The houses were designed by Joseph Reed who was probably the best known and most prolific architect in nineteenth century Melbourne. He arrived in Melbourne in 1853, and in 1854 won a competition to design the State Library, setting him up for a design spree which included, both the Independent Church and Scots Church in Collins Street, the Exhibition Building, Ormond College, and Rippon Lea to name a few of the better known examples of his work.

He designed a number of private houses, many of them in East Melbourne. This terrace appears to be the first documented example of his domestic work in Victoria. Originally the houses were all described as having nine rooms, but in 1869 this number has increased to twelve, and in late 1880s No. 184 became fourteen rooms; and No. 186 became sixteen.

In 1895 Beverley Ussher, architect, called for tenders to undertake 'general renovations, painting and paperhanging' at No. 182.

The houses were built for Dr. Murphy, later Sir Francis Murphy (1809-1891). Murphy qualified as a medical practitioner in 1835 before emigrating to Sydney in 1836. He soon abandoned his medical career and took up farming, with great success. He arrived in Port Phillip with his wife, Agnes (née Reid), in 1846. At the first elections for the Legislative Council after separation he was elected member for the Murray District. In 1853 he moved to Melbourne and bought Georgiana McCrae’s old house, Mayfield, on the Yarra at Abbotsford. The Central Roads Board was established the same year and he was appointed president. He resigned three years later to take on the role of Speaker in the Legislative Assembly, which position he retained for fifteen years. Knighted in 1860, he resigned from politics in 1876 after a very active career.

In 1869 Murphy sold to Caleb Joshua Jenner, a prominent businessman and politician. He was chairman of Langlands Foundry Co. and the first chairman of the Land Mortgage Bank. In the 1870s he was also on the boards of the National Insurance Co. and the Commercial Bank of Australia. He was a commissioner for the savings banks of Victoria and a member of the Legislative Council of The Parliament of Victoria.

Jenner sold to Henry Berry in 1873. When Berry first arrived in Melbourne in 1859 he started out as a grocer. This proved unprofitable and he moved into salt and general merchandising. By the end of the century he had branches in most capital cities of Australia as well as New Zealand, London and Toronto. His salt business, along with others, eventually amalgamated to form the Castle Salt Co-operative Co. Berry owned the houses until at least 1890.

From the beginning all three houses were run as boarding houses. A newspaper advertisement from 1861 describes No. 184 as follows: 'BOARD and RESIDENCE, comfortably furnished apartments, for respectable married parties, and single gentlemen, George street, East Melbourne, centre house of Murphy’s terrace, quiet and pleasant locality, near the cricket ground and contiguous to Fitzroy-gardens. Private family.'

From 1863 to 1875 Robert R. Rogers is listed as the occupier of No. 184. He was an architect, surveyor and land agent, but Mrs. Rogers was managing the boarding house. In 1864 the Argus advertised: 'GENERAL SERVANT WANTED, who can cook well. No washing. Apply to Mrs. Rogers, George street, East Melbourne, second house from Fitzroy square.' In 1867 'Piano, baths.' was the advertised attraction at No. 186. Yet another advertisement identifies No. 184 with a name, Ashleigh. It offered 'Superior VACANCIES double, single, drawing, smoke rooms; close gardens, moderate.' The earliest use of the name Ashleigh to date is 1880. By 1920 No. 186 had acquired the name Lynwood.