45 Albert Street was built for Richard Buchan in 1870 by builder, Robert Spencer. The previous year Richard had married Catherine Martin. Both husband and wife came from Perth, Scotland. Their two daughters, Annie and Lily, were born at the house. The only clue to Mr Buchan’s occupation is a short ad in the Argus on 24 April 1886.

The Notice of Intention to Build describes the proposed building as a cottage however according to the Rate books the house started as seven rooms, grew to eight c.1880, then again to eleven c. 1885. It was owned by the Miers family until c.1880 when it was bought by Montague Cohen, a solicitor. The site is now a block of apartments.

A weatherboard villa was advertised for purchase and removal in 1919 after which the land remained vacant until 1934 when work commenced on the construction of Tunbridge Manor.

Possibly the house referred to in the Notice of Intention to Build as "an additional cottage" The house was built by Thomas Murray, who as a partner in the firm Murray & Hill built many of Melbourne's finest buildings including the Customs House and the Mint.

Thomas Murray was a contractor who with Peter Hill formed the firm Murray & Hill, contractors and joiners. They specialized in high grade work and amongst their achievements are the Customs House and the Mint in Melbourne. Murray was a prominent member of the Cairns Memorial Church and when the church needed enlarging in 1888 he supervised the work in a voluntary capacity.

Thomas Wright, who built and owned the houses was a contractor who built many houses in the East Melbourne area. He lived next door and had his workshop behind, on the site now known as 1 Contractors Lane. The houses were built as investment properties and were let. After his death the properties remained in the ownership of his wife at least until 1890.

These two blocks of apartments were designed by architect Leslie J W Reed for sisters Hylda and Sophie Grattan. They were the daughters of William Grattan, a grazier who died in 1917. Their mother, Kathleen died in 1935.

'Joe' Thompson was a bookmaker and in 1873 he was also the owner of a horse named Don Juan (bought for £50 at Kirk's bazaar) who won the Melbourne Cup that year. Thompson used the proceeds of his winnings to build this house, which he named Don Juan House. The house was said to have cost £20,000.

340 Albert Street was built as a family home for Abraham Goldberg while its neighbour, 342, was an investment property, probably leased as a lodging house. Between 1881 and 1891 Mrs Muir ran the East Melbourne School at 342.

To come.

This pair of houses, together known as Fairmount, were built in 1874 for James Garton, livery stables proprietor, by Robert Huckson to the design of architect George Browne.  

"Cotswold was built in 1891 by W. Parks, Contractor, and Philip E. Treeby, Architect, for a sport minded country doctor who wished to have a town house near the Melbourne Cricket Ground. At that time, the front door was facing the street in the traditional manner, and opened onto a tiled hallway, with the staircase around the corner to the left, in the space now fitted out for drinks and music.

St. Hilda's was built in 1907 by R S Phillips for James Griffiths. The architects were Ward and Carleton. Griffiths had migrated to Australia in 1873 and founded the successful tea business of the same name. Both Griffiths and his wife were committed to Christian missionary work and in 1902 Mrs Griffiths was appointed President of the Women's Missionary Council.

Mosspennock was built in 1881 for James Liddell Purves, Q.C. and was designed by Charles Webb. It is unusual for the curved glass in its front bow windows. Inside is a noteworthy library initially thought to be original to the building but later determined to have been removed from another house and installed later, possisbly in the 1930s.

Sir Austin Chapman (1864-1926) was an important participant in the push for Federation. He was a delegate to the 1890 Federation Conference in Melbourne; was elected to the first Parliament as member for Eden-Monaro and remained a member to the end of his life. He was minister for Defence and for Health at different times and was also Post Master General.

Sir William a'Beckett, Chief Justice of Victoria, and his wife were the first owners of Clarendon House. They personally selected furniture and fittings for it while travelling in Italy but did not remain in it long.

From 1874 to 1882 the Rate Books description is for a 19 room house. During this time it was rented by M. and Mme. Vieusseux (see also 206 Clarendon Street) who ran the East Melbourne Ladies School there. A report in The Argus of 18 December 1873 gives a description of the end of year concert.

The house was erected by R. Jones for John Gray in 1856.The first we know about John Gray is his marriage to Eliza (nee Abrahams) the widow of William Pyke in 1853. Their first child was born at Myross, Saltwater River, now Maribyrnong River. (There is now a Myross Avenue in Ascot Vale).

Philip Hudson, A.R.V.I.A, Stalbbridge Chambers, 443 Chancery lane, Melbourne also designed the Shrine of Remembrance, St. Kilda Road, called tenders for residential flats cf. Notice of Intent to build which says three storey brick dwelling. In 1915 the flats were described simply as, 'four, five roomed, private - bathroom, kitchen, self-contained'.

On 9 Aug 1912 The Herald ran a short article stating that,

Initially described in the Rate Books as six rooms, the following year the description changes to five rooms, pantry, bath and shed, and by 1875 it has become seven rooms. Fielding lived in the house until 1883 when he sold to Robert Richardson who added another room. From this time it was leased to the police and was the local police station.

First listed in the Rate Books as a workshop but by 1895 the useage had changed to stables. James Peel Browne owned the building until his death in 1905. Sometime after 1910 it became the Commonwealth Motor Garage with Adams and Bradstreet as proprietors. By 1923 the same company was advertising with L. Incigneri as the proprietor.

The Argus, on 28 February 1908, reported: