East Melbourne, Gipps 077, Tasma

Tasma, 77 Gipps Street was built for Frederick Charles Duncan in 1927. In February the following year he put it on the market when it was advertised as ‘SET of 4 SELF-CONTAINED FLATS, each with 4 rooms, bathroom, S O.  New brick 2-storied Building, just completed.’ The purchaser was Joseph Richard Richardson. He died in 1937 but his family retained ownership of the building until at least 1974.
Frederick Charles Duncan had been born in Tasmania, hence the building’s name, Tasma. In Tasmania he was in the drapery business, but after moving to Victoria he became a hotel-keeper.  At the time of Tasma’s building he was the licensee of the Junction Hotel on the corner of Hoddle Street and Victoria Parade, Collingwood, and was living in Albert Street.
Joseph Richard Richardson was civil engineer and was City Surveyor for Bendigo and later for Adelaide.  He had married Madeline Rosina Murray, daughter of Henry Robert Murray, flour miller, of 173 Powlett Street, East Melbourne.  She was a teacher and had worked at Miss Dougharty’s school at Trinity Hall behind Holy Trinity Church. By the time the time the Richardsons had returned from Adelaide and purchased Tasma Madeline’s two brothers were also living in East Melbourne. However Joseph and Madeline chose to live in St Kilda.
The building was designed and constructed by Dunlop Home Builders.  The company had been established in 1919 as Dunlop and Hunt Home Builders, but by 1924 the name Hunt had been dropped. An advertisement in The Herald of 26 Jul 1920 explains what the company offered.

‘HOMES BUILT TO ORDER. TOWN OR COUNTRY, We Design, Build, Finance Mansions, Bungalows. Cottages, Shops. Factories.  CASH OR EASY TERMS. Excellent. Floor Plans. Distinctive Designs, Reliable Construction. Volume ''Modern Homes." Estimates FREE on Application. DUNLOP & HUNT HOME BUILDERS LTD. (Subscribed Capital, £125,000). 317 Collins Street, Melbourne.’