East Melbourne, Gipps Street 160
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When owner Leonard Terry put his house on the market it was described in the Argus of 6 July 1872 as, "That spacious and substantially built FAMILY MANSION, containing drawingroom 18ft x 16ft, dining room 18ft x 16ft, schoolroom 27ft x 14ft ; five bedrooms 18ft x 16ft, 18ft x 16ft, 16ft. x 9ft, 16ft x 9ft, 16ft x 14ft; dressingroom 14ft x 9ft, 2 bathrooms, kitchen, pantry, store-room, scullery, larder, and servants’-room, boilers, double coach-house, stable, hayroom, shed, grooms’-room, large verandah, fine garden. / The land has a frontage of 66ft to Gipps-street. by a depth of 165ft. / The auctioneers call special attention to this really comfortable mansion, being faithfully built, and situate in the most populous suburb of Melbourne." In 1887, when sold by its next owner, Matthew Lang, there is no mention of a school room, but there is a breakfast room opening out to a colonnade. The five cheerful bedrooms had Venetian shutters to the outside - so no balconies. The MMBW map shows that the house was set well back on the block, with stables behind, and a large garden with paths in front.
Leonard Terry built the house for himself and family. He married twice and had nine children, hence the need for a school room. Matthew Lang, the second owner, appears to have turned this room over to another use. He moved out in 1887, after the death of his son. He continued to own the house until his own death in 1893, and from then until c.1923 it remained in his estate. Henry Courtney Dix rented the house from c.1905 until c.1923 when he bought it. He remained there until 1928 when he sold it to the Sisters of Mercy. The house was demolished c.1934 to make way for the nurses' home known as St. Mary's and built by the Sisters of Mercy in conjunction with the new Mercy Private Hospital in Grey Street. The site now forms the western half of the Mercy Place Aged Care building.
1958-1872: Leonard Terry (owner and occupier), architect, and his family
1873-1887: Matthew Lang, wine and spirit merchant, mayor of Melbourne three times, MLC, and his family. Owner and occupier until 1887; remained owner until his death in 1893; then controlled by his executors until sold c.1923.
1891c. Jacob Bernard Kaufman, partner in P. Phillipson & Co., importers and manufacturing jewellers, and his family. Brother of Louis and Joseph Kaufman. Married Sarah Sophia, eldest daughter of Morris J and Isabella Cohen.
1905c-1928: Harry Courtney Dix, accoutant and director of Gordon & Gotch, wholesale newsagents, wife, Isabel, daughter of John Speechley Gotch, and their daughter, Gertrude. Miss Courtney Dix made a name for herself in 1920 as the favourite dance partner of the Prince of Wales, later King Edward VIII, during his visit to Australia. The Courtney Dix family rented the house from c1905 until c.1923 when they bought it from Matthew Lang's estate. They continued to live there until 1928 when they sold it.
1928-1934c: Sisters of Mercy
Burchett Index, City of Melbourne Notices of Intent to Build: 12 Apr 1858, Reg. No. 316
Australian Dictionary of Biography: http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/terry-leonard-4702
The Argus, 6 July 1872, p.2; 6 Apr 1887, p.2; 8 Oct 1928, p.2
Camperdown Chronicle, 15 Jun 1920, p.1
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