company and Rubber Trade Centre from 1915-1920, and from 1920-1954 by Williams the Shoeman. One of several international firms entrusted with providing rubber tyres to the developing motor car industry, Gaulois secured contracts with Melbourne City Council. The use by the prominent Victorian shoe retailer Williams the Shoeman is significant for its 30-year duration. (Criterion A)The Dreman Building at 96-98 Flinders Street is significant as part of the warehouse typology that is representative of the city’s evolution from low-rise buildings up to four storeys, to a mid-rise city. As one of several Flinders Street buildings, including 100-102 Flinders Street and Epstein House at 134-136 Flinders Street, Dreman House is part of a group that form an impressive edge to the city. While not as intact as some other examples of this type, it remains legible through its scale, form and façade composition including expressed framing and a bracketed parapet with original lettering. (Criterion D)The Dreman Building at 96-98 Flinders Street is significant for its association with Williams The Shoeman Pty Ltd, a shoe retailing company established by John Williams in Ballarat in 1860. Williams The Shoeman purchased the Dreman Building in 1920, using the building as the headquarters and warehouse for its state-wide branch operations until 1954. (Criterion H)Primary sourceHoddle Grid Heritage Review (Context & GJM Heritage, 2020).CONTEXT (WITH GJM HERITAGE) 2020, HODDLE GRID HERITAGE REVIEWSITE HISTORYThe subject site at 96-98 Flinders Street was part of the fourth Hoddle Grid land sale in 1839. By 1877, two single-storey buildings existed on the land. By 1888, a single-storey building, occupied by the Manufacturers Agency Company, and a two-storey building, occupied by a cabinetmaker named Hitsler, were in existence (Fels, Lavelle & Mider 1993).In 1889, a fire occurred at 96 and 98 Flinders Street in the premises occupied by the Manufacturers Agency Company (Argus 1 February 1889:5). In 1900, ironmonger T McAlpine operated his business from 98 Flinders Street (Weekly Times 7 July 1900:2).The 1915 Sands and McDougall directory notes that 96-98 Flinders Street was vacant in that year, but by 1916, the Dreman Building at 96 Flinders Street had been constructed (S&Mc 1915 and 1916). It appears that the Dreman Building was built in late 1915, as, in November of that year the French Gaulois Tyre Company moved from Post Office Place ‘into larger and more central premises’ at 96 Flinders Street (Age 1 November 1915:12).In 1915, growing car ownership resulted in British tyre manufacturers ‘securing considerable trade in Australia’, with the ‘solid tyre business…shared by two or three English firms and the Gaulois Tyre Company’ (Leader 10 April 1915:22). In 1916, Melbourne City Council accepted Gaulois Tyre Company’s tender for the supply of ‘certain motor tyres’ (Argus 31 October 1916:9).In 1918, the Bergougnan Tyre Company (formerly the Gaulois Tyre Company) operated from 96-98 Flinders Street (Argus 13 March 1918:7).In March 1920, a ‘modern six-story warehouse’ with basement at 96 and 98 Flinders Street, known as the Dreman Building and occupied by the Rubber Trade Centre, was advertised for sale:Land [approximately 33 feet by 160 feet]…to frontage of Flinders-street…to R.O.W. [right of way], together with the handsome 6-story brick warehouse factory building thereon, well fitted and finished with goods and passenger lifts, and electric light installed. Let to various tenants at a total rental of £1151 per annum, under leases expiring in July 1921. This is a sterling city freehold investment, occupying a convenient and prominent position in the centre of the motor and rubber trades, between Russell and Exhibition streets, where property is rapidly increasing in value (Age 13 March 1920:11).On 26 March 1920 the building was sold at auction to Ballarat firm, Williams The Shoeman Pty Ltd, for £20,000 for use as a warehouse. The company purchased the building after discovering it was unable to procure the required quantity of bricks to construct a warehouse in Richmond (Argus 27 March 1920:20; Ballarat Star 29 March 1920:4).The Dreman Building was damaged by fire in 1921. The top floor, occupied by the Federal Manufacturing Company, was fire damaged, and stock across all five floors was saturated with water (Australasian 7 May 1921:34).The building was repaired (Figure 1), and in 1933 Williams The Shoeman noted its head office as 96-98 Flinders Street. The building was sold in 1954 for £50,000 (Age 1 December 1954:10).Refurbishment of the building was undertaken in 2008 and 2012.Today the Dreman Building houses businesses and retail outlets.Williams The ShoemanWilliams The Shoeman was established by Englishman John Williams, who arrived in Victoria in 1860. In the same year, Williams rented a small shop in Ballarat to sell shoes, naming his business ‘Williams The Shoeman’. In 1895, sons, Frank and Frederick Williams, took over the business and established shoe stores in Victorian regional towns. By 1902, Williams The Shoeman had 12 branches at Ballarat, Geelong, Stawell, Bendigo and Eaglehawk. By 1914, 17 stores were in operation and, in this year, the business registered as a company under the name Williams The Shoeman Pty Ltd. By 1937, 44 stores had opened (Bendigo Independent 12 February 1902:1; Riverine Herald 2 December 1937:3).In 1969, Woolworths acquired Williams The Shoeman, in which year the shoe company operated 460 stores. The stores continued to operate as Williams The Shoeman, and by 2000, clothing retailer, Colorado, had taken over ownership of the company. Colorado went into receivership in 2011.Figure 1. An aerial showing 96-98 Flinders Street, an extract from Aerial View of Melbourne, 1928, by Victorian Railways. (Source: STATE LIBRARY OF VICTORIA )REFERENCESAge, as cited.Argus, as cited.Australasian, as cited.Ballarat Star, as cited.Bendigo Independent, 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’ in eMelbourne, School of Historical and Philosophical Studies, University of Melbourne, http://www.emelbourne.net.au/biogs/EM00896b.htm, accessed 13 June 2017.Fels, M, Lavelle S, and Mider, D 1993, ‘Archaeological Management Plan’, prepared for the City of Melbourne.Leader, as cited.May, Andrew (2008), ‘Flinders Lane’ in eMelbourne, School of Historical & Philosophical Studies, The University of Melbourne, http://www.emelbourne.net.au/biogs/EM00586b.htm, accessed 13 June 2017.Riverine Herald, as cited.Sands and McDougall’s Directory (S&Mc), as cited.Victorian Railways 1928, ‘Aerial View of Melbourne’, State Library of Victoria (SLV) Victorian Railways collection. Scenic negatives, accessed 22 June 2017.Weekly Times, as cited.

Names:

City of Melbourne

Topics:

Central Activities District Conservation Study 1985Conservation studiesInterwar periodOffices

Places:

Melbourne (Vic.)

Form/Genre:

Building Identification Forms (BIFs)

Record types:

Research and reports

Record number:

1210473