53 Hawke Street

53 Hawke Street
West Melbourne VIC 3003
photographer: Stephen Hatcher 2019
Also known as Benbow’s row house (51 & 53) & after 2006 “Templemore” Source: Hatcher Index
Previous Address 37 Hawke Street (before 1889) Source: Hatcher Index
Constructed 5/7/1871
Style Victorian : 1840-1890
Architect
Builder William Chrystal of Victoria street West Melbourne

Timelapse Building Images

2007

photographer: Stephen Hatcher

2006

source: http://maps.melbourne.vic.gov.au

1983

photographer: Graeme Butler

1970’s

Mrs D’Apote 53 Hawke Street West Melbourne taken in the 1970’s

source: photographer, Viva Gibb. Image held by SLV

1950s

1950’s

1950s

1950s

1950’s

1897

Edith & Freda Stones

Land Details

  1. Certificate of Title: Neil Joseph McKay, 1920.
  2. source: PROV, V4202 F840240

Building Details

1872 Melbourne City Council building application registration no 4469.

1895 MMBW map.

source: http://maps.melbourne.vic.gov.au/

William Chrystal lived on Victoria Street West Melbourne between Abbotsford and Lothian Street. He was a successful master builder in Melbourne, his other work can be seen below.

Building ID
Owner
Suburb
Building State
 Building Type
Builder
Build Date (YYYY MM DD)
Registration no
71108 Gillies,- West Melbourne VIC Houses Chrystal, William 1860 08 4 441
71872 Donald, – West Melbourne VIC Houses Chrystal, William – Melbourne 1862 03 11 93
72123 Mundy, Charles West Melbourne VIC Houses Chrystal, William 1862 08 20 316
71876 Chrystal, William – 136 Victoria St West Melbourne VIC Houses Chrystal, William 1862 11 24 455
77478 Scott, – West Melbourne VIC Houses Chrystal, William – Melbourne 1863 01 21 31
72126 Young, James West Melbourne VIC Houses Chrystal, William – Melbourne 1863 11 12 408
74779 Paton, Andrew Melbourne VIC Houses Chrystal, William – Melbourne 1864 06 15 311
72131 Gillies, William West Melbourne VIC Houses Chrystal, William – Melbourne 1864 11 2 542
77485 Taylor, James West Melbourne VIC Houses Chrystal, William – Melbourne 1864 12 6 600
71885 Chrystal, William – Melbourne West Melbourne VIC Factories Chrystal, William – 1865 08 1 1001
72246 Grearson, Mrs West Melbourne VIC Houses Chrystal, William – Melbourne 1866 01 31 1306
71689 Rose, James West Melbourne VIC Houses Chrystal, William – Melbounre 1866 09 19 1662
72635 McLellan,- West Melbourne VIC Houses Chrystal, William – Melbourn e 1866 10 9 1699
77279 Meres, Mrs West Melbourne VIC Houses Chrystal, William – Melbourne 1867 04 22 2010
77280 James, G West Melbourne VIC Houses Chrystal, William – Melbourne 1867 05 30 2081
77281 James, John West Melbourne VIC Houses Chrystal, William – Melbourne 1867 10 22 2274
74225 Mc Dowell, John Melbourne VIC Houses Chrystal, William – Melbourne 1868 05 14 2624
85974 Yeaman, John Fitzroy VIC Houses Chrystal, William – 136 Victoria St West Melbourne 1869 06 18 3298
71896 Stooks, George West Melbourne VIC Houses Chrystal, William – 136 Victoria St 1869 12 7 3607
75118 Turner, James & Son Melbourne VIC Shops Chrystal, William – Mebourne 1870 01 31 3698
77293 McLellan, Robert West Melbourne VIC Houses Chrystal, William – Melbourne 1870 02 10 3725
77300 Benbow, William West Melbourne VIC Houses Chrystal, William – Melbourne 1871 07 5 4469
81211 Condell, W Vallance East Melbourne VIC Houses Chrystal, William 1872 11 19 5138
76282 Condell, W V Melbourne VIC Warehouses Chrystal, William – Melbourne 1873 05 29 5411
73225 Turner, James & Son Melbourne VIC Warehouses Chrystal, William – 136 Victoria St W 1873 12 5 5691
13837 Hudson & Wardrop Yeaman, John VIC Funerary; Garden & Street Architecture Chrystal, William – 136 Victoria St West Melbourne 1927 11 11 3298

source 1 http://maps.melbourne.vic.gov.au / source 2 https://www.mileslewis.net/australian-architectural

Subsequent Building Alterations

In 2006 the terrace home has been fully renovated inside to include a new two story addition to the rear and a new corrugated iron roof.

