East Melbourne, Grey Street 049, 051, 53, 55, 57, 59, Eamont Terrace

The houses at 49 and 51 Grey Street were built in 1871 for Isaac Sanderson, Gentleman. They were part of a terrace of six. The middle two, 53 and 55, were built in 1862, and Sanderson lived at 53 till his death in 1905. 57 and 59 were built in 1866. Together they were known as Eamont Terrace. Originally they had no balconies and simple timber verandahs below.

53-59 have been demolished and the site is now a block of three storey flats. A neighbour remembers one night hearing a loud bang and fire breaking out in the then unoccupied terraces. This story can be confirmed by an article in the Canberra Times [see Sources]. The culprits were found and gaoled but the person or persons who hired them was never identified.

According to Sanderson's probate papers in 1905, 49 and 51 were valued at 45 pounds each and were rented at 1 pound per week. Sanderson also owned 56, 58, 60, 66 and 68 Grey st, and some shops in South Melb. Among his personal possessions were engineering and carpentry tools, and a newspaper article in 1881 refers to his 'practical experience as an engineer'

It was possibly the next owner who, c.1905, made considerable alterations to No. 49 resulting in a balcony and verandah with open style, basket-weave, brick balustrades, with simple timber friezes above.

In 2000, after about twenty years standing vacant and neglected, the house was sold and the purchaser undertook extensive renovations. The brick balcony was removed and replaced with newly cast ironwork. Unfortunately the sample used for the new cast came from the houses to the east of No. 49, which are not part of the original terrace, so the ironwork cannot be considered a faithful reproduction. No. 51 possibly once had a brick balcony also but this has been replaced by ironwork at a later date.