NATHAN'S TERRACE
4-14 WELLINGTON STREET AND 1-11 SHIELDS STREET FLEMINGTON, MOONEE VALLEY CITY
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Statement of Significance
Nathan's Terrace, comprising twelve single storey terrace houses on two street frontages, was developed by Melbourne furniture retailer, Samuel Nathan, during the land boom of the late 1880s. The buildings were designed by architect William Wolf and constructed by O'Dea & Kennedy during 1889. As a result of the financial depression of the 1890s Nathan sold the houses to separate purchasers. Since then, apart from a period during the 1920s and 1930s when all houses were the property of a builder, Robert Spurway, the houses have always been separately owned. The two houses on the north end of the Wellington Street group are particularly small and have contorted internal layouts. Most of the twelve terrace houses have small rear yards.
Nathan's Terrace is of architectural, historical and social significance to the State of Victoria.
Nathan's Terrace is architecturally significant as an unusually compact 1880s boom period residential subdivision that has a back to back layout facing two street frontages. These modest-sized, but prominent terrace houses are architecturally significant for their skilful use of the sloping site, their breakfront design on the street elevations, and their ornate parapet decorations. They are among Melbourne's most elaborate single storey terraces. Nathan's Terrace is of further architectural importance as a significant residential work of William Wolf, a prolific architect of the 1880s and 1890s who specialised in the design of substantial suburban hotels. The terrace is an important index to the key design elements of Wolf's oeuvre.
Nathan's Terrace is historically and socially important for its association with 'Marvellous' Melbourne's boom activity of the 1880s when a great deal of private investment capital flowed into increasingly speculative ventures for housing construction.
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NATHAN'S TERRACE - History
Contextual History:History of Place:
Nathan’s Terrace of twelve single storey houses was constructed at the height of Melbourne’s 1880s boom activity. Like most of metropolitan Melbourne, Flemington experienced unprecedented growth through this decade with subdivisions, sales and erection of houses away from the main transport routes, and new commercial enterprises opening within the municipality. Flemington’s population grew from 1,811 in 1883 to 9,069 at the end of the decade.
Initially Racecourse Road was most fully developed near the saleyards and the racecourse, where cattle dealers, stock and station agents and farriers were established close-by, along with hotels and stables. By 1888 when almost half a million animals were annually auctioned at Newmarket, the city end of the Racecourse Road strip was also becoming busy with a densely concentrated variety of commercial enterprises. The new Doutta Galla Family Hotel (1888/89), was built near the recently upgraded railway line, and further down the road was the Colonial and National Bank (1889), as well as an assortment of traders from hatters to that of an undertaker. The offices of the West Bourke Times, the local newspaper, founded in 1887, were also located on this strip.
A picturesque, corner-sited post office was built on the rise in nearby Wellington Street in 1888/9, the same year that ornate, two-storey brick villas of speculators and stock agents appeared further up the hill, possessing large stable yards. Lot frontages on the east side of the hill were occupied by narrow-fronted houses, while those on the west side of Wellington Street tended to be more varied in size, and deeper. In the next two years a police station as well as a striking Romanesque court house, followed by a fire station extended the civic precinct of the Flemington hub further into Wellington Street.
The hill, known as the Flemington Estate, had once been part of the vast holdings of former local squire, Hugh Glass. When he died almost destitute in 1871, his residence Flemington (later known as Travancore) was one of his few properties to escape the claims of his debtors and was settled on his wife and eight children. That year much of the estate was subdivided by R.C. Bagot, with the first sales taking place immediately, while other allotments were finally auctioned in 1881. The majority of the land was purchased by speculators and building contractors, who either subdivided their blocks into smaller lots, erected row houses, or re-sold their holdings during the height of the boom at a high profit. Before too many blocks were built upon some were leased by the Flemington horse racing fraternity for agistment and training purposes.
HISTORY OF PLACE
In 1888, a T. Coffee was running a training stable on the land now occupied by the Shield Street wing of Nathan’s Terrace. In December of that year architect William Wolf called for tenders for the building of a return terrace of twelve row houses on the site which also included the land going through to Wellington Street. The builders commissioned were O’Dea & Kennedy of North Carlton, and the contract sum was £5249.15.9. This building partnership had been operating since 1882, with O’Dea working as plasterer and Kennedy as carpenter. The Hibernian Hall in Swanston Street, Melbourne is one of many large buildings erected by the firm in the late 1880s. In 1888 O’Dea & Kennedy constructed a hotel at East Brunswick designed by William Wolf.
It appears that the Wellington Street terrace was constructed ahead of that in Shields Street as the municipal rate book of 1889 shows the former to be valued at £30 each while the latter were described as still “in progress” and valued at £10 each. In 1890 all of the houses were occupied by tenants. Like many fellow speculators, Nathan must have suffered the effects of the 1891 economic crash for within one or two years he had sold the terrace to individual owners. For many years the houses continued to be listed in both the directories and rate books as Nathan’s Terrace. In 1894 Miss Delia White, dressmaker, owned and occupied 4 Wellington Street and James Fullarton, surgeon, owned and occupied number 6 and let 8-14 Wellington Street to tenants. The whole of the Shield Street terrace was owned by Andrew Liddy, who lived in number 3. A number of the buildings were reported as vacant.
