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East Melbourne, Clarendon Street 208, 210, 212, Clarendon Terrace

East Melbourne

  • 208 Clarendon Street
  • 210 Clarendon Street
  • 212 Clarendon Street

Building names

  • Clarendon Terrace

Surnames

  • Billings
  • Hayes
  • Huckson
  • Lister
  • Marks
  • Pritchard
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Date built: 
1857
Architect: 
Osgood Pritchard
Builder: 
Robert Huckson
First owner: 
Charles Lister, wine and spirit merchant and hotel-keeper
Description: 

A terrace of three two storey houses designed to look like one house. The central house has an unusual portico of giant order Corinthian columns. An interesting comparison is Clarendon House, Nile, near Launceston, Tasmania, built in 1838 for James Cox, which also has a portico of giant order columns, although Ionic in that case.

History: 

Clarendon Terrace was built in 1857 by Robert Huckson, to the design of Osgood Pritchard for Charles Lister, wine and spirit merchant and brewer. Additions were made in 1874 by James Billings for Henry Marks.

Late in 1973 the then owners applied to develop the site. The East Melbourne Group with the National Trust quickly nominated the site for inclusion in the register of the newly created Historic Buildings Preservation Council. The nomination was successful, with the giant order Corinthian portico being singled out as particularly important on account of its rarity.

The building seemed to be safe. However in 1977 the owners applied to the HBPC for permission to demolish the building, and after a public hearing this was granted. The HBPC gave as its reason the structural instability of the façade and the unwarranted financial burden on the owner to restore it.

The East Melbourne Group and the National Trust appealed to the Minister of Planning, the owner and the Melbourne City Council. The media gave the matter wide publicity and the EMG organized a public meeting on the site. The Minister for Planning, the Hon. Geoffrey Hayes, M.P. was committed to a good outcome and brokered a deal.

The government granted the National Trust money with which it was to buy the property, restore it, and then sell it; any surplus was to become part of a revolving fund. In 1980, while plans were still being drawn up, the Trust was approached by the Sir Robert Menzies Foundation with a proposal whereby the Foundation would lease the building for a peppercorn rent in return for the cost of restoration. This was accepted and remains the situation today. Heritage Victoria's updated Statement of Significance now includes the line that Clarendon Terrace is "socially and historically important for its association with the preservation movement."

Owners and occupiers: 

208:
1900 Owner - Marks Trustees, Occupied - Elizabeth Jewell
1895 Owner - Marks Trustees, Occupied - William Busst & Madame Busst
1890 Owner - Marks Trustees, Occupied - Dr. J Williams & Dr I Hoysted
1885 Owner - Mrs Marks, Occupied - Miss M Brophy

210:
1900 Owner - Marks Trustees, Occupied - Lewis John Godfrey, Sculptor
1895 Owner - Marks Trustees, Occupied - Lewis John Godfrey, Sculptor
1890 Owner - Marks Trusteed, Occupied - Dr J H Courtney
1885 Owner - Mrs Marks, Occupied - David Wilson, Surgeon
1880 Owner - Mrs Marks, Occupied - David Wilson, Surgeon

212:
1900 Owner - Marks Trustees, Occupied - John Lloyd Godfrey, Sculptor
1895 Owner - Marks Trustees, Occupied - Charles Paterson
1890 Owner - Marks Trustees, Occupied - George Miln
1885 Owner - Mrs Marks, Occupied - J Marks 1880 Owner - Marks, occupied - Henry Marks

Sources: 

Heritage Victoria database: http://vhd.heritage.vic.gov.au/#detail_places;64555 http://vhd.heritage.vic.gov.au/#detail_places;360
Melbourne City Council Rate Books
Sands and McDougal Post Office Directories
Burchett index cards

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