Milbourne House, 316-318 Queen Street, Melbourne
Butler, Graeme1985
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Total copies: 1
Title:
Milbourne House, 316-318 Queen Street, Melbourne
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Date of work:
1985
Reference number:
BIF-CITY 527568
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 2024:__________________________________________________Period: Post Second WarConstruction date: 1961-2Architects: Mervyn Morgan & Associates___________________________GRAEME BUTLER 1985 MELBOURNE CENTRAL ACTIVITIES DISTRICT CONSERVATION STUDYBUILDING IDENTIFICATION FORM : cites RAIA 20th century reg. (note low grading)___________________________BUILDING IDEAS (CSR) March 196541 Millbourn House 316 Queen Street, 1962 C. Mervyn Morgan and Associates___________________________NEWSPAPERS (TROVE)1940Blue Print BallMore than 200 guests were present last night at The Palms, Alexandra av., for the annual Blue Print ball, held by the Architectural Students' Society of Royal Victorian Institute Architects. Proceeds will be given to charity. In the official party were Mr. O. A. Yuncken. president R.A.I.A.; Mr. W. O. McCutcheon, president R.V.I.A.: Mr. L. M. Perrott, past president R.V.I.A.: Mr. J. S. Gawler Dean of the Faculty of Architecture. Melbourne University', and Messrs. E. Keith Mackay, John F. D. : Scarborough, and Alan Ralton. Members of the ball committee were Messrs. C. Mervyn Morgan, president; R. P. Boyd. J. E. Newell, vice-presidents; R. Bath. hon, secretary'; D. C. Barton, hon, treasurer; R. A. Brown, John Barry, I Frank Gill. S. Parker, L. Green, A. Russell.1947https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/22432619 illust.Architect plans both garden and houseROSANNA HOME HAS WALLED AND PAVED TERRACETHIS week the house and garden illustrated have been jointly planned by the architect...Mr C. Mervyn Morgan, of 473 Bourke st, and the builders are Messrs Bennett andRobinson..https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/224390252-STOREY PLAN FOR SMALL SEASIDE HOME....1948Architects Win Study AbroadTwo young Melbourne architects, both with war records, have each been awarded travelling scholarships of £350 from the Robert and Ada Haddon scholarship bequest. They are Mr. Robin Boyd, of Camberwell, and Mr. Douglas A. Norman, of Preston. The awards were announced yesterday by the board of architectural education of the Royal Victorian Institute of Architects. Subject of this year's design competition was an art gallery hypothetically situated at Mildura. The standard of entries was high.Mr. Boyd is director of The Age" small homes ser vice of the Institute of Architects. He is a tutor at the University of Melbourne School of Architecture. In recent months he studied architectural trends In the United States. He is 29 and served for five years with the A.I.F. . Mr. Norman, who is also 29, Is practising architecture in association with Mr. C. Mervyn Morgan. He served with the R.AA..F. for five years..1952https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/206221278Town Planning,Mr. C. Mervyn - Morgan is critical of those who would in any way oppose planning for the future. He is interested particularly in- streets, and told us yesterday we must avoid at all costs the necessity to rip down new buildings for new or wider streets. But -if rigid control of long-range planning was not adopted this might happen. Mr. Morgan pointed to High-street. St. Kilda, and the little streets of the city as examples of the need of such control. He mentioned also that the value of an express highway from Melbourne to Essendon airport, undeveloped on either aide, needed no emphasis..1954https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/245561884 illustOld city building modernisedOXFORD CHAMBERS NOW INSURANCE H.Q.Boom expansion in the 'eighties, depression in the nineties, the coming of "the New Woman" into business, public affairs and even politics, and the beginning of flat life in Melbourne are recalled by conversion of Oxford Chambers into a modern insurance headquarters. This handsome building, bought by Eagle Star Insurance Co. in 1950 for £126,000, has now been converted into the Company's Australian headquarters and Victorian offices at a cost of £ 120,000.Oxford Chambers, with Its six stories of solid brickwork, was an imposing addition to the hill in Bourke-st. West when it was built during the boom- time of the "Eighties. The collapse of the boom brought a sharp change in its fortunes. In 1891 its 110 offices were fully occupied. But in 1894, records of the Royal Historical Society of Victoria show, there were 98 vacant rooms.By 1900, the building was full again, having become one of the first blocks of residential chambers in Melbourne's history. By this time it had become "respectable" for women to live in rooms alone and to take positions in the city.First flat-itesThe forerunners of the women tenants who were later to dominate the scene appeared at this time. They included several well- known suffragettes, not- ably the late Miss Vida Goldstein, who was prominent in the "women's movement."By 1908 the tenants were mostly women — business girls, dressmakers, milliners, and Bohemian types. A lunch room had been opened for the new one- room flat dwellers.In later years, the fortunes of Oxford Chambers declined again. It became gloomy and shabby, despite its fine brickwork. Its purchase in 1950 by Eagle Star restored it to the original purpose for which it was optimistically built nearly 70 years before.Structural problemThe problem then was to convert a building divided in two by a central corridor into a large insurance office suitable for a city fire and accident company. Unlike "20th Century steel" framed structures, the strength of the solid 19th Century brick construction was dependent on its mass, because the weight was transmitted wall by wall from roof to basement. This meant that openings in a wall or removal of a wall required massive steel beams to carry the load above.The old lift added in 1906 was placed centrally in the corridor, this further dividing the building into distinct sections. This added to the difficulty of converting the ground floor into one self-contained unit. High ceilings Ceiling heights were excessively high. This added to heating and lighting problems.Architect C. Mervyn Morgan attacked the problem by transferring the central entrance on the ground floor to the Western side of the building, and, at the same time, moving to the new entrance the lift-well and stairway. Dividing walls on the ground floor were removed and steel beams inserted to carry the weight of many hundreds of tons of brick above. A splendid chamber 90 ft. by 50 ft. has thus been created on the ground floor in place of a series of cramped rooms. Acoustic tiles false ceilings have cut down the ground floor's ceiling heights. Acoustic tiles with continuous rows of recessed lighting and colored walls have created a pleasant, spacious atmosphere. The Australian head office has been set up on the third floor which has been remodelled to provide executive offices, and special accommodation. Builders are now removing the old slate roof over the front section to add a floor on which will be four business suites of con temporary design..1985IN THE SUPREME COURT OF WESTERN AUSTRALIACompany No 148 of 1985In the matter of the Companies (Western Australia) Code and In the matter of WONDERMATIC PTY LTD......The petitioner's address is Millbourne House, 316 Queen Street, Melbourne in the State of VictoriaThe petitioner's solicitors are Messrs Northmore Hale Davy & Leake…___________________________1986https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/261576063MILLBOURN HOUSE316 QUEEN ST.,MELBOURNESituated in a superior location, close to Courts and Title office etc. The building will appeal to the owner/occupier or investor with excellent rental potential and on site parking.Contact J. Moore A.H. 267 7814 ___Melbourne (03)6025722
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1267360
| Type | Reference No. | Extent | Status/Desc |
|---|---|---|---|
| Original | 527568 | 1 PDF : 763 KB ; A4 | Group of Items (May not be issued, may not be reproduced) |