East Melbourne, Grey Street, 015, 017

On 28 December 1871 brothers-in-law August Wernicke and Dietrich Henne notified the city council of their intention to build two cottages, one for each of them. Wernicke was named as the builder. Wernicke’s house was the one now numbered 17 and Henne owned No 15. Augustus Henri Otto Wernicke was a cabinet maker and one of the three sons of Augustus Isaac Wernicke, also a cabinet maker, and Johanna. Hellmuth too was a cabinet maker, and the third brother, Ernest, was a publican running the County Court Hotel in Swanston Street. This latter branch of the family had a moment of fame when Ernest’s fifteen-year old son, another Augustus (Gus), ran away to join the gang led by bushranger, Captain Moonlite. He was killed in the shoot-out at Wantabadgery, NSW on 15 November 1879. Captain Moonlite was captured and brought to trial. Dietrich Henne had married Wernicke’s sister, Carolina, in 1864 at the German Lutheran Church in East Melbourne. In 1870 Wernicke and Henne were living with other family members at their premises on the corner of Victoria Street and Ferguson Street. The Collingwood rate books of that year have Henne listed as an accountant. But in earlier years he had been a botanist and plant collector and was employed by Ferdinand von Mueller at the Herbarium. In 1860-61 he collected six cases of plants when employed as a botanist on the Burke and Wills Rescue Expeditions led by William Landsborough. The party left Melbourne on the warship Victoria bound for the Gulf of Carpentaria in order to search southward, while other expeditions travelled overland northward. A deciduous fig Henne found on Booby Island was named for him, Ficus Henneana. The cottages started out with four rooms each, but during the 1880s it seems a second storey was added to each, increasing the number of rooms. By 1885 the houses had six rooms, and by 1890 eight. Wernicke did not live in his cottage for all the years he owned it, instead renting it out, but he was living there when he died in 1890. He was only 48. Martha, his widow, retained ownership of the house, but did not occupy it, for about ten years before selling to Fanny Freeman. The house was advertised for sale in December 1917 but apparently did not sell. It was sold in February 1925 for £1225. Augustus Burrows was the purchaser. Meanwhile Dietrich and Caroline Henne moved to Sydney and sold No 15 to Thomas Jackson, partner in Young and Jackson’s Hotel and resident of Jolimont. Jackson rented to an architectural wood carver with the memorable name of Earl Gray. Jackson died in 1901 but the property remained in his estate until the 1920s. It changed hands twice before the end of the decade. Curiously in June 1929 both houses were advertised for sale as a pair. According to the rate books No 17 was still owned by Augustus Burrows, although he was not living there; and No 15 was owned by Albert Wilson Gibson. Both men were graziers and were possibly friends who decided the houses may have been a more attractive proposition if they were sold together. As it turned out they went to separate owners. In 1941 No 17 was reported as having been sold for £910, a big drop since 1925. It was advertised for sale again in 1953 and 1959 when it was sold for £5600. Meanwhile No 15 was sold for £3,600 in 1954.