The house was built for Mrs Margaret Henningham who was the widow of Ralph Neppard Henningham. He had died in 1883 at the age of 47 leaving her with several young children. At a sale of her furniture and effects in 1894 the house was described as having a drawing-room, dining-room, breakfast room and six bedrooms. It appears that from that time the house was leased as a boarding house. When Mrs Henningham died in 1906 her address was given as the United Service Club Hotel, Collins Street East although she still owned the Jolimont house.
The house became notorious in 1922 when the child, Alma Tirtschke, who lived at the house with her grand-mother was murdered in the city whilst on an errand for her grand-mother. The case became known as the Gun Alley Murder and was the inspiration for the series of paintings known as the School Girl Series by Charles Blackman.
NB The street numbers changed c.1955. The old number for this house was 10.