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ANZ BANK
376 - 390 COLLINS STREET MELBOURNE, MELBOURNE CITY

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Victorian Heritage Register
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1 anz bank collins street melbourne external view
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anz bank collins street melbourne entrance to former stock enchange
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Statement of Significance

What is significant?

The ANZ Bank building at 376-392 Collins Street Melbourne, is anamalgamation of two buildings: the former ES&A 'Gothic' Bank, on thecorner site, and the former Melbourne Stock Exchange, fronting CollinsStreet. While both these designs are specifically Gothic in style, theirappearance is a demonstration of the two vastly contrasting Gothicrevival developments in Melbourne during the 1880s and 1890s. The GothicBank was the first building to be constructed and is an example of thefirst Gothic style. It was designed by William Wardell, to fairlydetailed specifications laid out by the General Manager, Sir GeorgeVerdon. The style is restrained externally, and internally graceful andornate. It is secular Gothic, although Wardell had previously made aname for himself through church architecture. Goss & Mason were thecontractors and Alexander Todd was appointed as Clerk of Works. Theworks began in 1883 and the building was opened in May 1887, a yearlate. The final cost was over £77,000, almost twice the budget. Theentire ground floor was established as the banking chamber, and thefirst and second floors as a residence for the General Manager. SirGeorge Verdon moved into the residence in 1888 and remained there untilhis retirement. In 1934 the Lyceum Club leased these rooms and used themuntil 1957. 
 
 The former Stock Exchange was designed by the Melbourne architect William Pitt and was constructed in 1887. The style has been labelledFree Gothic and is far less restrained than the earlier building. Thefacade is extremely ornate and each level has been designed differently.Pitt was one of the best known executors of this new Gothic style inMelbourne, who at the time received criticism from more conservative designers. The total cost of the building, including the land, was£254,000. Overall the land purchase and building construction were apoor investment and in 1921 the Stock Exchange, due to financialdifficulties, was forced to sell its property back to the ES&A Bankfor only £136,500. The main trading floor for the Stock Exchange was onthe ground level in a large vaulted chamber, known as the Cathedral Room. This room was designed with the reverence and grace of a church,an impression emphasised by the vaulted roof and the stained glass windows. In 1923 the bank renovated the site to combine the two buildings, thus enlarging the Banking Chamber, leasing the offices and running the Safe Deposit. 
 

How is it significant?

 The ANZ Bank at 376 - 392 Collins Street Melbourne is of architectural,historical and social significance to the State of Victoria.
 

Why is it significant?

The ANZ Bank is architecturally significant as the first ES&A Bankto be designed in the Gothic style that was to become a trademark forthe banking corporation. It is also significant for the scale and ornategrandeur of both the interior and exterior, resulting in it beingconsidered one of the finest buildings in Melbourne at the time of itsconstruction. The Gothic Bank and former Stock Exchange are ofarchitectural significance through their association with the prominentMelbourne architects William Wardell and William Pitt. The Verdonchambers within the Gothic Bank are architecturally significant fortheir extensive size and grandeur. The 1921 alterations to the bank aresignificant as they represent an interesting solution at the time ininner city expansion; that being renovation and interior redesign ratherthan rebuilding. The Cathedral Room within the Former Stock Exchange isarchitecturally significant as a largely original, and very ornate,example of a public business arena. 
 
The ANZ Bank is historically significant as the banking headquarters ofthe ES&A Bank, positioned on a corner site within the centre of thebanking precinct in Melbourne, which was the most important business centre at the time in Australia. This building is also significant forwhat it illustrates of the banking boom during the 1880s and thesubsequent depression of the 1890s. The former stock exchange was builtfar beyond its means and was never able to recoup the financial outlayof the enormously expensive building. The former residence of the General Manager of the ES&A Bank, on the first and second floors of the Gothic Bank, is significant as the only intact example of an inner city banking residence from the 1880s in Melbourne. 
 
