COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES, 10-40 MAIN STREET, BOX HILL

10-40 MAIN STREET BOX HILL, WHITEHORSE CITY

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Victorian Heritage Inventory

Statement of Significance

• Additional Place Information

  • History

    COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES, 10-40 MAIN STREET, BOX HILL - History

    Crown land auctions took place from 1851 in the parish of Nunawading, which includes the Box Hill area. The primary use of the land was agricultural, comprising market gardens and orchards (AJM JV, 2021). The Main Street Commercial properties are within Section 29A purchased in 1853 by William Hill (Figure 1). Through the 1850s and 1860s services began to be established in Box Hill including the White Horse hotel, the post office and small shops. The character of Box Hill began to change during the 1880s land boom. The railway line to Box Hill was constructed in 1882 which led to increased commercial and residential development, concentrated around the station and Whitehorse Road (AJM JV, 2021).

    In 1895 the Box Hill Market was opened north of the Box Hill Railway Station, initially just as a cattle market, by TRB Morton (Lemon 1978:110) (Figure 4). A 1905 township plan demonstrates at this time market structures within the Main St site included those for cattle yards, pigs, the auctioneer, the auction room and Morton & Coghill Estate Agents (Figure 3). P Bird’s timber yard was to the west of the market. In 1929 a timber strike badly affected P. Bird’s Timber Yard, the Box Hill Market downsized and the Market Street thorough fare was created from the former market and timber mill sites (Lemon 1978:161,247). 

    The 1905 plan depicts two residences owned and/or occupied by J.S. Ross and H.J. Rawlings between the Box Hill Market and E. Stone’s Blacksmith at 16 Main Street (Figure 3). It is unclear how these residences correspond to the current street addresses.

     

    10 Main Street
    
    

    The office of the Box Hill Reporter is recorded at 10 Main Street on the 1905 plan (Figure 3). The Box Hill Reporter was the first newspaper in the district, founded by Samuel Clumpton and managed by Thomas and George Bright. The newspaper published its first edition on 26 June 1889[1]. A photo of the Box Hill Reporter office from ca. 1896 depicts a single storey building, with the newspaper office occupying at least two store fronts (Figure 2). Signage across the top of the building reads “The Reporter Newspaper & General Printing Office, all kinds of Printing on the shortest notice at cheapest rates”. 
    
    

    By 1925 Sands and McDougall record L Fairhill & Son are operating a greengrocer at 10 Main Street[2] and it is presumed the newspaper office had either downsized or relocated by this time. The 1928 MMBW plan demonstrates three small square buildings fronting 10 Main Street with a large rear yard, the westernmost building is timber, and the other two are brick (Figure 5). By 1931 aerial imagery demonstrates at least 2 long narrow buildings have been constructed on the western side of the property (Figure 6), it is unclear if these are new buildings or an extension of the earlier buildings. These buildings are easier to discern in the 1945 aerial image (Figure 7). By 1954 all the earlier buildings had been demolished and a large building encompassing the entire property had been constructed in their place (Figure 8). It appears from subsequent aerial imagery that this building remains extant today.
    
    

    10 Main Street experienced several phases of construction and demolition throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries. As the latest identified period of construction occurred in the mid-20th century it is anticipated that archaeological evidence of the earlier occupation will remain below the extant building.
    
    

    16 Main Street
    
    

    E. Stone’s Blacksmith is recorded at 16 Main Street on the 1905 plan (Figure 4). In August 1906 E. Stone relocated from 16 Main Street to a property on Whitehorse Road adjoining P. Bird’s Timber Yard to the west (Box Hill Reporter, 1906, p:7). The 1928 MMBW plan depicts four timber buildings within the property at 16 Main Street (Figure 5). One building fronts onto Main Street, two buildings face Hodges Lane, it is unclear if these buildings have shop fronts or entrances onto Hodges Lane, the fouth building is in the north western corner of the property and is likely an outbuilding although it may have had an entrance onto Birds Lane. The 1931 and 1945 aerial images of this property are not very distinct (Figure 6, Figure 7), there appear to be a variety of small buildings across the property in each but it could not be confirmed if these are consistent with the buildings depicted in the 1928 MMBW. By 1954 the smaller buildings had all been demolished and a larger structure had taken their place (Figure 8). By 1975 the mid-20th century building had also been demolished and a new structure now encompasses the entire property (Figure 9). Subsequent aerial imagery suggests the same structure is extant today. 
    
