55 PERCY STREET PORTLAND
55 PERCY STREET PORTLAND, GLENELG SHIRE
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Statement of Significance
Lot 1 55, Portland played an important role as businesses, a logistics hub for the commercial precinct of downtown Portland, with these sites active from the mid-1800s until at least the 1930s. The physical remains of structures and associated artefacts have the potential to provide important information on the technological and cultural development of Portland.
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55 PERCY STREET PORTLAND - History
The place comprises two addresses, Lot 1 55 and Lot 2 57 Percy Street, Portland. The place is located within the historic township of Portland, both addresses were likely in use from the earliest period of settlement. The first official survey of Portland occurred in 1840 by Charles J Tyers. Tyers reported a town population of 203 at that time. The first land sales for Portland occurred in Melbourne in October 1840 (Learmonth 1960). Portland vied with Melbourne for the status of major settlement of south west Victoria. A building boom followed the land sales, and from 1840-42 four hotels and four churches were established followed by the first banks in 1846 and 1847 (Tout-Smith 2003).
An 1855 Portland parish maps records that at this time 55 – 57 Percy Street, Portland was the property of Mr James Blair (1813? – 1880) (Figure 1). Blair, a police magistrate, arrived at Sydney from Ireland in February 1835. In 1840 Blair was the first police magistrate at Portland Bay, six years after Edward Henty had settled there: the first local licensing court comprised Blair and Edward and Stephen Henty. In 1843 Blair and Charles Tyers, who had surveyed the first town blocks in 1840, chose two acres (.8 ha) for a Presbyterian church. In 1844 he had bought Clunie, near Harrow, and he also owned property at Trewalla, Narrawang, and Portland itself – this historic reference to Portland likely includes Lot 1 55 Percy Street (Figure 1). Blair moved in 1867 to Melbourne where he built Greenmount in Toorak Road. In 1868 - 78 he was a director of the Bank of Victoria and its deputy-chairman from 1875. On 11 June 1880 he died at his home, Greenmount, Toorak. A surveyors map from 1853 records the presence of two small structures across Lot 1 55 Percy Street at this time (Figure 2).
A Proposed Glenelg Shire Council Planning Scheme Amendment Investigation Report (2016) records that Lot 1 55 Percy Street, Portland in 1925 had a commercial structure built on it, with this business, as per the photographs, titled John Campbell’s Drapery (Figure 3 – 4. Glenelg Shire Council Planning Scheme Amendment Investigation Report 2016). Records do not indicate when this was building was constructed. The structure appears to be a one storey timber construction, likely with a floor based on wooden stumps, with a prominent facade that faced onto Percy Street. It is also unclear when this structure was demolished, but Lot 1 55 Percy Street is currently open land at present (Figure 6). It is unlikely any other structures were built here following the demolition of this structure. A macadamized cart track is also located at 55 Percy Street, and this may have served as horse and logistics purposes for 55 and 57 Percy Street (Figure 7).
The rear of Lot 2 57 Percy Street, Portland is closely associated with Lot 1 of the same address. At Lot 1 the 1853 Portland surveyors map records the presence of a number of small structures (Figure 2). A 1981 Portland Urban Conservation Study states that: ‘The single-storey bluestone store, dwelling and outbuildings at (Lot 1) 57 Percy Street were originally erected in 1868 for Joseph Marriott. The store has operated continuously in this role for more than 100 years and the gable facade of fine axed bluestone is a distinctive feature. The extensive side elevation with interesting fenestration and veranda, the outbuildings, well and pump are also notable’ Glenelg Shire Council Planning Scheme Amendment Investigation Report 2016: 2). A series of 1925 photographs provide the earliest photographic record of both lots, which show a likely well located at the rear of Lot 2 57 Percy Street, Portland (Figure 3 – 5). The building at Lot 1 57 Percy Street, Portland is still extant today and registered as HO59 Campbell’s store, residence and stables (former) on the Glenelg Heritage Overlay. Today Lot 2 57 Percy Street, Portland currently consists of an area of open grass, with no structures or infrastructure visible (Figure 6).55 PERCY STREET PORTLAND - Interpretation of Site
Lot 1 55 Percy Street had a wooden structure built across the majority of its extent at some point in the latter half of the 1800s. This structure was likely to have provided a range of services over its time of use, with its original historic purpose a drapery (Figure 3 – 5). This structure is no longer extant, however, subsurface elements of this structure, such as wooden stumps, are likely found across 55 Percy Street. There is also the strong likelihood that discarded artefacts from across the period of this structures use will be found across the address. A macadamized track is also found in a shallow subsurface context today at 55 Percy Street with this track likely visible in historic photographs from 1925 (Figure 3 – 4, 7). It is likely the macadamized cart track located at 55 Percy Street provided access to Lot 2 57 Percy Street, with a possible well located here serving as a water source for workers and horses involved in the transport of merchandise from Campbells store across the greater Portland district. There also remains the possibility of subsurface structural features across the sites from the 1800s to 1900s such as sheds and other utilitarian structures given the site was utilised for commercial purposes for an extended period over the nineteenth and twentieth century. There is also the strong likelihood that discarded historic artefacts from the mid-1800s until at least the 1930s will be found across the address.
Heritage Inventory Description
55 PERCY STREET PORTLAND - Heritage Inventory Description
Both Lot 1 55 and Lot 2 57 Percy Street, Portland currently comprise 2779.9m2 of open grassed area today. Both lots are connected, via a rear laneway, to Julia Street. The site fronts onto the current axis of Percy Street, but pedestrian access to the site extent is prevented via a wooden fence. Both lots are located within HO268 Percy Street Commercial Precinct, which contains a range of commercial architecture from different periods in Portland’s history, from the early Georgian and Victorian periods (1850s-1870s) to Art Deco styles. Prominent early buildings in the Precinct include the former Union Bank at 44 Percy Street (1855-56), (designed by local architect John Barrow), the former Wesleyan Church (now Uniting Church), the ‘Audley Building’ at 70-76 Percy Street, the double-storey bluestone early commercial building at 58-60 Percy Street and the former Campbell’s Drapery and outbuildings (including sheds, stables, a well and pump) at neighbouring 57 Percy Street. Although many of these allotments have been developed, much of the nineteenth century fabric remains extant today, albeit concealed by cladding and shopfronts.
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