47 Capel Street

47 Capel Street
West Melbourne VIC 3003
photographer: Stephen Hatcher

Also known as Union CottagesSource: 1895 Sands & McDougal directory
Previous Address known today as 47 to 53, it was once a single Victorian terrace dwelling before the current buildingSource: from the 1895 MMBW map
Constructed (1st) 1864, (2nd) 1960s
Style
Architect
Builder (1) Laurens & Noonan

Timelapse Building Images

No Entries Found

Land Details

  1. Current map
  2. 1895 MMBW map
  3. Compiled Crown Record Plan
  4. 1859 report of the Government Land Sale

Building Details

Notice of intent to build.

Street: Capel street

Number: 166

Date 29/3/1864

Owner & Builder: Laurens & Noonan, Melbourne

Fee: £ 4.0.0

Type: Four cottages, [all with their own private back yard garden]

Other significant building works tba

source: Burchett Index


Subsequent Building Alterations

The original four cottages were demolished between 1960 to 1965, replaced by the current building on this site.

Architectural Features



    No Entries Found


Heritage Significance and Listings

Heritage Listings and Explanatory Notes

Owners

FromToOwnerMore InfoData Source
to datePrivatesource: Hatcher Index
1859Messrs. John Lawrence and James Noonan, first Crown land purchaserssource: Hatcher Index
abt 40 thousand years earlier1835Boon Wurrung and Woiwurrung (Wurundjeri) peoples of the Kulin Nationhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Victoriasource: Hatcher Index

Residents

FromToResidentMore InfoData Source
to datePrivatesource Hatcher Index
19651974Santalucia A & Sons P/L, produce merchantssource: Sands & McDougall directory, transcribed by Anne Cronin in 2020.
19551960Paul Giordmianasource: Sands & McDougall directory, transcribed by Anne Cronin in 2020.
19501950Paul Siardmannasource: Sands & McDougall directory, transcribed by Anne Cronin in 2020.
19451945Domenico Pulisource: Sands & McDougall directory, transcribed by Anne Cronin in 2020.
19401940“Italians”source: Sands & McDougall directory, transcribed by Anne Cronin in 2020.
19351935Edward J. Noonansource: Sands & McDougall directory, transcribed by Anne Cronin in 2020.
19301930“Italians”source: Sands & McDougall directory, transcribed by Anne Cronin in 2020.
19201925William Schleebssource: Sands & McDougall directory, transcribed by Anne Cronin in 2020.
19151915William J. Shollsource: Sands & McDougall directory, transcribed by Anne Cronin in 2020.
19101910Richard W. Jamessource: Sands & McDougall directory, transcribed by Anne Cronin in 2020.
19051905Miss. Rose O’Briensource: Sands & McDougall directory, transcribed by Anne Cronin in 2020.
18951895John Chillingworthsource: Sands & McDougall directory, transcribed by Anne Cronin in 2020.
18901890George Hallidaysource: Sands & McDougall directory, transcribed by Anne Cronin in 2020.

Social History

1890. RUN OVER BY A TRAIN.

Dr Youl and a jurv held a second inquest this morning upon the body of Gorge Palford, a railway employee, who resided at 47 Capel street, West Mclliourne. He was 33 years of age, and left a wife and three children. It seems deceased, who had been employed at Prince’ Bridge as a fog signalman was at home on Saturday night but seeing the fog come down, knew he would be wanted at the station and left his home and reported for duty. He was sent out on the Brighton line, and was stationed near the Jolimont footbridge with denotators and a lamp. About 9.10 his body was found cut to pieces, having evidently been run over one of the trains. The stationmaster, John Robert Page, said deceased was sober and a good, steady man. There were eight men employed 0n that stretch of line, and he thought that if more men were employed in signalling there would be more liability to accidunts, and it would not render matters safer. John Nelson, au engine driver, residing at Brighton, said he, was driving tho 9 p.m. train to Brighton, and on shortly after passing the Jolimont footbridge he felt his engine strike an obstruction and pulled up his train. On descending he found the body of deceased cut to pieces, and dead.
Albert R. Lot, signalman at the Jolimont box, stated two trains passed each other at three minutes past 9. He saw the Brighton train pull up, and deceased was soon after reported killed. Men were safe if they only kept in the “six foot.” Dr. Youl stated there was little doubt that the man became confused in the fog and stood out of the “six foot,” and was so run over. The death was undoubtedly occidental.
The jury returned a verdict of accidentally run over by a train.

source: The Herald 1890



Context and Streetscape

Precinct

This property resides within the municipality of the City of Melbourne. We respectfully acknowledge it is on the traditional land of the Kulin Nation.
source: https://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/SiteCollectionDocuments/history-city-of-melbourne.pdf
historical map source: https://www.slv.vic.gov.au/search-discover/explore-collections-format/maps/maps-melbourne-city-suburbs

Zoning
This information must be verified with the relevant planning or heritage authority.

Streetscape

The streetscape can be characterised as a mix of Victorian and modern buildings. Eight of the original seventeen single-story Victorian terrace dwellings plus some double storey commercial buildings are on its western side, south of Victoria Street, while on the eastern side, the street retains sixteen of its original thirty-six, wider sized early Victorian, two storey terrace homes, as well as two story modern public housing townhouses.

Crossing over Victoria Street to the north on the eastern side, nineteen of the original thirty-two equally fine examples of early two storey Victoria terrace dwellings can be seen, dispersed by a small number of modern two storey buildings. Unfortunately, all twenty-two of the original Victorian terrace dwellings on the western side from Victoria to Queensberry streets have all been demolished, replaced by taller modern commercial buildings that are out of character with the existing surrounding Victorian architecture of this once predominantly single and double storey residential streetscape.

Heritage of note include two 2 storey terraces at 62 and 64, both have National Trust classifications and Heritage Victoria registrations. Two more include two single storey terraces dwellings at 81 and 83 that were designed by the distinguished Australian architect, Mr. George Raymond Johnson.

Other Information

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