Citation report - Victoria's Planning Schemes

City of Port Phillip Heritage Review
Identifier
Formerly
Address
Constructed 1881
Amendment C 29
Comment
Significance
Description
House
unknown
44 Finlay St
SOUTH MELBOURNE
44 Finlay Street is of significance as an investment property built for the leading South Melbourne
businessman, W.P. Buckhurst and for the intricate nature and the substantially intact state, of the timber
decoration.
Primary Source
Original Use: Residence
Date of Construction: 1881 (1)
Manufacturers: Unknown
Category Residential:detached
Designer unknown
Allom Lovell Sanderson Pty. Ltd., South Melb Conservation study vol. 2, 1987
Other Studies
Finlay St
William Parton Buckhurst, the highly successful South Melbourne real estate entrepreneur built a row of
speculative houses in Finlay Street, including No. 44, 1881-82. This six-roomed wooden dwelling was first
rated at £14 (2). The following rateable period of the N.A.V. had jumped to £34 and was then owned and
occupied by William Robertson, a tailor (3). After about six years, ownership passed to Thomas Brown, a
‘manufacturer’, who leased it to Henry Green, a miner (5). By 1900 Brown and Green still owned and
occupied the property.
The house, while a small building and built as an investment property, was given some very unusual querks of
detailing that remain substantially intact. The house is clad in timber to represent ashlar blocks, but is
dominated by the projecting gable and the decoration under it. The barge board has an accentuated
scalloped edge and turned timber finial and drops, while the bay window under has – all in timber – bold
castellation drowning it, a moulded cornice, hood moulds terminated with consoles to each of the three double
Moubray St
(Mapped as a Significant heritage property.)
Heritage Precinct Overlay
Heritage Overlay(s)
HO3
Merton St
Citation No:
964