The Gothic bank is socially significant as the site of the Lyceum Clubrooms for 32 years. The Lyceum Club was established in 1912 for women who demonstrated an ability or commitment to the areas of philanthropy, arts, community service, education, medicine or science, writing or music.
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    • History

      ANZ BANK - History

      Contextual History:
      The English Scottish and Australian Bank
      The first English Scottish and Australian (ES&A) bank opened in Sydney in October 1853, prompted, along with a series of other banking institutions, by the rapid growth of the colony as a result of the Gold Rushes. Within a few months a second branch had opened in Melbourne, in January 1854.

      The ES&A bank grew rapidly, however in 1893, after the 1880s land boom and subsequent financial recession, it needed to be reconstructed. The bank emerged from the collapse of the 1880’s, when many of the financial institutions failed, with a somewhat more conservative management system than had previously been in place.
      During the 1920s the ES&A Bank continued to grow, taking over the London Chartered Bank, the Commercial Bank of Tasmania, and the Royal Bank of Australia. The ES&A Bank traded under this name until 1970, when it merged with the Australia and New Zealand Bank Ltd (which was an amalgamation in 1951 of the Bank of Australasia and The Union Bank of Australia Ltd) to form the Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd. [ANZ Banking Museum display, 380 Collins Street Melbourne]

      William Wardell
      William Wardell was born and trained as an architect in London and migrated to Melbourne in 1858. During his early career he had made a name for himself as a designer of Gothic style churches, having designed over thirty by the time he was thirty-four. Shortly after his arrival in Melbourne he was appointed Inspector General of Public Works, while also practicing privately, and oversaw some of the most prominent building and engineering works to take place in Victoria.

      In 1878 all Public Servants were dismissed by the Berry Government, and Wardell moved to Sydney where he began a full private practice. Some of his best known designs are St Mary’s Cathedral, Sydney, St Patricks Cathedral, Melbourne (VHR 8), St John’s Church of England, Toorak (VHR 204), St Mary’s East St Kilda (VHR 750), St Ignatius, Richmond, the Union Club, Sydney and the Australian Steam Navigation Company Building, Sydney. He was especially known for his use of the Gothic architectural style, in which he also designed a number of suburban branches of the ES&A Bank under the instigation of the banks General Manager Sir George Verdon.

      William Pitt
      William Pitt was born in Melbourne in 1855 and began his architectural practice in 1879. He was one of Melbourne’s most prominent architects, winning prizes for his designs and being responsible for some of Melbourne’s best known buildings. These include the Rialto (VHR 41), the Olderfleet Building (VHR 37), Gordon House (VHR 443), St Kilda Town Hall, the Melbourne Coffee Palace, Falls Bridge, the Princess Theatre (VHR 93), and the former Stock Exchange.
      William Pitt was also an active member of the Melbourne community. He became a Collingwood councillor, then served as mayor, and in 1891 he was elected to the legislative council, where he served for eighteen years. [ANZ Banking Museum display, 380 Collins Street Melbourne ]

      Sir George Verdon
      Sir George Frederick Verdon was born in England in 1834, and migrated to Melbourne in 1851. He made his mark within Melbourne at quite a young age, and was appointed Treasurer of Victoria when he was 26. He sat on various committees and boards for institutions like the Public Library and the National Gallery, and served as the Victorian Government’s Agent General in London. [ANZ Banking Museum display, 380 Collins Street Melbourne ]
      When Verdon was 38 he was knighted. Shortly after, in 1872, he took on a new role as the Inspector and General Manager of the ES&A Bank. It is claimed that, despite his position of General Manager, Verdon in fact disliked the banking profession, preferring art and architecture. [‘As Perfect As Possible; The Gothic Bank of Collins Street’, Damien M Cash, Historic Buildings Council Victoria, April 1989. p. 1] He took quite an active roll in the construction of the ES&A Banks new headquarters in Collins Street Melbourne, setting firm guidelines for the design, personally choosing the architect and closely liasing with Wardell throughout most of the construction. The outcome, the Gothic Bank (as it is known), is generally attributed as much to Verdon as to Wardell. His preference for the Gothic style of architecture is echoed through the other branches constructed during his tenure as General Manager, which are also Gothic.

      History of Place:
      In 1837 the first sale of the site on the corner of Collins and Queen Street was recorded. Mr. William Umphelby purchased the land for £61, and established a licenced hotel named the “Angel Inn”. [380 Collins Street An Appraisal of the Conversation Constraints Revised Report, Allom Lovell & Associates July 1998.P. 6] The site was leased and operated as a succession of barbers, grocers and banks [ANZ Banking Museum display, 380 Collins Street Melbourne ], before it was sold to William Bowman for £6,452 in 1840. In 1848 he leased the site to George Annand, who established a grocery store. This store remained on the site until the property was purchased by the ES&A Bank in 1880 for the sum of £60,000.

      The current ANZ Bank, 376-392 Collins Street Melbourne, is an amalgamation of two buildings, the ES&A Gothic Bank, and the former Stock Exchange building. The Gothic Bank was the first to be constructed. It was begun in 1883 and opened in May 1887, having run significantly over budget. [ANZ Banking Museum information “The Gothic Bank”] When the building was proposed, three of Melbourne’s leading architects were invited to submit designs constraining to fairly specific briefing instructions as to the style, which was to be Gothic. [380 Collins Street An Appraisal of the Conversation Constraints Revised Report, Allom Lovell & Associates July 1998. P. 10] William Wardell’s design was selected and a budget was set of £40,000. Goss & Mason were the contractors and Alexander Todd was appointed as Clerk of Works. The entire ground floor was the banking chamber, and the first and second floors were built as a residence for the General Manager, complete with a library, morning room, drawing room, dining room, billiards room, bedrooms and servants quarters. Verdon moved into the residence in 1888 and remained there until his retirement. The only other two general managers to reside in the rooms were Alexander Urquhart and Charles Wren. When Wren retired in 1933, the rooms were vacant until the Lyceum Club leased them from 1934 until 1957. [ANZ Banking Museum information “Verdon Chambers”] These rooms remain the most intact example of any comparable city residence from that period within Australia. [380 Collins Street An Appraisal of the Conversation Constraints Revised Report, Allom Lovell & Associates July 1998. P. 88]

      Despite the budget established by the Bank’s board of directors in London, the finest available craftsmen were contracted for each job and the building grew in extravagance. As the costs mounted, a director was sent out from London by the concerned board to investigate the progress of the building. In his report back he stated “We have a banking chamber which is one of the sights of Melbourne and likely to be so for many years to come… [The building] was built by a man with perfect taste and ample means for gratifying it.” [Banking Museum information “The Gothic Building”] When the building was opened in May 1887, a year after the proposed finishing date, it had cost over £77,000.

      The size of the entire site was 133 feet on Collins Street and 155 feet on Queens Street. When the ES&A Bank erected their headquarters they only used a portion of land in the corner, and in 1886 the remaining “L” shaped block of land surrounding it was sold to a property company for £65,000. The following year, this company sold the land to the Stock Exchange of Melbourne for £121,000. [“The Gothic Bank of Collins Street” – leaflett produced by the ANZ Bank January 1976] The individual who seemed to greatly profit from this arrangement was a man by the name of B. J. Fink, the owner of the property company and also the chairman of the Stock Exchange of Melbourne. [380 Collins Street An Appraisal of the Conversation Constraints Revised Report, Allom Lovell & Associates July 1998.P. 32]

      William Pitt was contracted to design the Stock Exchange, which consisted of an ornate Gothic style building fronting Collins Street, and a wing fronting Queens Street which was to house the safe deposit (VHR 451). The stock exchange was a six storey building with 200 offices. The main business area was on the ground floor in a large vaulted chamber, known as the Cathedral Room. This was an area that was reserved for client meetings and was not open to the general public. The total cost of the building, including the land, was £254,000.
      Overall the purchase and building construction was not a terribly good investment and in 1921 the Stock Exchange, due to financial difficulties, was forced to sell its property back to the ES&A Bank for only £136,500.

