This is an early two storey terraced residence which originally had a two storey verandah. The joinery is fine with 2 pane sashes and intact door.[1] Most of the cast iron is original but in the 1960s the roof, frieze and brackets of the balcony were removed and the columns cut down, creating an open balcony[2]. The balcony has since been restored.
J.R. Church owned the quarter acre block next to the New Boundary Hotel in Hotham Street. In 1862 he built a wooden house on the eastern half of the block. This was later known as No. 12. It has now been demolished and the land developed as an extension to the hotel. In 1865 work was completed on a second house on the western side of the land, leaving vacant land between the two houses. This second house is No. 18. Church lived at No. 12 until c.1890 when he sold it and the vacant land to Mme. Susannah Schuhkrafft. She built No. 16 on the vacant land at that time. No. 18 had always been a rental property and was sold separately to the existing tenant, Mrs. Gardner, snr, a widow. David Gardner, her son, is listed as the occupier. In 1894, on the death of Mrs. Gardner, the house was valued at £450. Jabez Richard Church was one of her executors.
Owners:
1864-1890c: Jabez Richard Church
1890c-1894: Mrs. (Ann) Gardner, snr.
1895-1900+: David Gardner
1959: Ronald Lardner, merchandise manager for a city store.
Occupiers:
1865-1866: Mrs. Morrell
1868: R. Kennedy
1890c-1900+: David Gardner
[1] City of Melbourne i-Heritage database: http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/BuildingandPlanning/Planning/heritagepla...
[2] Photo in Australian Women's Weekly, 30 Dec 1959: http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/cite/4830968/44024172
Burchett Index Card as per Catalogue reference below
City of Melbourne, Rate Books