EASTCOURT
54 POWLETT STREET EAST MELBOURNE, MELBOURNE CITY
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Statement of Significance
Eastcourt, East Melbourne, consisting of a two storey brick house with verandah and associated cast iron front fence.
History Summary
The house at 54 Powlett Street, East Melbourne was built in 1889 for James Wood, a dairy produce merchant who traded under the name Wood, Dunn & Co Ltd. It was initially named Woodlawn and renamed Eastcourt by 1921. The 12-roomed house was designed by architects Blackwell and Dalton who also designed the adjoining house at 52 Powlett Street in the same year. Alterations and additions were made to the house in 1920 before James Wood's death in 1922. Eastcourt remained in the Wood family until 1937 when it was sold at auction and the building operated as the Eastcourt Guest House for a number of years from the late 1930s. Further alterations were made to the building in 1940.
Description Summary
Eastcourt is a two storey rendered brick terrace house with double storey verandah, typical of the Victorian boom style. The front facade is symmetrically arranged with central entrance, five bay verandah, central pediment and three bay parapet above. Decoration is highly elaborate and typical of the high Victorian period. The verandah has coupled iron columns and elaborate cast iron frieze, upper balustrading and brackets which join to form arches. The central pediment contains a highly detailed tympanum and the parapet contains a repetitive pattern frieze between piers. A cast iron front picket fence on a bluestone base has elaborate posts and central double gates.
Internally the main rooms are richly decorated with elaborate plaster and timberwork and distinctive stained glass windows. Entrance side lights and fanlights depict neo-classical figures and a rustic cottage scene, and a ruby red fanlight at the end of the hallway contains etched images of James Wood and his wife.
Additions have been made to the rear of the house from 1920 onwards.
How is it Significant?
Eastcourt, East Melbourne is of architectural significance to the State of Victoria. It satisfies the following criterion for inclusion in the Victorian Heritage Register:
Criterion D Importance in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a class of cultural places and objects.
Why is it Significant?Eastcourt, East Melbourne is significant at the State level for the following reasons:
Eastcourt, East Melbourne is architecturally significant as a fine representative example of a boom-period town house. It is of grand scale and the exterior and interior detailing reflects its association with the height of the 1880s boom. [Criterion D]
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EASTCOURT - History
Summary of information provided by G Morgan great granddaughter of James Wood and also previous research contained in file 600906 undertaken c1979
- built as Woodlawn for James Wood in 1889 (Melbourne City Council Intention to build a two storey house at 54 Powlett Street East Melbourne for J S Wood, dated 24 April 1889, architects Blackwell & Dalton)
- James Wood was a dairy produce merchant trading under the name Wood, Dunn & Co Ltd, 26 Market St
- named Woodlawn until at least 1903
- named Eastcourt from at least 1921
- James Wood died 1922
- Eastcourt owned by Wood family until 1937
Sands & McDougall Directories
1891 James Wood first owner & occupant of 54 Powlett St (listed as Wood, Dunn & Co Ltd, Powlett St East Melb)
1908 Wm V Collier 2nd occupant of 54 Powlett St
1915 Mrs Jane A Orr 3rd occupant
1917 Miss Florence Mooney 4th occupant
1921 vacant (coincides with 1st extensive alterations)
1923 H Taite 5th occupant
1931 H Vicars
1934 Walter H Sparke
1936 Eastcourt Guest House
To at least 1950
MCC Records
1920 alterations and additions to dwelling 54 Powlett St
1921 shed at 54 Powlett St
1940 alterations and additions to 54 Powlett St
Rate Book
1890 James Wood owner occupier 12 room brick house
James Wood owner through to early 1920s and then executors to at least 1935 (search only done for every 5 years)
12 rooms until at least 1920 then 1925 - 20 rooms
Owner 1940 William Ripper
1970 Francis Graham
1975 Charles Sweeney
The adjoining house at 52 Powlett Street was also designed by Blackwell & Dalton and built for P Sheahan (Melbourne City Council Intention to build a two storey house at 52 Powlett Street East Melbourne for P Sheahan, dated 15 August 1889, architects Blackwell & Dalton). This house, called Foynes, is also included in the Victorian Heritage Register (VHR H0499). The architects are correctly named as Blackwell & Dalton.
EASTCOURT - 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:General Conditions:
1. All alterations are to be planned and carried out in a manner that prevents damage to the fabric of the registered place or object.
2. Should it become apparent during further inspection or the carrying out of alterations that original or previously hidden or inaccessible details of the place or object are revealed which relate to the significance of the place or object, then the exemption covering such alteration shall cease and the Executive Director shall be notified as soon as possible.
3. If there is a conservation policy and plan approved by the Executive Director, all works shall be in accordance with it.
4. Nothing in this declaration prevents the Executive Director from amending or rescinding all or any of the permit exemptions.
5. Nothing in this declaration exempts owners or their agents from the responsibility to seek relevant planning or building permits from the responsible authority where applicable.
House Exterior
* Minor repairs and maintenance which replace like with like.
* Removal of extraneous items such as air conditioners, pipe work, ducting, wiring, antennae, aerials etc, and making good.
* Painting exterior of rear of house or loft/garage
House Interior
* Painting of previously painted walls and ceilings provided that preparation or painting does not remove evidence of the earlier paint or other decorative scheme.
* Refurbishment of bathrooms, toilets and or en suites including removal, installation or replacement of sanitary fixtures and associated piping, mirrors, wall and floor coverings.
* Installation, removal or replacement of kitchen benches and fixtures including sinks, stoves, ovens, refrigerators, dishwashers etc and associated plumbing and wiring
* Installation, removal or replacement of carpets and/or flexible floor coverings.
* Installation, removal or replacement of curtain track, rods, blinds and other window dressings.
* Installation, removal or replacement of hooks, nails and other devices for the hanging of mirrors, paintings and other wall mounted artworks.
* Installation, removal or replacement of electrical wiring provided that all new wiring is fully concealed and any original light switches, pull cords, push buttons or power outlets are retained in-situ. Note: if wiring original to the place was carried in timber conduits then the conduits should remain in-situ.
* Installation, removal or replacement of bulk insulation in the roof space.
* Installation, removal or replacement of smoke detectors.
* Installation, removal or replacement of security locks to doors and windows.
* Installation, removal or replacement of security systems provided all wiring is fully concealedEASTCOURT - Permit Exemption Policy
The purpose of the permit exemptions is to allow works that do not impact on the significance of the place to occur without the need for a permit. Repairs and maintenance which replace like materials with like are permit exempt.
The primary significance of Eastcourt resides within the fabric at the front of the house. The main facade and the layout of the principal rooms are intact . Permits should take account of the survival of the plan at the front of the house, the layout of rooms, door openings, architraves, skirting, decorative finishes etc. Changes to the location of door openings should be avoided. The plaster decoration is very rich and should be preserved, as must all the decorative windows in the hallway.
The rooms at the rear are from the 1920s and later. These are less significant. Internal changes to the kitchen area, rear bedrooms, rear living area, garage and loft are permit exempt. However, changes that affect the exterior form of these areas should be referred to Heritage Victoria.
Permits are not required to paint the interior of the house, nor the exterior of the rear of the house, nor the garage/loft. However, painting of the front of the house, including the fence, in changed colours should be referred to Heritage Victoria.
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