      Once the ES&A Bank re-acquired the entire block of land, it devised plans of expanding the bank to incorporate the former Stock Exchange building and the Safety Deposit, the management of which was taken over by the bank. The architects for the redevelopment were Kirkpatricks in 1923/4. The banking chamber was extended to include most of the ground floor of the stock exchange. This meant that the main entrance to the former stock exchange was repositioned to the right of the building, which opened into a passage leading back to the Cathedral Room. The original design of the banking chamber was replicated in the extension. In addition, a large glass and iron skylight was installed over the banking counter. The Cathedral Room had a few alterations made to it, including the addition of some windows, but was left largely original. [380 Collins Street An Appraisal of the Conversation Constraints Revised Report, Allom Lovell & Associates July 1998. P. 80]

      The sixth floor of the former stock exchange was leased out to the Lyceum club in 1925 and they used this area for nine years at extremely low rent. The Melbourne branch of the Lyceum Club was established in 1912 and was for women who had demonstrated their ability or commitment to the areas of philanthropy, arts, community service, education, medicine or science, writing or music. [A History of the Lyceum Club Melbourne, Joan Gillison, McKellar Press, Melvern 1975, p. 1] Social standing or wealth were not enough to gain membership. When the Club moved into the rooms on the sixth floor of the former stock exchange building the design was not particularly appropriate to their needs. Two of their members, the architects Mrs Lorna Phillips and Miss Murial Stott devised a system of folding walls and doors so that the area could be opened up into a large open space when required. [A History of the Lyceum Club Melbourne, Joan Gillison, McKellar Press, Melvern 1975, p. 50] In 1934 the ES&A Bank had an offer to lease the rooms at a rate more equivalent to its value, which was considerably more than the Lyceum Club was able to afford and decided to accept it. Rather than leaving the Club stranded however, the bank offered the lease of the first and second floor of the bank, which until 1933 had been used as the residence of the General Manager, again at very low rates. [A History of the Lyceum Club Melbourne, Joan Gillison, McKellar Press, Melvern 1975, p. 60] The Club accepted the offer and remained in this accommodation until 1957.

      The Safe Deposit building was also designed by William Pitt, although the building is externally less ornate than the Stock Exchange. It is also constructed of brick rather than sand stone. The Safe Deposit within this complex was the first established in Australia and perhaps reflects the waning opinion of the security of banks during the depression of the 1890s. [380 Collins Street An Appraisal of the Conversation Constraints Revised Report, Allom Lovell & Associates July 1998. P. 43] The Safe Deposit itself was highly advanced, consisting of 3000 individual safes to be leased out, and was located in the basement of the building. The concrete walls surrounding the safe, but standing away from it, were one metre thick, and the safe was made of wrought iron boiler plate, lined with undrillable steel. Each of the four doors were secured by a time lock that prevented access outside of business hours. [Banking Museum information “Melbourne Safety Deposit”
      ] The Safe Deposit operated as a business until 1969 when, because it had become uneconomical, it was moved elsewhere. However, in 1994, with the refurbishment of the Gothic Bank complex, the decision was made to reopen it in its original location.

