Free Public Library, 55 Hesse Street, Queenscliff
55 Hesse Street QUEENSCLIFF, QUEENSCLIFFE BOROUGH
Hesse Street Commercial Precinct
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Statement of Significance
Based on the Italian Renaissance, the combination of stucco and face-brick with the style adopted indicates a more direct influence from the English Queen Anne. The library is a successful and restrained use of the architectural vocabulary chosen which, however, is not enhanced by the walkway to the north and the ascalar building to the south. It is architecturally and historically significant as the earliest municipal building still in use.
This building is considered to be of major significance as a building that contributes to the area whose conservation is important to the maintenance of the conservation significance of the Hesse Street Commercial Precinct.
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Free Public Library, 55 Hesse Street, Queenscliff - Physical Description 1
Public Subscription and Government Grants helped pay for the 860 pounds 7s 9d debt under the watchful eye of the Committee treasurer, c.c. Simpson. Other contractors on the job included Messrs Chaffey and Skillon.(8) Watts had already designed the Forrester's Hall (qv) in 1870 producing a similar elevation eighteen years later for the library. A Corinthian order portico in antis, bisects the stucco decorated face brick facade. Below a balustraded parapet a dentillated cornice extends within and on either side of the portico gable. Arched, keystoned openings are equally distributed en either side of the arched doorway. 8racketted sills and cast-iron balconettes define the windows. Above the portico gable, a Flemish inspired pediment is the parapet centrepiece. Tall, corniced chimneys crown the apex of the side-gables their symmetry being dissipated by the adjoining 'Olinda'.
Free Public Library, 55 Hesse Street, Queenscliff - Physical Description 2
Fine brick and stucco building with corinthian capitals on pilasters to either side of main entrance. Built in 1888.
Free Public Library, 55 Hesse Street, Queenscliff - Physical Description 3
Extract from the 2009 study
Queenscliff Library is a symmetrically composed single-storey brick Victorian library in the Roman Revival style. It is setback from its Hesse Street frontage by a shallow garden. On the north side of the building is a garden that separates the building from a post-war historical museum building.
The Hesse Street elevation is divided into three bays by rendered Corinthian pilasters, supporting a rendered entablature and a parapet with pressed cement balustrading. The entablature is dentilated.
The central bay projects forward and contains the entrance to the building. Two pilasters support the pediment of this entrance bay, which has an arch with a rendered moulding and a vermiculated keystone. A plain fanlight window is above the pair of panelled timber doors with glazed centre panels. The entrance has been altered to accommodate a disabled ramp, which extends across the south side of the Hesse Street elevation.
Two bays flank the central entrance, and the two side bays each have a pair of arched windows, with rendered detailing around them, which matches the detailing around the central arched entrance. At the north end of the left bay is a stone that reads:
THIS TABLET IS TO COMMEMORATE THE PUBLIC SERVICES OF LEWIS KLUG ESQ
TO THE BOROUGH OF QUEENSCLIFFE FOR 33 YEARS.
MAYOR 1912-13, 23-28, 29-30, 31-37-8. ERECTED BY PUBLIC SUBSCRIPTIONAt the sills of each window is a flower box made of iron. Plantings extend along the base of the wall of the building either side of the central entrance. The building has a gable roof clad in corrugated galvanised steel sheeting. At each end of the building is a Classically-inspired rendered brick chimney. Internally, the building retains much original fabric and its original planning is still evident. As noted a new wing housing the historical museum is located at the rear of the original library.
Free Public Library, 55 Hesse Street, Queenscliff - Intactness
GOOD
Heritage Study and Grading
Queenscliffe - Queenscliffe Urban Conservation Study
Author: Allom Lovell & Associates P/L, Architects
Year: 1982
Grading:Queenscliffe - Queenscliffe Heritage Study
Author: Lovell Chen
Year: 2009
Grading:
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LATHAMSTOWEVictorian Heritage Register H1052
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PILOTS COTTAGESVictorian Heritage Register H1618
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ROSENFELDVictorian Heritage Register H1134
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