Portable houses
East Melbourne, Clarendon Street 180, Stanford House
A photo of c.1934 shows a large symmetrical house. The central section has a steep roof with attic windows, and is flanked by Italianate pavillions, each with a bay window.
The house is believed to be the first built in East Melbourne after the first Crown land sales of 1852 opened the suburb up to the public. It was built for Henry Cooke and was described in the 1854 Rate Books as a wooden house of 12 rooms plus a kitchen and stables, etc.
East Melbourne, Grey Street 114
Pre-fabricated timber house
This house was one of two similar pre-fabricated houses imported from New Zealand as an investment by Henry Cooke. Cooke, as well as being a land speculator, was the founder of The Age newspaper and an importer of paper products, anything from religious tracts to wallpaper. He was the son-in-law of the Rev.
East Melbourne, Simpson Street 021, Nyoora
Large, 9-roomed, wooden house with stabling and coachhouse
The house was built in 1854 for George Smyth. He was at the time a marine and fire insurance broker and later manager of the Professional Life Assurance Company. In September 1853 he advertised for an ‘Imported Wood house about 40 feet by 30 feet, for a private residence’.