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LITTLE MILTON
26 ALBANY ROAD TOORAK, STONNINGTON CITY
LITTLE MILTON
26 ALBANY ROAD TOORAK, STONNINGTON CITY
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Statement of Significance
What is significant?
Little Milton is was built in 1926 on two allotments subdivided from the former Whernside estate. The house was designed in the Old English/Arts and Crafts style by Muriel Stott (1889-1985) in association with the architectural firm Stephenson and Meldrum for the Moran family who were prominent in the grocery business. It is claimed that Stott, whose family conducted a business college, modelled the house on Great Milton, a large residence in the Cotswolds. She had previously designed Rainbow End (1918) in Olinda for the Morans who were family friends. Little Milton was her largest commission and her last work in Australia before she emigrated to South Africa. The two storeyed house is of brick with ochred stucco. The roof is tiled. There is an attached garage to the north which forms an integral part of the design. The landscape design is by Edna Walling and features the extensive use of red brick paving. There is a timber pergola which is about half its original length and in poor physical condition. Apart from mature larger trees, some of which predate the house, the garden planting has not survived.
How is it significant?
Little Milton is of architectural, historical and social significance to the State of Victoria.
Why is it significant?
Little Milton is of architectural significance as an outstanding example of an Old English/Art and Crafts style, inter-war mansion. Its massing and detailing are skilfully executed and the house sits comfortably in its landscaped environs, although, perhaps unusually, it makes no attempt to capitalise on its corner siting; instead it sits rather demurely behind a high, but open, timber paling fence screened by relatively dense perimeter planting. The house is the most important work of architect Muriel Millicent Stott who was one of only a handful of women architects working in Melbourne in the 1920s. It is also architecturally significant for its surviving landscape elements by Edna Walling the most celebrated landscape designer of the era.
Little Milton is historically significant for its fifty year association with the Moran family of the famous grocery firm Moran and Cato. It is socially significant as an outstanding example of an inter war mansion which typified the breaking up of the large 19th century Toorak estates such as Whernside. It is also of social interest in that, unusually for the time, its architecture and landscape design were executed by women.
Little Milton is was built in 1926 on two allotments subdivided from the former Whernside estate. The house was designed in the Old English/Arts and Crafts style by Muriel Stott (1889-1985) in association with the architectural firm Stephenson and Meldrum for the Moran family who were prominent in the grocery business. It is claimed that Stott, whose family conducted a business college, modelled the house on Great Milton, a large residence in the Cotswolds. She had previously designed Rainbow End (1918) in Olinda for the Morans who were family friends. Little Milton was her largest commission and her last work in Australia before she emigrated to South Africa. The two storeyed house is of brick with ochred stucco. The roof is tiled. There is an attached garage to the north which forms an integral part of the design. The landscape design is by Edna Walling and features the extensive use of red brick paving. There is a timber pergola which is about half its original length and in poor physical condition. Apart from mature larger trees, some of which predate the house, the garden planting has not survived.
How is it significant?
Little Milton is of architectural, historical and social significance to the State of Victoria.
Why is it significant?
Little Milton is of architectural significance as an outstanding example of an Old English/Art and Crafts style, inter-war mansion. Its massing and detailing are skilfully executed and the house sits comfortably in its landscaped environs, although, perhaps unusually, it makes no attempt to capitalise on its corner siting; instead it sits rather demurely behind a high, but open, timber paling fence screened by relatively dense perimeter planting. The house is the most important work of architect Muriel Millicent Stott who was one of only a handful of women architects working in Melbourne in the 1920s. It is also architecturally significant for its surviving landscape elements by Edna Walling the most celebrated landscape designer of the era.
Little Milton is historically significant for its fifty year association with the Moran family of the famous grocery firm Moran and Cato. It is socially significant as an outstanding example of an inter war mansion which typified the breaking up of the large 19th century Toorak estates such as Whernside. It is also of social interest in that, unusually for the time, its architecture and landscape design were executed by women.
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LITTLE MILTON - History
Contextual History:History of Place:
(from PhD thesis 'Women in Architecture in Victoria 1905-1955: Their Education
and Professional Life', Julie Willis, Uni of Melbourne 1997, pp.291-2)
STOTT, MURIEL MILLICENT (later LEECH d., later DAVIES) (1889-1985)
Stott was born in 1889, the fourth of Sydney and Annie (nee Twyford) Stott's seven children. Sydney Stott had begun his career as a law clerk, switching to importing typewriters around 1883 and eventually founding the Stott's Business College.
Stott was articled to the firm of Fisher & Bradshaw at twenty-three. Upon completion of her articles in 1916, she obtained work immediately in the office of J J Meagher, for whom she worked for twelve months. During that time she gained two to three commissions of her own, presumably enabling her to set up in private practice in early 1917.
Stott's first private commission was a brick residence in High Street, East Malvern and this was quickly followed by another brick residence in Malvern, both in 1916. She then did renovations to a Malvern house in 1917, although it is unclear as to whether these renovations were to one of the Malvern houses designed by Stott in the previous year or not. Also in 1917, Stott designed a timber bungalow at 26 Greenhill Avenue, Castlemaine for the Williams family.