      In 1989 the ANZ Bank performed major renovations to the banking complex, linking the Gothic Bank and the former Stock Exchange with the Safety Deposit building by covering the area between the buildings with a glass atrium. Behind this a multi-storied tower was constructed to house the ANZ Bank’s headquarters. Along with this new construction, the bank carried out a great deal of restoration work on the Gothic Bank, resurrecting the Verdon Chambers to its former splendour and restoring the paintwork in the banking chamber.
      Associated People: William PItt

      Assessment Against Criteria

      ANZ BANK - Assessment Against Criteria

      a. The historical importance, association with or relationship to Victoria's history of the place or object
      This building was the headquarters of the ES&A Bank, a leading financial institution in Australia in the late 19th century that went on to become the ANZ Bank. The construction of such a grand building demonstrates financial confidence of banking institutions within Victoria. The scale and expense of the construction also demonstrates the impression of self confidence and security that the bank intended to express to the public. Most of an institutions advertising had to be conducted in this method. The history of the former Stock Exchange building reflects the boom and bust period in Victoria during the 1880s and 1890s.

      b. The importance of a place or object in demonstrating rarity or uniqueness
      The Gothic Bank contains the only intact city residence dating from the 1880s. The bank has restored the first floor of this residence to its original grandure.

      c. The place or object's potential to educate, illustrate or provide further scientific investigation in relation to Victoria's cultural heritage
      The ANZ Bank is historically significant as it is positioned on a corner site within the centre of the banking precinct in Melbourne, which was the most important business centre at the time in Australia. Both the former Stock Exchange and the residence housed the Melbourne branch of the Lyceum Club between 1925 and 1957

      d. The importance of a place or object in exhibiting the principal characteristics or the representative nature of a place or object as part of a class or type of places or objects
      The use of Gothic design became a trademark of the ES&A Bank. The bank utilised Gothically inspired architecture in many of its suburban branches after the erection of the bank at 376 - 392 Collins Street Melbourne. The grand scale and extravagance of the design of the Gothic Bank and former Stock Exchange was typical of late 19th Century banking institutions, which used design as a means of promoting confidence with investors.

      e. The importance of the place or object in exhibiting good design or aesthetic characteristics and/or in exhibiting a richness, diversity or unusual integration of features
      The Gothic Bank, designed by William Wardell was widely applauded. One of the board members wrote back to London stating "We have a banking chamber which is one of the sights of Melbourne and likely to be so for many years to come".

      Permit Exemptions

      ANZ BANK - Permit Exemptions

      General Exemptions:

      General exemptions apply to all places and objects included in the Victorian Heritage Register (VHR). General exemptions have been designed to allow everyday activities, maintenance and changes to your property, which don’t harm its cultural heritage significance, to proceed without the need to obtain approvals under the Heritage Act 2017.

      Places of worship: In some circumstances, you can alter a place of worship to accommodate religious practices without a permit, but you must notify the Executive Director of Heritage Victoria before you start the works or activities at least 20 business days before the works or activities are to commence.

      Subdivision/consolidation: Permit exemptions exist for some subdivisions and consolidations. If the subdivision or consolidation is in accordance with a planning permit granted under Part 4 of the Planning and Environment Act 1987 and the application for the planning permit was referred to the Executive Director of Heritage Victoria as a determining referral authority, a permit is not required.

      Specific exemptions may also apply to your registered place or object. If applicable, these are listed below. Specific exemptions are tailored to the conservation and management needs of an individual registered place or object and set out works and activities that are exempt from the requirements of a permit. Specific exemptions prevail if they conflict with general exemptions.

      Find out more about heritage permit exemptions here.

      Specific Exemptions:

      General Conditions:
      1. All exempted alterations are to be planned and carried out in a manner which prevents damage to the fabric of the registered place or object.
       2. Should it become apparent during further inspection or the carrying out of alterations that original or previously hidden or inaccessible details of the place or object are revealed which relate to the significance of the place or object, then the exemption covering such alteration shall cease and the Executive Director shall be notified as soon as possible.

       3. If there is a conservation policy and plan approved by the Executive Director, all works shall be in accordance with it.

       4. Nothing in this declaration prevents the Executive Director from amending or rescinding all or any of the permit exemptions.

       5. Nothing in this declaration exempts owners or their agents from the responsibility to seek relevant planning or building permits from the responsible authority where applicable.

