Formerly 'Melrose'
878 Glenferrie Road KEW, Boroondara City
Glenferrie Road Precinct, Kew
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Statement of Significance
HO150 Glenferrie Road Precinct, Kew
The Glenferrie Road Precinct, Kew, is an area of heritage significance for the following reasons:
-The western parts of this precinct are marked by mansion development of the Victorian period, and though some are surrounded by unsympathetic later development, a significant number of individually significant early Kew mansions survive here, albeit in some cases converted to institutional uses. This is one of three notable mansion precincts in Kew, the others being HO158 (Walmer Street) and HO162 (Sackville Street).
- The eastern section of the precinct is significant for its mixture of small and medium scale Victorian housing, much of which relates to two important 1880s estates : Edgevale and Doona Hill.
- The area has a strong visual connection with several fine assemblages of school buildings: either in its midst (Ruyton) or at its borders (Trinity, Xavier, Methodist Ladies' College).
- The area includes the former Kew civic buildings and the Sacred Heart Church and School, both in Cotham Road, the latter important to the considerable Roman Catholic heritage in the area.
- The area also includes the entire Glenferrie Road streetscape north of Barkers Road up to Wellington Street, including two of MLC's most important buildings and a mixed 1880s to interwar streetscape.
- The area includes a number of individually significant architectural designs, the majority of which are Victorian mansions.
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Formerly 'Melrose' - Physical Description 1
The Rate Books record that accountant John Ditchburn was the first occupier of this brick house[3]. Constructed by E. Williarns of South Melboume[4], the property attracted an N.A.V. of £200 in 1889[5]. Although the owner's name in not listed in the first instance, by 1895 the Melbourne Permanent Building Society is recorded as owning the property [6]. The house was named 'Melrose' by the turn of the century [7].
The house clearly displays its late Victorian date of construction and has a vibrant application of polychromatic brickwork across its facade. In addition there are unusual castellated polygonal bay window units clad in render that stand in contrast to the walls and a very fine verandah decorated in cast iron. The roof is also very distinctive and intact, with patterning in the slates, bold cast iron ridge crestings, cast iron railings to the central widow's walk and clustered octagonal chimney stacks in keeping with the Tudor theme introduced by the castellation below. It is one of the more vibrant examples of de Garis's work: an architect who often worked with applied ornamentation. The house attracted attention at the time it was built, and was illustrated and described in The Australasian Builder and Contractors' News; in that article it being referred to as one of the '... many beautiful homes of the wealthy in Kew'. [8]
References --
1 City of Kew, Rate Books, 1889
2 The Australasian Builder and Contractors' News, 6 April 1889
3 City of Kew, Rate Books, loe.eit.
4 The Australian Builder and Contractor's News, 13 April 1889,p.346
5 City of Kew, Rate Books, Ioc.cit.
6 ibid., 1895
7 M.M.B.W., 'Plan of Kew - 1574', Scale: 40 feet to 1 inch, May 1903
8 AB CN, loc.cit.,
Heritage Study and Grading
Boroondara - City of Kew Urban Conservation Study
Author: Pru Sanderson Design Pty Ltd
Year: 1988
Grading: A
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