By the end of the decade Liddy was still residing at the terrace, although Fullarton had left Wellington Street. Among the occupants listed in the 1899 directory were Miss Noria White, costumier at 4 Wellington Street, Mrs J. Billinge at number 8, also a costumier, and James Hodge and Miss Lily Hodge, teacher of music, at 12 Wellington Street. Throughout subsequent years the occupancies of the terrace constantly changed. During the late 1920s and 1930s all buildings were owned by Robert Spurway and tenanted. By the late 1970s the twelve houses were individually owned and a few were tenanted. Some were renovated but number 5 Shields Street, which had been occupied by a protected tenant for 35 years, was described as being in a “shocking” condition.
Alteration of at least two of the houses was carried out in the 1970s by architect Louis Blank, who owned Nos.4 and 6 Wellington Street. Blank used one as a house and the other as an office. During his ownership Blank installed mezzanine floors within these two houses. Extensive alterations and additions were made to No.10 Wellington Street by the young architect John Denton (later of the eminent architectural practice of Denton, Corker & Marshall). Today all twelve houses remain in individual ownership and are either owner-occupied or tenanted.
Owners
Samuel Nathan
Samuel Nathan, the owner, was one of many speculators keen to develop the residential precinct on Flemington Hill. He had come to Melbourne from London 1869, and in 1870 commenced trading as a general dealer. A year later he established a furniture business in Russell Street where he remained until 1874. As business flourished in the 1880s he moved to a larger showroom in Elizabeth Street, and also opened the Time Payment Furnishing Arcade, in Chapel Street, Prahran. He was one of the first to establish the time payment system in Melbourne, which no doubt contributed to his success. In his few years as owner of the terrace Nathan was never an occupant, he resided in Drummond Street, North Carlton. Nathan’s furniture firm later traded as Patterson’s Pty. Ltd.
Robert Spurway
Robert Spurway (1852-1938) a master builder, emigrated from Devon to New Zealand in 1874. He worked in Victoria, at first for some months in 1877, and subsequently for six years from 1886 to 1893. Two of his more notable contracts were the Coburg Post Office (1889/90), and the Maryborough School of Mines (1890) in partnership with another contractor. After settling permanently in Melbourne from 1900, he built ‘Walham’, his house at 86 Gordon Street, Coburg, and thereafter spent most of his retirement years buying, selling and restoring houses. In 1925 he established and permanently endowed the rent-free Spurway Homes in Caulfield with accommodation for twelve elderly and needy people. At the time of his death in 1938 he owned over 44 houses, his largest property being Nathan’s Terrace purchased in the 1920s.
The Architect
William G. Wolf (1857-1898)
William Wolf, the architect of Nathan’s Terrace was born in New York in 1857, and was the son of an architect who worked in that city. He studied architecture firstly in New York, and later in Germany where he obtained his diploma in architecture and became a member of the Imperial German Institute of Architects. He then practised in England in the London office of architectural firm, Hewitt & Son, drawing the designs for the Army and Navy Club buildings, and the additions for the Langham Hotel.
After arriving in Victoria in 1877/8 he worked for three years as draughtsman for notable architect, Lloyd Tayler, then established a practice at Richmond. In 1886 he opened an office at 100 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne and over the next five years became a prolific designer of terrace houses, detached villas and shops, with three-storey hotels being his specialty. After the economic crash in 1891 he practised in Sydney for three years, from 1892 to 1895, and ultimately moved to Perth, where he was responsible for His Majesty’s Theatre and Hotel, the Royal Arcade, the Swan River Mechanic’s Institute, and the Jewish Synagogue. Wolf died in March 1898 at Perth from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Select List of Buildings Designed by William Wolf
Dr Lalor’s House, Church Street, Richmond (1886/7), HBR 211
Albion Family Hotel, Northcote (1887)
Central Club Hotel, Richmond (1887)
East Brunswick Club Hotel, Lygon Street (1888)
Auburn Hotel, Auburn Road Hawthorn(1888)
Surrey Lodge, Canterbury Road Surrey Hills (1888)
Newport Boarding House (1888)
Woodlawn Terrace, 56-68 Berry Street, Clifton Hill (1888)
Seymour Park, Seymour (1888)
3-storey family residence, Vale Street, East Melbourne (1888)
2 brick cottages, Green Street Richmond (1888)
2-storey weatherboard residence, Martin Street South Melbourne (1888)
Palace Hotel, (Canterbury Mansions), Canterbury Road (1889), HBR 869
Grand National Tower Hotel, Union Road Ascot Vale (1889)
Railway Hotel, Dandenong Road Malvern, (1889)
Grand Hotel, Portarlington (1890)
Morang Hotel (1890)
Numurkah Hotel (1890)
Fox and Hounds Hotel, Flinders Street, Melbourne (1890)
Prince of Wales Hotel, Church Street Richmond (1890)
Corner Hotel, Swan Street Richmond (1890)NATHAN'S TERRACE - Permit Exemptions