    

    16 Main Street experienced several phases of construction and demolition throughout the 20th century, however it is possible that evidence of the earlier structures has been preserved below the current structure (ca. 1970s).
    
    

    20 Main Street
    
    

    20 Main Street is depicted in the 1928 MMBW plan (Figure 5) as a small brick building which shares a yard with the larger brick building next door (part of 28 Main Street). There is a small timber outbuilding in the northwestern corner of the property, it is unclear if this outbuilding is associated with No. 20 or No. 28 Main Street. Between 1931 and 1945 it appears that a new structure is built at the property (Figure 6, Figure 7). Between 1954 and 1975 the building at 28 Main Street is rebuilt and extended into the entire yard of 20 Main Street (Figure 8, Figure 9). 28 Main Street abuts the structure at 20 Main Street to the west and north, casting 20 Main Street in shadow, therefore the building is difficult to discern in this image.
    
    

    The address currently listed as 28 Main Street, formerly comprised 24, 26 & 28 Main Street
    
    

    In the 1928 MMBW plan 24 Main Street is depicted as an irregularly shaped brick building (Figure 5). The building has frontage onto Main Street but at the rear doglegs to the west abutting the rear of No.s 26 & 28 Main Street. 26 and 28 Main Street are each depicted as small, rectangular, brick structures. All three buildings share a yard which extends to Birds Lane. There is a small timber outbuilding in the northwestern corner of the yard. In the 1931, 1945 and 1954 aerial images (Figure 6, Figure 7, Figure 8), the footprints of the individual addresses cannot be distinguished as they are all encompassed under the same roofline. By 1975 a new structure had been erected at 28 Main Street, as discussed above this structure encroached around the building at 20 Main Street (Figure 9). 
    
    The structure evident in 1975 had a peaked roof, by 2009 the structure has a flat roof, it is unclear whether this is a new structure, a replaced roof or potentially an additional storey.
    
    

    24 Main Street
    
    

    In the early 20th Century Albert Robertson owned a confectionary business, and leased 24 Main Street from the owner George Horking (Box Hill rate valuation records 1926-1936). A. Robertson, is recorded to have also dabbled in illegal bookmaking from the back of his sweets shop and was arrested and fined in 1929, when betting slips were found hidden underneath the bottom step of a stairway (Lemon 1978 and Box Hill Reporter, 18 January 1929, p.6) (Figure 10). By 1927 the property was sold and E.H. Daniel was listed as the property owner (Box Hill rate valuation records 1925-1936).  Sands and McDougall listings record that Albert Robertson continued to operate his confectionary store until at least 1955[1].
    
    

    It has been recorded that Sidney Laurie (hairdresser and later tobacconist) and Samuel Walford (dairy merchant) also occupied the property during the first half of the 20th century, although it is unclear whether they shared the address with Robertson, or perhaps occupied one of the neighbouring stores (Box Hill rate valuation records 1926-1936).
    
    

    26/28 Main Street
    
    

    In the early 20th Century, the rate books indicate that Eva Mary Jones and Hannah Grace Potter were the occupants at 26/28 Main Street and that the building was owned by L. M. Morton (Box Hill rate valuation records 1925-1936). In 1932, H. Potter was replaced by Rose Agnes Roberts and Joseph William Wills (fruiter) (Box Hill rate valuation records 1925-1936).  By 1936, the property was listed as a house with 6 bedrooms and 4 occupants owned by George Brenk (Box Hill rate valuation records 1925-1936).
    