       
      Exterior
       * Minor repairs and maintenance which replace like with like.

       * Removal of any extraneous items such as air conditioners, pipe work, ducting, wiring, antennae, aerials etc, and making good.

       * Installation or repair of damp-proofing by either injection method or grouted pocket method.

       


       
      Interior
       * Painting of previously painted walls and ceilings provided that preparation or painting does not remove evidence of the original paint or other decorative scheme.

       * Removal of paint from originally unpainted or oiled joinery, doors, architraves, skirtings and decorative strapping.

       * Installation, removal or replacement of carpets and/or flexible floor coverings.

       * Installation, removal or replacement of curtain track, rods, blinds and other window dressings.

       * Installation, removal or replacement of hooks, nails and other devices for the hanging of mirrors, paintings and other wall mounted artworks.

       * Installation, removal or replacement of ducted, hydronic or concealed radiant type heating provided that the installation does not damage existing skirtings and architraves and provided that the location of the heating unit is concealed from view.

       * Installation, removal or replacement of electrical wiring provided that all new wiring is fully concealed and any original light switches, pull cords, push buttons or power outlets are retained in-situ. Note: if wiring original to the place was carried in timber conduits then the conduits should remain in-situ.

       * Installation, removal or replacement of bulk insulation in the roof space.

       * Installation, removal or replacement of smoke detectors.
      The following works or activities are exempted from requiring a permit on an ongoing basis pursuant to s92(3) of the Heritage Act 2017.

      General
      • Maintenance, repair, replacement or removal of existing fire services including sprinklers and doors.
      • The erection of temporary security fencing, scaffolding, hoardings or surveillance systems not attached to buildings or structures to prevent unauthorised access or secure public safety.
      • Works or activities, including emergency stabilisation, necessary to secure safety in an emergency where a structure or part of a structure has been irreparably damaged or destabilised and poses a safety risk to its users or the public. The Executive Director, Heritage Victoria, must be notified within seven days of the commencement of these works or activities.
      Exterior
      • Installation, replacement or removal of mechanical plant and solar panels to the roof of 100 Queen Street providing the upgrades and new installations are not visible from vantage points in adjacent streets and footpaths.
      • Maintenance, repairs, replacement or removal of existing safe roof access systems, providing replacements are not visible from vantage points in adjacent streets and footpaths.
      • Painting of previously painted external surfaces in the same colour, finish and product type provided that preparation or painting does not remove all evidence of earlier paint finishes or scheme
      • Maintenance, repair, replacement or removal of existing externally-mounted security devices, including CCTV cameras and associated wiring, ducting, etc. Where existing services are removed fabric is to be made good in a like-for-like manner.
      • All exterior works confined to 100 Queen Street, providing the works do not substantially alter the external appearance of the place or impact the fabric or cultural heritage significance of the registered building (B1) or the Former Safe Deposit Building (VHR H0451).
      Interior
      • All interior works to the building at 100 Queen Street.
      • Works to post-1920s interiors excluding the banking chamber, the vaults and the former residence on the first and second floors of the Gothic Bank; and the Cathedral Room on the ground floor of the former Stock Exchange building and the entrance way to this room, specifically:
      • Installation, removal or replacement of partition walls, suspended ceilings, screens, doors, built-in cupboards, office fitouts and the like
      • Works to maintain or upgrade existing bathrooms, toilets and kitchens including removal, installation or replacement of sanitary fixtures, mirrors, wall and floor coverings and the like to interiors.
      • Repair of lifts and other service equipment including mechanisms and associated elements

      Permit Exemption Policy

      ANZ BANK - Permit Exemption Policy

      The main significance of the ANZ Gothic Bank lies in the architectural design of the exterior facades and in the interior, consisting of the Banking Chamber, the Cathedral Room and the General Managers former residence. The primarily focus is on the design and ornate decoration.

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