Residence
56 Swanston Street, GEELONG VIC 3220 - Property No 218190
City East Heritage Area
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Statement of Significance
Significant
C Listed - Local Signficance
STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCEThe house at 56 Swanston Street, Geelong, has significance as a predominantly intact example of the Federation style. Built in c.1895 for Senior Constable Thomas Devereux, the house appears to be in good condition when viewed from the street.
The house at 56 Swanston Street is architecturally significant at a LOCAL level. It demonstrates original design qualities of the Federation style. These qualities include the complex roof forms that include the recessed hipped roof, gables that project at the front and side, minor gable that projects towards the front and the hipped and broken back return verandah that projects at the front and side. Other intact or appropriate qualities include the asymmetrical composition, single storey height, horizontal weatherboard wall cladding, painted galvanised corrugated iron roof cladding, three unpainted pressed red brick chimneys with multi-corbelled tops and terra cotta pots, modest eaves with exposed timber rafters, square timber columns with decorative incisions, large timber Art Nouveau verandah arch, decorative timber fretwork verandah valances and brackets, the timber framed windows (including the pair of double hung windows under the front gable and the projecting rectangular bay of casements with highlights under the front verandah), hipped window hood above the front windows with overhangs having exposed timber rafters, front timber framed doorway, timber and glazed door and sidelight and highlights, timber shingling and battening and panelling above the window hood on the front gable, and the gable infill (timber shingling, timber brackets and timber battening). The decorative front timber fence also contributes to the significance of the place.
The house at 56 Swanston Street is historically significant at a LOCAL level. It is associated with residential developments in Geelong during the Federation (c.1895-1915) period. In particular, this house has associations with Senior Constable Thomas Devereux and his wife, Elizabeth, original owners who instigated constructed in c.1895 and held the property for many years.
Overall, the houses at 56 Swanston Street is of LOCAL significance.
REFERENCES:
Reports and Drainage Plans, Barwon Water profis system, 1969.
Voters' Roll, Bellerine Ward, 1992, Geelong Historical Records Centre.
Electoral Roll (Div. Corio; Sub-div. Geelong) 1984, Geelong Historical Records Centre.
Sands & McDougall's Directory of Geelong, 1972, Geelong Historical Records Centre.
Sands & McDougall's "Invicta" Geelong Directory, 1968, Geelong Historical Records Centre.
Geelong City Council Rate Books (Bellerine Ward), 1893-1960, Geelong Historical Records Centre.
Town Plan of Geelong 1881, Geelong Historical Record Centre.
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Residence - Physical Description 1
DESCRIPTION:
The house at 56 Swanston Street, Geelong, is set on an average-sized allotment for the local area. The house has a modest front setback and narrow side setbacks. The front garden is rudimentary and consists of perimeter plantings and open grassed areas. The front is bound by a capped and decorative timber fence, and is approximately 1300 mm high.
The asymmetrical, single storey, horizontal weatherboard, Federation styled house is characterised by complex roof forms that include a recessed hipped roof, gables that project at the front and side, minor gable that projects towards the front and a hipped and broken back return verandah that projects at the front and side. These roof forms are clad in painted galvanised corrugated iron. Three early unpainted pressed red brick chimneys with multi-corbelled tops and terra cotta pots adorn the roofline. Modest overhangs and exposed timber rafters are features of the eaves.
A feature of the design is the return verandah. It is supported by introduced square timber columns with decorative incisions, and is decorated by a large timber Art Nouveau arch and decorative timber fretwork valances and brackets. This verandah decoration has been mirrored for the design of the front fence.
Early features of the design include the timber framed windows, arranged as a pair of double hung windows under the front gable (with a hipped window hood above having exposed timber rafters) and as a projecting rectangular bank of casements with highlights under the front verandah. The front timber framed doorway, timber and glazed door and sidelight and highlights also appear to be early.
Other early decorative features of the design include the timber shingling, battening and panelling above the window hood on the front gable, and the gable infill (timber shingling, timber brackets and timber battening).Residence - Physical Description 2
Largely intact, distinctive design, weatherboard, hipped & gable roof clad in corrugated metal sheeting, exposed rafter ends. Gable ends with shingles and additional battens & panelling to main gable, brick chimneys with terracotta pots. Return verandah with square timber posts & timber brackets & frieze (including arched component). Timber sash windows to projecting part with hipped hood supported on timber brackets, casement windows to verandah with leadlight highlight & shingles beneath. Panelled timber door with glass to upper part, & highlight & sidelight.
Heritage Study and Grading
Greater Geelong - Geelong City Urban Conservation Study, Volumes 2-5
Author: Graeme Butler
Year: 1991
Grading: CGreater Geelong - Geelong City Urban Conservation Study Volume 1
Author: Graeme Butler
Year: 1993
Grading: CGreater Geelong - Geelong City 'C' Citations Study
Author: Dr David Rowe
Year: 2002
Grading:Geelong 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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CORIO VILLAVictorian Heritage Register H0193
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