    

    The address currently listed as 30 Main Street formerly comprsied 30, 32 and 34 Main Street 
    
    

    In the 1905 plan, 30 Main Street is within the area of Box Hill Markets designated as cattle yards (Figure 3). In the 1928 MMBW plan three small brick buildings are demonstrated facing onto Main Street with three fenced off yards (aligned east-west) at the rear (Figure 5). It is unclear whether these structures remained part of the Box Hill Market after it was downsized in 1929 or whether they were leased separately, however they continued to be owned by T.R. Morton (Box Hill Rate valuation books 1926-1936). In the 1931 aerial photo two additional buildings are evident in the yards at the rear of 30 Main Street (Figure 6). The southern structure is aligned east-west, whilst the northern structure is  aligned north-south. The structures all appear consistently in the 1945 aerial photo (Figure 7). By 1954 all the structures at 30 Main Street had been demolished and a large building had been erected which encompassed the entire property (Figure 8). The rear of the structure is constructed at 45 degree angle. The building remains extant today.
    
    

    A variety of occupants are listed at the addresses in the Box Hill rate valuation records for the 1930s however many of the names are listed and struck out rendering them illegible. Two occupants which were able to be discerned at 34 Main Street are; 1932: Joseph William Wills (Fruiterer) and 1933: Dorothy Elizabeth Baker (Librarian). It is likely that evidence of the early 20th century occupation of the site is preserved beneath the extant mid-20th century structure.
    
    

     36 Main Street
    
    

    36 Main Street is a vacant part of the Box Hill Market in the 1928 MMBW plan (Figure 5). The location remains vacant in the 1931 and 1945 aerial images (Figure 6, Figure 7). There may be some development at the property in the 1954 aerial image, however the image is not very clear (Figure 8). By 1974 a long narrow building encompassing the entire property has been constructed (Figure 9). This structure remains extant today. Whilst there was limited development at 36 Main Street prior to the mid-20th century, it is possible that evidence of activities associated with the Box Hill Market remain beneath the ca. 1970s structure.
    
    

    38/40 Main Street
    
    

    The 1905 plan demonstrates the Auction room and Morton & Coghill’s Estate Agents, part of the Box Hill Market, at 38/40 Main Street (Figure 3). The 1928 MMBW plan depicts an L shaped timber building at the address (Figure 5). In the 1931, 1945 and 1954 aerial images there is a small rectangular building facing Main Street in the middle of the two properties (Figure 6, Figure 7, Figure 8). It is unclear if the building depicted in 1928 had been modified or replaced. The large yard at the rear of the structure remains vacant throughout this period. By 1975 a long narrow building had been erected on each property facing Main Street and a large square building had been constructed in the rear yard facing Market Street (Figure 9). These buildings remain extant today.
    
    

    The Morton family continued to own and occupy 38 Main Street from the establishment of the Box Hill Market (1895) through to the 1970s (Box Hill rate valuation records 1926-1936, Sands & McDougall listings[1]). The Sands and McDougall listings begin to record occupants of 40 Main Street from 1965 onwards, therefore the buildings evident in the 1975 aerial image were likely constructed in the 1960s. Listed occupants include; C.B. Stoney (accountant), J.E. Murphy (aurists & occultist), K. Keating (hairdresser) and C. Wittman (dentist)[2].

    Interpretation of Site

    COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES, 10-40 MAIN STREET, BOX HILL - Interpretation of Site

    19th century land use was likely agricultural and/or market gardens, by the late 19th century the Box Hill Market and the Box Hill Reporter had been established, and other commercial and residential occupation along Main Street was likely being established. 20th century land use was both residential and commercial with multiple phases of construction and demolition across the properties, primarily in the first half of the 20th century. The businesses operating on Main Street provided key services to the Box Hill community, including the market, newspaper and blacksmith. 21st century land use is predominantly (if not entirely) commercial. The majority of the mid-20th century buildings are extant and banking is the most common service provided. The development of the Main Street site is reflective of the changing character of Box Hill from the 1880s land boom through to the present day. There is moderate archaeological potential for deposits associated with the late 19th and early 20th century residential and commercial occupation of the site underlying the mid-20th century structures.

    Heritage Inventory Description

    COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES, 10-40 MAIN STREET, BOX HILL - Heritage Inventory Description

    The site is located at 10-40 Main Street Box Hill. The street features a series of mid-20th century, two storey, commercial buildings. The signage and facades of the buildings are modern. The interiors of the buildings were not subject to the site inspection. The rear yards and lanes of the properties are entirely sealed with concrete or asphalt
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