J.P. Jones Building, 207-209 Swanston Street, Melbourne
Butler, Graeme1985
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Total copies: 1
Title:
J.P. Jones Building, 207-209 Swanston Street, Melbourne
Creator:
Date of work:
1985
Reference number:
BIF-CITY 109285
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 2023:__________________________________________________DATE: 1933;ASSOCIATIONS: JP Jones, tailor and socialist;DESIGNER: Oakley and Parkes;Period: Inter-WarSigns 1985: Amusements; Liberated Book Shop; Mid-City Newsagency; Ted's.GRAEME BUTLER 1985 MELBOURNE CENTRAL ACTIVITIES DISTRICT CONSERVATION STUDYBUILDING IDENTIFICATION FORM_______________________________________City of Melbourne online maps5 storey retail building with basement. Built 1945. Refurbished 1989._______________________________________VICTORIAN HERITAGE INVENTORY H7822-14861866 - building on site. 1880 - two-storey building. 1888 - two-storey building._______________________________________CITY OF MELBOURNE BUILDING PERMIT APPLICATIONSIndex Card 1918-1933, Jan 14167, 5500 pounds, Erection of buildingJune Erection of shopfrontAug Erection of sign_______________________________________AUSTRALIAN DICTIONARY OF BIOGRAPHYhttps://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/jones-john-percy-6876_______________________________________CONTEXT (WITH GJM HERITAGE) 2020, HODDLE GRID HERITAGE REVIEWPart Swanston Street North Precinct …Interwar buildingsInterwar (1916-1939) buildings exist at 207-209, 211-213 and 275-279 Swanston Street. The buildings were designed, some by architects, to combine retail businesses at ground level with floors for offices and workshops above, reflecting the continued demand for office and work space in the city centre by the growing service sector....The J P Jones building at 207-209 Swanston Street was constructed in 1933 for the then Victorian Minister for Public Works, J P Jones. After purchasing the site in 1918, Jones demolished the existing two-storey building at 207-209 Swanston Street and a new four-storey building was constructed, with provision for another three-storeys if required, at a cost of £10,000. Concerned about the prevailing unemployment caused by the economic depression of the late 1920s and early 1930s, and in his role of deputy-chairman of the State Employment Council, Jones took on the project to provide employment and thereby 'give a lead to others'. Constructed substantially of reinforced concrete and steel with concrete block floors and designed by Melbourne architects Oakley and Parkes, the building incorporated tapestry bricks and cast stone in the façade, reflecting the Equity Building in Bourke Street. Jones used the building at 207-209 Swanston Street to house his tailoring business (Argus 27 February 1933:6; Age 28 February 1933:12). An image of the building in the 1930s can be seen in Figure 6 and in c1950 in Figure 5.seeFigure 5. Showing the three-storey buildings at 207-209 Swanston Street occupied by Roger David and 211-213 Swanston Street occupied by Homecrafts c1950. (Source: Strizic c1950-c1980, STATE LIBRARY OF VICTORIA )Figure 6. The J P Jones building at 207-209 Swanston Street can be seen on the far right in an image taken in the 1930s. (Source: Commercial Photographic Company c1930-c1939, STATE LIBRARY OF VICTORIA )_______________________________________NEWSPAPERS (TROVE).1918JP Jones health crusade- LECTURING at the-Socialist Hall, as M.L.C. (Council leader Labor Party),https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/240687769.1921Portrait as first President of the Socialist Party of Victoriahttps://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/240693055.1933The Herald (Melbourne, Vic. : 1861 - 1954)Wednesday 8 March 1933 - Page 20https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/243055730SHOP AND OFFICES FOR SWANSTON ST.New Tailoring Branch For Works MinisterThe determination of the Minister for Works (Mr J. P. Jones) to do his utmost in a private as well as n public capacity to help alleviate unemployment, is responsible for the commencement in Swanston Street of the new shop and office building illustrated in this page. The site on which the building is being created is that previously occupied by Watters and Sons Pty. Ltd., seed merchants, and was bought by Mr Jones in 1918, In place of the demolished building will be erected a structure that will be well abreast architecturally and In its fittings, with the rest of the modern shops in the street. The facade of the new building will be carried out in special tapestry face bricks and cast stone that will give a none Help dash of color to the predominating grey of the surrounding buildings. The structure will consist of four floors, a basement, ground floor, mezzanine floor and two upper storeys. Great attention has been paid to adequate lighting and ventilation. The big show window will be surmounted by a modern metal grille, and sheltered by a cantilever verandah. At the rear an escape will be provided into Loudon Alley. The total height of the building will be 45 feet, and the frontage 20 feet. Mr Jones will occupy the premises as a branch of his tailoring, business at pre sent being carried on in Royal Arcade, Bourke Street.Discussing the reasons which impelled him to build. Mr Jones said today that he felt a moral responsibility to provide employment. He had received several offers from tradespeople who were prepared to take a lease of the old building, but he made up his mind, before the old lease expired, that he would find work for some of the unemployed. Nowadays, he said, it was Improbable that city property owners would receive a reasonable return from their investments, because of the incidence of taxation, but the major problem was to get people back to work. That in turn would bring an easing of taxation. Architects for the building are Messrs Oakley and Parkes. of Bourke Street_____________________________________________DIRECTORIES OF VICTORIA, MELBOURNE-SANDS AND KENNY, SANDS & MCDOUGALLSands & McDougall Directory of Victoria1942207-209 Moody, E., hairdresser207-209 Taft, M., embroidery manufacturer211-213 Homecrafts Pty Ltd, radio dealers1955207-209 Roger David Ready Tailored Clothes P/L etc
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1264204
| Type | Reference No. | Extent | Status/Desc |
|---|---|---|---|
| Original | 109285 | 1 JPEG : 652 KB ; A4 | Single Item (May not be issued, may not be reproduced) |