289-293 Burnley Street
289-293 BURNLEY STREET RICHMOND AND 289-293 BURNLEY STREET RICHMOND, YARRA CITY
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Statement of Significance
What is significant?
The properties at nos 289-293, Burnley Street, Richmond, were constructed in 1911-12, and comprise a large free-standing brick house and a pair of smaller semi-detached, single fronted brick cottages of the Federation period. The dwellings are in exposed face brick with painted cement dressings, with the exception of no. 291 that has been overpainted. The large house at no. 289 Burnley Street has a tall hipped roof clad in corrugated galvanised steel, with a projecting north gabled wing with a breakfront above the main window, and circular coffer detailing to the upper gable. The verandah frieze is arched and the verandah roof is integral with the main roof. The paired smaller houses at nos 291-293 Burnley Street have gable roof forms clad in corrugated galvanised steel, with broken hip roofs where the front entries are set back. Both feature gabled verandah bays with two-stepped gables; gridded 'Japanese' friezes; paired, square-cut verandah posts; and three-sash box-frame windows.
How is it significant?
The properties at nos 289-293, Burnley Street, Richmond, are of local historical and aesthetic/architectural significance.
Why is it significant?
The properties at nos 289-293, Burnley Street, Richmond, constructed in 1911-12, are of local historical significance. The dwellings are associated with the later development of eastern Richmond, in an area of Burnley Street which was also slow to develop. The larger house at no. 289 is indicative of the historical desirability of constructing larger dwellings on main road frontages; while the smaller dwellings provide evidence of worker's housing in Richmond in the early twentieth century. The latter dwellings are also associated with Eleazer Lesser, who acquired and developed a number of properties in Richmond in this period, including other similar residential developments in Bell Street, Dickens Street and Lord Street. The properties at nos 289-293, Burnley Street are also of local aesthetic/architectural significance, and substantially externally intact examples of Federation houses. While nos 291-293 are comparatively modest, they are distinguished by their detailing and prominent gabled verandahs; elements of note including the gridded Japanese-flavoured verandah friezes; paired verandah posts with floral cut-out post spandrels; painted cement dressings; and three-light front windows in box frames over apron sills. The dwelling at 289 Burnley Street is distinguished by its larger size and strong presence to Burnley Street, including the large north gabled wing with breakfront and circular coffer detailing. The generous sweep of the verandah arches also emphasises the comparatively large scale of the dwelling in the Burnley Street context.
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289-293 Burnley Street - Physical Description 1
Peterson Statement of Significance -nil?; part of group; part proposed Stawell St Heritage Overlay Area
289-293 Burnley Street - Integrity
In 1838-9, eighty-eight allotments in what became the suburbs of Fitzroy, Collingwood and Richmond were made available as part the first land sales outside of the town reserve of Melbourne.[i] In the early 1850s, reserves were created for recreation, police purposes, a produce market, schools and a mechanics' institute, with a separate municipality of Richmond created in 1855.[ii] Early development in Richmond was concentrated in the north and west of the suburb, with the eastern part of the suburb (where the subject property is located) remaining largely undeveloped.[iii] In this period, retail trade and services were established in Swan Street and Bridge Road.[iv] Although initially viewed a gentlemen's retreat suburb in the 1840s, Richmond came to be characterised as a working class suburb, particularly following the population boom which came after the 1850s gold rushes.[v] Development increased in the suburb during the 1870s and 1880s, as was the case in much of Melbourne. The eastern part of Richmond was partially subdivided by 1874, and by 1888, most of the street layout was complete.[vi] The 1890s economic depression had an impact on development, which essentially stagnated until Federation.[vii]
In 1855, Burnley Street was noted as a Government Road, but by the late 1850s it was being referred to as Burnley Street. William Burnley was an early land holder in Richmond, a Richmond councillor and member of the Legislative Council during the 1850s.[viii] The block along Burnley Street between Bridge Road and Swan Street, where the subject property is located, began to develop with small housing allotments in the 1880s.[ix] During the boom period, the number of houses in Richmond grew significantly, from 4,800 in the early 1880s to double that by the end of the decade.[x] However, there remained a number of vacant allotments on Burnley Street into the early part of the twentieth century.
In 1902, the block of land between Boland and Manton streets (then Eliza and Newby streets) was partially developed, with land at the corner of Manton and Burnley streets remaining vacant.[xi] The allotments were rated as vacant land in 1910, but by c. 1912, Thomas Higginbotham, a hairdresser, had constructed his six-roomed brick house at no. 289 Burnley Street. The two adjoining properties at nos 291 and 293 were purchased by Aron & Lesser, and in 1912, two brick houses of five rooms had been constructed.[xii] Eleazer Lesser, also known as Elly Lesser, was a financier and pawnbroker based in South Melbourne and Camberwell in the early 1900s. Upon his death in 1930, he left an estate worth £40,000.[xiii] Lesser acquired a number of properties in Richmond on which he constructed residences during 1911-12. The houses in Lord Street, Dickens Street, Burnley Street and Bell Street were all leased by 1912 to tenants including labourers, a jockey, a bootmaker and an accountant.[xiv]
In 1912, the houses at nos 291 and 293 Burnley Street were rated at a net annual value of £37 each, while Thomas Higginbotham's larger freestanding residence at no. 289 Burnley Street was rated at £40. Whilst Larissa Woolands resided at number 293 with six other people, the adjoining house at number 291 was a smaller household, where accountant Richard Taylor lived with only one other person.[xv][i] Fitzroy Urban Conservation Study Review 1992, Thematic History, p 4.1.
[ii] O'Connor, John et al, Richmond Conservation Study, Volume 1, 1985, p.11.
[iii] Map of Melbourne and its suburbs, 1855, Lands Department map, surveyed by James Kearney.
[iv] O'Connor, John et al, Richmond Conservation Study, Volume 1, 1985, p. 11.
[v] Copping it Sweet: Shared Memories of Richmond, City of Richmond and Carringbush Regional Library, 1988, p. 5.
[vi] O'Connor, John et al, Richmond Conservation Study, Volume 1, 1985, p. 12.
[vii] O'Connor, John et al, Richmond Conservation Study, Volume 1, 1985, p. 13.
[viii] Stirling, Alfred, Old Richmond, The Hawthorn Press, Melbourne, p. 3.
[ix] Sands and McDougall Melbourne and suburban directory, 1880-1890.
[x] Allom Lovell & Associates, City of Yarra Heritage Review, Volume 1 Thematic Environmental History, 1998, p. 25.
[xi] MMBW detail plan 1087 Richmond, 1902.
[xii] City of Richmond rate books, East Ward, 1912-13.
[xiii] Argus, 8 August 1930, p.8.
[xiv] Richmond Rate Books, East Ward and Central Ward, 1911-12.
[xv] City of Richmond rate books, East Ward, 1912-13.
Heritage Study and Grading
Yarra - City of Yarra Heritage Gaps Study 2012 (Heritage Gaps Amendment two)
Author: Lovell Chen
Year: 2012
Grading: LocalYarra - Heritage Gap Study
Author: Graeme Butler & Associates
Year: 2007
Grading: Local
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FORMER INVERGOWRIE LODGEVictorian Heritage Register H0517
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INVERGOWRIEVictorian Heritage Register H0195
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RESIDENCEVictorian Heritage Register H0710
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