A large two storey Italianate house. Its design makes good use of its corner position with return verandahs and bay windows facing both street frontages. All the openings have semi-circle arches with key stones. The house originally had a tower over the central portico, and there was also a great deal more ornament. The original verandah has been built in, while the balcony above remains open. The cast iron is not the original although similar to it.
The house was built for John Charles Stanford, auctioneer with the firm of Powers, Rutherford & Co., stock and station agents. He sold it around 1909 when it became the home of John Woolcock, manager, and his wife, Matilda, and youngest son, Harry. It was also the residence of Woolcock's daughter, Alice, and her husband, Samuel Barr. Matilda died in 1909, Samuel in 1911 and John in 1912. The house was then sold and by 1915 had become the Tandarra Private Hospital. In 1927 it was sold again and was bought by the neighbouring Berry Street Foundling Home and Hospital and after alterations was opened by the wife of the Governor, Lady Somers, on 1 November 1929 as the Tandarra Infant Welfare Training School. In 1942 and with no sign that World War 2 might end any time soon the babies and staff were evacuated and the building leased to the YWCA who provided accommodation for service women. In 1949 Berry Street returned and after redecoration the house was re-opened as the Toddlers' Wing. In 1979 it was again leased and used as an Ambulance Officers' Training Centre. In 1990 it was sold and has since been coverted to four apartments. The street number has been changed from the original 68 to 58.
Trove, digitised newspapers: http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/home
Wendy Haines, archivist, Berry Street: https://www.berrystreet.org.au/contact-us
Punch, 22 Feb 1912. Photos: http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article175615183