General Exemptions:General exemptions apply to all places and objects included in the Victorian Heritage Register (VHR). General exemptions have been designed to allow everyday activities, maintenance and changes to your property, which don’t harm its cultural heritage significance, to proceed without the need to obtain approvals under the Heritage Act 2017.Places of worship: In some circumstances, you can alter a place of worship to accommodate religious practices without a permit, but you must notify the Executive Director of Heritage Victoria before you start the works or activities at least 20 business days before the works or activities are to commence.Subdivision/consolidation: Permit exemptions exist for some subdivisions and consolidations. If the subdivision or consolidation is in accordance with a planning permit granted under Part 4 of the Planning and Environment Act 1987 and the application for the planning permit was referred to the Executive Director of Heritage Victoria as a determining referral authority, a permit is not required.Specific exemptions may also apply to your registered place or object. If applicable, these are listed below. Specific exemptions are tailored to the conservation and management needs of an individual registered place or object and set out works and activities that are exempt from the requirements of a permit. Specific exemptions prevail if they conflict with general exemptions. Find out more about heritage permit exemptions here.Specific Exemptions:EXEMPTIONS FROM PERMITS:
INTERIOR DECORATIVE SCHEMES
Interior painting and wall-papering provided the preparation work does not
remove evidence of the building's original paint or other decorative scheme.
The finish on original overmantels and fireplaces must be conserved.
Removal of existing carpets / flexible floor coverings eg vinyl.
Installation of carpets and flexible floor coverings
Installation of curtain tracks, rods, blinds and other window dressings.
Installation of hooks, nails and other devices for the hanging of paintings,
mirrors, and other wall-mounted works of art.
REFURBISHMENT OF BATHROOMS, TOILETS, KITCHENS
Refurbishment of bathroom /toilet / ensuites including removal of existing
sanitary fixtures and associated piping, mirrors, and wall and floor
coverings, and installation of new fixtures, and wall and floor coverings.
Removal of existing kitchen benches and fixtures (stoves, dishwashers etc.)
and floor coverings and installation of new kitchen benches and fixtures,
including associated plumbing and wiring.
INSTALLATION OF SERVICES/GENERAL WORKS
Installation of hydronic, or concealed radiant (Ceiling Foil Radiant Heating
or under carpet heating) type heating, provided that the installation does not
damage existing skirtings, architraves and the location of the heating unit
(boiler etc) is concealed from view.
Re-wiring provided that all new wiring is fully concealed and any original
light switches, pull cords, or GPO's are retained in-situ. Note : If wiring
is original to the building, timber conduits should be left in situ rather
than removed.
Installation of bulk insulation to the roof space.
Installation of smoke detectors.
Installation of damp-proofing by either injection method, or "grouted pocket"
method.
REMOVAL OF EXTRANEOUS EXTERNAL ITEMS
Removal of air-conditioners / pipework / wiring / antennae / aerials / and
making good.
SITE/GARDEN WORKS
Rear fencing and gates may be altered, extended or replaced provided the
materials remain the same.
Erection of small outbuildings including sheds, aviaries, kennels, poultry
sheds and the like, with the exception of "period " style gazebos, at the rear
of the registered building provided that the outbuilding is no larger than 10
m2 in floor area and no higher than 2400mm high.
Laying of gravel, bitumen, concrete, brick or stone flag paving.
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TERRACEVictorian Heritage Register H0081
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FORMER FLEMINGTON COURT HOUSEVictorian Heritage Register H1470
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FORMER NEWMARKET SALEYARDS AND ABATTOIRSVictorian Heritage Register H1430
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"1890"Yarra City
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"AMF Officers" ShedMoorabool Shire
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"AQUA PROFONDA" SIGN, FITZROY POOLVictorian Heritage Register H1687
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'Lawn House' (Former)Hobsons Bay City
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1 Fairchild StreetYarra City
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10 Richardson StreetYarra City
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Tours involving this place See all tours
Discover Flemington & Kensington
15/04/13
Flemington Racecourse - Park View - Former Newmarket Saleyards And Abattoirs - Flemington Post Office - Nathan's Terrace - Former Flemington Court House - Police Station And Lock-up - Railway Sub-station
Public contributions
Tours involving this place See all tours
Discover Flemington & Kensington
15/04/13
Flemington Racecourse - Park View - Former Newmarket Saleyards And Abattoirs - Flemington Post Office - Nathan's Terrace - Former Flemington Court House - Police Station And Lock-up - Railway Sub-station