Bluestone Family Residence of Gothic design known as WALGETT HOUSE, containing on ground floor, drawingroom, 16.4 x 14: dining-room, 16.3 x 14: library, or sittingroom, 12.9 x 12, kitchen, large scullery, and storeroom upstairs-Six bedrooms. Outside walls from 18in to 20in thick, Outhouses comprise stable, buggy-shed, washhouse, &c
The land has a frontage of 99ft 9½in to Grey street by a depth of 168ft 3in, with a pitched right-of-way leading Into Simpson street, and another pitched right-of way leading into Hoddle street. The whole is well enclosed with brick wall at sides, and iron palisading In front. Flower garden and lawn in front. [Argus, 14 Aug 1886, p.3]
On 10 December 1868 Crouch and Wilson, architects, advertised for tenders to put in stone foundations for the Methodist New Connexion Church, corner of Grey and Hoddle streets, East Melbourne. Just over two weeks later W. Cranston, builder, submitted his intention to begin the work. On 2 February 1969 Crouch and Wilson again advertised for tenders, this time for the erection of the church. Little and Boyne, contractors, undertook the task.
With the church complete it was time to build a parsonage. Jonathon Simeon advised the council on 22 December 1870 that he was about to begin construction. It was an impressive parsonage, built of bluestone in the Gothic style and containing ten rooms, with bluestone and brick outbuildings. Simeon lost a great deal of money on the contract and was declared insolvent in August 1871.
In 1877 the Methodist New Connexion Church united with the Weslyans and the church, it seems, was pulled down and the land sold. The parsonage, however, survived and became a private house. By 1886 it had been given the name Walgett House. After 1890 its street number was 26.
In 1922 it was bought by Fritz Hart, conductor, composer and, from 1914, director of the Albert Street Conservatorium. His wife, Jessie, was also musical, helping him at the Conservatorium, especially taking charge of the costumes when operas were performed. She was well known in the dog world as a highly successful breeder of miniature ad Manchester terriers. The large garden surrounding the house would have provided good accommodation for such an enterprise. She died in November 1935 and in 1937 on behalf of her estate the house was sold as ‘An Excellent Site for Erection of Residential Flats’.
It has not yet been ascertained the exact year that construction of the flats took place but they were occupied by 1941.
1871-1877: Trustees Methodist New Connexion Church (Incumbent Rev Linley)
1922-1935: Fritz Hart, musician; his wife, Jessie Florence Glover Hart, dog breeder; his son, Basil B Bennicke Hart, solicitor
Argus, Tenders: 10 Dec 1868; 2 Feb 1869
Argus, New Insolvents: 15 Aug 1871
Burchett Index, City of Melbourne Intents to Build: 22 Dec 1870, Ref No 4252
The Age, Sales by Auction: 10 Mar 1937
Burchett, Winston, East Melbourne 1837-1977, Craftsman Press, Melbourne, 1977
Northern Star, Fritz Hart: http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article94480702
The Age, Mrs Fritz Hart: http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article203886581