Stott's next commission was for family friends, the Morans. Stott's elder sister, Addie, was friends with Mrs Moran, Stott by association being well-known to the family. The Moran family commissioned a timber house on Coonara in Olinda called Rainbow End in 1918, the house being completed early in 1919. Stott then designed two brick residences. The first was at 364 Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn designed in 1919 and the second in East Malvern in 1921 on the corner of High Street and Malvern Road.
Stott was registered as an architect in 1923. Her next known commission was a large house for the Moran family in Albany Road, Toorak in 1926. That commission was unusual, as it was reported that Muriel Stott, feeling the need for support, took the commission to Stephenson & Turner and the project was carried out in with the architects in association. It was to be Stott's most celebrated design, featured in Australian Home Beautiful, and the garden designed by Edna Walling.
Stott had no identifiable commissions in Victoria after this, although still advertised herself as an architect. She made no effort to join the Victorian Institute of Architects, although she subscribed to their Journal late in her career.
Stott left for Europe in 1931, where she met her husband-to-be, Desmond Leech, a mining engineer. They married in 1932 and subsequently moved to Leech's home in South Africa. She never practised architecture again, although is said to have maintained an interest. Her last design was her own home in South Africa at 39 Currie Street, Oaklands, Johannesburg, for which she also designed the garden with her husband.
Leech died in 1946. Stott met and married James Davies, an Englishman, in 1955, the pair continuing to live in Stott's Oaklands home. Davies died in 1971.
Stott in her later years was crippled by arthritis and confined to a wheelchair, dying, aged ninety-five, in 1985.
Known projects Stott involved in:
In private practice: brick residence, High Street, East Malvern (1916); brick residence, Malvern (1916); renovation to house, Malvern (1917); Williams house, 26 Greenhill Avenue, Castlemaine (1917); 'Rainbow End', Moran house, Coonara Road, Olinda (1918-1919); brick residence, 364 Glenferrie Road, Hawthorn (1919); Ron Stott house, near corner of High Street and Malvern Road, East Malvern (1921); Moran house, Albany Road, Toorak (1926); Own house, 39 Currie Street, Oaklands, Johannesburg, South Africa.
(from PhD thesis 'Women in Architecture in Victoria 1905-1955: Their Education
and Professional Life', Julie Willis, Uni of Melbourne 1997, pp.291-2)
Associated People: Assoc.People STEPHENSON AND MELDRUMLITTLE MILTON - 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 exempted alterations are to be planned and carried out in a manner which prevents damage to the significant 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.Exterior:* 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.* Removal of external spiral staircase, reinstatement of window in place of the later door and making good.* Installation or repair of damp-proofing by either injection method or grouted pocket method.* Installation of canvas blinds to first floor sleep-out.* Repair or replacement of timber paling fences and gates which replace like with like.* Removal, refurbishment or replacement of the existing swimming pool and safety fencing.* Removal, refurbishment or replacement of the existing pool patio paving.* Erection of small, plain (not "period") outbuildings including sheds, aviaries, kennels and the like provided that they are not visible from the front and side gardens and provided that no new outbuilding is larger than 10 square metres in floor area or 2.4 metres in height.* Removal, refurbishment, replacement or realignment of the existing tennis court including the construction of a concealed garage beneath.* Demolition of the timber carport.Interior:* Painting of previously painted walls and ceilings.* Removal of paint from originally unpainted or oiled joinery, doors, architraves and skirting.* 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 devices for the hanging of mirrors, paintings and wall mounted artworks.* Refurbishment of bathrooms, toilets and or en suites including removal, installation or replacement of sanitary fixtures and associated piping, mirrors, wall and floor coverings.* Refurbishment of kitchens including 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 ducted, hydronic or concealed radiant type heating provided that the installation does not damage existing skirtings and architraves and provided that the location of the heating unit is concealed from view.* Installation, removal or replacement of electrical wiring provided that all new wiring is fully concealed. 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.Landscape:* The process of gardening, hedge clipping, mowing, mulching, bedding displays, removal of dead plants, disease and weed control, emergency and safety works and landscaping in accordance with the original Edna Walling concept.* Replanting of -plant species to conserve the landscape character.* Management of trees in accordance with Australian Standard Pruning of Amenity Trees AS 4373.* Installation, removal or replacement of garden watering systems.* Repairs conservation and maintenance to hard landscape elements: brick and slate paving, paths walls and steps, pergola/arbor and other garden structures which replace like with like.* Landscaping works which are in accordance with the landscape concept plan produced by Nigel Lewis Conservation Architecture Landscapes Planning dated 2 April 1998 and held by the Executive Director except that the area described "permit exemption zone" shall be as amended in red on the plan.LITTLE MILTON - Permit Exemption Policy
The following permit exemptions are based on the fact that the primary significance of the place is contained in the house and its relationship to the Walling garden. The original interior decorative scheme was not particularly important and has been obscured by later schemes anyway. The main important internal features are the fireplaces and dormer window seat. The Walling garden remains in the form of its hard landscape elements, particularly the paths, steps, slate pavers, rock wall, pergola (poor condition), brick pool (infilled), and mature plantings. The remainder of the shrubs, ferns and minor plantings are not integral to the significance. The area extending from the rear of the house and the existing paved terrace
through to the north and east boundaries is not integral to the significance of the site and is available for a new landscaping treatment although the retention of the mature elms and poplar is encouraged. The patio and pool area is of no significance. The former kitchen wing of the house facing the patio has been structurally altered.
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