Presbyterian Residence, now Geneva House
32 (3 Flats) Myers Street, GEELONG VIC 3220 - Property No 216619
Myers Street Heritage Area
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Statement of Significance
Significant
Previously B Listed - Regional Significance
STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCEHistorically, as the former Presbyterian manse, it has had a near continuous link with the other civic/ecclesiastical uses in the precinct as well as performing a quasi public building role as the home of an influential clergyman and his equally influential wife. This is particularly so given the greater devotion to the church in that era.
As the YWCA. hostel, it has performed a further civic role for some 60 years. Much of the early work at the hostel was funded by Geelong community groups and individuals, and as such it possessed a high public profile. Similarly many women in the Geelong community old girls of the hostel will remember it for its role in their lives.
Architecturally, the house is a near complete example of a rare building type in Geelong, with its use of cast iron details friezes, columns and the polychrome Italianate form but, judged in the State context, it is a good partly altered example among a much larger group of largely privately owned villas from that period.
REFERENCES
GA 1.9.88
RB 18889.273; RB 1890,277; RB 1900, 377 cites Ryrie Street Presybetrian Church as owners
RB 1900, 387.
Investigator 3, 1975 1st YWCA meeting 1.10.75
D 1890-1961; RB 1909, 377 cites Ryrie Street Presbyterian Church as the owners: RB1920.383
GA 13/8/15
IBID
Jones, p29, 31,, 43, 38, 39, 109, 115
GA 26/8/29, p5.
DWB DRP 438
Op.cit. p35, 39, 127
See GCC BA 725/84 specification by Essam & Lowe job 808
Ibid Letters Barrawinga P/L
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Presbyterian Residence, now Geneva House - Physical Description 1
DESCRIPTION
This is a two-storey, hipped roof and verandahed Italianate villa, built in two colour tuck-pointed brickwork. The cast-iron verandah is highly ornamented and returns on the east as well as the north face. The house is typical large late 19th century villas in Melbourne's eastern middle suburbs and, to a lesser extent, throughout Victoria but it is unusually large for a Presbyterian minister, comparing with Catholic presbyteries such as at St. Mary's. This building type two-storey dichrome brick verandahed villa is not well represented in Geelong.
External Integrity
The central ground level window has been converted to a door and the original fence replaced neither has a great impact on the buildings integrity. The slate roofing was replaced with corrugated iron after 1984 and the balustrading has been replaced with a common 19th century pattern cast-alummium
Streetscape
The former manse relates to other late 19th century civic uses and the adjacent face-brick row houses further east; it is contributory to the civic and residential precincts 6.01.
Presbyterian Residence, now Geneva House - Physical Description 2
Largely intact, 2 storey, brick with rendered quoining, hipped roof clad in corrugated metal sheeting, brick chimneys with rendered mouldings, string moulding beneath eaves. 2 storey return verandah with cast iron frieze (ground level) & balustrade (upper level), fluted columns with capitals, timber dentillated bands & now with concrete deck (ground level). Large timber sash windows with rendered architraves, later door to original opening.
Heritage Study and Grading
Greater Geelong - Geelong Region Historic Buildings and Objects Study Volume 2
Author: Allan Willingham
Year: 1986
Grading: BGreater Geelong - Geelong City Urban Conservation Study, Volumes 2-5
Author: Graeme Butler
Year: 1991
Grading: BGreater Geelong - Geelong City Urban Conservation Study Volume 1
Author: Graeme Butler
Year: 1993
Grading: BGreater Geelong - Geelong City Urban Conservation Study, Volume 4(a)
Author: Helen Lardner
Year: 1995
Grading: BGeelong City Fringe Heritage Area Review
Author: RBA Architects + Conservation Consultants
Year: 2018
Grading:
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FORMER GEELONG WOOL EXCHANGEVictorian Heritage Register H0622
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FORMER SCOTTISH CHIEFS HOTELVictorian Heritage Register H0662
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GEELONG TOWN HALLVictorian Heritage Register H0184
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