Boroondara Cemetery, Gate Lodge And Fencing

440 High Street KEW, BOROONDARA CITY

Barrington Avenue Precinct, Kew

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Boroondara City

City of Kew Urban Conservation Study 1988

Statement of Significance

• Additional Place Information

  • Physical Description 1

    Boroondara Cemetery, Gate Lodge And Fencing - Physical Description 1

    Originally set aside for reserve purposes, a portion of this triangle of land, situated almost in the centre of Kew, was proclaimed the Boroondara Cemetery in 1859 [10 ]. The planning of the cemetery was carried out by I.F. Higgins of the Lands Department [11 ] and the first burial, at what was later to become one of Melbourne's historic landmarks, noted particu1ary for its memorials, took place on 12 March 1859 [12 ]

    One B. Carey is recorded as being the first caretaker of the Boroondara cemetery [13 ].while tenders were called by Albert Purchas for the erection of an office at the cemetery in 1866 [14 ]. Purchas was the designer of various structures at the cemetery including the galvanised iron fencing erected in 1874 and 1875 and an iron, brick and stone shelter in 1877 [15 ], and appears to have been responsible for all the stages of construction on the gate lodge. Additions to the offices and iron entrance gates were carried out by Purchas in 1889 [16 ] and by February 1893 he again called tenders for additions to the lodge [17 ] It was at this later date that the clock tower was erected.

    Although a composite of at least three stages of construction, the gate lodge has quite a coherent design. All parts are built in red brick, with that nearest the gates having polychromatic bricks to the head of the Serlian window unit under its end gable. The simple timbering to the gables is repeated on each, and appears to have been executed on all as part of the last stage of works. The tower is however the dominant feature. It is nestled picturesquely against the building and is a plain brick shaft with the roof rising to a small gable on each face. Set on this acute corner, the tower is a landmark in the area and reinforces the impact of the magnificent red brick wall that encloses the cemetery.

    References --

    1 Architects' Index, University of Melbourne

    2 Barnard, F.G.A., The Jubilee History of Kew, p.l04

    3 ibid.

    4 ibid.

    5 Vaughan, J.P., Kew's Civic Century, p.114

    6 Architects' Index

    7 ibid.

    8 ibid.

    9 ibid.

    Heritage Study and Grading

    Heritage Study and Grading

    Boroondara - City of Kew Urban Conservation Study

    Author: Pru Sanderson Design Pty Ltd
    Year: 1988
    Grading: A

• Attachments
  • City of Kew Urban Conservation Study 1988
    
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