53 Capel Street

53 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 building.Source: 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

The historic Victorian dwelling on this land was demolished and replaced by a two storey office building with basement parking.

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.
19551955Hon Ahsource: Sands & McDougall directory, transcribed by Anne Cronin in 2020.
19401950“Chinese”source: Sands & McDougall directory, transcribed by Anne Cronin in 2020.
19351935John Cusacksource: Sands & McDougall directory, transcribed by Anne Cronin in 2020.
19301930“Greeks”source: Sands & McDougall directory, transcribed by Anne Cronin in 2020.
19101925Charles Bellsource: Sands & McDougall directory, transcribed by Anne Cronin in 2020.
19051905William Robertsonsource: Sands & McDougall directory, transcribed by Anne Cronin in 2020.
19001900Mrs E. Lantenbergsource: Sands & McDougall directory, transcribed by Anne Cronin in 2020.
18951895Robert Jonessource: Sands & McDougall directory, transcribed by Anne Cronin in 2020.
18901890Patrick Mahoneysource: Sands & McDougall directory, transcribed by Anne Cronin in 2020.

Social History

1889. A robbery was committed at the house of Mr A. Devres, 53 Capel street, West Melbourne, yesterday, about 4 o’clock. Mr Devres left the house for about a quarter of an hour, and upon nor return found it had been forcibly entered. A chest of drawers was broken open and a gold English lover watch, silver Geneva watch, valued at L20, stolen.

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article241509037

source: The Herald 1889



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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Copyright status: This work is in copyright.
Conditions of use: Use of this work allowed provided the creators name and Hotham History Project Inc are acknowledged.

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