This fully renovated and extended home offers 4 bedrooms of accommodation, plenty of natural light, quality fixtures, fittings and appointments and a very flexible floor plan, ideal for entertaining or simply relaxing. Boasting 2 street frontages for easy off street parking and comprising: wide entrance hall with decorative arch, 4 bedrooms (3 with BIR’s), formal lounge room, stunning hostess kitchen opening out onto light filled open plan living including dining/family area, 2 bathrooms, separate laundry and 3 x WC. Note: air conditioning, polished timber floorboards, 2 balconies, fully paved and landscaped gardens and gas ducted heating. Right on the city fringe, only minutes to the CBD, the Docklands precinct and vibrant Errol Street. This is defiantly one to inspect!

source: Renovation plans are on file at Melbourne Council.

source: Renovation plans are on file at Melbourne Council.

Architectural Features


  • Fin Wall
    Concrete

    Photographer, Stephen Hatcher


  • Path
    Tiles

    Photographer, Stephen Hatcher


  • Lacework
    Cast Iron

    Photographer, Stephen Hatcher


  • Doors
    Timber

    Photographer, Stephen Hatcher


  • Windows
    Glass

    Photographer, Stephen Hatcher


  • Fence
    Timber

    Photographer, Stephen Hatcher

Heritage Significance and Listings

Heritage Listings and Explanatory Notes

A single story brick cement rendered and painted 1871 Victorian style terrace home built in the “Filigree” style, a style distinguished through use of cast iron ornament, with a level paved area in front on with a deep back yard ideal for a garden.

Owners

From To Owner More Info Data Source
1974 to date Private Hatcher Index
1958 1974 Nicola & Carolina D’Apote Hatcher Index
1952 1958 Mary Margaret McKelvie, nee McGann Hatcher Index
1921 1952 Michael David McGann Hatcher Index
1920 1921 Neil Joseph McKay Hatcher Index
1915 1920 Ellen Donoghue Hatcher Index
1906 1915 John Craig Hatcher Index
1902 1906 Jos & Thos McDonald Hatcher Index
1888 1902 Mrs Sarah Benbow, née Weir http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article192203126 Hatcher Index
1872 1888 William & Sarah Anne Benbow, née Weir https://www.bdm.vic.gov.au Hatcher Index
1835 1872 Thomas Allison and A. H. Knight purchased land Hatcher Index
abt 40 thousand years earlier 1835 Boon Wurrung and Woiwurrung (Wurundjeri) peoples of the Kulin Nation https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Victoria Hatcher Index

Residents

From To Resident More Info Data Source
1974 to date Private Hatcher Index
1958 1974 Nicola and Carolina D’Apote Hatcher Index
1951 1958 Roy Muller Hatcher Index
1928 Mary Robinson Smith The Argus
1921 1951 Michael David McGann Hatcher Index
1920 1921 Neil Joseph McKay Hatcher Index
1916 1920 John Sawyer Hatcher Index
1906 1916 Edith Stones Hatcher Index
1903 1906 Alfred Smelcher Hatcher Index
1902 1903 Thomas Eywin Hatcher Index
1900 1902 Alfred and Jeannie Shipway Hatcher Index
1899 1900 David Byrne Hatcher Index
1895 1899 Joseph Hulme Hatcher Index
1892 1893 Mrs Cullen Hatcher Index
1891 1892 Mrs Isabella Girdwood, née Taylor Hatcher Index
1890 1891 John and Isabella Gardwood, née Taylor Hatcher Index
1889 1890 Thomas Bruce Hatcher Index
1883 1889 James McNamara Hatcher Index
1883 1884 Burns Hatcher Index
1882 1883 J Leek Hatcher Index
1878 1882 George Gibbons Hatcher Index
1876 1878 Alf Hayler & Henry Pullen Hatcher Index
1875 1876 Charles James Hatcher Index
1874 1875 James and Sophia Fulton Hatcher Index
1872 1874 William & Sarah Anne Benbow (née Weir) Hatcher Index

Social History

1951. Michael McGann

The Age

1928. Mary Robinson Smith.

The Argus

1895. Joseph Hulme.

The Herald

1888. William Benbow & Sarah Ann Benbow.

William Benbow, an engineer by trade and was born on 9 July 1837 in Wolverton, Buckinghamshire. He married Sarah Ann Weir on 21 July 1870 in Melbourne, Victoria. They had five children.

The Argus

1888 William Benbow.

The Herald

If you know more about any earlier families who had a direct connection to this inspiring ‘William Chrystal built’ period home, we encourage you to contact us and share their stories and old photos today.

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

Streetscape

This streetscape contains a collection of outstanding Victorian buildings because they are a particularly well preserved group from a similar period or style and because they are socially and historically significant buildings for the early development of North & West Melbourne in their own right.

Other Information

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.

If you or someone you know has any more to add either by old photos or stories of this home, please contact us today. Email info@hothamhistory.org.au