64 Capel Street

64 Capel Street
West Melbourne VIC 3003
photographer: Stephen Hatcher

Also known as Mason
Previous Address
Constructed 1859
Style
Architect
Builder

Timelapse Building Images

No Entries Found

Land Details

Building Details

No Entries Found

Subsequent Building Alterations

No Entries Found

Architectural Features




  • Walls
    Bluestone

    Sue Scarfe photographer


  • Gate
    Cast Iron

    Sue Scarfe photographer


  • Doors
    Timber

    Sue Scarfe photographer


  • Hardware
    Other metal

    Sue Scarfe photographer


  • Windows
    Glass

    Sue Scarfe photographer


  • Windows
    Glass

    Sue Scarfe photographer


  • Fence
    Cast Iron

    Sue Scarfe photographer


  • Hardware
    Cast Iron

    Sue Scarfe photographer


  • Walls
    Stone

    Sue Scarfe photographer


  • Building Ornamentation
    Stone

    Sue Scarfe photographer


  • Walls
    Bluestone

    Sue Scarfe photographer


  • Windows
    Glass

    Sue Scarfe photographer


  • Building Ornamentation
    Stone

    Sue Scarfe photographer


  • Lacework
    Cast Iron

    Sue Scarfe photographer


  • Lacework
    Cast Iron

    Sue Scarfe photographer


  • Windows
    Glass

    Sue Scarfe photographer


  • Balcony
    Cast Iron

    Sue Scarfe photographer


  • Fin Wall
    Stone

    Sue Scarfe photographer



Heritage Significance and Listings

Heritage Listings and Explanatory Notes

Victorian Heritage Register (VHR) Number H0631
Heritage Overlay Numbers HO462
VHR Registration October 1, 1986

Statement of Significance
Last updated on – October 29, 1999

What is significant?
The Residence at 64 Capel Street, West Melbourne, was built by Joseph Dean probably between 1859 and 1866, possibly in two stages, the second storey being added some time after the first.

Dean was a stonemason and lived in the house for short periods but generally leased it until selling in 1897.

The house is a two-storey parapeted and part-stuccoed building of basalt coursed rubble with sandstone quoins to openings as seen on the north face.

The two-level timber verandah has cast-iron frieze panels, bellied iron balustrade panels and a modified square head picket fence.

The architraved upper level window has the distinctively early detail of half side-lights, with adjoining hung sashes over a lower panel.

Decorative stucco elements include parapet scrolls, a cornice and unusual stylised brackets and rolled mouldings to the side wall faces, set against the stone work.

How is it significant?
The Residence at 64 Capel Street, West Melbourne, is of historical and architectural significance to the State of Victoria.

Why is it significant?
The Residence at 64 Capel Street, West Melbourne, is of historical significance as evidence of the early form of residential development in inner Melbourne.

The house is one of the earliest in the area, the land here having been sold in the late 1850s. It provides an excellent example of the kind of buildings erected by the small-scale owner-builders that were common in this part of Melbourne in the 1850s and 1860s.

Dean, the builder and occupier of this house, built several others in the area.

The Residence at 64 Capel Street, West Melbourne, is of architectural significance as an example of domestic architecture displaying uncommon early details and cast iron pattern and as an unusual example of combined stone (basalt and freestone) and stucco work.

History
Contextual History: History of Place:
The Capel Street block was sold by the Crown in 1859. No two allotments were purchased by the same person, so most of the buildings are constrained by the original allotment boundaries.

The block was prime building land, most of the area to the north of Victoria Street having already been developed since 1852.

The Capel Street block was thus developed within a few years of sale.

Joseph Dean first moved into Capel Street in 1859.

His neighbours at the time were Netherwood’s two room brick house and W. Williams Victoria Smelting Works.

Owners

From To Owner More Info Data Source
to date Private source: Hatcher Index
1859 Mr. John Downie, first Crown land purchaser source: 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 source: Hatcher Index

Residents

From To Resident More Info Data Source
to date Private source Hatcher Index
1970 1974 J. E. Cini source: Sands & McDougall directory, transcribed by Anne Cronin in 2020.
1950 1960 Leslie A. Blakey source: Sands & McDougall directory, transcribed by Anne Cronin in 2020.
1945 1945 Mrs. Elsie Hastings source: Sands & McDougall directory, transcribed by Anne Cronin in 2020.
1935 1940 Miss. Emily McKenzie source: Sands & McDougall directory, transcribed by Anne Cronin in 2020.
1930 1930 Mrs. Teresa Penny source: Sands & McDougall directory, transcribed by Anne Cronin in 2020.
1925 1925 Mrs. M. E. Gapper source: Sands & McDougall directory, transcribed by Anne Cronin in 2020.
1920 1920 Herbert L. Tuttleby source: Sands & McDougall directory, transcribed by Anne Cronin in 2020.
1915 1915 James Wemyss source: Sands & McDougall directory, transcribed by Anne Cronin in 2020.
1905 1910 John S. Duncan source: Sands & McDougall directory, transcribed by Anne Cronin in 2020.
1900 1900 John J. Waters source: Sands & McDougall directory, transcribed by Anne Cronin in 2020.
1895 1895 Mrs. Margaret Turner source: Sands & McDougall directory, transcribed by Anne Cronin in 2020.
1890 1890 Stewart Bell source: Sands & McDougall directory, transcribed by Anne Cronin in 2020.

Social History

1878.  HYMAN.— On the 20th November, at her residence, 64 Capel street, West Melbourne, the wife of A. H. Hyman of a son.

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article220443240

source: Weekly Times 1878



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

The controls listed below affect this property:

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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