Large cement rendered house in the Italianate style.
Built on land originally part of the Cathedral Reserve. Two acres at the western end of Hotham Street were granted to the Anglican Church on which to build a cathedral which, however, was eventually built in the city. Morris was able to lease the land from the diocese. While he remained Registrar the Diocesan Registry operated from his house. From 1891 the house was rented from the diocese as the vicarage of Holy Trinity Church until a new vicarage was built on the corner of Clarendon and George Streets in 1904. In later years it was sold and turned into flats. Considerable alteration was made to the building. Recently the house has been re-constructed as a private dwelling. The majority of the existing house is newly built with only the north west section part of the original house.
1880- William Edward Morris. Morris was Honorary Secretary of the Church Assembly, Deputy Registrar, and later Registrar, of the Diocese. He also owned a private school in South Yarra which is now the junior school of Melbourne Girls' Grammar and is known as Morris Hall. Morris married Clara Elizabeth French and had eleven children. His third child and eldest son, William Perry French Morris, was godson of Bishop Perry, and followed him into the church. Basil Moorhouse Morris, was born at Watlington in 1888, and had a distinguished military career. Two sisters, Mary and Edith, became co-principals of Merton Hall.
1891- the vicars of Holy Trinity
Melbourne Mansions database: www.abp.unimelb.edu.au/melbmansions
Archives of Holy Trinity Church
http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/morris-william-perry-french-11174
http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/morris-basil-moorhouse-11169
